Marnie Greenwood, Luxury Houston Real Estate Agent is all about keeping real estate REAL! Last week we talked about her honest opinions on buying a home. Now let’s dive into selling!

With 15+ years of experience in Houston across highly desirable neighborhoods from River Oaks to Memorial, Tanglewood, Briargrove and more… she’s seen it all.

Things Marnie would tell you as your listing agent if she wasn’t afraid to hurt your feelings:

• There’s a 90% chance you have too much stuff. One of the very first steps of home preparation involves me walking around your house with blue tape. I’ll mark art, furniture, clutter, etc that needs to go prior staging and photography. Let’s make your home look magazine-worthy.
• You don’t get dollar for dollar on your decorative choices. Yes, I know wallpapering that room cost a fortune! But your personal design doesn’t translate as valuable to everyone.
• Appraisers give granite and marble the same value. This piggy-backs on the above point. A lot of upgrades that the average person thinks of as important don’t mean as much to appraisers.
• Pools don’t always increase the value of your home. This can be a tough pill to swallow, especially when they cost so much to put in these days.
• Dirt value increases faster than the structure.
• Overpricing your home for “room to negotiate” only wastes days on market. Pricing it right the first time can save you the stress and of multiple reductions. On that note, it’s much better to do a big reduction than several small ones! Days on Market is a big red flag that potential buyers immediately notice and can sense desperation.
• If your house isn’t selling, there’s a 99% chance it’s because of price. Again, price it right! We can take stage, take fabulous photos, hold an open house every weekend… but over pricing hurts these efforts. With all of my experience I know exactly what to price your home at to best position your sale.
• Maintenance is key! It’s what’s on the inside that matters. You could have the most stunning home in the neighborhood but if the plumbing needs replacing, the AC doesn’t cool right, the foundation is cracking or a slew of other issues, those take precedent. Get inspections and perform routine maintenance to keep your home in great shape, both above and beneath the surface.

Was that too honest? Let me know your thoughts and questions! I would love to help you sell your home in Houston with ease and expertise.

XX,

MG