The buying, selling or investing of real estate will generally occur in one of three specific markets which can be identified as a balanced, buyer or seller market.
When home inventory and buyer demand are equal, it creates a balanced market. However, if there are more homes available than buyers, this is called a buyer’s market. In a buyer’s market, homes tend to stay on the market longer and sellers often receive lower offers.
On the other hand, most of the country is experiencing what is called a seller’s market. Generally, a seller’s market will produce more buyers and less inventory. Homes sell much faster and the seller may receive multiple offers, in many cases well above the listing price.
Since we are now in a seller’s market, we are often asked the question: “Do I need to prepare my house to sell it?” Will people not buy anything? Our answer, regardless of the market, is that it will always be yes, a seller should always prepare their home for listing.
Before selling your home, we suggest you consider these five powerful moves:
Create curb appeal.
You will never get a second chance to make a first impression. If a potential buyer stops by and the house and yard look messy, they may decide not to enter. A freshly mowed yard, fresh flowers or pine straw can go a long way. If you have a pet, make sure the poop is picked up and not in the way of potential buyers. Consider pressure washing the exterior to give the house a nice shiny look. Remove dangling wires, coil up water hoses, and neatly organize the garage. Extend curb appeal to your door and home; When shoppers come to your door and open it, they should feel comfort, not chaos.
Declutter.
If you’ve been thinking about taking that trip to Goodwill, your local clothing bank, or hosting a garage sale, now is the time. Space is like grace; it’s attractive. When potential buyers open a closet door and see it half empty or full, you are letting buyers experience the true size. Show off those beautiful spacious counters, make sure they are free of gadgets and appliances. Buyers love kitchens; showing the space available in the cabinets, pantry and counters will allow them to imagine all the remarkable memories they will be able to create in this space.
Create a space for your private, intimate, bathroom and bedroom needs. It’s not nice to have these objects in full view.
Stay prepared so you don’t have to prepare.
When selling your home, it’s important to keep the home in “show-ready” condition as much as possible. Sit down as a family and discuss the selling process and remind everyone that selling a home is a team effort. The agent is committed to bringing a qualified buyer to your home; as a seller, you must be committed to ensuring that when you get there, your home is show-worthy.
A tidy, clean, and smelling home will give the impression that the current owners have taken care of the asset. When a buyer sees dirt overtly, they’ll wonder what’s wrong with things they can’t see. We’ve seen buyers underestimate sellers’ prices because of the appearance of the home. Spend some time on a deep spring cleaning or add fresh neutral paint. You’ll be surprised how far fresh paint and crisp white baseboards will go when selling your home.
Fair price.
Yes, we are in a seller’s market and the demand for homes is high; however, a home that is priced too high could potentially keep your home on the market much longer than it should be. In some cases, a homeowner may think their home is worth more than it is because of the love they have for their home, but sellers’ numbers should match the most recent sales, especially if the buyer seeks external funding.
There are many search engines that will give you an estimate of the sale price of your home. While they can be helpful, get a professional, which brings us to our final and best decision to make when selling a home.
Hire a licensed Realtor or Realtist.
There is an overall strategy associated with selling a home if you want to maximize your bottom line profits. Hire a professional such as a Realtor®, Member of the National Association of Realtors, or a Realtor, Member of the National association real estate brokers, will ensure that you are working with a licensed professional who is familiar with the sales process. The team at DeVoe Real Estate has the ability to connect a potential seller with a licensed and experienced Realtor or Realtor in the United States and several other countries.
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Ronnie DeVoe
With a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, numerous lifetime achievement awards, and a New Edition miniseries watched by more than 30 million people, Ronnie, aka Big Ron, cemented his reputation as a creator, … performer, visionary and later in his legendary career, a shrewd businessman.
After living in Los Angeles for 16 years, DeVoe moved to Atlanta in 2001 to establish himself as an entrepreneur outside of the music industry. To do this, he returned to a love he had of real estate in high school before his rise to stardom. In 2002 he became a licensed agent at Re/max, and in 2006 he founded his own company called DeVoe Broker Associates, now -dba- DeVoe Real Estate.
Based in Atlanta, the company specializes in residential and commercial sales in the United States and around the world. Ron is also an advocate for closing the gap and changing the disparities between haves and have-nots in home ownership. He has also participated in panel discussions focusing on fair housing, property ownership, wealth creation, and more.
Marvetta Bozeman
In addition to being CEO of Marvetta Bozeman Real Estate Solutions, she is Principal Broker for DeVoe Broker Associates alongside Ronnie DeVoe of New Edition and is an active partner of several charities in the Metro Atlanta area. She is a Certified Master Facilitator and active mentor with the National Association of Realtors, Empire Board of Realtists and a valued member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated.
With education as the cornerstone of her entire life, she earned her Bachelor of Applied Science and Master of Science degrees from the prestigious Mercer University, followed by a Doctorate in Business Administration from Walden University.
In addition to her college degrees, Marvetta has achieved a legacy of lifelong learning by becoming a Certified Real Estate Instructor and, most recently, founder of Mission Bound Real Estate and Business Academy. Ms. Bozeman holds multiple certifications, including Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR®), At Home with Diversity Certified (AHWD®), Sellers Representative Specialist (SRS®), Short Sale & Foreclosure Resource Certified (SFR®), and graduated in 2019 of the Atlanta Realtors Association’s Emerging Leaders Program and is currently Chair of the Association’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion Council.