Prospective buyers should ideally be able to easily envision themselves living in the property, and they should feel excited about it! Cleaning thoroughly, tidying, and removing extra furniture and personal items will help buyers imagine their lives and belongings in your space. Have windows professionally cleaned. Have the walls painted white. Upgrade lighting throughout. Sanding and refinishing heavily trafficked floors will have high ROI. Any signs of water damage, cracks or holes should be repaired. Homes that are showroom clean, brightly lit and sparsely appointed show most effectively.

Pricing your property is one of the most important aspects of your selling strategy. The market will determine the value at which your property will ultimately sell (either higher or lower than the asking price), but the asking price will impact the number of motivated buyers who will see the property in person. Review all current data on recent sales in the neighborhood, current competing listings, recent sales in your building, most current market trends, etc.

The strong negotiation techniques and strategies of your broker WILL affect the selling price. Through skillful dialog with all parties, your broker will reach a meeting of minds between you (the seller) and the best-fit buyer. If you are selling a co-op, your broker will pre-screen the financial status of all prospective buyers to qualify their odds of board approval.

Our most critically important work often takes place at this stage, when assisting the buyer (or monitoring and helping the buyer’s broker) in presenting their best possible Purchase Application Package (representing the buyer’s financial and personal credentials) for the co-op or condo board’s review. Most condominiums have a board approval process for their waiver of right of first refusal. Virtually all co-ops have this process, which is much more comprehensive, and often stipulates minimum financial requirements for purchasing in the building. The primary concern of most boards is the extent to which the buyer has sufficient assets to continue paying their monthly maintenance in the event of job loss or sudden hardship.