Is Your Residence Worth Less Than You Originally Paid for It?

by Carolyn Andrews 02/14/2021

Let's face it – determining how to price a home is rarely simple for a seller. In some instances, your home may be worth less than you originally paid for it.

Ultimately, if you failed to maintain your house over the years, various home problems may crop up when you decide to list your residence. If these issues go unaddressed, it may be tough for you to maximize your house sale earnings.

With the right approach to preparing your house for the real estate market, you could upgrade your residence in no time at all. Now, let's take a look at three tips to help you improve your residence and ensure you can obtain the optimal price for your house.

1. Enhance Your Home's Curb Appeal

How your residence looks in the eyes of potential buyers is key. Because if a buyer falls in love with your house the moment he or she sees it for the first time, you could benefit from a fast, profitable house selling experience.

Improving your home's curb appeal can be quick and simple. For instance, mowing the lawn and trimming the hedges can help you transform an ordinary front lawn into a pristine one. And if you have any damaged or cracked home siding, you should repair it as well.

2. Upgrade Your House's Interior

Ensure your home's heating and cooling system and other internal systems are working properly. If you find there are issues with any of these systems, contact a professional to repair them.

Don't forget to clear clutter from your house, too. If you find your home is filled with assorted knick-knacks and items you no longer need, you can sell these items. Or, you can always donate the items you no longer need to a local charity or give them to family members or friends.

If you maintain a neat, tidy house, buyers are sure to be impressed as soon as they walk through your front door.

3. Conduct a Home Inspection and Appraisal

A home inspection usually is completed before a buyer finalizes their house purchase. Yet a seller who conducts an inspection may identify myriad house problems. They can then take steps to address such issues before listing his or her residence.

Additionally, a home appraisal may be crucial for a seller. During an appraisal, a property expert will examine a home and offer a property valuation. Next, a seller can use this valuation to determine how to price their house.

As you get set to add your home to the real estate market, you also may want to hire a real estate agent. This housing market professional will craft a custom home selling strategy for you. Plus, he or she will do whatever it takes to help you achieve your desired house selling results.

Ready to list your home? Take advantage of these tips, and you may be able to obtain an offer to purchase that matches or exceeds what you originally paid for your house.

About the Author
Author

Carolyn Andrews

Carolyn Andrews has over 30 years licensed Brokerage experience in both California and Colorado. Born in England, Carolyn moved to California in 1980, then relocated to Denver, Colorado in 1991. Carolyn has also received recognition for Top Sales at RE/MAX Alliance Aurora in 2007-2008 and is a member of the RE/MAX Hall of Fame & Chairman’s Club, as well as a recipient of the ReMax Lifetime Achievement Award. Carolyn has sold over 2000 homes personally in her career. Carolyn has been actively involved in many aspects of the Real Estate business including investment property, luxury homes, mountain resort property, skiin/ski out, REO/default management, loss mitigation, valuations, and disposition. She has been a speaker and panelist at several conferences and has been consulted on many occasions by various organizations in the REO/financial industries for her expertise and served on many boards. She has attended numerous ongoing classes to stay abreast of changes in the ever-evolving Real Estate industry. She is the prior State Director for Colorado for VAREP(Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals). She is a member of 3 boards of Realtors including Metro Denver, Colorado Springs and Summit County mountain areas. She heads up The Andrews Group and is or has been an active member of NAR, CAR,REOMAC, CIPS, CRS, AREAA, NAPW, NAHREP, and is an original member of the ELITEReal Estate network. She was ranked #1 for most homes sold in Denver 2007 by Denver Board of Realtors, #2 for 2008, and #2 for 2009, #5 in 2010 and #4 in 2011 and has been consistently in the top 10 ever since. Carolyn Andrews has been a top rated Endorsed Local Provider for the Dave Ramsey Organization and also a Top Producing agent for 2018 for the Homelight Company.