Selling your home or other residence in New York City, as with any location, is a multi-faceted process that takes time and dedication. However, the competitive environment in NYC’s real estate market may seem like added pressure on you as a seller.
From listing and marketing your home to physically getting it ready to show, here are a few steps to consider along the way.
Make it look good
The benefit of sprucing up your house as you prepare it for market is the psychological effect is has on potential buyers. When they come to peruse, they often will be looking for possible repairs, as well as their estimated cost.
That doesn’t mean, however, you need to waste a ton of money on improvements. According to an article in the New York Times, some of the essential pre-sale fix-ups you ought to focus on before putting your home on the market include waxing and polishing the floors; cleaning up the bathroom; upgrading the kitchen; clearing clutter; and doing a deep clean.
Giving the walls a fresh coat of paint also should be a high priority, as it’s “a cost-effective way to make a place feel new again,” according to the New York Times. Stick with neutral colors that will appeal to the tastes of a wide range of potential buyers, and “let the alluring smell of fresh paint – much like a new-car scent” – go to work. Also make sure every room is lighted properly, or with three points of light, including lamps, task lights or overhead lights.
Listing, staging and selling
Getting your home, apartment or condo show ready is only one part of the selling process. BrickUnderground, a guide for buying, selling and renting in New York City, has a few tips for those who want to sell. For example, one of the first decisions you’ll have to make is whether to hire a broker or fly solo. Sale-by-owner undertakings can save you the cost of commission for working with a broker, but they also can be challenging and time-consuming.
If you’re selling an apartment or condo, BrickUnderground suggests it might be “worthwhile to see whether one of your neighbors might be interested in buying it before you hire a broker,” as it could help in saving the broker’s fee and getting co-op board approval.
When you’re getting ready to list you residence, make sure you get high-quality professional photos or videos to show it off. An article on Zillow suggests turning to your real estate agent to help “create an engaging, accurate and upbeat description of your home.” And while it may seem counterintuitive, empty apartments are harder to sell, so you need to have it staged whether you’re living there or not during the listing and showing phase.
Other considerations to keep in mind: don’t accept the first offer you get; always counter offer; compare multiple bids closely; and don’t focus exclusively on cost.
Most importantly, don’t get overwhelmed by the process of selling your NYC home or apartment. Be organized and prepared, and take one step at a time.
