Selling your home in a slow market

Even though the real estate market has slowed down in recent months, there are still plenty of homebuyers eager to make a purchase.

Knowing how to prepare your home for sale, when to allow access for showings, and how you can offer buyer incentives will help you find the right buyer, even in a declining market.

- Before you even put your home on the market, make sure that all basic repairs are completed. Nothing can turn off a prospective buyer quicker than loose railings, torn screens or missing hardware on cupboard doors. These easy repairs do not cost a lot of money.

Keep your home clean throughout the time it is on the market. In a slow real estate market, it is important to have your home available to show at a moment’s notice. The more often your home is shown, the likelier it is that your home will sell. Keep your home available to your realtor and they will be able to show your home quickly to any buyer that shows interest.

- Have your home staged by a professional. Home staging has become a booming business and a professional home stager will help you remove clutter and depersonalize your space. Prospective homebuyers want to picture their family in the home, not yours and a home full of personal clutter will not show off the potential of your home.

Keep pets contained during a real estate showing and make sure that your cat litter box is always clean. Pet owners tend to get used to the odors caused by litter boxes and it is important that you remember to clean it every day.

Be realistic in your expectations of the price you will be able to sell your home. Forget about what could have been if you had sold it last year and focus on what your home is worth now.

In a slow market, hiring a real estate agent is crucial to get your home sold in a reasonable amount of time. Yes, there are ways you can list your home for sale by owner using the internet, but nothing beats the experience that comes from a real estate agent who is able to take care of everything in order to sell your home.

Selling your home can be a stressful time, but you can be successful in selling your home if you remain patient, reasonable and flexible. There are buyers out there and the key is to find them and get them to fall in love with your home.