I was searching for some tips on selling your house in today’s bloated real estate market. I’m not selling my house but I wanted to know just out of curiosity’s sake. HGTV’s new real estate website, FrontDoor.com , just happened to have a video slide show that consulted with some of their top real estate and homebuilding industry TV personalities and came up with the Top 9 Home Selling Dos & Don’ts.
What follows is the abbreviated version of their slide show.
Home Selling Dos and Don’t
1. Showcasing Your Home
"Don’t showcase, also known as staging, your home as is."
"Do maximize it’s best selling points."
2. Renovating Before Selling
"Don’t attempt any major renovations jusut before putting your home on the market."
"Do focus on small changes."
3. Setting Your Price Too High
"Don’t set an unrealistic sale price for your home."
"Do research the cost of comparable homes recently sold in your area to come up with a fair asking price."
4. For Sale By Owner
"Don’t make the mistake of thinking that selling your house on your own is simple."
"Do your homework and understand everything that is involved in the selling process."
5. Picking the Wrong Agent
"Don’t choose a real estate agent at random."
"Do take the time to find the right agent."
6. Marketing in Different Ways
"Don’t market your home with just a For Sale sign."
"Do explore other marketing tools to sell your house."
7. Waiting Till Spring to Sell
"Don’t wait until Spring to put your house on the market."
"Do emphasize your home’s seasonal amenities."
8. Trying to Make the Hard Sell
"Don’t stick around when potential buyers show up."
"Do leave and let your agent show your house."
9. No Easy Access
"Don’t make it hard for potential buyers to see your house."
"Do make your home easily accessible to potential home buyers."
You’ll need about 20 minutes to watch all 9 of the original HGTV FrontDoor video slide shows on the Dos and Don’ts of Selling Your Home.
I started as a home-stalker… visiting brand new homes under construction in the neighborhoods near my house. That inspired me to write about home building and home renovation projects — chronicling homes during different phases of construction from a consumer's point-of-view. Basically, the tips you'll find in my articles are a collection of checklists for what I think should (and should not) go into building or remodeling a quality home.
