If you recognized this title as lyrics to a 1994 song from Bush, you are awesome. If not thats ok, this blog has little to do with music.

When selling your house there are a ton of factors involved in getting maximum value. Let’s be clear about value for a second; the value of your home has a metaphorical ceiling and a metaphorical floor but it does NOT have a set price. Say for instance that your home is worth around $300,000. The ceiling for your home (maximum value the home is likely to get on its best day) may be around $310,000. The metaphorical floor of your home’s value might be around $270,000 (the ceiling is ALWAYS much lower than the floor unfortunately). Your agents job is identifying AND eliminating as many of the factors that would cause your home to sell on the low side as possible. If your agent isn’t doing this, you need a new agent… like me!

Here come the little things… 

Little things like sweeping the front porch and spraying the dust off the front door make a huge (you have to say ‘huge’ in a Donald Trump voice) HUUUGE difference to the buyer. Perception and emotion are everything to a buyer because a buyer buys emotionally and justifies logically. A buyer might think, “I know this home is a little more expensive than the one down the street but this home just feels like it’s been better taken care of. I don’t want to lose this house over $5,000 lets just give them what they want for it”. Conversely, a buyer may claim, “Yes the house has potential but it needs new carpet and paint and the whole exterior needs to be cleaned. Let’s ask for $20,000 off the home.”

Did removing dust really add value to the home? No.

Does new paint and carpet cost $20,000? Probably not.

Again, a buyer buys emotionally and justifies logically. What causes those drastically different outcomes is how a buyer FEELS about the home, NOT what the actual value of the home is. It’s up to you and your agent to work as a team to objectively identify and eliminate the little things that will keep your home from selling for top dollar.

For more tips and tricks to successfully selling your home including a free report on the most overlooked areas that kill value (transition areas), contact me at Cory@CorySellsHomes.com

To search the MLS like I do, go to http://www.kdrealtyllc.com/corymclindsay

Obligatory disclosure statement: I (Cory McLindsay) am a licensed Real Estate Agent in the state of Arizona operating through KD Realty, LLC. I hope you enjoyed reading this and I hope even more that you let me sell your house. I’m really very good at it.