Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A • S U M M E R 2 0 1 6 92 WHAT CAN HOMEOWNERS DO PRIOR TO LISTING WHICH MAY INCREASE PROPERTY VALUE OR ATTRACT MORE BUYERS?" TRECIE WHEAT-HUGHES: Declutter, paint and make sure the property is spotless. I usually get my cleaning lady over at my expense the day before we go active on the listing. MARTHA JOHNSON: Curb appeal can be most important. First impressions may decide if anyone even enters the home — fresh flower beds, clean hedges, lawn mowed — paint a vision for the prospective owner. UNCOMMON GROUND: Staging your home makes a BIG difference in the time your home sits on the market. It sparks buyers' imagina- tions and can take your home from "average" to "above average" fairly easily. On average, sellers receive $2 in increased sale price for every $1 put into staging a home. JACKIE WICKENS: A little elbow grease goes a long way. First, deep clean, I mean from the ceiling fans down to the baseboards. De- clutter, clean up the yard and porch area. Make your home look as inviting as possible. WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON MISTAKE HOMEOWNERS MAKE WHEN LISTING THEIR HOME, AND WHAT CAN THEY DO TO AVOID IT? DAWN MADDUX: By far, the worst mistake sellers make is calculating what they have put into the property, including what they owe and improvements. Unfortunately, there is absolutely no correlation between what is invested and the market value of the property or a buyer's offer. JACKIE WICKENS: Not taking the time to prepare the home for mar- ket. If it's not truly showing-ready it will sit on the market longer than it should, and could bring lower offers, if it brings offers at all. UNCOMMON GROUND: Pricing too high. Homeowners are so at- tached to their homes that it can cloud their judgement on the market, and lead them to outprice it, causing their home to sit on the market for a long time. TRECIE WHEAT-HUGHES: Not pricing their home at market value. Sit down with your agent. Find good "comps", everything that has sold in the last six months. Generally, only your agent knows actual selling prices. IS IT ADVISABLE FOR HOMEOWNERS TO OFFER INCENTIVES AS PART OF THEIR LISTING? MARTHA JOHNSON: Homeowners do not need to offer incentives. I'd rather see that investment put into things like new paint, carpet, landscaping, or an appealing front door, for example. TRECIE WHEAT-HUGHES: Depends. If the property owners do not have the means to paint or put in new flooring, they could offer a flooring or paint allowance at closing. Final commissions don't sway me to show a listing. I don't even look at the commission offered until I fill out my paperwork. DAWN MADDUX: I always tell sellers that I would rather see any proposed incentives reflected in a reduction in the property list price. Good agents and brokers will show properties that meet JACKIE WICKENS AND TRECIE WHEAT-HUGHES Small Dog Realty Bozeman and Livingston www.bigskyrealestate.com 6 KEY IDEAS FOR LISTING YOUR HOME FROM REAL ESTATE PROS 6 1 2 3

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