John Varano

Selling a home can be challenging in any year. Even if market conditions are perfect for homeowners who want to sell, just the act of finding a buyer, shopping for a new place, and organizing a move can be overwhelming. Add in lower for-sale inventory, higher mortgage rates, and economic uncertainty and it may seem like too much to take on. Fortunately, there's no shortage of help available to guide you through this year's real estate market. A recent article on Trulia breaks down some of the top tips for selling a home in the new year. First on their list is hiring the right agent. Having a professional who knows the local market and your needs can reduce your stress level and make everything else run more smoothly. You're also going to want to prepare for competition. Analysts expect inventory to rise this year and that means an increasing number of homes for buyers to choose from. Making your house stand out from the pack might mean staging it according to the demographic most likely to be moving to your neighborhood. In other words, if you live somewhere popular with young families, think about staging an extra bedroom as a nursery. You should also be sure to keep up with technology. These days, everything from virtual tours to drone photography can be used to set your listing apart. Ultimately, though, nothing works better than pricing your home correctly from the start. With a good agent and the right price, you shouldn't have any trouble selling your house in 2017.