8 Easy Ways to Sell Your Home Fast
Being crunched for time mounts the pressure in any situation. When you add in high financial stakes, inconvenience in your living space, and the need to impress, the process to sell your home under a time constraint can easily test nerves of steel. Luckily, there are a few measures you can take to ensure that your home sells before desperation sets in.
Here are eight ways to sell your home fast:
Depersonalize
Buyers want a home in which they can envision their lives. If your life is shouting at them from all corners of the room, they will be less likely to drift off into happy (and, for you, profitable) daydreams. Remove family photos and displays based on your hobbies. Also consider whether you have any odd tastes in décor that could turn buyers off. Consider neutralizing brightly colored rooms and removing statement art pieces.
Invest in a storage unit
Decluttering is a long established necessity when you are preparing your home to be seen by prospective buyers, but what if you struggle to find space to hide your winter clothes, photo albums, baby gear, and extensive board game collection? Rather than over-stuffing your closets—which can lead buyers to the conclusion that your home has insufficient storage or that there is something wrong with that closet door, which won’t quite shut—outsource to a storage unit. Your clutter will be tidily preserved, safe from the wandering eyes of prospective buyers. Better still, if you choose a portable storage unit, you can take it with you when you move!
Make small upgrades
Prospective buyers notice details about your home that you may have learned to tune out long ago. Outdated light fixtures and missing knobs on cabinets are likely to stand out in the eyes of a buyer and should definitely be addressed. You may also be able to afford slightly larger upgrades, like replacing appliances. Focus your upgrades on the kitchen and bathroom, as they are likely to give you the biggest financial return.
Brighten the mood
Having your home well lit for prospective buyers is a must. You should always open blinds before a showing, and you may even consider investing in brighter light bulbs or bulbs that mimic natural light. More subtle ways to brighten your home include a fresh coat of light-colored paint and a good scrub for baseboards, trim, light fixtures, and appliances. Remember, a bright home is a happy home, and everyone wants a happy home.
Boost your curb appeal
If you’ve ever been on a blind date or had a job interview, then life has probably already taught you the importance of first impressions. Don’t neglect to apply this lesson to selling your home! The outside of your home sets your buyers’ first impressions, so spruce up by freshening mulch, adding a few pots of flowers, pressure washing, trimming hedges, and mowing the grass. No matter how lovely your home is on the inside, you should never have to depend on your interior as a last shot at redemption.
Improve your photography
Most buyers will scan through hundreds of home listings online before they ever set foot in a home. Make sure that your home stands out among these listings by providing buyers with at least six quality photographs. Make sure that your home is clean and well lit for photographs, just as it would be for an open house. Try shooting from multiple angles to get the best view of what your house has to offer.
Find a great real estate agent
Most real estate agents are quite personable, but being a great real estate agent requires more than charisma. Don’t commit your home to the first agent who you get along with well. Instead, ask for some proof of the agent’s sale record and search for feedback from clients online. Have the agent look over your home and talk to you as if you were a buyer, so that you know he can highlight strengths and soften flaws. If you don’t like his record or performance, don’t hire him!
Self-promote
Use your own network to spread the word about your home. Post your home on social media, email your friends and family, and contact your homeowner’s association to have them help spread the news. Even if no one you know is looking for a home, it is probable that someone you know knows someone who is looking for a home!
The process to sell your home fast doesn’t have to feel like mission impossible. Start out on the right foot, by implementing some of the tips above, and keep putting one foot in front of the other. You will not be disappointed by the rate of your progress!