In most cases, people who put their houses up for sale don’t relish the idea of waiting months for a buyer. While most homes sell within a few months of being listed, there are no guarantees. In some cases, a home will sit on the real estate market for several months without getting any serious offers.
Fortunately, there are things you can do to attract more buyers and sell your home faster. Even if you’re home needs work or you’re currently in a buyer’s market, all hope is not lost.
We’re here to help you get started. Keep reading for our top six tips on how to make a quick sale.
Erase Your Presence from the Home
When preparing your home for the market, you need to imagine yourself as a potential buyer. When a buyer tours your home, they want to be able to picture themselves living there. They can’t do that if you still have a strong presence in the house.
To make your home more appealing to buyers, depersonalize, and declutter. You need to completely erase your presence from the home. This means getting rid of:
- Loud, offensive, or eccentric decor
- Personal photos, awards, certifications, etc
- Personal collections
- Loud or unusual wall colors
- Anything else that denotes a specific taste or niche style
Just as importantly, if you’re still living in the home, you need to take time every day to make sure the house is show-ready. If your realtor shows the house while you’re at work, they shouldn’t walk into the kitchen to find a sink full of dishes.
You must cover your tracks throughout the entire house. A potential buyer will be turned away by dirty bathrooms, used laundry lying on the floor, messes in the kitchen, etc.
We highly recommend moving out of your home to save yourself time and a lot of extra effort. If you have to, consider renting a storage unit for your stuff and move into a temporary living space until you can move into your next home.
Make Repairs, Renovations, and Updates
Although buyers are typically the ones who pay for a home inspection, it may be wise to spring for one yourself, prior to putting your home on the market. If you’re looking to sell your home quickly, you need to make sure everything checks out. A home inspector will be able to point out every issue that could potentially halt or slow down a sale.
Based on the inspection results, you can make the necessary repairs or renovations. Such as your kitchen is the heart of your home, So it is very necessary to start upgrading from kitchen appliances like replacing your old and rusted sink with a new ADA kitchen sink. You may also want to go above and beyond to make your home more attractive to buyers. This includes:
- Patching holes in drywall
- Updating hardware (doorknobs, cabinet handles, drawer pulls, light fixtures, etc.)
- Putting a fresh coat of paint on the walls
- Replacing cracked windows
- Replacing worn-out weather stripping
- And more
Ultimately, it comes down to your budget and how much you want to spend fixing your place up. Just remember, the better condition your home is in, the more it will sell for. Furthermore, prestine homes are more likely to result in a quick sale.
Professionally Clean the Home
Buyers expect to walk into potential future homes and be awed by its beauty and potential. This cannot happen if they’re distracted by messes, stains, and odors.
While cleanliness doesn’t necessarily affect the price of the home, it can dictate a buyer’s reaction to it. Before opening your house up to tours, deep clean the entire home. If you don’t have the time, ability, or desire to do it yourself, hire a professional cleaning crew.
If you have carpets, get them steam cleaned and shampooed. If you have pets, you need to remove all traces of them.
Buyers have been known to think a house is perfect until they see a cat litter box. Then, they will only be able to smell pet odor and see pet hair they didn’t notice before.
After professional cleaning of your home, Next crucial step for you is to arrange monthly inspections for pest infestation as you move out of your home. This will keep your home safe from rodents and pest infestations. Keep in mind that a single rodent in your house can easily drive away potential buyers.
Perfect the Curb Appeal
As children, we were taught never to judge a book by its cover. We didn’t listen then and we don’t listen now. When potential buyers roll up to your house, the first impression they get will be of its exterior.
Curb appeal is huge in pricing your home and attracting buyers, particularly drive-by’s. A “for sale” sign in a neglected yard leading to a run-down home is unlikely to attract anyone.
Spend time perfecting your curb appeal to sell your home faster. This includes:
- Keeping the grass mowed
- Trimming hedges, trees, and shrubbery
- Pulling weeds
- Clearing away trash and debris
- Cleaning of sidewalks, pathways, and driveways
- Putting a fresh coat of paint on the exterior of the home
The amount of work you need to do depends on your home and what price you’re looking to get.
Market the Home on Multiple Platforms
Getting the word out to as many potential buyers as possible is one of the most important factors for getting a quick sale on your house. People can’t come running to your home for a walkthrough or make any offers if they don’t know your home exists.
We recommend hiring a realtor to gain access to their expertise and various listing agencies only they have access to. Just as importantly, make sure you price your home fairly based on the current housing market in your neighborhood. If your home is overpriced, many buyers won’t look twice at it.
Sell Your House to a Cash Buyer
Finally, if you want to sell your home as fast as possible, consider a cash sale. There are several pros of selling your house for cash. For example:
- You don’t have to make repairs or updates
- You can get an offer within a couple of days
- If you accept an offer, your house will close in a couple of weeks
- You don’t have to spend money on a realtor, contractors, or cleaning crews
- You can sell your home despite difficult circumstances
While you’re likely to get more for your home if you fix it up and sell it traditionally with a real estate agent, it does take more time. You may want to sell your home for cash if you’re facing a foreclosure, being relocated for work, going through a divorce, etc.
Want to Sell Your Home Fast?
If you’re looking to sell your home as quickly as possible, follow the steps listed above. And remember, if time is of the essence (and you have little to spare), consider opting for a cash buyer. For some homeowners, they are an answer to their prayers.
And if you’re looking for more real estate, home decor, maintenance, or renovation advice, check out some of our other articles before you go. Our blog has tons of great content for homeowners just like you.
