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Should I Replace the Carpet Before Selling my Home?

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Should I Replace the Carpet Before Selling my Home?

There are a lot of things to consider when you are preparing to put your house on the market. Some of these decisions can significantly impact how quickly your home sells and the final sale price.  

Some of the biggest things to impact how easily your home will sell are the pre-sale repairs. It can be tricky to decide which repairs are necessary. The best strategy to use when deciding which repairs to make before listing your home is to calculate the value each repair would make to your home and determine if it would outweigh the initial cost of repair.  

Often homeowners wonder if they need to or should replace their carpet before they sell their home. Here are some things to consider when deciding to replace or clean your carpet: 

Reasons to Replace the Carpet 

Replacing the carpet in your home before listing it can come with many benefits. One thing that sells homes quickly is that they are in pristine move-in ready condition. The idea that everything is in great condition and nothing needs to be done after moving in will attract buyers.  

If your carpet is: 

  • Visibly worn and even matted in several areas 
  • Is 10 or more years old 
  • Stained beyond the help of professional cleaning 
  • Frayed or Ripped near the baseboards
  • Is Outdated/ Out of Style 

You should consider replacing the carpet with new carpet or alternative flooring.  

Walking into a home with tired, dirty, or super old carpet is a turn off for almost every buyer. If it is not a turn off for a buyer they most likely will offer less money to cover the cost of repairing the floors if the price does not already reflect and acknowledge that the home may need some repairs.  

Reasons to Have Your Carpet Professionally Deep Cleaned 

Though your carpet may seem dingy or tired, all it might need is a professional deep cleaning to bring it back to life. 

If your carpet is: 

– Less than 10 years old 

– Due for a professional cleaning because it has been a while 

– In fairly good condition, just seems like it could use a refresh 

– Has a stubborn stain or two you haven’t been able to remove 

– Dirty only in high traffic areas 

You would be surprised at how much a professional carpet cleaning can do for a carpet. Many times when homeowners believe they need to replace the carpet, it maybe they just need to invest in professional carpet cleaning. There are some carpets that are past the help of professional cleaning, but many just need a little TLC to bring them back to life. Some carpets look nearly brand new again after just giving them a good clean with high-quality equipment. So, if your carpets are not old and in fairly good condition, you may want to consider a professional deep cleaning to save some money.  

Related:  8 Other Things You Should Prep Before Listing

If you are unsure about what would be best for the carpet in your home before you list it, give us a call! We’d love to offer honest, unbiased advice on preparing your home for sale.

More: 

Landscaping trends that sell homes

No open floor plan? No problem

5 Things you can do if your home won’t sell

10 Ways to Make a Small Space Seem Larger

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Staging a small room or home can be a bit challenging and while you don’t want to deceive buyers, you can do a few tricks of the trade to make space seem or feel larger than it actually is. No one likes to feel cramped or crowded so if you’re staging your home for sale or just want to expand your own space a little more, use these simple tips to make a small space appear larger.  

10 Ways to Make a Small Space Seem Larger

Paint or wallpaper the ceiling to make the room look taller.

You want your eyes to draw up boards, which in turn, will make the room feel larger.

Stick to light tones and colors on the wall and the floor.

Darker colors can make a room seem smaller and more closed in.

Pull furniture away from the wall.

Keeping the furniture right up against the wall can make things look and feel cramped. By pulling things away from the wall it shows that there is additional space and may give you extra room to hide things.

Read More: Home improvements that quickly add value

Make furniture work double duty.

Make use of hidden storage and double duty items by using Ottomans and coffee tables as additional storage.

Remember the rule of three.

Keep decorations and knickknacks in sets of three and keep things larger than a cantaloupe. Small knickknacks and items may actually crowd a room.

Use stripes and rugs.10 Ways to Make a Small Space Seem Larger

A striped rug can make a room appear longer as long as you orient the stripes the length of the room for optimal effect.

Use furniture with exposed legs.

Furniture that does all the way to the floor makes it look bulky and crowded.

Read More: Staging has decreased time on market

Use mirrors and glass.

You can strategically placed mirrors to create the illusion of more space and subsequently, glass items will make it feel like there is more room as well.

Use lighting to your advantage.

You can say floor space by hanging smaller lighting from the ceilings or create a sense of more space by doing away with overhead lighting altogether.

Use a larger art piece rather than a bunch of small pieces.

Always go up and out when you can to give the illusion of a larger space.

Whether you are selling your small house or condominium or just looking to make the room feel larger, these 10 tips will certainly help get you started.

What’s Your Home Worth Today?

Should My Agent Advertise My Listing on Social Media?

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Being in the real estate industry we speak to a lot of buyers agents and listing agents and have a good sphere of influence and book of business that we commonly refer to, especially when we take on a new listing. Because we work with both buyers and sellers we may have a buyer ideal for your listing, alleviating the need for any advertisement. But, should your agent advertise your listing on social media?Should My Agent Advertise My Listing on Social Media?

In today’s social media forward world if your agent isn’t on some form of social media they may not be doing their clients justice. Buyers are on social media and by using it correctly you can advertise to the right individual and get the lead you need, however, nobody wants to look at a feed full of real estate listings.

So how can a real estate agent advertise correctly on social media?

Well, for starters, a real estate agent has to be well-versed in whatever social media they are going to use. This could mean Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, or Twitter, but whatever they do, they should be advertising more than simply listings.

As I said, nobody wants to look at a feed full of real estate listings unless that’s what a buyer is looking for at that moment. The problem is, you want people to be interested in your voice and your activity far before they actually need to buy a house and to do that, you need to offer other practical and helpful information.

If you’re listing your home, you’ll want to ask your agent how they advertise. You want a good range of advertising options such as in person, flyer, open house, online, MLS and any other way that could possibly bring in a buyer. But it’s okay if your agent isn’t on EVERY social media available… I mean, there are something like 3000 of them and that’s impossible to keep up with.  We have to go where the buyers are and have a good wealth of followers to do any good. I recommend using an agent that knows how to use at least 2-3 social media outlets well. They might post other things like recipes, gardening tips, local events and news, funny jokes and memes and then throw an amazing listing in there from time to time. If the people have followed thus far, they may be more likely to share your listing as well. 

And images matter! We are in the Snapchat/Instagram era where photos are the thing that catches the eye. If the image is stunning, the click-throughs will follow, which is why it really pays to have amazing listing photos. 

So yes, your agent SHOULD advertise on social media if they use it! Just throwing up a bunch of listings is nothing people want to look at, unless you’re Zillow…

More Goodies:

3 Truths About Real Estate Agents

Benefits of a Real Estate Team When Buying and Selling Simultaneously

What You Need to Know About Selling Your Home Yourself

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Can you do it? Sure! Should you? Well…. That’s always up for debate. Of course, as a real estate agent, you’ll think I’m going to say ‘no’ but there are more reasons than my paycheck for which I’m suggesting.

Here’s what you need to know about selling a house yourself.What You Need to Know About Selling Your Home Yourself

Legal Issues

You need to know some legal issues. Selling a house is a big purchase and sale and if you are not fully aware of all the details that go into a transaction you may find yourself in a world of hurt. It’s not as simple as selling a car. You can’t simply hand over the keys and deed and get a wad of cash in exchange. Most buyers will have to finance and you’ll need to have that approved ahead of time. You don’t want to be sitting at the closing table only to discover the buyer hasn’t gotten their financing in order and really can’t afford the home.

Then there’s the legal deed, recording with the county and any outstanding liens. Title insurance and verifying you truly have the right to sell the property. (You’d be surprised at what many homeowners don’t even know about their own house.)

There is just so much legal jargon involved in a contract that if you are not fully clear on the wording, you could end up losing out on money or personal property. Everything needs to be done correctly and legally for the proper exchange to take place. Hearsay, word of mouth or shaking hands on a deal is not always the most honest ways to do business, especially when you’re talking hundreds of thousands of dollars.

See: 5 Questions to ask your Realtor®

Accurate Price

Don’t get me started on that “Zestimate” of Zillow. Too many homeowners think their homes are worth far more than they really are. Now, I’m not here to underprice the home but Zillow’s estimates have been known to be up 35% of the actual market value! That’s a lot! These sites just cannot evaluate the home like a skilled and experienced agent. You never know… you might actually UNDER-price the home and sell too fast, losing out on money you could have received had you priced it correctly from the beginning.

Overpricing the home means it will sit on the market for longer than you anticipated. Homeowners usually start to drop their price after the first few weeks to get more attention. Buyers start to notice how long the home has been on the market and may tend to shy away at this point. They don’t know the home was overpriced but may feel that the property has something wrong with it. The longer a home is on the market, the more of a black mark it tends to get from potential buyers.

Pricing it correctly from the beginning is key. As a real estate professional, I know the market, the neighborhoods, the trends and what buyers are willing to spend. Knowing all these key components can make it much easier to price and sell a property.

Showing it yourself

What You Need to Know About Selling Your Home YourselfThere’s a reason we suggest that sellers leave the property when it’s time to show. Buyers feel awkward when a seller hovers over them as they tour the property. Sellers tend to overcompensate by explaining too much about the property when the buyer really just wants to browse in peace. This can certainly shy buyers away right off the bat. It’s best to have their agent or your listing agent tour the property with the buyer, keeping the property safe and yet giving buyers the freedom to discuss and tour the house at their leisure.

Read More: The true cost of selling your home

Exposure

If you are still considering selling your home yourself there is the component of marketing. You’ll need to spend your money on marketing, advertising, and promotion of the property. This can be done with a sign in the yard, ad in the newspaper or social media ads. But your agent does all this for you in addition to all the marketing they do in the MLS. Only licensed agents are allowed to list properties in the MLS, which is seen on thousands of websites across the country. Your agent may even have a buyer ready to go before listing! FSBO’s (For Sale By Owner) just simply cannot achieve this level of exposure.

