You're thinking about placing your home on the current Hingham real estate market, and you want to make sure you get the best price possible for your property. One of the best ways to generate interest in your home and ensure the right buyer sees your home is with a winning marketing strategy.
You and your real estate agent will work in tandem to establish a marketing plan that works. However, there are some things you can do on your own to position your home in the best place possible. This guide highlights five marketing tips to promote your Hingham property:
Turn your home into a desirable showplace
It isn't enough to hire a real estate agent and put a sign up in your yard. You need to get your home ready to sell. You've probably heard this referred to as staging your home. It's essential to stage your home before listing it on the local real estate market.
The goal of staging your home is to attract as many potential buyers as possible. You're selling more than a home; you're selling the buyers a new life in your space, and they need to be able to envision it.
This means turning your home into a showcase of all its best features. Most of these changes are cosmetic and require a little hard work on your part, and it isn't a good idea to undertake major home renovations because the return on your investment doesn't cover their costs.
Create a spa-like atmosphere in your ensuite bathroom
The two most important rooms in your home, when it comes time to sell it, are the master bathroom and the kitchen. When staging your home, you need to start by cleaning your bathroom and then clean it one more time. Any discolored caulking or grime between tiles needs to be replaced or treated with a bleaching solution.
If the paint in your bathroom is bright colors, you might want to replace it with a neutral, warm tone. Remove frilly shower curtains and mismatched towel sets, and replace them with white. The towel sets should be thick and fluffy as you would find in a high-end spa.
The bathroom decor and clutter need to be replaced with the strategic placement of candles and a couple of apothecary jars. This gives your bathroom the vibe of a hidden spa within your house.
Craft a relaxation space in the master bedroom
Most potential homeowners are busy people who want their home to be a place to relax and unwind. This makes the master bedroom an opportunity to create a retreat for prospective buyers. It allows them to see themselves relaxing in your home.
As you're making plans to stage your master bedroom, you might go online and look for images of upscale hotel rooms for inspiration. It's a good idea to repaint to ensure the room is a single, warm color. After you declutter the room, you can start by replacing your comforter with a thick, white duvet.
You can add a pop of color, patterns, and texture with the addition of throw pillows on the bed, or you can drape a sherpa throw towards the bottom of the bed. For decoration, go minimalistic with candles and maybe a vase of fresh flowers.
Provide the illusion of generous storage space
While touring your home, prospective buyers are going to open your closet doors and peek inside the kitchen cabinets. A potential buyer isn't going to look in your half-empty closet and worry you don't have enough clothing. They're going to be excited to see so much empty space.
When you take half the items out of all your closest, cabinets, and drawers isn't going to make them bigger, but it does create the illusion of a larger storage area. As a rule of thumb, take out a minimum of half the items in these areas and organize the remaining items neatly. You can always rent a storage unit to store the overflow from these areas.
Remove your personal touches and mementos
The easiest way to market your home is as a blank slate. This makes it easier for potential buyers to see themselves living there, and they'll take the next step, which might mean touring the home if they saw it online or making an offer.
It's beneficial to go from one room to the next, removing any family photos or personal items, such as framed diplomas or other types of awards. You might collect certain items, such as Amish quilts, and display them. This is the time to go ahead and pack your collection safely away.
This is also the time to remove the evidence of your pets. While they're a part of your family, pets generate a lot of mess and the occasional unpleasant smell. You might consider having your carpets cleaned by a professional. You don't want to turn off prospective house hunters with a dog bed in the photos.
Retain the services of a professional photographer
Many prospective buyers begin their home buying journey by visiting online real estate websites and touring homes virtually. If they like what they see, they call the agent and arrange a showing. This is why it's so important to have a professional photographer take the pictures.
A professional photographer understands how to frame a photo to ensure the best image of the room. These photos can help a smaller space appear larger and highlight the unique characteristics of your home and property.
Your real estate agent and the photographer will coordinate to determine the rooms you want to be photographed along with any specific amenities. If you're unsure about something during this process, your agent or the photographer should be able to address your concerns.
Decide on an attractive asking price
For every home on the Hingham real estate market, there's a price that will make it more attractive to potential buyers and get your home toured more often. This sweet spot can be hard to find.
A home that's priced too high won't generate any buzz while one with an asking price that's obviously too low scares buyers away because they think there are hidden problems. You and your agent can compare recent sales of similar homes to see the final prices, and this can guide you in choosing an asking price.
One other thing to consider is the cut-off points in filter searches. For instance, if a person doesn't want to spend more than $750,000 on a home, and you price yours at $751,000, a filter might block them from ever seeing your home even if it's a perfect fit otherwise.
Plan for a Hingham open house
As part of marketing your home and attracting a larger pool of potential buyers, your real estate agent might suggest an open house. These events are usually planned for a weekend day in the afternoon.
You'll need to make sure your home is in tip-top condition, freshly vacuumed and dusted. If you have pets, you might need to arrange for a friend or neighbor to take them the night before, making it easier to clean your home and keep it that way.
During the open house, your real estate agent and their team will take care of everything, and some potential buyers might tour the home with their own agents. You can spend the afternoon doing something you enjoy.
Utilize your social media network
Your real estate agent will post your home on their social media accounts from Instagram to Twitter. However, you can help market your home by posting those professional photographs on your own social media accounts.
It's always beneficial to include a hyperlink to your agent's website, so anyone interested in your home can contact your agent directly. You also need to be sure that your post can be shared by your friends.
You might need to change your privacy settings on your social media account for these posts. It's a good idea to encourage family members and friends to share your posts on their feeds as well. You never know who might have a friend who is looking to buy a home in Hingham.
Hire a Hingham real estate agent with a deep understanding of marketing
While there are things you can do on your own to market your home before and after it's listed, it’s helpful to select a Hingham real estate agent who's mastered the art of marketing. Posting photos online and bringing a potential buyer to your home isn't always enough.
Martha Toti has those skills and a network in place to amplify her efforts. She brings more than a decade of experience and a strong background in business to every home she lists. Martha and her team work hard to help you realize the best offer for your property. Reach out today!