When most people think about selling a house, they immediately consider hiring a local realtor to help them get the job done. While there are definitely some perks to working with a real estate agent, it’s also incredibly expensive.
Did you know that a lot of buyers negotiate for home sellers to pay for their real estate agents as well? This is a fairly common practice.
However, between the 3-6% commission your realtor charges and the 3-6% commission the buyer’s realtor charges, you’re going to be paying a lot to get your house sold.
Why not save yourself $10,000 to $30,000 by selling your home by yourself? Not sure how to get started? Keep reading for everything you need to know.
Get a Home Inspection
First, we suggest hiring a professional home inspector to evaluate the condition of your home. In many cases, this is the buyer’s responsibility. However, by taking the initiative yourself, you can save a lot of time and prevent unpleasant surprises while in the middle of negotiations with a buyer.
By getting a home inspection preemptively, you can learn about all of your home’s problems before listing it on the market. Then, you’ll have a chance to make repairs or renovations before buyers start walking through.
If a buyer discovers an issue for themselves, they’re likely to be scared away from the home. Conversely, it will give them greater leverage to give you a low-ball offer.
Decide What Repairs and Renovations are Worth Your Investment
Once you get the results back from your inspection, you can decide where to go from there. There are pros and cons to making repairs and renovations.
On the one hand, if you choose to make repairs, you’ll be able to sell your house for more money. You’ll also be able to attract more serious buyers with a home that’s in optimum condition.
However, renovations and repairs take time and money – two things you might not have. If you need to sell your house sooner rather than later, you might need to lower your price to equate for the damages and sell the house in as-is condition.
Determine Your Home’s Real Market Value
With renovations and repairs completed (or foregone), you can determine an accurate value for your home. Based on its condition, complete a comparative market analysis to compare your home to similar houses that have sold recently. For maximum accuracy, compare your house to homes sold in the last few months within your own neighborhood.
Determine your home’s value compared to the others based on:
- The condition of your home
- The square footage of your home
- Property size
- Features and recent updates
- Number of bedrooms
- Number of bathrooms
- Proximity to parks and playgrounds
- Etc.
If you want to sell a house fast, you must list it for an appropriate price. If you’re asking too much for a home, most buyers won’t look twice at your listing.
Thoroughly Clean the Home From Top to Bottom
Now that you’ve determined an accurate price range for your house, it’s time to start preparing it for walkthroughs. Prospective buyers are critical when it comes to choosing a new home. Therefore, your house needs to make the best impression possible.
If you want to sell a house quickly, it must be immaculately cleaned. This means:
- Scrubbing down all surfaces (walls, floors, ceilings)
- Cleaning and sanitizing bathrooms and kitchens
- Deep cleaning carpets to remove stains and odors
- Removing all signs of pets (hair, damages, odors, litter boxes)
- Deep cleaning appliances
- Decluttering and depersonalizing
- And more
The cleaner your home is, the more inviting it will be to potential buyers. It will be easier for them to imagine themselves living there which will motivate them to place an offer.
Don’t Forget About Curb Appeal
Next, let’s talk about your curb appeal. If the exterior of your home needs work, it may not accurately represent the interior of your home.
However, most buyers won’t know that. They’ll assume a house that’s unappealing on the outside will be just as unappealing on the inside. As such, if you want to sell a house fast, you need to lure buyers in with amazing curb appeal.
You don’t need to hire a landscaping crew and spend thousands of dollars renovating your property. However, simple things like keeping the lawn cut, pulling weeds, trimming trees and bushes, and removing clutter and debris will go a long way.
If the home’s exterior paint is faded, peeling, or otherwise in disrepair, it might be a good idea to throw on a fresh coat. While this will require some work, it will make your house stand out and look more attractive.
Market Your Listing
When you have a for sale by owner listing, it means you have to do all the marketing yourself. There are free real estate listing websites you can market your home on. You can also pay extra for paid sites.
However, there are other marketing options available to you. For example, take advantage of your social media accounts to post your listing online. Then, ask your friends and followers to share your posts for maximum visibility.
Additionally, don’t forget about putting up a “for sale” sign in your yard. You want people driving by to take notice. These signs also make it easier for people who see your listing online to locate your home for a closer look.
Choose a Faster, More Convenient Option
Finally, understand that selling a home doesn’t have to be a big ordeal. If you don’t have the time, money, or patience to go through the hassle of making repairs, cleaning, and marketing your house, there are other options.
For example, consider selling to a cash buyer. This is hands-down the easiest and fastest way to sell a house.
Start by reaching out to a cash home buyer and requesting a free cash offer. If you accept their quoted offer, they can close on the house in as little as seven days. In roughly a week, you can have cash in hand for your home and be mortgage-free.
Do You Want to Sell a House as Fast as Possible?
If you want to sell a house quickly without a realtor, follow the suggestions listed above. And remember, you have multiple options. If you need to sell your house as soon as possible to avoid foreclosure, liquidate your assets, or avoid the hassle of preparing it for the market, sell to a cash buyer.
We can help. Contact us today to get a free cash offer for your home. We would love to buy your house so you can move on with your life.