If you’ve ever been in a situation where you need to sell a house fast, you know how frustrating it can be. Day after day, you hope the perfect buyer will come along and make a great offer. Fortunately, there are ways to hasten the process of selling your home, without sacrificing profit. This article will give you some inside secrets that will get your home off the market faster than you can think of.
Increase your property’s ‘kerb appeal.’
This is something you always hear, and with very good reason. Many people thinking of touring your home will do a quick drive-by first, often deciding on the spot if it is even worth a look inside. Ensure your home is ready to lure in onlookers.
A potential buyer could be put off even before they have set foot inside your front door if they are given a bad first impression. You want them to walk up the drive or path already feeling impressed and excited to see more.
Create a lasting first impression. Ensure your home’s exterior is up to scratch. Your front door is the centerpiece of your kerb appeal so repaint it in a tasteful color. Update the outside lights and put potted plants on either side of the door. Move bins out of view and clear away anything unsightly.
Pricing it right.
Find out what your home is worth, and then shave 15 to 20 percent off the price. You’ll be stampeded by buyers with multiple bids and they’ll bid up the price over what it’s worth. It takes real courage and most sellers just don’t want to risk it, but it’s the single best strategy to sell a home in today’s market.
Keep this in mind; buyers today are savvy shoppers. If you price too low, they’ll think something is wrong with your home. If you price it too high and have to lower your price, it will hurt you more than if you price it right the first time.
Place yourself in the prospective buyer’s shoes.
Do as much research as you can into your own home, the condition it’s in and where it currently sits in the market. You will notice a number of things come up. For instance does your home provide easy access to public transport or a motorway? If you have this information you can make informed decisions on your property.
Get a real estate agent.
If you decide to avail yourself to the services of a real estate agent, make sure you find one you feel comfortable with and who will meet your needs. Whomever you choose, make sure that agent has a valid real estate license and possesses a thorough knowledge of the market in your area.
Choose a salesperson who works for a company you know and trust – the reputation and available resources of a company are important. Find out more and make sure you feel comfortable with the ‘we buy houses’ company you choose.
Let the agent show the property. It’s their job to know what things to say, what to highlight and what to downplay. They are also effective at answering those tricky questions about the noisy neighbors.
List during peak season.
Unlike buyers, who want to minimize competition, sellers benefit from demand. By listing your home in the prime summer and spring months you will benefit from a bigger buyer population, as well as potential bidding wars that usually result in high prices and fast closings.
Make the most of viewings.
Marketing is very important when selling a home. You could have the most perfect property in your neighborhood, but if no one knows about it, you won’t attract any buyers. Your home needs to be clearly on the market and given as great an audience as possible if you want to sell it quickly. Make sure it is listed on a major property portal. You might also consider having a ‘For sale’ board up outside your property.
Promote it yourself.
Don’t leave all the marketing up to your agent. Do your part to get the word out about your home by using your personal social media accounts and sending the listing page to family and friends. You may even consider spreading word about your home in your neighborhood. Send the listing to your homeowners’ association email list and let your neighbors help.
Keep an eye on competition.
Keep an eye on places similar to yours that are for sale in the area; Google them or view them, get a brochure, and then use the information to guide your pricing strategy. Examine the Property Price Register for price comparisons and remember location a driver of strong pricing.
Beat your competition with condition.
In many markets, much of the competition is low-priced foreclosures and short sales. As an individual property owner, the best way to compete is on condition. Consider having a termite inspection in advance of listing your home, and ensure that you repair those nicks and scratches, doorknobs that don’t work, and the wonky handles before you even start showing your home.
The idea is to have the home in move in condition and to give potential buyers the impression that they can move right in and start enjoying their new home, rather than spending time and money fixing it up
Assess Your Buyer’s Financial Qualifications.
Is the buyer pre-approved? How much of a loan is the buyer seeking? Unless you are in an active market, lenders tend to shy away from underwriting a deal in which the purchase price is higher than the nearest comparable sale and the buyer is putting less than 10% down. If this is the case, your buyer may not be able to obtain financing.
Stay optimistic.
It’s easy to begin feeling despondent when your property doesn’t attract offers as fast as you’d hoped. Don’t be disheartened; in case you are having difficulties, it may mean having to rethink your marketing strategy. Check whether the home is competitively priced, or whether your advert reach is broad enough and ensure you discuss this with the estate agent.
Conclusion.
Whether you’re deciding if it’s time to put your property on the market, sprucing it up to get a higher price, looking for a real estate agent, or getting ready to hold open inspections I hope this guide will make the process easier.
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