So the time has come to sell your home and you’re hoping to get top dollar, but there’s a problem:
market conditions have changed.

What was once a seller’s or neutral market has flipped and there is now an oversupply of homes for
sale. So how do you make your home stand out? Thankfully there is a lot you can do. The following
list is not intended to be comprehensive but are the items in my experience that add the most value
when looking to sell.

Build Curb Appeal

First impressions matter so take the time to trim unruly hedges and plants. Keep the lawn watered
and mown frequently and don’t let tree leaves accumulate.

Evaluate the exterior condition of the house. If the paint is in generally good condition you might
consider power washing the exterior followed by painting the trim and eaves as this brightens the
overall look of the house for a small investment. A fresh coat of paint on the door is also a great idea.
And clean the windows and keep them clean!

If the paint is in a state of deterioration you can repaint, but exercise caution here. It is best to stick
with more neutral colors such as white, grey or blue-grey or earthy tones like tan or brown. Contrary
to what some think, yellow houses don’t sell faster and can be a controversial choice. Also keep in
mind any HOA restrictions so be sure to check with yours if you have one.

If the driveway is stained from roof and storm drainage it’s a good idea to pressure wash to remove
this. There is a tendency to go “eye blind” to this type of dirt and stain accumulation since it builds up
over time. Once it is cleaned away most people are amazed at the difference it makes!

Become Mr. (or Ms.) Fixit!

Those couple of doors with squeaky hinges? A shot of WD40 or drop of lube oil will quiet those right
down! And speaking of doors make sure all close properly and adjust those that don’t. Loose door
handle? A screwdriver can tighten it right up.

Clean and declutter! Do a full, top to bottom deep cleaning of the house, including things like grout
cleaning and steam cleaning tile floors and carpet. Hire professionals if necessary and then work to
keep it in that condition. And get rid of your junk! You were probably going to do it anyway when
you moved but doing it now will only serve to improve the appearance!

Consider repainting the interior of the house. Vibrant colored accent walls have become popular in
the last decade or so but can be a turn off to potential home buyers. My recommendation is sticking
to basic white, or maybe just a hint of blue tint added.

Evaluate light switches and electrical outlets. These can yellow over time and will be very visible
especially if you choose to repaint the interior. Replace badly yellowed ones. An electrician or
qualified handyman can handle this with ease. It makes a huge difference.

Go bright! If you have recessed overhead lighting cans that use older incandescent bulbs, consider
replacing with adjustable brightness LED lights. These can be retrofit easily into existing lighting cans
and only take about 5 minutes per light. And they’re very reasonable on price. Some perfectly fine
ones can be had on Amazon for less than $40 for a box of 6. Adjust for the brightest possible light.
You might think it’s too bright to live in and you may be right. But this is about selling the house. And
bathing the interior with this bright light has a positive effect on potential buyers. And of course, look
at all other lights in the house and replace burned out bulbs.

In short, a lot of these suggestions may not even elicit a mention from potential buyers or their agents
if you do them. But they will notice if you don’t.

Stage Right!

If you will be showing your home with your furnishings there’s a few things you can do to spruce up
the look.

• Hang fresh towels.
• Lay down new rugs or fully clean existing ones.
• Set your dining table with placemats and your nicest dinnerware.
• Rearrange furniture away from walls.

Depersonalize the space(s). You want buyers to envision what their own belongings will look like in
the space, not yours. So be sure to remove family photos, knickknacks and travel souvenirs, any
monogrammed pieces.

If your home will be empty at showings there are a couple of options. You can choose to hire a
staging company to come and stage the home but this can be pricey. Another option is to look into
virtual staging of your house. Many realtors offer this service to their clients and the virtual staging
can be added to photos in your listing so potential buyers can get an idea of what the home looks like
furnished before a showing.

Make sure the home smells good! Spray rooms with a lightly scented deodorizer an hour or so before
showing. Nothing too heavy – lemon is good. If this is not possible leave the windows open for 30-45
minutes before a showing.

I’ve read in the past that it’s a good idea to put a fresh baked apple pie on the kitchen counter for
both the aroma and the concept of homeyness it transmits. Not sure how I feel about that. I’ve
never seen anyone actually do it. But on the other hand I like apple pie.

Get an Experienced Agent

This might sound like one of those “well duh” suggestions but experience does matter. Not just for
getting the house ready for market but also for negotiating when offers start to come in. So do your
research. Is there an agent in your area who markets aggressively, sending multiple flyers to your
mailbox every month? It might be worth a phone call to talk to them. That type of marketing costs
money. How do they afford it? They sell a lot of houses that’s how. Once you hire an agent, lean on
their experience for tips on preparing the home for showings and pricing and negotiating strategies.
If they get your house sold they’re going to make a nice commission on the sale. Make ‘em earn it.

Offer Incentives

Incentives can help give you an edge when buyers face multiple good options. You can offer to pay
closing costs, provide a home warranty or include certain appliances other homes are not.

Be Prepared to Negotiate

One thing I learned about negotiations during my time in the business world is you always want to
have something you can give away – something you can offer in a negotiation so that everyone feels
like they are getting a win.

Whether this means starting with a slightly higher listing price so you can come down a bit and not
hurt yourself, or offering some type of incentive as discussed above is up to you. You should discuss
this with your agent.

Get Inspected

A home inspection is not required in Texas when selling or buying a home. However any buyer’s
agent that doesn’t recommend an inspection is guilty of malpractice in my opinion. You should
assume the buyer will get an inspection done. In a tight market you can get ahead of the curve by
getting your home inspected in advance. This will let you know what a buyer’s inspector is likely to
find. You can elect to make some or all of the inspection report available to the buyer and their
agent. You can also address some or all of the deficiencies noted in the inspection report, or at the
very least have an understanding of what issues you aren’t willing to negotiate.

Conclusion

Selling in a crowded market can be challenging, but not impossible. Be willing to take some extra
steps so your home stands out from the crowd and be willing to show some flexibility in negotiation.