7 tips to get top price for your home

Preparation is a critical element of real estate success.

When listing your home in a very competitive real estate market, being properly prepared for a broad spectrum of homebuyers’ demands should be the top priority of every seller. Properties that show the best sell the quickest and for the highest price.

Remember, from the perspective of a buyer, the overall touring experience, or the way the home made them feel, is just as important as the neighborhood, schools, bedrooms and bathrooms, so making a positive first impression is critical to getting a top-dollar offer.

Here are seven ideas to help sellers get their homes market-ready: • Deep cleaning: As simple as it sounds, having a thoroughly cleaned house is critical to giving the buyer a positive showing.

• Painting: Fresh paint sells houses. Period. Having a house painted one or in rare cases two neutral colors before listing will make a world of difference during the showing experience. This should include fresh white paint on the ceilings and trim, too.

• Declutter: It’s as simple as it sounds — get rid of stuff.

• Flooring: If you have older carpets or weathered wood floors, it would be a great idea to invest in new carpets or refinishing the wood. In both cases, you are looking at no more than a few bucks a square foot.

• Landscaping: Curb appeal matters, and having a freshly manicured yard with new mulch and seasonal flowers will add a lot to the buyer’s overall first impression of your home.

• Handyman repair: Details such as making sure all of the fixtures and outlets work properly and freshening caulk build confidence in potential buyers that you’ve taken good care of the property. Having a professional handyman come through and knock out that punch list of items before opening day is a great idea and will not only send positive signals to your prospective buyer but save you money on the home inspection.

• Staging: Bringing in a design professional is a great way to add wow to your home. Introducing strategically placed new pieces of furniture plus rearranging your living spaces will add better flow and enhance the overall showing experience.