The existing home sales in 2020 reached over 5.6 million with another 818,000 new homes selling. When you decide to put your home on the market, you want it to sell quickly so your home can become part of those numbers.
Lots of factors go into selling a home. When you want to sell a home fast, you need to make it as appealing to potential buyers as possible to encourage them to put in an offer quickly.
Check out this list of things to do so your home doesn’t stay on the real estate market long.
Find the Right Real Estate Team
Your real estate agent can make or break your home-selling experience. An experienced real estate agent knows how to position your home for a quick sale.
Find an agent with experience in selling homes quickly. They can help you decide what changes to make to your home and how to promote the house for a fast sale. Local experts are also helpful since they know the specifics of your local house market.
Look at the real estate broker to get a sense of their philosophy and reputation. Find one that’s well-respected in the community and handles a high volume of sales.
When you interview real estate agents, ask them about their home selling strategy. Choose a real estate agent that knows how to market homes well, especially homes in your price range. Marketing a starter home takes a different approach than marketing a million-dollar home.
Price It to Sell
Deciding on a listing price can be an important factor in how quickly your home sells. If selling a home quickly is your top priority, choosing a selling price that encourages quick offers is key.
Overpricing your home could scare away people who would otherwise be interested. They might assume the house is out of their reach if it’s over what they can spend.
You also run the risk of missing people in searches if you price too high. Say you list your home at $315,000 when $285,000 is a more realistic selling price. Someone who’s searching for homes under $300,000 might not ever see your home if they filter searches by listing price.
Starting high and lowering your price means more time on the house market. Pricing it so it’s realistic and attractive to buyers increases traffic to see your home and will likely get you an offer sooner. When you work with an experienced real estate agent, they’ll help you price your home accurately based on the current real estate market.
Clear the Clutter
When selling a home, get rid of as many things before you list it as possible. Lots of furniture, clutter, and decor in the home eats up space. It makes your home look smaller, which is a turn-off to potential buyers.
Clutter can also make your home look less attractive. It seems chaotic and messy. Give buyers a better impression of your home by cleaning out the clutter.
Most buyers will peek into all of your closets and cabinets, so don’t just shove things out of sight. Clearing extra items out of your closet makes them look bigger and gives a tidy appearance.
One easy way to declutter is to start packing early. It gives you a head start on something you have to do anyway. Plus, if frees up space in your home to make it look more appealing.
Renting a storage unit is ideal. You can get the items you don’t need right now completely off of your property.
Depersonalize Your Space
Potential buyers find it more difficult to imagine themselves in your home if you’re still a major part of the home. Take down your family photos and personalized decor. This makes it easier for buyers to picture themselves there.
Tuck away family heirlooms for the same reason. Packing them away in a safe place also protects them while you have lots of people entering your home.
Even general decor can make the space feel too personal, especially if you have a very distinct decorating style. You might love your rustic country decor, but someone who views your home might prefer a more modern look. It can be tough for buyers to look past the highly stylized decor if it’s a lot different than their tastes.
Paint color can also be an issue if your home is brightly painted. Toning down brighter wall colors with a neutral paint job may make the home more appealing to a broader audience.
Do a Deep Clean
Now that you have everything out of your home, it’s a good time to do a deep clean. You’ve likely ignored some areas of your home, such as baseboards, sides of appliances, and kitchen cabinets. Thoroughly scrub all of those areas to make them look as fresh and new as possible, or hire a cleaning company to come do a deep clean.
Once you have your home sparkling, keep it that way throughout the showings. It can seem like an inconvenience when you’re still living in the home, but keeping it in the best condition possible means it’s always ready for potential buyers.
Stage Your Home
Staging your home can make it more appealing to potential buyers. When a home is staged, 40% of buyers’ agents said it made a difference in how buyers viewed it.
When you stage your home, you show off its full potential. Rearranging furniture can make the space feel larger or more functional. It can also highlight some of the best features of the home, such as a wall of windows or a beautiful fireplace.
Don’t forget to make some changes outdoors as well to boost curb appeal. Fixing small things, cleaning up the yard, trimming shrubs, and planting flowers can spruce up your home’s exterior and make it more attractive.
For the people who are dealing with money or time limitation, virtual staging is a solution for them to have attractive photos with a click of mouse without any inconvenience of physically staging a home. Virtually staging a home has the same benefits as physical home staging , but it is more cost effective.
Make Minor Repairs
When you want to sell your home quickly, you don’t have time for major renovations, but small fixes might be within your scope. Making minor repairs before you sell your home can attract more potential buyers and increase your selling price. It also makes the home look better in the photos.
Think about those little repairs you’ve been meaning to do over the years. Things like replacing old cabinet hardware, fixing paint gouges, or repairing leaky faucets are quick, easy, and relatively inexpensive to fix. Handling those issues gives potential buyers fewer reasons to say no to your property.
Ensure the Photos and Listing Are Exceptional
Your real estate agent should handle the photography and listing for your home. Make sure they take professional photos that highlight the home. Having as many photos as possible can help sell your home faster because potential buyers can really see what it looks like.
Virtual tours can also help since buyers can get a sense of the layout. Another trend in real estate is using aerial shots from drones to help get a sense of the entire property. This can be especially helpful if you have a large property with appealing features that are difficult to capture from ground level.
Make sure the listing describes your home well in a positive light. Give your real estate agent insight about the best features of the home and how those features are a benefit. A short description without much info doesn’t get anyone excited about what your home has to offer.
Promote Your Home
Part of your selling strategy should be to promote your home as much as possible. If you chose an exceptional real estate agent, they should be promoting your home for you. That doesn’t mean you should just sit back and let them do it all themselves.
Let everyone in your life know that your home is on the market. Posting on your social media accounts is an easy way to reach lots of people at once. Ask your social media friends to share your post to get additional eyes on your listing.
Be Flexible With Showings
When you have a house on the real estate market, you want lots of showings. You’ll discourage people from looking at your home if you’re limited on when you allow showings.
Saying yes to last-minute showings can help you find the right buyer faster. Allow showings scheduled in advance to happen on nights and weekends, even if that means taking your family out several times. While it might be inconvenient for you, being accommodating to potential buyers could help your home sell faster.
Add in Bonuses
Part of your selling strategy might be to offer extra incentives to potential buyers. This could include paying the closing costs, leaving the appliances, or offering an allowance toward repairs that need to be done. You might offer a certain amount toward roof repairs if your roof needs to be replaced, for example.
Consider your listing price and the concessions you’re making to ensure your final profits are what you want or need them to be. If you don’t offer these bonuses but the buyers ask for them in their offer, consider giving them what they want as long as it doesn’t hurt you too much financially.
Learn How to Sell a Home Fast
When you want to sell a home fast, take a strategic approach. Every decision you make can affect how quickly your home sells. Position the house to show off its best features and make the deal as appealing as possible to potential buyers.
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