If you are considering selling your mountain home, here are some great strategies for making more when it sells.  Here are 10 great ways to put more money in your pocket before you list, during the negotiations and at the closing table.

1.  Create spring, summer and winter curb appeal.  One good snowstorm after the Town’s snowplows come through can greatly decrease the buyer’s desire to view a home even if its the nicest property on the block.  Keep the driveway plowed and pathways to the house shoveled in the winter.  Lined paths and drives with flowers and plantings makes all the difference in the summer.  Make sure your Realtor is checking on the home before showings.

2.  Offer off street parking for buyers looking at the home.  If you are selling a ski condominium, make sure your guests have access to private underground parking vs. the public lobby; as well as, any other exclusive owner amenities like exercise rooms, pools and hot tubs.

3.  Create an inviting and open sense of entry where guests will enter your home.  De-clutter the front entry and create an inviting feel for prospective purchasers who will be touring your property. Neutralize odors, enhance pleasing scents make seeing the home an painless process for buyers.

4.  Remove clutter in corners and closets and limit the number of personal items and pictures on display throughout your home.   This gives buyers the ability to envision their own family using your property and creates ownership interest.  Clean the refrigerator, stove, and other major appliances; don’t forget to circulate the ice.  Touch up, paint and update when necessary before listing the property.

5.  List your home when property inventory is low and prices are appreciating.  Property Inventory in the Vail Valley is currently at an all time low and we have seen rapid appreciation in most areas this year.  This is a good time to consider listing your home for sale, no matter the season.

6.  Negotiate your listing commission and closing costs up front and check on the different listing options available.  Vail Valley Real Estate, Inc. offers some of the most competitive commission rates in the Valley.  But most certainly, list your property with a Realtor; statistics say they will bring 20% more than a FSBO.  Don’t be mislead by sensational print advertising being a must and a reason to pay high commission rates.  Most homes in the Vail Valley sell themselves with appropriate attention to detail and online marketing. 

7.  Offer a home warranty to your potential Buyers.  This gives your buyers more confidence when making an offer and keeps them from being overly critical at inspection time.

8.  Have your broker run a rental analysis to figure out the income that can be generated on a short term and long term rental basis.  This is good information for buyers who are looking to offset their second homeownership costs.

9.  Considering selling your property furnished or partially furnished.  Buyers of second homes are more inclined to buy a home that is nicely furnished and they can use right away, especially when it during the ski season.  Also, it is sometimes more costly to move a home’s contents a long distance than any remaining value of the furniture itself.

10.  Have Vail Valley Real Estate, Inc. prepare a complimentary property valuation, marketing plan and ready for market criteria for your mountain home.  Contact us at 970-331-1110 or request a free online home valuation here.  Its “TWO EASY” steps.