Burlington is a beautiful city located at the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains, and it has become a great place to consider if you’re looking for a delightful new home. The town has a population of roughly 9,500 people, and it’s located 28 minutes away from nearby Hartford, so it's a fantastic location for those who are looking to commute. Homes in Burlington are about to be in high demand, so if you’re thinking about selling, have a look at this great article, where we'll give you some tips on how to sell your Burlington, CT home.
Burlington, CT Real Estate Market
Connecticut has started to see a considerable rise in homes selling within the last year, matching the national average. If you’re selling your Connecticut home, now is an excellent time to take advantage of the rising market!
Selling Your Burlington, CT Home
When it comes to selling your home, it might take a bit for you to prepare, and homes in Connecticut are currently spending about 42 days on the market. Now is one of the best times to sell your home, but you still need to make sure you do some research on your local market so you don't end up with expectations that are too high.
To get the most out of your home sale, you need to make some changes—simple repairs or renos—to your home, analyze what homes are selling for in your area, and have a look at what your finances are like before you start looking at something new. Let's go over a few steps you need to take before you consider selling to make sure you get the best possible price for your home.
Tips For Selling Your Burlington, CT Home
1. Find the Right Real Estate Agent
The right agent is key to selling your home for the best price you can get, and they will be able to provide you with some professional advice on what you can do to help with that. They have years of experience when it comes to selling homes, and they will be able to help you when it comes to the arduous paperwork that comes with selling a house. A good agent will be able to help you every step of the way and explain all the steps they’re taking to list your home at the best price it can get.
Look for an agent that specializes in residential home sales and consider a local agent that has plenty of positive experience in the area. You want an agent that has your best interest in mind, and you want to feel comfortable with them handling such a significant transaction. If you’re unsatisfied with your agent, don't feel pressured to stick with them.
2. Declutter and Depersonalize
The key to making the sale is to ensure that potential buyers can picture themselves in your home, so start by giving it a good decluttering. Remove all of your knick-knacks, family photos, and items that don't fit the space. Creating a blank canvas is the best way to let a buyer see what they are working with, and it can be difficult to decipher what the homes look like if there is too much stuff lying around.
Consider storing these items in a different area of the home or look at getting a storage pod to hold them while new buyers are touring the house. You will likely be moving within the next few months anyways, so this is a great idea to consider. Areas like closets and garages should be organized and cleared out as much as possible so people can see how much storage space is actually available instead of seeing it full of your clutter.
3. Consider Staging
Staging your home is one of the best ways to get a higher final price, and it can make your home sell much faster than you'd expect. A stager will make minor cosmetic improvements (like painting or replacing hardware) and rearrange the spaces to make them look more appealing to a broader range of buyers. They will likely use some or all of your existing items, but others prefer to bring in rented furniture to make the space look updated and trendy.
If you want to sell your home as soon as possible, then staging is the best way to achieve your goal. The cost of staging a home can vary, depending on the house size and how much is needed to make it look perfect, but it’s well worth it when you consider how much it could increase the value. Some reports show that staging a home can increase its value by up to 5%. Most reports show that a staged home sells about 80% faster than an unstaged home, and many sell in under two weeks.
4. Make Necessary Updates
If you choose to go without using a stager to help you out, you should consider doing a walkthrough to figure out what areas of your home need minor improvements. Things like broken windows, creaky stairs, and stained carpets are often big turn-offs for potential buyers, so research the cost of repairing them before you sell. Improving a few small things might increase the final sale of your home by quite a bit, but it will likely also increase the number of offers, so it's well worth the investment.
One thing you need to consider before you start pulling up the floors is how much time these improvements will likely end up taking. You don't want a small job to take months, so make sure you are choosing improvements that will fit into the timeframe you’re considering for your home's sale.
5. Set the Right Price
Selling your home in Burlington, CT, for the right price is crucial because it could be the deciding factor in how quickly it sells. If your price is too high, then you will likely have fewer offers, but you still want to get back what you feel your house is worth. A real estate agent will be able to provide you with a great estimate after they see the condition of your home, and you can choose to use that as a starting point for your price.
You should also consider looking at other homes in the area to see what they are selling for so you have a better idea of what your home is worth. Pricing your home high to start with is ok if you’re comfortable with it sitting on the market for a little bit longer, and many buyers choose to negotiate, so this could work in your favor. If your real estate agent gives you an estimate that feels too low, talk to them about what improvements you can make to help out the price and come back to them when they’re completed.
6. Don't Forget Curb Appeal
Changing the interior of your home is great for open houses and walkthroughs, but you need to make an excellent first impression, so start outside. A landscaper will be able to come in and give your yard a good once over by removing debris, mowing, and fixing any minor issues that the yard might have. Some landscapers will also offer a tree trimming service which is essential if you have overgrown branches that are hiding in the front of the home.
Another place you should focus on is the entryway to the home. This area is easy to spruce up (replace the house numbers, paint the front door a fun color, or add some outdoor furniture), and it will be the first thing many potential buyers will see. Adding plants is another great tip for selling your home that will draw in the eye and make the home feel welcoming right away, so consider some flowers or bushes to spruce up the front yard.
7. Add Incentives
If you’re struggling to find a buyer willing to commit, consider adding some different incentives to your offer to make the deal a little sweeter. Consider adding things like interior furniture, patio furniture, or large appliances to the sale to make it more enticing for buyers that don't want the hassle of buying these items themselves. You can also add some monetary incentives like covering closing costs, covering inspection costs, or offering to pay for necessary upgrades.
8. Be Willing to Negotiate
We mentioned earlier how some buyers might want to negotiate the price of the home, so be ready to have a bit of back and forth. You should make sure you figure out your bottom line when it comes to your price and be prepared to stick to it. Your real estate agent will be the one to handle the conversation with the potential buyer, so make sure they have a good way to get a hold of you to let you know about potential offers that are coming in.
Selling your home can sound daunting, but if you have some help on your side, it can go much smoother than you think. Making improvements to your home is one of the best ways to get a better price and a quick sale. Selling your home in Burlington, CT, doesn't have to be a long process, so use a few of these tips to make it easier for everyone.
At Sellitmike.com, we understand that buying or selling a home is a huge investment and milestone. That's why we are committed to providing clients with superior service and expertise to make it a memorable experience.