We Sold Our Home! In A Day!

That's right! In one day we received the offer we wanted. We actually received several offers. It was a whirlwind, but amazing.

The market is very crazy right now and inventory is low, so that helped. But having a clean and presentable home is what sells it. I am not in a desirable neighborhood. We have little to no land or privacy. But some how we got people throwing money at us faster than we could imagine.

So how did we do it?


Step 1: STUDY YOUR MARKET. This is key. We were in a tough spot. GREAT for sellers. BAD for buyers. But I knew if we didn't take advantage of it now, we would never get what we wanted for this house, and essentially- stuck here forever. I stuck to the Zillow, Trulia, and Realtor apps and watched what houses around me were going for. I found what I thought were reasonable comps and we discussed what we felt would be reasonable to get us out of here.

Step 2: MAKE ME MOVE. I straightened up- got rid of all the toys, and removed everything off the kitchen counters. I took some well lit photos of my house and put them on Zillow's Make Me Move. It's almost like PRE-Listing your house. You could enter your details, description, what you love about the home, and your desired asking price. Home buyers can save this to their lists or contact you through the app. Realtors can also contact you, and they will, so be aware. But it gave us a good sense of how successful we would be if we listed the house, and at what price. I did this for about 4 weeks before we contacted our realtor.



Step 3: CALL YOUR REALTOR. Don't have one? Ask your friends or family. Schedule an appointment for them to come look at your property, and discuss your options. If you are confident in them, set up a date that you can all agree upon to start listing. But be prepared to start showings as soon as you list it!

Step 4: PHOTOS! Any good reputable realtor will hire a photographer to take pictures of your home for your listing (at their expense). Prior to this happening, you must, and I repeat, you MUST, stage your home. You do not need to purchase new furniture or a redecorate. You just need to declutter and clean. As a buyer and photographer, I cannot tell you how many times I've seen listings both online and in person that were embarrassingly unprepared. It is a huge turn off. Here are some tips:

• Toys. Toys are everywhere when you have kids. If you plan on moving, you should start to pair down on them. If your children are young like mine, they wont notice what you box up and donate, so get to it. Older children, get them involved. Either way, they should not be all over the living room, dining room, etc. It creates clutter, looks messy, and invokes stress.

• Clutter. Think minimal, even if it isn't your style. Gone are the days of "take your family photos down and bake an apple pie". It's more than that. Family photos are fine. In fact I feel like it helps make a home, homier. But 80 random picture frames cluttered into a hutch with figurines and decorative sconces may seem a little chaotic. Less is more. If you're selling, you're moving. Start packing up some stuff you don't NEED. And you definitely don't need those potpourri vases, Carol.

• Clean. Holy macaroni, you wouldn't think I would need to include this as a tip, but there it is. Channel your inner Danny Tanner and scrub the baseboards, dust the ceilings, and Windex your windows. If you have animals, or cook often, invest in some scent control, like good quality candles or plug in scented warmers. Refresh old linens, I suggest white or beige. Scrub your stove top, oven, and refrigerator. These items are included with your sale and should look presentable. Recaulk your bathtub or shower. Just pour bleach over your entire bathroom while you at it.

• Light. Remove heavy drapery from the windows. Open up the blinds. If you have damaged or dirty insect screens, remove them and clean or replace. Wipe down the sills. Natural light is super desirable, so open up the windows!

• Curb Appeal. You don't need to do a full landscaping job, but little things can go a long way. Potted plants, a mowed lawn, and a clear pathway to the door. Make sure things like garbage cans or hoses are tucked away neatly. Don't leave kids toys or bicycles laying about. If your budget or weather permits, power wash the exterior of your home. It makes a world of difference. 

yes, we had christmas decorations up. I took this photo around that time, because then it started to snow for the rest of the winter!

Step 5: GET OUT. Once your home is listed, make it a point to make yourself scarce when people come to check it out. I know, that sounds difficult, but I have two babies and a dog and managed it.
It is super awkward to view a house when the owners are on property. You may make potential buyers uninterested or uncomfortable. Hop in the car, and drive around the block. Go for ice cream. Go for a long walk! Just don't be there, living, in what could be their house!

Step 6: RESPOND. We took our highest offer within 3 days of listing. Now this may change depending on the market, but generally if you get over what your asking, it's wise to accept it in a timely matter. They have money to spend, and will do so elsewhere if you don't jump on it.


There are a million other things you could probably do and a real estate professional would probably know better. However, for being first time sellers, I think we did pretty well.
Have any success stories about how you sold your home? Share them in the comments! I'd love to hear!