5 Things for Sellers to Consider When Listing Their Home

It's every seller's dream to have their home listed under the perfect conditions in order to sell quickly and for top dollar. While putting on a great open house and making a good first impression are crucial to attracting buyers, there are other variables to consider when selling a home. According to Jonathan Smoke, chief economist for realtor.com®, "For sellers, it's about understanding the ins and outs of their local market so they can optimize the price of their home and close quickly."

Here are the top 5 things to consider when listing a home in 2016:

1. Price the home to sell - Let your seller clients know how important it is to base the listing price on the market. What works in California will not apply to Michigan markets. According to realtor.com®, sellers expects a real estate professional to "optimize the price of their home based on its unique features and surrounding neighborhood." Use local market reports to help your clients understand the market conditions and set expectations.

2. Expand the listings reach - You want your client to know that you're doing everything in your power to spread the word about their property. You also want to ensure that the listing is highly visible to potential buyers. ListHub offers free listing syndication to brokers looking to expand their listings reach, sending listings to over 80 national publisher websites along with dozens of regional sites. Other options include:

• Social media
• Print and online classifieds
• Flyer distribution
• Word of mouth

3. List during peak season - Timing is everything when it comes to successfully selling a home. While buyers may search for a home year round, realtor.com says, "Prime home-buying season begins in April and reaches its peak in June." Furthermore, "sellers who list their home during the prime spring and summer months benefit from a larger population of buyers and potential bidding wars, which often result in higher prices and faster closings."

4. Stage the home appropriately - Appearance is everything when it comes to selling a home and attracting potential buyers. Some buyers may have a difficult time envisioning themselves or their family in the space. While cleaning, decluttering, and depersonalizing are customary, it's the staging that allows buyers to picture themselves cooking in the kitchen and cuddling up for movie night in the living room - and ultimately wanting to make an offer.

5. Offer incentives - Deals are attractive to everyone! Why not sweeten the pot for potential buyers by incentivizing their purchase? Here are a few incentives to consider:

• Partial or whole credit towards closing cost
• Shorter closing period
• Transferrable warranties

Selling a home in any market will require hard work and persistence. Make sure your clients know how hard you're working to get their home sold and use the tips above to improve the likelihood of that happening quickly!

ListHub provides brokers with a platform to advertise listings to the widest possible audience of consumers, along with the tools to use your online marketing program to your advantage. To view the original article, check out the most recent ListHub newsletter.