Real Estate

How to Sell a Home Fast: 9 Tips for a Quick Sale

By  | 

Sometimes you need to sell your home as quickly as possible. We take a look at 9 practical tips for how to sell a home fast.

Believe it or not, the average house takes just 68 days to sell to a new owner. But sometimes, that’s still too long. When you need out of your house, selling it quickly is the best thing you can do. For most homeowners, the process can feel like a bit of a mystery. And though it’s different for every seller, it’s definitely doable. Wondering how to sell a home fast? Check out these tips to help speed up the process.

1. Give Your House a Deep Cleaning

Even the most well-maintained homes can look run-down if they’re dirty. Take the time to give your house a thorough cleaning both inside and out. Go room by room and get rid of dust, dirt, and debris on every surface in your house. If you notice scuff marks on the walls, clean or paint over them. And if your floors are dirty and damaged, get them professionally cleaned.

If there are areas you can’t reach, like your roof or gutters, consider working with a professional cleaning crew to get your home looking its best. The cleaner your house is, the more inviting it will be to prospective buyers.

2. Get Rid of Personal Touches

You may love your knickknacks and family photos, but leaving those items out can make buyers less interested in your property. Remember, prospective buyers want to be able to picture themselves in your home. This means they need to be able to imagine their family pictures on the wall and their knickknacks on the shelves.

Put your personal items in storage or pack them carefully and stick them in the closet where they’ll be safe. Once you sell your home, you can either leave them packed up for the move or display them until your move-out date.

3. Work with a Professional

It is possible to sell your house on your own, but it often takes longer to do so. You’re in charge of everything from marketing the property to hosting open houses. Instead, work with a professional. If you have time, work with an experienced real estate agent. They’ll help you find the right buyers and can make sure you get a fair price for your house.

But if you’re in a huge hurry, consider working with a cash buyer. According to this site, cash buyers purchase homes as-is. You won’t have to worry about taking care of expensive repairs or worry about home showings disrupting your life.

4. Make Pictures a Priority

If you’re planning on selling your home on the traditional market, you need to show off everything the house has going for it. Taking photos on your own is a surefire way of making your house look less perfect than it is. Instead, invest in pictures of your property. Hire a professional real estate photographer and let them take care of it for you.

 

They’ll make sure each room has the best lighting to show off your home’s assets. These pictures can then get used in online listings, virtual photo tours, and even on flyers set out by your sale sign.

5. Set a Realistic Selling Price

It’s normal to want to get the most money for your home. But that doesn’t mean you should ask an astronomical price when putting your house on the market. You need to set a realistic price that will attract buyers. Take a look at the prices homes like yours are going for in your area. Then, think about what you’re willing to accept for your home.

Setting a price that’s a little lower than others in your neighborhood can help you sell your home quickly. But take care not to list it too low. This can leave buyers wondering what’s wrong with your house and could end up driving them away.

6. List Your Home Online

Believe it or not, more than 79 percent of Americans shop online. And you can bet that they start their search for homes online, too. Make your house visible online. Post it on real estate listing sites like Zillow.com or Trulia and use those photos of your property to give viewers a peek inside your house. If you work with a real estate agent, they’ll likely handle this for you.

7. Don’t Neglect Your Landscaping

Your home’s exterior is a buyer’s first impression of the house. If it looks great, they’ll actively want to tour the inside of the property. But if it looks overgrown or poorly maintained, they’ll hesitate. After all, if you don’t care for the outside of your home, why would you care for the inside?

Take the time to clean up your yard. Get rid of overgrowth, rake up leaves, and trim the trees. Remove dead plants and wash the windows and siding if at all possible. These few tasks will improve your home’s curb appeal and makes the house more approachable to buyers before they set foot inside.

8. Take Care of Those Repairs You’ve Put Off

Take a look around your house. Are there walls you’ve been meaning to paint for the last few years? Have you forgotten to change those burned-out light bulbs in the kitchen? Take care of those simple repairs before you put your house on the market. It won’t take long and almost always makes your house look nicer than it would otherwise.

But remember, if you’re trying to sell your house quickly, you don’t have to take care of major repairs or upgrades. You just need to price the house accordingly. By lowering the price, you give buyers the wiggle room they need to take care of those repairs once they buy your house.

9. Set the Stage

Staging is key in making your home feel more inviting. It involves keeping your house clean, decluttered, and ready for showings whenever they happen. Put away holiday decorations, keep dishes out of the sink, and open the curtains to allow for natural light. If you have a lot of accent pieces that others might not love, consider putting them away.

The key to how to sell a home fast is to put yourself in the buyers’ shoes. Look around your home and see what features and repairs could lead buyers to walk away and which aspects will attract those buyers. The sooner you understand what they’re looking for, the better off you’ll be when listing your home. Looking for more tips to help you navigate the home selling process? Check out our latest posts.

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply