If you’re thinking of selling a home soon, next year may be the time! But, to sell in 2017 a home owner needs to start preparing their house for sale now. What should be on your to-do list to help improve the condition of the home to get the highest price in the quickest time? A staging plan is important to put together.
According to forecasts just released from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), the Mortgage Bankers’ Association (MBA), and Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, “We can expect a hot year for home sales in 2017,” said Realtor Mag, the NAR’s official magazine.
“NAR is predicting existing-home sales to reach 6 million in 2017, higher than its 5.8 million forecast for this year. But other entities are even more bullish. MBA is predicting home sales to eclipse 6.5 million next year, while Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are both predicting 6.2 million.”
So, what’s driving this trend? Millennials, appear to finally be ready to become a homeowner. If this is true, they’ll prop up the real estate market not just next year, but for several years to come. “They’re predicted to keep sales strong well in to 2020, according to economists,” quoted in the magazine.
Since, the housing forecast reports suggest Millennials will be most seller’s home buyer demographics, it’s important to have these buyers in mind when preparing a home for sale, especially if you’re trying to sell a starter home. Now, Millennials are looking for very specific features on their wish lists that you should consider granting like an energy efficient, smart home with a place to do laundry, work at home and chill outside.
- Focus perceptions so your home stands out among the competition.
- Examine buyer’s demographics and psychographics to lure potential offers.
- Erase clutter by using the “toss it, donate it, store it” method.
- Leverage home repairs for maximum return on your investment.
- Ambient lighting sets the mood to make each room more appealing.
- Tidy up your home so it looks well-maintained.
- Highlight positive features to showcase an aspiring lifestyle.
- Optimize space to enhance square footage.
- Modify decor by updating the look of your home.
- Exploit emotions to close the sale.
To learn more about these steps check out our best-selling book Feel At Home: Home Staging Secrets for a Quick & Easy Sell and implement the home staging secrets we use not only for our clients, but on my own home to keep the space updated and looking fresh daily.
Have a question about home staging? I’d love to help! Share with me in the comment section below and your question may be featured in an upcoming video or blog post.
Happy Selling,
