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When it comes time to sell your home, the more informed you are, the more likely you are to get the money your home is truly worth.
If you are trying to sell your home based on the price you sold it for then you’re likely not valuing it high enough. Your home may be worth more than when you paid for it.
This is why it is important for you to ask, “How much is my house worth?” when you’re selling. Continue reading this article to learn the answer to this question.
How Much is My House Worth?
As you’re asking the question, “How much is my house worth?”, you should keep in mind that there are a lot of factors that will play into your home’s value. We will look at some of the different factors so you can start determining how much you should sell your house for.
How to Tell How Much Your House is Worth
The most straightforward way to figure out how much your house is worth is to get an appraisal. You don’t have to be selling your house to hire an appraiser. You can even do it if you’re curious.
Appraisers know what all to take into account when they are determining the value of your home but you need to be willing to pay.
Another way to get an estimate of your home’s value is through online tools. While they might not be 100% accurate, you can get an idea and most of these tools are free for you to use.
If you’re closer to the stage where you want to sell your home, you might start working with a real estate agent. While they won’t be doing a professional appraisal, they are likely to have a good idea of what is going on in your area and what you can expect to get out of your home.
You may not want to work with a real estate agent just yet. Instead, you can look at other comparable homes aka “comps” to see what homes like yours have sold for recently.
Make sure that you look at homes in your neighborhood. Homes on the other side of town could have a very different value than homes in your neighborhood.
Getting the Most Money Out of Your Home
When you’re getting ready to sell, there are things you can do to make sure you get the most out of your home. If you aren’t properly prepared, you could get thousands of dollars less than you should get for your home.
If you’re under pressure to get out of your home, you should still do your best to prepare for the sale. If you rush too much, the buyer is likely to notice your desperation and not give you the money you want to get out of your sale.
Here are some ways you can make sure you get the most out of your home.
1. Spruce Up the Outside
When your home is on the market and people are driving by the listing, is it a good representation of the inside of your home? People do judge a book by its cover and its the same with homes.
Plant flowers, paint the front door, fix any cracked concrete and make sure the lawn is mowed. Putting your best foot forward will garner the attention of serious buyers so they take the next step.
2. Make the Entry a WOW
When you get showings, you need to take them the rest of the way and the entry to your home needs to WOW them.
The entry shouldn’t be a statement area but instead should be clean but well decorated. Go online to see some of the most popular home entries that appeal to a wide variety of people. Since you’re selling your home, you don’t want to make it uniquely pleasing to you.
3. Fix All Structural Issues
If there are any structural issues or anything else that means the new buyers are going to have to put in work — fix it right away. No one wants to move into a new house with serious issues. Even minor issues could break the deal if they are able to find a house similar to yours without issues.
4. Clear out the Clutter
Are you still living in your home while it is showing? If that is the case, you need to clear out any of your clutter.
No tables should be piled high with papers or clothes thrown on the bathroom floor. If you have too many family photos, this can even be a turn-off. You want people to be able to imagine themselves living in this home instead of feeling like they are intruding on someone else’s living space.
You may want to rent a storage unit for your extra things while you’re working on selling your home. Even your closets should look neat and tidy.
Increasing the Value of Your Home
Now that you have a better idea to the answer of your question, “how much is my house worth?” you may want more ideas on how to increase your home’s value before you sell.
Some of the things you think might help your house sell better might not be a good idea. And on the other hand, there could be small things you didn’t think of that could increase your home’s value.
Continue going through our blog to learn more about home improvement and other things you can do to make your home worth more.
