Tips for Listing Your Property in Vancouver Island’s Real Estate Market
If you’re selling your home on Vancouver Island, you might be uncertain where to start when it comes to getting your home ready to hit the market. At The Nicklen Group, we’re here to help. We’ve created a list of some tips for listing your property to help you get started.
8 tips for listing your property on Vancouver Island:
Hire a great real estate agent
Selling a home for the first time can be a challenge, but you’re not alone. We recommend hiring an experienced real estate agent who knows your neighbourhood well. Hiring an experienced realtor will give your home’s listing’s more visibility in the market and increase the number of viewers at your open house.
Hiring a great real estate agent will also guarantee that you’re listing your home for the right price. The price you list at will have a direct impact on how fast you sell your house and for how much. Real estate agents know the market the best, and hiring a great one will ensure you’re getting the best value for your home.
Give your listing as much visibility as possible
Once again, this is where a real estate agent comes in! You want to make sure your property’s listing is receiving as much visibility as possible. Working with an experienced real estate agent ensures your property is visible on all forms of social media, including Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. Real estate agents also post their listings on more than one website, so make sure you’re using a real estate agent whose experience and market visibility stretches beyond their personal website. Realtor.ca and REW are two great sites for Vancouver Island real estate listings.
Make potential buyers feel welcome
Sprucing up the front of your home with a new door mat, plants, or a fresh coat of paint on the door can greatly improve first impressions to potential buyers. Consider adding little touches to your front entrance way, such as a subtle natural oil scent diffuser.
Focus on the kitchen
The kitchen is the heart of any home. There are several small things you can do to your kitchen to improve first impressions without a full renovation: redo the cupboard doors, give the room a fresh coat of paint, and hide away extra dishes in storage to make the inside of cupboards look spacious and organized.
Declutter closet
Whether you like it or not, potential buyers are going to look in your closets and cupboards. Make the insides of storage spaces look organized by putting extra clothes or clutter into storage or donating them. This will give potential buyers the impression that they’ll have ample room for storage. If you don’t have time to cart extra items away, many charities like The Salvation Army will pick up donations right from your home.
Use neutral colours
I know it can be tempting to give your home its own personal touch, including the bright colours you enjoy. However, it’s best to do a quick paint over brighter colours and swap them out for neutrals wherever you can. This way, potential buyers don’t view the home as yours, and can more easily envision themselves living there. And keep the colours light, as darker walls make spaces appear smaller.
Consider a professional cleaning
Before you have visitors to your home, it’s important to make sure it’s spotless, which is best done through a professional cleaning service. Consider hiring one before listing your home. This will help give a great first impression to buyers and make sure your listing photos look the best they can.
Keep it smelling fresh
Though we’ve already suggested a scent diffuser, try to be aware of existing smells in your home. Get someone you trust, a close friend or family member who doesn’t live there, to come in and sniff around. Have them tell you if they smell anything funny and address the scent.
Also, make sure to temporarily remove obvious sources of unpleasant scents, like pet beds and kitchen compost, before a viewing. In fact, pets should go over to a friend or neighbour’s house for the day if you’re showing the house, as they usually give a bad impression to those analyzing the home’s cleanliness.
The bottom line
Though listing your property may seem like a lot of work, a great real estate agent can make the entire process a lot easier and smoother. Our team at The Nicklen Group are experts on buying and selling on Vancouver Island. Contact us to get started.