Do you need to unload your house in a short amount of time?
Then you’ll need to conduct a quick house sale.
In terms of what you need to do, there aren’t a lot of differences between selling your house quickly versus a more traditional sale.
The main difference is the urgency with which you must do everything.
So let’s take a look at six ways to get that house moving
1. Clean It Inside and out
The minute your house goes on the market, it should be picture perfect.
Since you need to move quickly, it’s a good idea to remove all excess clutter from your living areas, box up items you wish to keep and put them in a storage unit. This way, you’ll already have a lot of your smaller ticket items packed up and ready to go.
You’ll also be able to more easily perform a deep cleaning of those areas. So when potential buyers enter your home, they’ll see spacious and clean spaces.
Some buyers won’t make it to the inside of your home though if the outside curb appeal is lacking. A house that looks welcoming and well-maintained is going to sell faster than one that doesn’t.
Be sure to sweep away debris from the porch, walkways, and paths. Trim away any overgrown hedges, shrubs or tree branches. Replace broken lights or mailboxes. Clean the windows, front door, and doorknobs. And plant some flowers.
If you need to get it done faster, consider hiring a landscaper or handyperson to help.
2. Update the Interior
Those who have the luxury of time to sell their homes will often go the full nine yards to update all their interiors.
For the quick sell, however, your best bet is to focus on the bathrooms and kitchen. Incorporate as many upgrades as possible. Redoing just one bathroom may be an option while changing out a couple of appliances for stainless steel in the kitchen.
In addition, replace any old windows that have become an eyesore.
Finally, never underestimate the power of a new coat of paint – either in the current color, or something bold and new. This is a quick and inexpensive upgrade that can make a world of difference.
3. Determine Your Selling Strategy
The two most conventional strategies are doing a ‘for sale by owner’ (pronounced “fizz bow”) or hiring a real estate agent.
In the case of a FSBO, you’ll save money on the commission you’d normally pay to an agent. You’ll need to know how to negotiate escrow timelines and juggle contract paperwork. Also, be prepared to consult an attorney to ensure you’ve done the paperwork correctly.
With all of that extra hassle, you may find that saving that commission isn’t worth it and opt for an agent instead. They know how to streamline contract prep work, negotiations, signing, and closing.
That gives you time to keep working on getting your house ready for a quick sale.
There is also the potential to sell to an investor who will flip your home, a developer who would do a teardown, or companies that specialize in buying homes fast for cash. So you do have options for less conventional strategies.
4. Take Great Pictures
You may consider yourself savvy with your phone’s camera. And the technology on some of the newer phones is phenomenal.
So if you truly do have an eye for great photos, then you can take pictures of your home yourself. Utilize as much natural light as possible and choose angles that will give the illusion of your home being bigger than it is.
On the other hand, if photography is not your strong suit, then consider hiring a professional photographer. You can save money by going with a student or a new photographer looking to add to their portfolio.
This is another one of those decisions where spending the money upfront for professionals could save you big down the road.
5. Price It to Sell
Even if youโre lucky enough to be selling in a seller’s market, it doesn’t guarantee a quick sale. The process can get further stalled if you’re going back and forth on what the listing price will be.
There are a lot of helpful articles that help you to learn more here about determining the true value of your home.
Ultimately, you want to price your home competitively. Pricing it too high is going to leave it on the market.
So if your focus is on quickly selling it, consider going a little lower than comparable homes in your area. This can cause a bidding war that will actually give you options.
You also may want to consider the price points that the majority of buyers will be searching in your area. For example, if you list your home for $299,000, itโll still show up in search results for those seeking homes under $300,000.
Price it at $305,000 however, and it won’t show up on their radar.
6. Craft the Perfect Listing Description
Once your house is in order and you’ve settled on a listing price, you need to create a listing description that will help it to sell faster.
Of course, this really only applies if you’re doing a FSBO, as an agent would do this for you as part of their services.
If you are selling on your own though, you’ll want a description that highlights your home’s best features. Include things that make your neighborhood desirable such as parks, schools, or entertainment.
Finally, include a sense of urgency in the description. For example, it might say something like, “Seller very motivated to sell.” And use those fantastic photos you took (or had taken) in step 4.
Be sure to get it up on the MLS, as well as on social media. You can also post signs around your neighborhood.
Make the Most from your Quick House Sale
Selling your home fast doesn’t have to be stressful.
Using the above tips and enlisting the services of professionals where necessary can make your quick house sale go smoothly while netting you a nice chunk of income.
So have at it!
And for more helpful articles offering practical life solutions, keep checking back with us!
