Selling a home is stressful, but add being short on time to sell and you have quite a nerve wracking situation on your hands. The housing market can be unpredictable and selling your home quickly isn’t always a guarantee. Luckily, there are selling secrets that may help. If you’re in a bit of a time crunch, here are 5 secrets to selling your home quickly and effectively.
1.) Choose the Right Time to Sell
We don’t always have the choice of when to choose to sell our house. Life happens and sometimes we have to sell during a less than ideal time. If you do have a bit more flexibility on when you can sell your home, there are certain times of year that influence how long it takes to sell.
In general, spring and summer months tend to be the best seasons for selling. During this time, families are looking to buy a home before the school year starts up and the nice weather makes it easier for touring homes. If you list during the spring and summer, you’ll have no shortage of potential buyers coming through your doors. One big downside of selling during spring and summer is that there are a lot of other doors they are going through. Increased inventory during this time means buyers have other options. That makes it even more important for your home to stand out.
The right time to sell is also dependent on where you are in the buying process. Most buyers prefer to sell their home before they purchase a new one so that they can avoid paying two mortgages. The best way to find the best time to sell your home is through working with a real estate agent. With their expert guidance and understanding of the market, they will be able to help you find the best time to list.
2.) Make Smaller Upgrades
If you are selling your home quickly, you may not have the time to dedicate to major upgrades. Even if you did, these upgrades may not be worth your while in terms of the money you get back. Instead of focusing on the major upgrades, focus on the smaller ones that will really wow potential buyers. Focus specifically on the kitchen and baths which add significant value.
Take a walk through the home and scope out anything that might be in need of some extra attention, repair, or replacing. In the kitchen, updating the hardware, refinishing the cabinets, and adding backsplash can create a whole new look. In the bathroom, put down fresh caulking, replace the shower head and hardware, and add a new shower curtain.
These two rooms are the most significant ones for upgrades because of the frequency of use. This is why many sellers like to get new shower panels from floorstowalls.co.uk that add a modern and luxurious touch to the bathroom without breaking the bank. Small upgrades can come a long way in making your home more attractive to potential buyers.
3.) Decide How to Price
Pricing your home correctly is key to selling your home quickly. However, there is more to pricing a home than getting what you financially need to get back from it. There’s a lot of market research that goes into determining a price. This includes market conditions like comparable homes on the market, the value of your home, the local neighborhood it is located in, and market trends and strategies.
You’ll also want to consider any upgrades you have made or features you have added to your home. Depending on the additions, they could have a significant impact on the value of your home. As you can see, there are a lot of factors that go into deciding on a price. With so much to consider, it is best that sellers partner with a reputable agent who knows the market well. This saves the seller time researching themselves and ensures the home is competitively priced.
4.) Focus on Curb Appeal
When you don’t know what to do to spruce up your home, start with curb appeal. Your home’s exterior is the first thing buyers see, both online and in person. If your home’s exterior doesn't appeal to them, they likely won't care about seeing what’s past the front doors. The more buyers that come through your front door, the faster your home is going to sell. That’s why it's crucial to make a good first impression. Thankfully for sellers, it's not all that hard or expensive to do.
Take time to trim the hedges, refresh the mulch, and edge the lawn. Pressure wash your home’s exterior to remove dirt and grime, and touch up the paint on doors, trim, and shutters. On most home’s, the door and front entry is what captures the buyers' attention. Polish the front door hardware, sweep up the front porch, and remove any cobwebs or debris. Repaint the door with fresh paint or paint it a bold color that will stand out to buyers. Add flowers near the entryway and you have a home exterior that will sell itself.
5.) Find the Right Real Estate Agent
If there’s one of these secrets to selling a home quickly that you take away from this, it’s finding the right real estate agent to help you out. Selling a home by isn't easy. There is a lot of important industry and housing market knowledge that goes into accurately pricing home correctly and prepping it to sell. Your agent is on your team, working with you and for .
While any real estate agent is better than none, not all are equal. You’ll want to hire an agent that is familiar with the neighborhood, buyers in the area, and strategies to sell.
Perhaps the biggest secret to selling your home is saving on Realtor commission. By using a discount broker like SimpleShowing, sellers can list their home and sell quickly with a low 1% listing fee. That’s thousands of dollars saved without compromising on traditional real estate services.