It doesn’t matter why, sometimes you just need to sell your house fast. There are many ways to make sure that your house doesn’t sit on the market – whether you’re listing with a traditional agent, risking doing a For Sale by Owner, or looking to sell it for cash to a homebuyer. The top thing you’re thinking is: “I need to sell my house fast, so how do I make that happen?” We’re here with a few tips to help.
No. 1: Pre-Sale Evaluation
Depending on how you plan to list your house to sell, you may need to prepare differently. If you’re contacting a cash homebuyer who will be willing to purchase the property “as is”, you will definitely sell faster without having to make any repairs or take many steps to get the house ready. However, you may sell it for cash for a lower amount than you could have gotten listing your house on the open market. So if you’re considering a real estate listing, you will definitely need to evaluate what the house needs.
Start by doing a walk around the property and making note of things that are broken or need to be replaced. Maybe there’s a few screens missing from the windows. Maybe there’s a dead plant in the yard that needs to be pulled out. Some loose soffits or cabinet doors. Some carpet that needs to be cleaned. Just start off by doing a list of the things you see.
Prioritize the list
Some of the things that need to be fixed around your house may be structural and affect the long-term living conditions of the house. For example, maybe the air conditioning unit needs to be replaced because it barely works. However, other things may not be necessary, such as repainting a banister where the paint has chipped or replacing missing hardware.
For larger repairs, you will likely need to call in a professional to see about getting it fixed or at least get an estimate for the cost. You can probably offer a lower selling price so you can sell your house fast and let the buyer repair things in the way they ultimately want them.
No 2: Pre-Sale Preparation
If you’re selling your house with a real estate listing agent or as an owner, you will likely have to do some showing of the home. Buyers like to come in and see what they’re offering money for! During this preparation phase, ask yourself specifically, “What will help sell my house fast?”
A clean, presentable house that looks ready to be lived in is what most buyers like to see. Prep the house so that people will see the home’s potential – it’s large storage space and clean rooms. Don’t make them imagine how great the house could look – show them.
No 3: Pre-Sale Valuation
One of the things that people can overlook when they’re concentrated on selling their house fast is that they might end up selling it for less than the value they had in mind. Of course, the price that you list the house for will largely depend on the real estate market in your area and at the time of listing, but make a careful decision when setting the first listing price. If you list a price too high, people who could have been the perfect buyers might never see it. If the house sits on the market for too long not only will you not have sold your house fast, but people will start to suspect that you’ve overpriced it and that’s the reason why.
Pricing the house appropriately means having a good idea of what your house is valued at. Educate yourself about the pricing of houses in your neighborhood, and what some recent homes have sold for near you.
Can I sell my house fast to a cash buyer?
The short answer is: Yes. Cash buyers are prepared to buy when they contact you, and from the time you start discussing your home to the time that the deal is closed can be only a few days, since inspections and financing paperwork is expedited. The fastest way to sell your house is probably to a cash buyer, so be prepared if you contact one that they may move faster than you were prepared to!