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When you’re selling your house, it’s rare that you’ll get all of what you’re asking for, let alone more than that. But bidding wars are spiking as people flee to the suburbs, and this September more than one in five homes that sold went for above their list price, according to Zillow’s latest data. However, not all numbers are created equal.
Per the real-estate company, places priced between $192,000 and $264,000 sold above their asking price 28.2 percent of the time, which is more frequent than other ranges. (Because fewer buyers can afford homes at higher price points, it’s common for ones in this tier to generate more offers.) Houses in this price range are also selling fast (between 14 and 16 days), another recent Zillow analysis found.
If you don’t want to rely on the ebb and flow of the market, there are so many other little ways you can increase your property’s value and attract more buyers. For starters, don’t underestimate the power of curb appeal. Painting your front door black can increase your investment by $6,000. Another exterior update worth making? Building an outdoor kitchen (listings with this amenity mentioned in the description sold for 4.5 percent more than similar homes). Finally, turn your attention to the kitchen and swap out your existing sink for a farmhouse-style one—they help homes sell for an average of 26 percent more than expected. Call it the fixer-upper effect.
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