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Selling your house for top dollar in Denver

Timing, pricing and staging all affect sales price
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DENVER — Spring is home selling season, and if you've been getting your house ready to sell, you may want to list it soon.

According to the real estate website Zillow, homes listed in the first two weeks in May in Denver sell for around $4,300 more on average. And Thursday is the best day of the week to get the most page views.

"That doesn't mean you're not going to get top dollar in the other months," said Natalie Hengel, a broker with 8 Z Real Estate. "If you work with a professional broker there are tools and tactics to make sure you get that multiple offer situation and the best price for your property."

So, how do you get the best price and make your house stand out in the Denver market?

First off, you have to list at the correct price from the beginning, said Lori Abbey, Remax Urban Properties owner and broker.

"I think sellers in Denver have sort of gotten the misimpression that they can name their own price, and facts actually support that if you price it correctly to begin with, you’re gonna make 3 to 5 percent more," said Abbey.

She added that it's important to generate the excitement in the first two weeks after listing your home, rather than letting the home sit on the market and lowering the price gradually.

Once it's priced right, the next step is getting it physically ready. Fresh paint, new carpet and new light fixtures are three relatively inexpensive ways to update your home. What about staging? Professional brokers say it definitely helps.

"We have a statistic that we can increase the purchase price $9,000 if a home is properly staged," Hengel said.

If you're on a budget, another option is virtual stating.

"It's easier to do virtual staging because you can show different options," she said. "I still like to have certain rooms staged, I thinks it's important to have a kitchen staged (and the) master bedroom and a living room."

Finally, to stand out on real estate websites, when buyers are quickly scrolling through homes, you need to have great pictures. Professional photography and drone footage can help make a good first impression.

Overall, real estate experts agree Denver is still a sellers market. But if you want to avoid the time and hassle of selling a home, check out the "iBuyer" options Denver 7 looked into.