6 Keys To Selling Your Home For A Higher Price


Thomas Short
Military VA Loan contributor

The current housing market may be red-hot, but that doesn’t mean that every home is selling for what they could be worth.

There are a number of factors that go into valuing a home, ranging from big items like home size and location to smaller items like natural lighting or views. Some of these factors can’t be changed, but there are plenty of things you can do to get your home to sell for a higher price.

Here are six important ways to help your home sell for a higher price.

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1. Follow your local market

Pricing your home can be tough, so using comps is a good way to get closer to the right number. Comps are similar homes that are on the market, and they’re often used to find a price range for homes coming onto the market.

Aside from comps, follow how quickly homes are being sold in your area and what buyers are looking for. If you can plan and time your sale correctly, you could end up getting more for your home.

2. Hire a seller’s agent

A seller’s agent is going to do a lot of the negotiating for your, helping you get a higher price for your home. Yes, a seller’s agent will cost money, but you should be able to more than recoup the cost with what they bring to the table.

The best way to find a good agent is to ask friends or family who they’ve used in the past. Many agents get a lot of their business off referrals, so you can end up finding some of the best agents this way.

3. Don’t over-price your home

High home prices are going to put off a lot of potential buyers. At the same time, you won’t want to under-value your home.

Find a fair, reasonable price to set your home at. It’s best to not get emotional at this point. The number you settle on might not be as high as you’d like, but you’ll be able to sell your home quicker. There’s also the real possibility that multiple buyers will be interested, and they could end up bidding the price of the home higher.

But you’re unlikely to get any interest in your home if you’re asking for way too much.

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4. Stage your home

Home staging is when you change the interior of your home to make it more appealing to buyers. Usually, this means removing clutter, cleaning up and possibly even moving out some furniture. The goal is to make your home seem big and welcoming –  two things buyers will want.

To get the most out of staging, it’s best to find a professional home stager. They have tons of experience, and they’ll do a good job of presenting your home while making your home seem more valuable in the eyes of buyers.

5. Freshen up the outside

Before anyone is going to tour your house, they’re going to see it from the outside. This first impression is huge because an unattractive exterior could immediately deter any would-be buyers.

If you want a higher price on your home, then you’ll want to get as many buyers interested as possible. They could end up trying to outbid each other, making the value of your home go even higher than you were prepared for.

To prepare, touch up the landscaping and repaint the outside of your house. It also helps to paint your front door a non-usual color, such as red or blue. This makes your home stand out, and buyers will be more likely to notice and remember it.

6. Time your move

Before you decide to suddenly put your home on the market and move, consider waiting for the right time. Summer is a buy time of the year for home buyers, but that might not be the best time to get a high price.

According to a Redfin report, homes sold in the winter tend to sell for 1.2% more than any other time of year. They also sold a week quicker than other times of the year.

Part of this is because there are fewer homes on the market during the winter, and that could potentially work against you if you need to find a new place to live. If that isn’t an issue, though, waiting could end up helping your home sell for a higher price.

Check your VA home buying eligibility. Start here (Mar 28th, 2024)