If you ever wanted to learn how to sell a house fast, you know that it’s a frustrating thing. Looking for “houses sold in my area” and “home selling tips”, all while waiting for the ideal buyer to come and give you a great offer.
However, there are ways to sell your house fast. Below you will find tips for selling your home, which will help you with selling a house if you want to take the fast route.
Let’s take a look at how to sell homes faster and some of the best house selling tips. If you’ve ever thought “I want to sell my home fast”, or if you and your significant other have thought “we should sell our home fast”, read on.
How to sell a house fast, regardless of the market
Depending on where you live, the market varies greatly. For example, in the San Francisco metro area, the median home is around $688,600. However, for the Orlando metro area, that’s $161,600. With the remaining $500,000 you can get yourself a mansion on a lake in central Florida.
From the lows back in 2011, the values for real estate have generally rebounded. And, the fact that rates are rising, and mortgage rates are cheaper, are pushing renters to become a homeowner.
Therefore, if you want to sell a home faster, this might be a good idea. However, before you put it up for sale, take a look at the tips below which answer questions such as “how to sell your house fast”, “how to sell my house” “how to sell my house fast” and “need to sell my house fast”.
Make a good first impression
The first step to knowing the answer to “how to sell my house fast” is the first impression. Take a look and consider what a potential buyer might think when they come to the property for the first time.
Walk out on the street, and carefully look at any potential shortcomings. Is it in its best shape, or does it need that little bit of maintenance you’ve been putting off for a while?
When you’ve lived in a place for a while, looking at it objectively will be difficult. Try asking friends, or real estate professionals, or even any prospective buyers, what you can do to make it look better.
When you have your home on the market, a lawn that’s 24/7 mowed, and well-groomed landscaping are crucial. And, the exterior walls, porches and the driveway also must be clean.
If you invest in cleaning the outside, it is much more likely that a buyer will want to take an inside tour. Curb appeal is what will attract them, and set your home apart from the other selling homes.
And, remember, unless you are willing to sell at below market value, any potential buyer won’t want to buy if the house needs plenty of work.
Upgrade what is necessary
So, how much do you spend? What you should know and keep in mind is that the return on investment will most likely be less than 100%. If, for example, your home is worth about $300,000, and you spend around $50,000 for remodeling the kitchen, it would be a mistake to think that the home is worth $350,000.
Sure, making some small upgrades such as an old water heater getting replaced are a good idea, anything major isn’t a smart thing to do. If your bedroom or kitchen are very outdated, you’re better off giving the potential buyer a discount, so they can take care of that themselves, as they want to.
The buyers will make an offer that usually relies on the certified home inspector’s report. And, most home lenders will require it, and depending on which state you live in, it might require additional inspections.
Make the home less personal
When you improve and upgrade everything that’s necessary, it’s time to show it!
Now, the best way to make it ready for prospective buyers is to make sure you don’t have any family photos, art, collectibles or similar things that make it feel like home for you. You want potential buyers to visualize their own lifestyle and family – not yours.
Except for you, nobody will like your movie collections, over-stuffed closets, and clutter in general. Make things as simple and neutral as possible, because, as long as it’s on the market, it’s a model home, and it needs to look like one.
If you need to, rent a storage unit for the extra stuff. It will be worth it, and it’ll make freshening up the interior paint much easier. You can even tone down any vibrant colors with beige or off-white.
Your home should be clean and welcoming, but primarily, a blank canvas that a buyer can use to paint their dreams upon. Sure, for a little while, it won’t feel like your home, but it’s not supposed to be your home – but someone else’s.
Price it competitively
If you want to sell quickly, you must have the right price. Put it too low, and you’re leaving money on the table. Price it too high, and you won’t get nearly enough offers.
Sellers will try to sell without hiring a professional because they think this is a money saving trick in the long run. However, hiring a good one will save you money, actually, and sometimes as well.
A real estate agent is paid a commission, and it’s in their best interest to price it well. And, they also want to earn that commission within a reasonable time.
A pro will know the local market well, and they’ll be able to review comparable sales to give you a realistic price you can set. You might be tempted to start high to see what happens, this is more often than not a bad strategy.
If a home is on the market for a while, people tend to assume there’s something wrong with it. They might mistakenly think that it can’t pass inspections, or that the interior layout is poor. Don’t let it become stale because of overpricing.
Hire a pro photographer for your picture
Many homebuyers will start looking either online or in local magazines. This means that great images that will put an accent on the selling points are a necessity.
You will need a professional photographer who knows what they’re doing to show your home in the best light. This is what inspires potential buyers to request a tour or come to your open house.
Choose the right selling time
Experience says that spring is the right time to buy a home, and consequently, this is when you should sell it.
There’s great weather, and families which might have kids will be able to make a smoother transition during the summer break that’s coming up soon. Serious buyers might be shopping all year round, but you should be ready to sell somewhere around March or April.
Do hire a good real estate agent
When you’re hiring a real estate agent, a few things really matter. Their track record should show that they know how to sell, and how to sell fast.
Do they know what benefits and disadvantages your neighborhood has? Can they, upon first sight, tell you what a potential buyer might love or hate? To get the answer to all of these questions – just check their reviews.
Do some promotion yourself
Sure, your agent will do the marketing, but there’s no harm in doing something yourself. Get the word out via your social media accounts, create your website, or even sending the listing page to friends and family. You can’t know what a friend of a friend might be looking for. You can even spread the word around your neighborhood, that might help too.
Ending thoughts on a how to sell a house fast
Regardless of whether your home for sale is in San Angelo, TX, or Portland, ME, the whole process might be stressful. Weeks and weeks of showings will require that your house is presentable, and you need to be ready to vacate in a minute.
And that stress multiplies if you happen to have children or pets. Buyers will be most interested in the first few weeks – and that’s when you need to do your best and sell it. Make sure it’s ready for viewing – this doesn’t just ensure it gets sold faster, but will also add plenty of value to the home.
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