7 Tips For Selling Your House Faster
There are many reasons why you would want to sell your house. You may be moving to a new town, got a new job, or are interested in trading your current accommodations for a more lavish one. As a homeowner, you want your house to swiftly end up in good hands.
The real estate market can be complex. You need to know the value of your property, put your house up during peak selling season, and learn how to market your home. If you are new to the process, chances are you may mess up and end up selling for a much lower price. Therefore to save you from this ill-fate and ensure you make good money in a slow market. Here’s what’s you need to do:
1. Contact a reliable real estate agent
Finding a real estate agent needs significant research. When you Google ‘real estate agents near me,’ you will find a list of professionals to choose from, but not everyone has your best interest. Real estate wire fraud is still one of the most prevalent cybercrimes in the US. These criminals will steal a real agent’s title, forge emails, and pretend to be a reliable agency. In 2020 more than 13,000 people fell victim to these scams.
Therefore, when looking at an agency, take your time browsing their website, check for ratings and scan the QR code available on their webpage. You can even visit the office in person or call them to get details. To help get a jump start with your search, you should try contacting The Realty Medics and begin your hunt for a reliable agent.
2. Agree on a price to sell
Your house’s price matters. Potential buyers will avoid you if you shoot too high, but a low price will put you at a loss. A real estate agent is your best resource in looking for a competitive price. These professionals will research comparable homes in your area and conduct a market analysis for an estimate. Once you have a value, you should set the price slightly lower than the selling cost.
You can also use home estate tools like Zillow, Redfin, and Chase to get a broader understanding of the market price. When you finally find a value you’re comfortable with, enlist your house during peak selling season, mainly during the spring.
3. Carry out quick maintenance
Presenting your house to potential buyers is also essential. Your customers want a space where they can put down their money. So, it is a good idea to start maintenance work first. Focus on fixing loose tiles, tightening leaky faucets, and painting your house. If you live in a lively suburban area, shades like neutral, light blue, and cream will look amazing on your walls. If you live in the city, you would want shades of green and blue to give it a more attractive look. You should also run a screwdriver on your doorknobs, handles, and hinges. Sandpaper through scuff marks, and if you have time, install new cabinets or give them a quick paint job. However, damaged appliances need to get replaced.
4. Clean your house
Your cleaning list will be extensive depending on your house’s size, so get started right away. Start by removing clutter, like toys, magazines, and excessive clothing, and move it to storage. Then vacuum around the house, focusing on areas like the living room, bedrooms, and even a quick vacuum on the bathroom floors. A vacuum can also clean the curtains, carpets, and furniture like sofas. You should use a duster and clean light fixtures, shelves, and furniture. These cover the basics. For deeper cleaning, here is what you need to do:
- You will need to clean sinks in the bathroom and the kitchen. Stainless steel kitchen sinks require products like Comet, Bon-Ami, and Cameo, which will shine and remove all hard-to-remove stains. Use warm soapy water or an ammonia-based cleaning product for a Corian sink.
- Moving onto solid surfaces like countertops, you should use liquid and gel cleansers that are milder than abrasive cleaners. Spray cleaners are ideal for stovetops. You can find many great deals on Amazon for these products.
- You may also need to address the mold and mildew situation in the bathroom. You should use liquid household bleach to remove stains from the shower curtains and the grout between the tiles. Non-streaking cleaning products are best for showers, mirrors, and bathtubs. Any washed space should get dried up immediately to avoid wet spots.
- You will need to dust the windows and use a light spray like Windex to clean the windows with a squeegee. Rub the cleaner from top to bottom to avoid leaving marks.
5. Spruce up the outdoors
Your house’s exterior also needs to look good for potential buyers, so plant flowers like daffodils, orchids, and lilies, which add color to your home. You may want to touch up the mailbox with a bright color like red or blue. Polish the front door with surface grease to add some shine. Trim trees, shrubs, and grass to add a touch of neatness to your property. If you have money on the side, you should invest in outdoor lighting like a nautical light fixture for extra charisma points.
6. Stage your house for a photoshoot
Look for a photographer whose specialty lies in the real estate niche. You can choose to use Google and search using keywords like ‘best real estate photographers’ and put in the grunt work to find a professional. This includes checking for reviews, following referrals, and checking for ratings. Websites like photo books, aerial canvas, and duplex imaging are excellent places to start.
A photographer will provide you with an estimate for the entire photoshoot. Typically, it can cost you anywhere from $50 to over $300, depending on the work and the camera used. The images that need to go in your album include the exterior of the house, kitchen, common areas, dining areas, bedrooms, and bathroom. Some photographers may know how to use a drone for a 3D shoot. With the editing, your pictures should be up and running within 48 hours, or you can miss your mark.
7. Add a little sugar to the deal
All the effort you put into enlisting your house online will result in a list of buyers at your door. If you are interested in a potential customer, you should sweeten the deal by offering incentives. This can include paying for some closing costs or transferring the home warranty to the buyer’s name. A guarantee will provide discounts to the buyer, such as a reasonable price on repairs and household appliances. This is enough to entice a consumer to buy from you.
Conclusion
Putting up your house in the real estate market is a tedious process. Therefore, you must take the necessary steps to find a good deal on your property. You should start by locating a reliable real estate agent to get a listing going on at a fair price. However, a large chunk of your time will go into making your house beautiful, so be sure you put in the leg work, which would make for attractive pictures. When potential buyers come knowing, ensure you seal the deal by incentivizing them to buy your house.