The real estate market is hot in Santa Clarita. Competition is high, and we’re seeing multiple offers for many of our listings. However, if you’re thinking of selling your home now or several years from now, there are five things you still must avoid doing if you want to eventually sell quickly and for top dollar:
1. Take on a solar lease. Although solar panels can save you money in many cases, most buyers don’t see it that way. They’d rather not take on the solar lease payment. If you’re willing to purchase your solar panels outright before selling, that’s a different story, but leasing your solar panels is a complication buyers would rather avoid—especially if it’s a brand-new lease that the buyer will potentially have to take on for a long time.
2. Over-improve the home. If you’re thinking of making a few upgrades to increase your home’s value, check with us first. You’ll get a better return on investment by focusing on specific areas. Any further upgrades should be made for your benefit only.
“You need to appeal to as many buyers as possible when putting your home on the market.”
3. Neglect minor repairs. If you leave simple maintenance items (e.g., wood rot) around the house unattended, they can fester over time. These things can sneak up on you, so as soon as you notice something that needs to be fixed, give us a call. We know plenty of great contractors and handymen who’ll help you with whatever you need.
4. Decorate in an overly trendy manner. Again, this may be satisfying to your personal tastes, but you need to appeal to as many buyers as possible when putting your home on the market. If you work with us, our listing package includes the services of a stager and designer who’ll advise you on what inexpensive changes you can make to freshen up the interior.
5. Order an appraisal or inspection. For one thing, the buyer and their bank will order their own appraisal anyway. If you order your own inspection, any issue that’s discovered becomes
a disclosure item—and again, the buyer will order their own inspection no matter what.
If you’d like to know more about how to maximize your sale or have any other real estate questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’m here to help.
