Shortening TOM for Your House for Sale

A Vacant Local House for Sale Can Widen the Market

Near the end of 2012, the National Association of Realtors® announced that the average home took 69 days to sell, a welcome shrinkage from the 98-day Time On Market (TOM) common during the housing market crisis. They expected the 2013 numbers to be even stronger, and they haven’t been disappointed: the last read for TOM registered a median of just 46 days!

Of course, that’s a national average, and if you have a house for sale in Utah this summer, your own experience could well differ. Although a family’s situation may rule out this particular step, there is one tried-and-true approach that seems to make a big difference when it comes to shortening TOM: 

MOVE OUT!

Why? For most prospective buyers, the clean slate represented by an unoccupied house represents is more attractive than a home filled with someone else’s belongings. If you have a house for sale in Utah, no matter how superbly the furnishings reflect your family’s taste and personality, they will limit its appeal to some buyers. This is particularly true when the furniture is a little worn or particularly bright. Subtract those factors and potential buyers can more readily picture their own items filling the rooms.

With any Utah house for sale, buyers know that a seller could at any time decide not to move. Psychologically, many buyers feel more confident that a deal will go ahead when a home is unoccupied. A vacant home sends the unambiguous signal that it is definitely available.

Then there is the special case of the Urgent Buyer — a great prospect for

any house for sale. Since they naturally gravitate towards homes that don’t have people living in them, the shortened move-in schedule is something that their agents are also aware of.  Too, it’s much easier to show a home that is vacant – and the more showings you get, the more likely you are to receive that hoped-for offer.

Showing and selling homes is my business.  If you are looking to sell your own home for top dollar, don’t hesitate to contact me today to discuss a winning game plan.