Improve Your Initial Offers by Making These Changes When Selling Your Austin Home

Selling a luxury Austin home involves far more than putting a “For Sale” sign in the front yard and posting an informative online listing. The goal is to sell your home as quickly as possible and for as much money as possible. With today’s digital advancements, there are numerous steps you can take to improve your chances of getting more offers.

In today’s Austin real estate market, a well-planned and executed marketing strategy is just as important as properly preparing your home so that it sparkles inside and out. The two go hand in hand in attracting the most buyers to your online listing, which in turn can lead to scheduled viewings and offers. 

Before you list your home, you’ll want to hire a talented, experienced agent. When conducting interviews, be sure to look for candidates who you can see yourself working well with, as this is the person who will represent your best interests during negotiations with buyers. During this time, you’ll want to get a sense of their personality, trustworthiness, communication skills, and recent track record of success. Austin’s housing market is booming, with many buyers eager to find the home of their dreams. Well-established agents like Malana Rudnicki will develop a marketing strategy specific to your home to showcase its features and maximize offers.

Many buyers feel that their home is invaluable. Lots of memories have been made here, and the home itself has a lot of sentimental value. However, when selling your home, you must think with your head and not your heart. Remove any emotions from the equation and begin looking at comparative data, which your agent will be happy to go over with you. They will run a comparative market analysis (CMA) to compare your home and its various attributes with similar homes in your neighborhood that have sold recently. With these comparisons in hand, your agent will be able to determine your home’s fair market value and price it accordingly. It’s important that you don't overprice or underprice your home, as this can be detrimental to your sale.

Before listing, your agent will recommend that you declutter and depersonalize your home to create a blank space that makes it easier for buyers to envision themselves living in. You should also conduct a deep clean of your home, making sure to focus on areas that are typically forgotten, such as window blinds, ceiling fans, and wall trim. If any walls are painted bright, vivid colors, it may be worth it to repaint them in a neutral shade. During this time, rearrange any furniture and decor to show off your home’s floor plan.

Once you’ve prepped your home for listing, hire a professional photographer to take high-resolution shots of every room. These photos can be used in your online listing. Most buyers begin their search online, so this is your chance to make a great first impression when advertising your home for sale. When choosing a main photo for your listing, be sure it’s a well-composed shot of the front of your home. Photographs are incredibly important, as they can make and break your chances of a buyer scheduling an in-person viewing.

Your agent will post your listing on the Multiple Listing Service, a tool used to showcase homes for sale to industry professionals, agents, and clients looking for properties. At this time, your agent will also post the listing on several other real estate websites.

When choosing sites to post your listing on, be sure to choose ones that have mobile-friendly sites or apps, as this will make it easier for buyers to access and see. Many buyers these days use smartphones or tablets to peruse listings on mobile-optimized sites.

Once your listing hits the Internet, both you and your agent can promote it on social media outlets, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You can post photos of your home as well as helpful information, such as the dates of open houses and your agent’s phone number. It’s surprising how many buyers look at these postings for leads when looking for a home.

While more and more buyers are looking to the Internet to find homes for sale, it’s still important to put a for-sale sign in your front yard. Many prospective home buyers like to drive through neighborhoods they are interested in to get a feel for the area’s attractiveness and safety, and a sign will make your home stand out. A for-sale sign should display your agent’s phone number and website.

Many buyers will create a first impression of your home before they’ve even entered the front door. This is why your home’s curb appeal must look professional and aesthetically pleasing. If you can impress buyers before they step inside your home, you’re already well on your way to receiving a top-dollar offer.

To ensure your curb appeal will wow even the most discerning buyer, you should keep up with regular maintenance, such as cutting the grass, trimming hedges, and removing fallen branches or leaves in the yard. You’ll also want to focus on your front porch and entryway. Spruce up your front door area with a fresh coat of paint in a warm, welcoming color or with a new welcome mat. Consider decorating with a potted plant, adding new flowers to the garden, and cleaning or replacing the porch light or mailbox. Be sure to power wash the driveway and sidewalk to remove grime and make your home’s front exterior shine.

Once you receive offers, you’ll sit down with your agent to determine which one works best for your situation. While it might be tempting to go with the first top-dollar offer you see, it’s crucial to look at every aspect of the offer, including the buyer’s financing options, if there are any contingencies, and other important factors. Once you’ve looked at all offers, discuss with your agent whether to determine if you should counteroffer or negotiate with the buyer’s agent to arrive at the best deal.

Are you ready to put your home on the market? If so, contact experienced real estate professional Malana Rudnicki. Malana has numerous years of experience helping clients sell and purchase Austin real estate. Get in touch with her today to get started!