See: 3 Ways to sell your house with less stress

So, yes, you can sell your home.. or should I say, try to sell it. Statistics have shown that those that try to sell on their own, eventually come back to a Realtor® and end up selling for more than they would have on their own. It’s really worth it. Give me a call and let’s find out how much we can sell your Sunset Beach area home for.

Sell My Home in Sunset Beach NC

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When it comes time to sell your home or property anywhere around Sunset Beach, Ocean Isle Beach or anywhere along the coast, you need to know that your agent will do everything necessary to create the most exposure for your real estate with as much profit in your pocket at closing as possible. You need an agent that not only knows the current market, which changes nearly weekly but the neighborhoods and the community as well.

Sell My Home in Sunset Beach NC

As a Brunswick County real estate agent, I stay up-to-date with all the current real estate trends, prices, and comparable sales and know how to price your property correctly the first time to get more buyers in the door and more offers on the table. Because I also work with buyers I know what buyers are looking for and can help you stage and set up your home properly to get the most interest from potential buyers.

More: The Cost of Selling a House

As your Sunset Beach listing agent, I am aggressive in pricing your home correctly rather than pricing it high and dropping the price as we go. If you’re serious about selling we need to price it correctly from the beginning. I will go through your home, offer staging advice, repairs, and updates that may need to take place before listing, and provide professional photographs to showcase your home in the best light, the best time of day, and for the most interest from buyers. Read More: 5 Questions to Ask Your Realtor®

Find out how much your home is worth

We start by looking over your home and discussing what you need out of the sale, how quickly you need to sell, and how much you can put into the home if need be. I don’t recommend spending more money when listing a property then you need to, but we do need to go over the seller’s disclosure form to make sure that you inform buyers of any potential hazards or issues. This is the time to be brutally honest. Anything found out later could result in a lawsuit. I will offer tips, suggestions, and advice to getting your home in top-notch shape. I recommend touring model homes to get a great idea of what buyers are really looking for an interested in. I will show you the homes that have recently been sold, similar properties on the market, and how to get your home in front of as many buyers as possible.

Read more: Many Mistakes Many Sellers Don’t Even know They’re Making

With my network of social media, website integration, and featured listing pages, your home will be showcased and displayed to a wide variety of buyer’s agents and buyers all across the country. Call us today and let’s get started getting your home listed and sold for the right price.

More Advice for Sellers:

Ways to Make Every Room More Appealing to Buyers

Great Words that Help Sell a House

Staging a Beach or Oceanfront House

 

Can a Seller’s Inspection Response Kill a Sale?

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Many sellers dread the home inspection. Things are moving along great; the contract is accepted, the buyer’s loan is preapproved and qualified, the appraisal is ordered, and then the title and home inspection are scheduled. This is where many sales thrive or die. What happens if the buyer has a laundry list of issues they want to be resolved after the inspection? The power lies on both sides of the coin and unbelievably, you have some control.Can a Seller’s Inspection Response Kill a Sale?

First, a home inspector should be unbiased when investigating construction, materials, and stability of a home. They should report accurately on anything questionable. After the inspection, the buyer needs to decide whether they should proceed or walk away.

Inspections are helpful for buyers by helping them to understand what they are getting into when they purchase a home since this is one of the largest investments made and is important to understand all the details of the property itself. Even with earnest money deposited to the Title Company, escrow or broker, this money can be returned if the buyer rejects the home inspection and terminates the transaction. The seller can also kill the deal.

Read more: 5 Things to Check Before Buying a House

The seller’s responsibility to the inspection report comes in three options: accept the report, agreeing to complete any repairs or by addressing any concerns; negotiate for any repairs; or reject the inspection altogether, thus terminating the transaction. It is important for sellers to remember that this is a real estate decision, not an emotional one. It may not be easy to curb a seller’s reaction when it could mean the completion or death of the transaction. If the home inspector finds very few problems, sellers are more likely to correct them for the benefit of the sale. If there are many small issues, the seller may feel the buyer is nitpicking and get frustrated with the inspection report. The buyer’s agent should inform the buyer that if they ask every little thing be fixed, it might only frustrate the seller. It is important to negotiate and consider the larger issues that may be hazardous or of serious concern as sellers are more likely to fix these issues.

Related: 10 Pre-inspection Checks for all Homeowners

All buyers, sellers and their agents need to discuss and  negotiate the issues raised in the inspection report and what could make or break a deal. Both parties should consider if a deal should die over something as simple as patching a hole in a window screen. The biggest tip in the home buying process is to keep emotions out of the negotiation process. Getting emotionally involved, frustrated or even insulted, has been the demise of many real estate transactions.

To avoid losing out on a great deal, contact our office today. We can help you negotiate and close on the right house for you.

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