Creative tips for selling your house in a down market

The housing market in the U.S. has done a 180. What was once one of the most booming sectors of the economy has become one of the most depressed. And while there have been glimmers of a revitalizing housing market, homeowners still need to be more creative than ever in selling their homes.

To cut down on the costs associated with selling and to maximize the amount that ultimately ends up in their pockets, many homeowners are choosing to sell their own properties. There are plenty of advantages to doing so, but if it's the path you choose, you need to really devote yourself to it. Don't forget that it's a tough market and every effort you make to set yourself and your home apart will help to set you apart from the crowd.

Even if you're acting as your own agent, you need to interact with Realtors. If you can get their attention and have them bring potential buyers to your house, you'll increase your chances of making the sale. Use attention-getting tools like invitations to open house events. You can often find great invitation designs on websites like Vistaprint.com that let you add your details to an eye-catching format. Set your open house date and get the invitations out to Realtors well in advance.

Make sure your house is in tip-top shape, inside and out. The importance of curb appeal cannot be underestimated. You want people to imagine your house as a place they'd want to come home to every night after work. But ultimately, a neatly trimmed lawn and freshly painted exterior will only go so far - the inside of your house needs to be pristine as well. It might be extra work, but make every effort to keep your house as neat and clean as possible, so that you can show it on short notice.

You might want to spread the word that your house is for sale beyond Realtors. But don't rely on a regular word processing program to make a notice to hang in your local coffee shops. Once again, the Internet is a great source for ideas that will make your efforts stand out. Create customized posters with beautiful photos of your house that will compel people to come and look. If you're not an ace photographer, ask a friend who's handy with a camera to help you.

And since more and more buyers rely on the Internet when searching for their perfect new house, you need to be where they're looking. With the help of user-friendly website builder programs, you can create your own website - and you don't have to know programming code or any complex computer tricks. Vistaprint offers a website building tool that walks you through each step - all you need to do is enter your photos and text. If you're not a wordsmith, they even have prewritten text that you can choose from. With a few clicks of the mouse, you'll be closer to selling than ever.

With some creative thinking and a true dedication to making your house look its best, you'll be able to attract the interest of Realtors and motivated buyers. Before long, you could be the one who's looking for a new home.

Courtesy of ARAcontent