STAGING ENTICEMENTS: WHAT YOU CAN OFFER BUYERS TO MAKE YOUR HOME STAND OUT

 

Many people ask me if there is anything they can do to make their home more attractive to buyers, to entice buyers to come and see the home.  Here are a few ideas that many agents and clients have tried over the years. There are no statistics about whether or not they work, but it can’t hurt to try one or more of them.

1. Offer to pre-pay certain bills.
   For example, you can pay a certain number of months, or a full year, of one of the household bills. Some condo owners offer to pay for 6 months or a year of HOA fees. You can make it contingent on a full price offer. Think about it. It probably costs less to pay for those fees than to take a lower priced offer. Other options include paying for a year of gardening services, a year of cable bills, or even a few months of property or school taxes. People like to get things for “free” and it ultimately doesn’t cost you any money because you’ll either get that full price offer (as opposed to a lower one) or you’ll sell the home quicker.
 
If you have really nice landscaping, consider including the cost of 6 months or a year of landscaping services for the new owners.
Copyright 2007 by Aunt Owwee


2. Perform a pre-inspection on the home.
   Now, buyers will still usually do their own inspection but it might help them feel secure about making an offer. It benefits you because it calls attention to any potential problems that might pop up later and potentially derail the sale.
3. Include a home warranty with the sale of the home.
   Usually it’s a 1-year warranty. Various companies offer them and they cover certain major features or systems of the home. If something happens, the new owners just pay a deductible, just like you do with car and home insurance, and the repair is covered. Just do your research and make sure you understand what is and is not covered. The good part is you don’t have to pay for it until closing. And, as an added benefit, it helps avoid problems resulting from that last minute repair that always seems to pop up the day before closing. With the warranty, it’s covered. Problem averted! Some sellers are hesitant to pay the extra cost but if it helps you sell quicker, it might save you money in the long run and might bring in more buyers and better offers because people feel a little bit more secure that if something goes wrong, they won’t be out lots of money.
4. Offer to pay some of the closing costs.
   Just make sure to put a cap on the amount. Closing costs add up quickly.
5. Include certain items or give gifts.
   For example, you can include furniture items. Just make sure they are in good condition. Otherwise, you're better off selling them at a garage sale or donating them. You can even offer gift cards to retail stores that sell home products (like Target or JC Penney) or home improvement stores. Some sellers just buy products like a flat screen TV and include them in the sale. If you compare the cost of these gifts (a hundred or a couple hundred dollars) with the amount of a lower price offer (thousands of dollars), you can see it is well worth it. People will usually feel guilty offering a much lower asking price if you include these items. It also draws traffic into your home. More buyers viewing the home means a better chance of an offer. 

 

Some sellers offer gift cards to potential buyers.

Copyright  2012 by 401(K)2012

These are just a few ideas, but get creative and think of your own. Think about your state, area or region. Also, consider the price of your home. A $100 gift card is not going to entice buyers of a multi-million dollar home, but would be much appreciated by buyers of homes in the average price range, say around $200,000. Lastly, know your target buyers. What would they would want or enjoy?