Deciding to put your house on the market is often the easiest decision in the selling process. It’s the waiting, showings, constant cleaning and length of the process that can weight down the shoulders of homeowners.
HGTV’s Front Door – a network dedicated to real estate – suggests that homeowners step outside the box and utilize more off–the–wall selling techniques to ensure their property flies off the market. Here are five of the top ten unique selling ideas they suggest.
- An open house party. Open houses and scheduled showings are common. But holding an all – out party isn’t. Plan ahead by sending flyers to your community and distributing them at local restaurants and post offices. Arrange for some live music, light alcoholic beverages and even catered food. This can get pricey, so be sure to provide a window – such as 3:00 to 6:00 – the event doesn’t carry on longer than you wish. It can be a fun way to highlight the functionality and spirit of the home, while at the same time drawing in potential buyers.
- Let potential buyers sleep on it. Some sellers are allowing serious buyers a couple–night trial run. If you are comfortable doing this, it will help a buyer see the what he or she does and does not like about the house. Maybe the street lights are too close, or maybe they’ll decide they can’t live without your outdoor patio. This can be risky, so alter your local authorities to what will be taking place in case any suspicious activities being happening around your home.
- Throw in added extras. If you have the budget, luring buyers with extras is a great way to attract more people to your home. Anything from free TV’s and valuable furniture to months of “free mortgage” can be included. One woman, cites HGTV’s Front Door, went as far as offering herself as a prize, hoping to wed the individual who purchased her home.
- Use the internet. Marketing your home with only flyers and MLS listings is somewhat dated. Create an entire website for your home with detailed descriptions of the rooms and an interactive tour. Also, the web can be a great place for house swapping, where homeowners simply trade evenly one property for another.
- Go big with the home staging. If you’re sure the home hunter in your area prefer a country western theme, or feng shui, go bold with the home staging. Many realtors can help with staging and others can recommend a professional who stages homes for a living.
It’s hard to be the best home seller in a market that’s flooded with them. But if you find that your home isn’t drawing the attention you desire, consider some of HGTV’s unique suggestions for upping the ante.
