Ten Things You Can Do to Sell Your Home Fast
Life can often times be unpredictable. Various things like job changes, divorce, or helping a loved one relocate for health reasons can all prompt you to need to sell your home fast and for as much money as possible.
Many factors affect how fast and how much your home can bring in at sale. Factors such as time of year, location, condition, how things look, and who is going to sell it all are factors that impact these areas. In order to help you sell your home for the most money in the least amount of time possible, we’ve come up with a list of ten things you can do to sell your home fast.
Decide Who is Selling it
You really only have two options when it comes to selling your home fast (1) you sell it yourself to another person or (2) you hire an agent to handle things and work with you to get it sold.
If you choose to sell it yourself, you’re going to have to put in a lot of time, energy, and money to get things done in the timeframe you want in addition to handling your other normal daily tasks. You can do it, and many have. You’ll may have to contact and pay for an attorney to draft you a contract, work directly with buyers who may or may not be pre-approved by a lender, figure out if what a buyer is offering you is fair, determine what to list your home at so it will attract buyers, list your home on all the major social and real estate sites, attempt (and likely pay) to have your home put on an MLS, hire a photographer and/or videographer, work with a title company and the buyers lender to make sure things are ready to close when you need them to, and many other little things that could come up along the way.
If you choose to hire an agent, make sure you hire a great one! A great agent will handle everything you would have to do and partner with you in selling your home. Most agents already have access to an MLS, which means you don’t need to pay for access and will get your home in the largest sales database to compete with other homes on the market. Many agents also will have specific skills and education that sets them apart from other agents and can specialize in getting your home in front of the right buyer(s). Your agent will also be able to help you set a fair asking price through a comparative marketing analysis and help you determine if a buyers offer is fair in your market area. Many agents will also have other tools and resources available to help you avoid other complexities when it comes to listing, marketing and closing on the sales. Contact your agent today to discuss your needs and get on board to your next destination in life.
Pricing Competitively is the First Tip to Sell Your Home Fast
Other than location, the price is the biggest factor on if your home will sell fast or not at all. To determine a price, a Comparative Market Analysis is often necessary as it looks at similar homes to yours and helps you see where those homes are actively priced at, where they are selling at, and where they are staying on the market and going stale and expiring without offers or showings. After looking at these figures, you can best decide an asking price for your home based on its location, condition, and the market.
Clean & Declutter
Cleaning and decluttering the home you’re looking to sell is critical. While most buyers will understand that you are still living there while you are making preparations for your next move, your home should be clear of clutter and odors that some buyers might not appreciate and would take your home off their list of considerations. Take some time to make sure the home is show ready and can easily be cleaned up at a moments notice. If you need a day or two to tidy up, ask your agent for 24-48 hours notice before any showings.
Add Better Lighting
It might seem obvious, but no one wants to live in a home where it’s hard to see. Buyers are trying to imagine what life for them might be like if they decide to purchase your home. A poorly lit room often gives off the impression that a room is too small and depressing, so they might not want use that room for someplace they might spend a lot of time in, like a living room or recreational room. One thing you can do to address this is to add appropriate lighting in dark corners or upgrade your existing lights to brighter ones. This can help brighten the room and make your home stand out.
To Sell Your Home Fast… Don’t Over Upgrade
While some minor upgrades like some paint or fixing the leaky faucet might be warranted, don’t go out and perform a major renovation on your home just to sell it. Certain upgrades can benefit you and your final sales value, but re-carpeting the whole house or putting a new roof on is a bit overkill and may eat into your sale proceeds at the end of the day. When in doubt, talk with your agent about upgrades you’re considering and ask them if that would make a major difference in your homes sale price.
Depersonalize Your Home
We get it, you’re very proud of your child’s artwork from the project they just completed at school, but buyers are trying to see themselves and their family in this home. Whenever there’s a showing or open house, you can simply store the artwork and family portraits in a drawer temporarily. For large portraits, you might consider replacing those with neutral artwork or removing them completely. Try and make your home as neutral as possible so that potential buyers are able to focus on the home as if it were theirs and be more enticed to make an offer. When in doubt, you can always seek the assistance of a professional home stager.
Paint if Needed
Paint can work wonders on a home at times, and may be a significant barrier to sell your home fast if excessive painting is needed. Fresh paint can give the impression that the home is well cared for and can turn a dark room into a much more inviting place. If you’re going to paint, stick with bright, neutral tones. This makes a room seem bigger and more inviting, whereas a dark room may feel small and stuffy. If a paint color or style is outdated, this also helps to modernize the home and make the buyers feel like there is less work to do on a home.
Make the Kitchen Stand Out
Most people spend a lot of time in their kitchens. The kitchen is where meals are prepared, where many things are stored, where parties may get hosted, and often considered the heart of your home. Taking a little time to replace the cabinet handles with brass or silver can give a much more inviting look and feel. You can also consider restaining the cabinets and/or using a remodel kit for the old countertops from the local hardware store.
Sell Your Home Fast with Staging and Curb Appeal
This tip can help you sell your home with some of the simplest of changes. A home stager is a professional who comes in and helps you with setting your home up in as neutral a fashion as possible so that it is easy for prospective buyers to imagine themselves living in the home.
Curb Appeal is a very real thing in the real estate industry. Having your outdoor space just as nice as the inside of your home is what captures people’s attention, especially when you place that “For-Sale” sign in the yard. Have you ever driven by a house that you either slowed down at and thought it looked beautiful you wanted to know what the inside was like? We all have, and that’s the point! We want as many eyes and buzz going on about your house so it stands out from all the rest on the market.
Be Flexible with Showings
We get it, showings can be a hassle to deal with and if you have a family that can be harder, but you can always ask for 24-48hrs notice on all showings. There are also tools we can use to help you set showing times that fit your schedule or simply let us know how you need showings handled and we can guide you on the best way to navigate your situation. But, in order to sell your home fast, the more flexibility and openness you can offer your residence to be shown privately or for an open house can help maximize sale opportunities.
Regardless of the situation you find yourself in, you never have to go this alone. Here at Property Track we have the tools, resources, and professional support network that will help you list, market, and close your home.
If you’re ready to sell and discuss your options, tell us a little more about you and your home or contact us and we’d be happy to help you get on track with your real estate goals.