What Will Help Your Home Sell?

If you’re searching for the secret wish list of variables that will change that “for sale” sign to a “sold” sign, you’ve come to the right place.

It’s true, many variables prompting the quick sale of a house are out of your control: market demand and the desire of a buyer, for instance. While you can’t control each buyer’s personal reactions, the National Association of Realtors provides tangible research into the features, styles, and locations that are proven to make homes sell faster.

In a healthy market, where there is a balanced amount of buying and selling, real estate professionals consider 60 to 90 days the average time it takes for a house to sell. In a hot market, that time can be accelerated to just a few days.

Luckily, 2016 has been a good seller’s market. The National Association of Realtors’ chief economist predicted this earlier in the year, and economists predict the market will continue to favor sellers throughout 2017, and over the next several years.

For tentative home sellers, there may be no time like the present to put your home on the market. Read up on what’s working — and what’s not working — in the housing market, so you can highlight the right elements of your home in your own realtor interviews.

Cater to the In-Demand Home Styles

The Spanish architectural style takes the cake as the hottest style on the market this year, according to the National Association of Realtors. Spanish-inspired homes sell in an average of 47 days — almost a month and a half faster than the second most popular style of home (traditional style).

Spanish revival homes are unique in their character and charm, acting as the antithesis to the cookie cutter homes that dominate suburbia. These homes are most likely to be found in coastal California and Florida, the two states where climates are most similar to those of the Mediterranean. Spanish revival style is characterized by white stucco exterior walls, rounded arches, painted tiles, and terracotta rooftops, among other features. Inside, these homes are ornamented with wrought iron, wooden ceiling beams, and other arched features.

If you’re considering renovations to prepare your home for sale, why not incorporate some Spanish elements? Earthy terracotta features are predicted to be big in 2017, and can be perfect for kitchen flooring tiles or room accessories. Replacing wood banisters with iron features can also help accomplish this look.

Traditional homes are this year’s second-most popular style, perhaps because like Spanish revival homes, they also feature European elements. These colonial style homes pay close attention to historical detail and charm. If you’re in a traditional home, try to highlight the detailed, intricate, and original elements to prospective buyers.

If you’re wondering what not to do, avoid decorating your home in Victorian style. Research shows Victorian homes stay on the market the longest — an average of 122 days — and most buyers today consider the dramatic intricacies unappealing. If you own a Victorian style home, try to update the interior and exterior. Consider one shade of paint for the outside walls rather than many, and aim for minimalist furnishings. This will help balance the decorative architectural flourishes built into your home.

Focus on the Important Features

It’s not just the style of home that appeals to prospective buyers; the features included in that home have a large impact on a buyer’s impression. While rustic and upcycled interiors are big on websites such as Pinterest, research suggests it’s the classic elements that continue to have the greatest appeal — including stainless steel appliances and granite countertops. In fact, homes with stainless steel appliances sell an average of 15% faster than homes without.

Since most buyers value kitchen and storage space, having a finished basement and open concept kitchen will increase the likelihood of your home selling quickly. Target these two spaces with your home renovations, to give buyers a sense that there’s ample room for all of their belongings. The numbers reveal what people truly want — so keep this research in mind when picking out appliances, countertops, and other functional features of the home.

Consider the Hot Markets

Geography is, of course, a major variable when it comes to the sale of homes. The housing market is the hottest in America’s western states; excellent news for those considering selling in California. Sales data from the National Association of REALTORS® shows the average price of homes has climbed by 5.2% since last year in the west, with the average house in September 2016 selling for $372,200.

The flush in the realty market is thought to be the result of first time home buyers from Generation Y’ers who may have put off home ownership until this point. The desire to move west is also reflected in the top forecasted cities noted by the Gord Collins real estate opportunity blog: Seattle at 11.2% price appreciation, Portland, Oregon at 11.1%, and Denver at 9.9%.

No matter the city, research shows that proximity to good schools makes a home most appealing — followed closely by access to a sports stadium, shopping, and transit. If your home is located close to a good school, here’s a tip: don’t just include the phrase “close to a school” in your ad. Include an adjective such as “best” or “top,” and your property listing will land higher in people’s search queries.

The most desired property view is one of the city — though gazing out at golf courses, mountains, or the ocean won’t do any harm. In fact, the big blue sea is most likely to bring in the highest list price, with the average ocean view home selling at just under $750,000.

Using Data to Help Sell Your Home

You don’t have to enter the real estate market blind. There’s plenty of research and resources available to help you set yourself up for a successful — and speedy — home sale.

It’s important to ensure you’re pricing your home right, even if you live in a hot market. Take a look at the average home price by state from Statistic Brain, to can see whether you’re on the right page. Smaller sized homes priced at an average of $194,000 are the top sellers across the States. Trulia’s home prices map allows you to search market averages based on your city and neighborhood.

When you get your home ready for viewings, don’t simply decorate with things you love personally. If you want your home to be someone else’s, act like it’s someone else’s — that means using research and buyer statistics to stage your decor, furniture, and other features according to data-driven motivators for today’s buyers. Selling your house may seem like a daunting challenge, but it becomes quite approachable if you consider and incorporate the numbers and data, to present your home according to what buyers really want.