Selling Your Home: How to Make an Amazing First Impression Online

If there is one thing that the global pandemic taught home buyers, it is how to use online platforms to search for and purchase a home.  According to the National Association of Realtors, 95%  of home buyers use an online tool in their home search.  With so many potential buyers searching online, it only makes sense to make an amazing first impression online.  Here are a few ways to guarantee your home will be remembered and will attract quite a few buyers online.

Find a Trusted Real Estate Agent

Even when you sell your home online you will have to consider marketing, communicating with potential buyers, scheduling the inspection, etc.  While you can attempt to do these things on your own, hiring a real estate agent is much easier and effective if you want to sell your home online quickly at your asking price.  Real estate agents also have the experience of how to connect with potential buyers through their social media accounts as well as through email marketing campaigns.  Real estate agents do have a commission fee that is generally around 6% of your sales price.  While you may be tempted to skip hiring a real estate agent in favor of listing your home as “For Sale by Owner” (FSBO) in order to skip the agent fee, you may want to reconsider.  FSBO homes typically sell on average for 16% less than realtor-assisted homes.  Not only are their final sales prices lower, they are also more time consuming and take longer to sell.  

Focus on Curb Appeal

It is no secret that great curb appeal draws in buyers.  But it can even increase your home’s value.  On average buyers will pay 7% more for a house with great curb appeal.  Focus on basic curb appeal projects such as a freshly cut lawn, low-maintenance landscaping complete with a fresh layer of mulch, upgraded walkway, a fresh coat of paint on the exterior of your home, or a new garage door.  Each of these curb appeal projects has been shown to increase the value of your home.  For instance a lawn that is cut, fertilized, and free of weeds can increase your home’s value by a little over $2,000 while painting your home’s exterior will increase the value by over $7,000.   To add even more value to your home, focus on teh front of your home with a fresh coat of paint on your front door and an inviting seating area on your front porch.  You can add popular accessories with brightly colored potted flowers, new house numbers, and pathway lights to add illumination when evening comes.  

Upgrade, Declutter, and Deep Clean

Just as a clean and impeccably manicured front yard will draw in buyers so will a decluttered and spotless interior.  Begin by removing excess clutter from your closets, drawers, and cupboards.  Give away, throw away, or store excess items that you will not need during the time you are selling your home.  For instance, if your linen closet is packed with dozens of fitted sheets, top sheets, comforters, and pillow cases that you have not used in years, there is no reason to keep them in your closet.  If they have sentimental value hang onto them in storage.  But if they are not necessary you should donate or get rid of them.  Go through all of your closets, drawers, medicine cabinet, countertops, and any other area of your home that is prone to clutter.  

When your home is decluttered you should start a deep clean.  This includes scrubbing and polishing areas of the house that are generally overlooked.  Start in the kitchen where you will need to empty out your cupboards, pantry, and refrigerator to get back into the far away corners where dust and crumbs hide.  Thoroughly scrub your dishwasher, stove top, and sink with a multi-purpose cleaner.  Then clean your oven with its self-cleaning setting.  Move to the bathroom and scrub the toilet, bathtub/shower, grout, and sink.  Finish by wiping down the mirror and the cabinets.  Next, grab a bucket, rag, and soapy water.  Wash the walls in every single room in your house from the very top to the baseboards.  Next, wipe down the window sills, scrub the windows with glass cleaner and paper towel, as well as the ceiling fans and lights.  Finally, scrub the floors with a mop, vacuum the carpets and rugs, and finally, clean and sanitize the bathroom floor.  

Stage Like a Pro

Your home is spotless.  Now it’s time to stage your rooms.  Staging is much different than simple decorating.  When you stage a room you are showing off the best parts of the room and making it an area where potential buyers can see themselves living.  Pay close attention to how you stage your living room, master bedroom, and kitchen as these are the most important rooms.  Your real estate agent can assist you in staging your home so that it will appeal to all buyers.  

Get Your Home Photographed

Your home is decluttered, deep cleaned, and staged.  Now is the time to bring in a professional photographer to capture the beauty of your home.  A professional photographer is able to capture your home in just the right lighting and at the perfect angles.  He or she will bring out the best in your home and really capture its complete story.  

Make Use of Your Listing

Now that those professional photographs are ready they can be added to your home’s listing.  But as beautiful as they may be, they are just part of your home’s listing.  A great listing will include a summary of your home that draws in buyers by fully describing the story of your home.  Make your listing description stand out with descriptive language and the unique story of your home.  Your real estate agent should be able to write a compelling listing that will spotlight your home.  

Be Patient

Selling your home may not happen overnight.  Be patient while you and your agent wait for the right offer.  If you are in a rush to sell your home, and are searching for faster online selling options you can use HomeLight’s Simple Sale platform where you can request a full cash offer and receive an estimate in approximately 10 days.  While this option may not yield you as high of a home sale price it is very quick and easy and requires much less time.  Talk to your real estate agent about this option if you are in a hurry to sell.  A trusted real estate agent will help you decide which option is best for you and can also help you prepare your home to make a great first impression online.

Read Also: 3 Things to Consider When Selling Your Home