Dear Heather,

I have decided I want to sell my house but I don’t want it on the market for months. What needs to be done in order to sell it faster?

Seller

Dear Seller,

The better prepared you are, the faster your house will sell. Here are six things that will help your home sell faster:

1. Know where your deeds are

Your real estate agent will need a copy of the lot plan and legal description. Plus, it is a good idea if your lawyer quickly reviews the deed package for you. This will help to ensure there is nothing in them or missing that could potentially hold up a sale.

2. Get your boundaries staked

Survey companies are currently very busy and so you’re looking at a wait of six to eight weeks. Book your boundary survey right away. This makes it easy for prospective buyers to see where the boundaries are and if there is anything that needs to be rectified it can be done more quickly than leaving it until the house is in contract.

3. Stage the yard

It’s the first thing people see when driving up to a home. Buyers make an instant decision of how desirable a home is by how it looks. First impressions are everything. A beautiful front yard makes a good impression both in photos and reality. This helps buyers think positively even before they walk in the house. Remove weeds and old potted plants, trim hedges, put away toys, straighten outdoor furniture and do anything else you can to spruce it up. Then, you can work on staging. Anything new including plants, grass or mulch will always make things brighter. Keep a realistic budget in mind, and skip the major projects (such as a new driveway) unless absolutely necessary.

4. Clean, clean, clean

The power of a good cleaning job — inside and out — can’t be emphasised enough. Start outside the house after staging the yard. If you are considering repainting, try cleaning first to see how the home looks. Sometimes just removing dirt is enough to brighten the home’s look; even one coat of paint can make a huge difference. Why all the hard work? Buyers like move-in condition and will pay more for it.

5. Remodel or upgrade

The best returns come from the smallest improvements. Upgrading appliances, fixtures (lights, faucets, etc) and replacing windows will all make the home look newer and nicer, which helps the home sell faster. Major upgrades will also help a home sell faster but the time it takes to do the upgrades could be long and the potential buyers may prefer to do their own upgrades.

6. Use professional photography and marketing

Most agencies use a professional photographer and produce marketing materials with high-quality photos. All too often sellers don’t ask what quality of photos will be used to market their home. With over 90 per cent of buyers doing their browsing online, professional photos are essential in attracting more attention and selling the home faster and at a better price. Good marketing makes a huge difference in how buyers see a home.

Once your home is ready for the market, it’s time to talk price. A good agent will analyse recent sales and select a price that is designed to entice buyers to make offers. The best strategy to attract the most buyers is to price just a bit low. This frequently results in multiple offers, competitive bidding and a fast sale at a higher price. When this pricing strategy is combined with all the steps mentioned above, buyers see excellent value for money. They are keen to make an offer when they know other people are putting in offers too and will try and make theirs the most attractive. This will ensure your house sells for the most money in the shortest possible time.

•Heather Chilvers is among Coldwell Banker Bermuda Realty’s leading sales representatives. She has been working in real estate for 27 years. If you have a question for Heather, please contact her at hchilvers@brcl.bm or 332-1793. All questions will be treated in confidence. Read this article on Facebook: Ask Heather Real Estate