In 2018 alone, more than 5.34 million existing homes sold to new owners. In most instances, those homes sold in a couple of months.
For many sellers, that wait is okay, but what happens when you need to get out of your house as quickly as possible? You need to approach the sale aggressively.
By now, you’re probably asking yourself, “how do I sell my house fast?” Well, it’s easier than you think. Here are a few easy tips to speed up your sale.
1. Give Your Home a Good Deep Cleaning
Dust and dirt have a way of hiding certain flaws in your home. But they also make the house look less well-maintained.
Poorly maintained homes or ones that look run-down are often harder to sell than their well-cared-for counterparts.
Before you put your home on the market, give it a good deep cleaning.
Wash the windows, vacuum and mop the floors, and dust every surface in the house. This may take time, but your home will look far nicer by the end of it.
2. Schedule a Pre-Sale Inspection
Before you can decide on the best way to sell your home, you’ll need to know what condition it’s in. The easiest way to do this is to schedule a pre-sale inspection.
During the inspection, a licensed inspector will look at the interior and exterior of your home. They’ll check for any visible damage to the structure and will let you know the best upgrades to take care of before the house can sell for the highest amount.
You’ll also learn which repairs are vital and which ones can get put off or left for the future owners to deal with.
Though the inspection won’t be able to give you a firm dollar amount, it can help you decide on how you want to sell the house, whether this is through a traditional real estate agent or a cash buyer.
3. Prioritize Repairs
While you don’t have to make any repairs to the house if you choose to sell to a cash buyer as-is, you will want to take care of some of the repairs if you list the house with a real estate agent.
If you’re trying to sell your home quickly, taking care of expensive repairs like replacing the roof may not be the best option. It’s unlikely that you’ll make up the cost of the roof replacement with the sale. In fact, the average roof replacement only recovers about 68.8 percent of the cost back when you sell the house.
Look for repairs that are affordable and make the house more marketable. You can always list the house for a lower price to offset the cost of the major repairs for the future homeowner.
4. Invest in Professional Pictures
Think about the way you shop. If you’re like most people, you look for items online even before you purchase them locally.
The home market is no different. You need to turn to the internet to capture the attention of prospective buyers and the best way to get their attention is to use professional photos.
Hire an experienced real estate photographer to take pictures of your house. They’ll make sure the photos show the best side of your house and highlight the features that prospective buyers will love.
5. Set the Right Price
Setting the right price is key in getting your home to sell as fast as possible. The best thing you can do is to get the property appraised.
During the appraisal, you’ll learn what your property is worth and can then compare that value to what other homes in the area sold for recently. Use this information to guide your decision.
Keep in mind that if you’re trying to sell your house fast, you may need to accept a lower price than what you’re asking. When you’re flexible on that price, you’ll be able to negotiate with more buyers.
6. Know What You’re Willing to Accept
Once you have the asking price in mind, you’ll need to think about how low of a price you’re willing to accept for the home. Remember, you may not always get what you paid for the house.
Think about how much you want to get for your home. Then, think about how much you’re willing to accept. If you’re trying to sell your house fast, that number will likely be much lower.
Once you have that bare minimum number in mind, you’ll be able to entertain more offers.
7. Stage the House
Showings and open houses are the easiest way to foster interest with buyers. But if your home doesn’t look inviting, it can make it harder to sell the property.
Stage your home to make it appeal to more people. Remove personal touches like family photos and decorations. Rearrange the furniture so the rooms look larger and get rid of statement pieces that could be off-putting to some buyers.
The goal of staging your home is to help buyers see themselves in your property.
8. Decide How You Want to Sell
The average home takes about 68 days to sell. But some homes can take far longer—some stay on the market for years before the right buyer steps up to the plate.
This is fine if you have the time and a traditional real estate agent can help you get the highest price possible for the property. But if you’re looking to sell your home as fast as possible, your best option is to work with a cash buyer.
Cash buyers pay for your home in as-is condition. This means you won’t have to worry about repairs, staging, photos, or any of the other time-consuming aspects of selling a house.
Stop Asking Yourself “How Do I Sell My House?” Now
If you’re tired of asking yourself “how do I sell my house as fast as possible?” don’t panic. Skip listing your house on the traditional real estate market and work with a professional that specializes in quick sales.
We buy homes in any condition and can close on the house in a matter of days. You’ll save time, spare yourself the hassle, and get the money you need quickly. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.