BOULDER, CO, Apr 25, 2024—Thinking about selling your home soon? The following four steps can help you prep your space for the market.
1. Determine its worth. Before you start making repairs, find out your home's value. "Contact a real estate agent for a comparative market analysis, which is an informal estimate of value based on the recent selling price of similar neighborhood properties," says Phil Boren, Broker Associate of RE/MAX of Boulder, Inc.. You can also get a certified appraiser to provide an appraisal.
2. Beautify. Next, get busy working on the home’s appearance. "You want to make sure it is in the best condition possible for showing to prospective buyers so that you can get top dollar," says Boren. This means fixing or sprucing up any trouble spots that could deter a buyer, such as squeaky doors, a leaky roof, dirty carpets and walls, and broken windows.
3. Up the curb appeal. "The 'curb appeal' of your home is extremely important," says Boren. "It is the first impression that buyers form of your property as they drive or walk up." So make sure the lawn is pristine—the grass cut, debris removed, garden beds free of weeds, and hedges trimmed.
4. Don't overdo it. Make repairs, but make sure you're considering your return on investment as you do. "The trick is not to overspend on pre-sale repairs and fix-ups, especially if there are few homes on the market but many buyers competing for them," says Boren. On the other hand, making such repairs may be the only way to sell your home in a down market.
For information on real estate, please contact RE/MAX of Boulder, Inc. at philboren@gmail.com, 303-441-5647, or RE/MAX of Boulder, Inc..
Phil Boren is a 26-year veteran real estate Broker and Realtor, specializing in consulting with buyers and sellers in Boulder, CO and along the Front Range of Northern Colorado. Held Real Estate Broker's license in Texas, California and Colorado; Managing Broker for over 200 agents and Brokers for Century 21 and RE/MAX franchises. Award-winning Realtor with experience in management, sales, marketing, relocation, appraisal, REO, BPO's, foreclosures, short sales; previously held the MAI designation from the Appraisal Institute. Experienced in both residential and commercial real estate and achieved the No. 14 individual ranking in the 5-state, Mt. States Region for RE/MAX International in 2001, based on sales volume. Received my BSBA in Finance and Real Estate from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, where he was a 4-year starter and 4-year football letterman for Hall-of-Fame coach, Lou Holtz.