You’ve decided it’s time to put your home on the market. Great timing! It’s a seller’s market here in Charlotte, and as a seller, you’ll likely have the upper-hand. Even so, you should resist the urge to try and sell your home “as-is.”

Here’s why.

1. Buyers don’t want to do the work.

Buyers want a turnkey property. They’re especially opposed to doing any work on a house if they’re already paying top-dollar, which they inevitably are in a hot market like Charlotte’s. Experienced Realtors will tell you that homes in better condition just sell faster. Buyers are almost always willing to spend more money on a home that’s “done.” Don’t give potential buyers a reason to question your asking price; show them the value of your home by completing any outstanding renovations, having your property professionally staged, and bringing in a qualified photographer prior to hitting the MLS.

2. Buyers make assumptions about what else is wrong.

To you, selling your home “as-is” might mean skipping the floor refinishing or simply puttying, not painting, that big hole in the dining room wall. Sure, your heat pump is on its last legs, but it still works! (Sometimes…) To you, these are little annoyances. To buyers, they are big, bright red flags. They might wonder what other maintenance you’ve been deferring, and whether some of what they’re biting off when they buy your home “as-is” will cost them tens of thousands of dollars to fix in the long run. Taking care of the little stuff (and the big stuff!) before you put your house on the market ensures you can ask a healthy price for your home without raising any eyebrows. Don’t sell yourself short.

More than a third of all buyers – including nearly half of buyers in the coveted millennial demographic! – say the reason they purchased a new home over a lived-in home was a desire to avoid renovations. Yes, new home building isn’t what it was at its peak, but rest assured your potential buyers are still weighing the cons of your house against the pros of new construction. In addition to being move in-ready, new construction homes almost always show well, particularly when they’ve been staged. Take all the same steps a developer would to sell your own home by hiring an experienced Realtor, working with an accredited stager, and marketing your home to the right audience.

Creative Home Stagers is your choice for professional home staging in Charlotte. Our stagers have decades of experience creating memorable moments for prospective buyers, and we’ve worked in both seller’s and buyer’s markets.

Ready to find out how professional staging can get you more money for your home? Reach out to us today to schedule your consultation.