Whenever I am working with new clients who are selling their home, I find that having a meeting at their house is the best way to educate my clients on the home selling process, give them details on what to expect, and a list to prepare themselves for selling their home. Professionally and personally, I like to think of it as an educational hour and a get-to-know each other session, so that both my clients and I are on the same page and know each other’s expectations.

Sellers know more about their homes than I ever will; I ask my sellers to be prepared to meet for a least an hour so that we can discuss their home in detail and be prepared for constructive criticism and questions. I want to best serve my clients, I need to know about their home and if they have time constraints to selling their home. Personally, I really enjoy working with sellers, I am invested in my clients, with many of them becoming good friends, I enjoy taking the time to learn more about them.

At a recent listing presentation with a home seller in Tredyffrin-Easttown/Malvern townships near the Conestoga and Great Valley School districts these are a few of the tips that shared with my home sellers:

1) Staging your home: Home stagers are great! They bring an outside perspective and can help you show the best side of your home. Home stagers are more than just a decorator; they understand the importance of first impressions and showing the possibilities within your home. They may suggest you paint, hang different pictures, remove personal affects, but will also help potential buyers see the potential your home has to offer.

2) Photos and Photographers: When listing a home I hire a professional photographer. I am an expert in real estate; I am NOT an expert photographer even though I like to think I can take great pictures with my smartphone. I hire the photographer, so this is my expense not my clients. A professional will highlight the house in ways you wouldn’t believe are possible. Sometimes, the thirty pictures are not enough, so I also provide a virtual tour and a few panoramic photographs. As the seller, you will just need to make sure the house is clean and photo-shoot ready. Just a few suggestions I told my sellers in Spring City and Phoenixville- make sure the cabinets are closed, beds are made and animals are not photographed.

3) Price your home to sell, not sit. As much as homeowners love and value their home, I remind them that I am the expert in real estate. When working with sellers to competitively price their home to sell, I analyze the comps and help them understand what the current market in their area looks like, what homes have sold for and where their home should be priced to sell, not sit. I have a current listing in West Chester that is priced to sell, within three days of putting the house on the market, there has been over 20 requests to see the house- this home was definitely priced to sell!