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Health & Fitness

Steps to Take Now if You Want to Sell Your Home in 2014

Are you contemplating selling your home in 2014?  If you think it sounds far off, you’re wrong.  The Spring market actually starts right after the first of the year, so if you want a jump on the competition, you should start preparing your home for sale now.  While it may seem a daunting task that you want to put off, taking small steps now will ensure that your home is ready to list when the time does come: 

 

1.       Find a Realtor – take a temperature check of the local housing market with an experienced real estate broker.  He or she will be able to tell you what the “comps” or homes of comparative value are selling for in your neighborhood.  It’s important to keep an open mind when discussing list price.  You realtor can also give you advice about how to prepare your home – everything from staging to de-cluttering and more.  Take it from someone who’s done this countless times before and can provide useful tips.

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2.       Consider Potential Hurdles -- putting your home up for sale requires more than a listing agreement and a for-sale sign.  Be sure your finances are in order; pay taxes, be current on utility bills, and homeowners insurance.  Also consider what might hold up a potential sale.  Do you have a septic system, and would it pass a Title V inspection?  Is your roof in good shape?  If you find some major issues, you’ll have the time to get them remedied beforehand. 

3.       Prepare Your Home From the Outside In – now is the ideal time to get your house ready to present to prospective buyers. If you haven’t done a good fall clean-up, squeeze one in before the weather gets really bad.  When the snow melts, your yard should look clean and neat and well taken care of.   Put away any outdoor furniture or kids toys.   Paint outside trim before it gets too cold, and consider a different color for your front door to spruce things up.  Fix any rotting wood and make sure no windows need replacing.

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4.       Give the Inside of Your Home a Face-Lift – consider a fresh coat of paint, and repair all the little things that need fixing – cracked tiles, loose knobs, closet doors, that cabinet that just won’t close right.  Walk around your home and examine it with a buyer’s eye.  Start to de-clutter your home; consider renting a storage unit for belongings you won’t need for the next couple months and get rid of junk you haven’t touched in years.  Paying attention now to all those little things will make your home more inviting to potential buyers in few months down the road.

5.       Enjoy the Holidays! -- don’t stress yourself out sweating the details.  If you’ve done your prep work, you should be able to relax and cherish these moments and memories with loved ones.  Once the holidays are over, though, be sure to take down decorations in a timely manner and clear any clutter that may have accumulated.   

As soon as 2014 rolls around, hit the ground running.  Check in with your realtor and follow up on housing market research.   Get a more current comparative market analysis (CMA) for a feel on prices -- just in case anything has changed.  If you’ve checked everything off the list, and completed all of those little projects, you should be able to list your home ahead of your competitors in the market.  With potential buyers starting to look to move as early as January, you’ll provide the inventory – and with any luck, you’ll have a seamless transaction.

Debi Benoit, principal of Benoit Mizner Simon & Co., has been Wellesley’s #1 real estate agent since 2006.  The Wall Street Journal twice ranked her among the top 100 real estate professionals in the country.  With offices in Wellesley and Weston, Benoit Mizner Simon & Co provides buyers and sellers in both markets with in-depth knowledge and experience combined with unparalleled client service.

With offices in Wellesley and Weston, Debi can be reached at 617-962-9292 or debi@benoitmiznersimon.com.

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