Airto Zamorano\u2019s real estate game plan was solid: do a serious deep cleaning of his home every single time he had a showing. \u201cThe idea is that we wanted to project a fresh, clean feel,\u201d says Zamorano, who lives in Marlton, NJ.<\/p>\n
The tactic worked. Despite similar homes for sale in his neighborhood, within 24 hours the Zamoranos received a full-price offer. They even received several backup offers while they were under contract! \u201cEveryone made a comment about the home being well cared for and how clean it was,\u201d he says. \u201cWe take great pride in homeownership, and that was clear to people. I think having a fresh scent and everything vacuumed and wiped down right before the people arrived made a huge difference.\u201d<\/p>\n
Going head-to-head with your neighbors\u2019 listing can make a complex process even more challenging. Here\u2019s how to beat out the neighborhood competition to get your home sold first.<\/p>\n
1. Focus on curb appeal<\/strong> 2. Don\u2019t skip staging<\/strong> 3. Focus on photography<\/strong> 4. Enhance your home\u2019s best features<\/strong> 5. Price it well<\/strong>
\nIf your home is on the market during the spring \u2014 peak real estate season in many markets \u2014 you\u2019re likely to be competing with your neighbors for a buyer. To draw buyers to your property instead of the house next door, invest in seasonal curb appeal: your landscaping. This tactic helped real estate agent Michael Kelczewski of Brandywine Fine Properties Sotheby\u2019s International Realty in Philadelphia, PA, sell a home that had been on the market for a year. \u201cDuring the spring season, as comparable neighborhood properties came onto the market, we chose to completely re-landscape the property and hold large open houses,\u201d he says. It worked! The home sold for close to full asking price in a competitive market.<\/p>\n
\nStaging your home for sale can feel like a luxury. But when you\u2019re competing with your neighbors for buyers\u2019 attention, staging your home can help sell your home faster. You\u2019ll get better listing photos and make a better impression at a showing. This is especially true if homes in your neighborhood have similar floor plans and finishes. Great staging can make a space seem larger and really show off a home\u2019s best features.
\n\u201cStaging is always important,\u201d says Pat Eberle of Raso Realty in Cape Coral, FL. \u201cReducing clutter allows buyers to see the features of the home and visualize themselves there.\u201d But don\u2019t just stage for your listing photos \u2014 keep the furniture in place for the duration. \u201cYou can stage a home for professional photos, but if buyers are turned off once they walk in the door, all that work staging and those great pictures go right out the window,\u201d explains Dan Garrison of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Charleston, SC. \u201cSpend some money and time going above and beyond to make your home perfect for a potential buyer for the first moment they walk in the door. That will make it easier to sell your home against the competition.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nWhen your home is competing with a neighbor\u2019s, those first impressions online matter even more. This is when a buyer considers whether to request a showing for your home \u2014 or your neighbor\u2019s home. You want your house to stand out! If your listing photos are dark, blurry, or simply don\u2019t make your home stand out, your home might not draw as many potential buyers. \u201cFinding an agent that hires professional photographers is very important,\u201d says Eberle. He recommends adding video or drone photography for an extra edge. \u201cI also integrate drone video and photography into the virtual tours to go along with high-quality images.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nMaking strategic updates can help sell your home faster than your neighbor\u2019s house. Get your house market-ready by focusing on the updates most buyers love, such as a kitchen remodel. This strategy can be even more powerful if your neighbors have cut corners for savings. It worked well for Anna Mirachi, whose Charlotte, NC, home was 500 square feet smaller than her neighbors\u2019 house, with one fewer bedroom. \u201cI moved some furniture out to make the rooms look bigger and staged the breakfast room,\u201d she says. \u201cBut I also did a real kitchen renovation, while my neighbors only painted their cabinets.\u201d
\nThat new kitchen helped buyers overlook the smaller square footage \u2014 and clinched the sale. \u201cI had 28 showings and two offers,\u201d says Mirachi. \u201cMy neighbors ended up renting their home out because it wouldn\u2019t sell.\u201d Her former neighbor asked the new homeowners why they didn\u2019t want the other, larger house next door. \u201cTheir response was, \u2018Did you see the kitchen?\u2019\u201d Mirachi says.<\/p>\n
\nOverpricing can stall a home sale from the start \u2014 especially if your neighbor\u2019s home is priced more competitively. \u201cDon\u2019t overprice,\u201d says Matt Vos of Atlas Real Estate Group in Denver, CO. \u201cIn a hot market like Denver, if you overprice and the home sits on the market for even as little as a week, people start to wonder if something might be wrong with it.\u201d
\nMeanwhile, an appropriately priced home gives you an edge on the neighborhood competition. Some agents even recommend underpricing your home slightly to encourage interest and fast action from buyers. \u201cPrice is always the largest driver in any market,\u201d adds Eberle. \u201cToday\u2019s buyers are more educated than ever. Buyers know what\u2019s on the market, how long it\u2019s been on the market, how many price reductions the seller has made, and what the competition is listed for.\u201d<\/p>\n