A record 15 million annual tourists came to Nashville in 2018 to let loose at a honky tonk bar, chow down on hot chicken, and scope the town for a famous musician sighting. But even in a place steeped with as much culture as Music City, you’ve got normal people who live there, go to work, grab groceries, and yes—even sell homes. That last task? Easier said than done. If your career as an aspiring country artist flopped or you’d like to ditch the suburbs for a place walking distance to the farmer’s market, you’ll need to pull out all the stops to sell your house fast in Nashville. As part of a larger real estate cool down, prices in the area dropped 1% while inventory in the area rose 18% in the final quarter of 2018. Don’t let the competition get in your head, though. Rather than guess at what makes local buyers tick (hint: it’s not inflatable guitars in the front yard), follow this pro advice on how to use fresh landscaping, contemporary colors, and smart staging to make your Nashville home stand out. To stand out in Nashville’s competitive housing market, it’s your job to meet or exceed homebuyer expectations. No need to go into full demo-mode or tear down any walls. But you can take your house from average to prime selling shape with a focus on these three areas Nashville buyers obsess over. Put yourself in a buyer’s shoes. If you walked up to a home and noticed weeds everywhere, how would you feel? You’d get the impression that the owner didn’t take care of the property. Since quality landscaping makes a positive first impression and you never get a second chance to make a first impression, it is well worth the time and money investment. Here are three things you can do to up your landscaping game: Since Nashville’s wonderful weather allows for outdoor fun and relaxation 8 to 10 months out of the year, local homebuyers are all about outdoor living. One of the best ways to enjoy your home’s outside space is on the patio. But extracting positive ROI out of a patio addition is tricky business (In Remodeling Mag’s 2018 Cost vs. Value report, backyard patios ranked dead last for ROI at resale at 47.6%). Nevertheless residential architects rank outdoor living areas as the no. 1 desired “special function” room among consumers. If you have some time before you put your house on the market, you may want to attempt a deck or patio project for your Nashville home to make your house more marketable. Just keep the project low cost and low scale for better returns. If you already have a patio area, make sure to get it cleaned up with a power washer, reseal your pavers or concrete, wipe down all outdoor furniture, and stage it with a classic table and chairs. To get started, consult our full guide for how to make your patio a selling point. According to Kyle Felts, a top Nashville agent who sells over 79% more properties than his peers, earthy tones in Nashville homes are no longer a hit. He explained that instead, today’s buyers are attracted to contemporary colors such as white and gray. They love to see white and gray interiors paired with beautiful dark hardwood floors. Here’s how you can use this contemporary color trend to your advantage: Staging is particularly important if you have a new build and would like to stand out in the sea of Nashville new construction. “By staging your house, you give a potential buyer the opportunity to take a mental picture,” says Melissa Quinlan, owner of Nashville Staged. “Once they leave your house, they’re likely to remember how much they loved the farmhouse style kitchen or bold living room with the big blue couch.” According to Quinlan, who’s staged hundreds of local homes over her 11 years in the business, these staging tricks tend to spark the attention of Nashville homebuyers every time: Quinlan explains that since the vast majority of potential buyers begin their journey by searching online, if you don’t grab their attention at first glance, you’re unlikely to get them in the door. Home staging helps create magazine quality photos that can allow your listing to thrive in the competitive Nashville housing market. “The proof is in the numbers. The difference between staging can mean one week or one year on the market,” says Quinlan. Stage your home at the beginning of your listing process rather than relying on it after your house has had multiple price reductions and been sitting vacant for months. By doing so, you’ll be more likely to sell your home in less time for a higher selling price. If you’re able to choose when you sell your home, the spring and summer months are ideal. “The flowers and trees are in bloom and everything just looks prettier,” says Felts. In addition, if your house is close to a power line, train track, or interstate, greenery can hide it and make any noise less prevalent. For example, if your home backs up to a busy highway, plant a row of these Spartan Juniper Feature Shrubs in Pots from Lowe’s. You could also put a water feature in the front yard such as this water fountain from Wayfair to provide a calming background noise. HomeLight discovered that the best month to sell a home in Nashville is May. Since it typically takes about 3 months to close on a home, if you list your house in March, you may be able to sell it for 3.16% more than the yearly average. As mentioned above, the median home price in the greater Nashville area is $320,000. “If you’d like to sell your Nashville home fast and get top dollar for it, give yourself about two weeks and a few thousand dollars for some projects. Touch up painting, new landscaping, and other improvements can make all the difference in the way your home is priced,” says Felts. He explains that if you don’t want to spend the time or money on making any improvements, you can’t get offended if your agent prices your home lower than a comparable home with more modern amenities. Work with your real estate agent to look at trends right before you list your home because what homebuyers will pay for your home may be totally different today than what it was 90 days ago. The competition and the interest rates at the time of your listing are important to keep in mind when pricing your home. “Since buyers have many options in Nashville’s market, many are trying to get a better deal. If you’re trying to sell your house fast and it’s worth $300,000, consider listing it at $290,000 to generate interest,” says Felts. If your goal is to get your home off the market as quickly as possible, working with a top Nashville real estate agent is essential. Top Nashville agents sell homes in an average of 45 days, versus 75 for average agents. If that’s not enough to convince you that a top Nashville real estate agent is an invaluable resource, the fact that they can make you $12,647 more than average agent may do the trick. With a top Nashville real estate agent by your side, you can gain access to a variety of resources to further expedite your home sale. These agents work with a team of photographers, stagers, and other pros that will know exactly what to do to make your house shine like the stars in Nashville’s competitive market. If you’re ready to make the most out of your home sale and sell your Nashville house in no time, you owe it to yourself to reach out to a top Nashville real estate agent today.Play the tune Nashville homebuyers love: Grab their attention to sell your house fast
Quality landscaping that makes sense for the season
Show off your home’s outdoor living perks
Go with contemporary color schemes rather than earth tones
Beat the competition by staging your Nashville house
Sell your Nashville home in the spring or summer
Be strategic about pricing your Nashville home to sell fast
How a top Nashville real estate agent delivers results
