Selling a house is no easy task
Trying to sell your house fast presents a much bigger challenge. Maybe you are moving to a different city for a new job opportunity and need money fast to fund your move. You could be trying to sell a house you have recently inherited and don’t want to put time or money into. It is easy to make mistakes when time is of the essence. Here are 5 mistakes to avoid when trying to sell your house fast, followed by what I know to be the most hassle free way to sell your house fast.
1. Not accepting the first offer quickly
There is no feeling like finally getting an offer on a home you’ve been trying to sell, especially if you are trying to sell your house fast. Unfortunately, this often leads to ditching the first offer in hopes that something bigger and better will come along. Not accepting your first offer normally leaves you waiting for less serious buyers to sort through. If you are serious about selling your house fast then you don’t have time for that. Your first offer may not be the highest offer, but it is coming from a motivated buyer who is ready to take the house of your hands.
2. Sell your house fast, don’t stick it out
Waiting to sell your house is an expensive mistake to make. Whether you are holding out for a better offer, waiting for the market to change or spending too much time convincing yourself that you really want to sell, you’re losing money. Before trying to sell you will probably want to have the yard done. You’ll definitely want to have the house cleaned and any extra clutter moved out. The house will probably need to be painted as well. The list of home maintenance fees could go on and on. There is also marketing to be done to make sure your house gets to the right audience. The longer you wait, the more likely these become recurring expenses.
3. Showing potential buyers your house instead of their house
If you walked into a house that was covered in dust, littered in trash, and smelled like compost would you be in a hurry to buy it? If you answered no then you are among the majority of home buyers who want to walk into a house and see themselves living in it. If you want to sell your house fast you need to take the time to clean it. This means going further than just dusting and making sure that all your surfaces are clean. Take the time to set your table. Make sure the remote controls and magazines are all in their correct homes. Take out the trash and even consider steam cleaning the carpets. Check out this short list of other things you can do to get your home ready to show at low to no cost. The bottom line is if you want to sell your house fast, make it shine!
4. Cutting your pricing in tiny increments
If you are trying to sell your house fast and you haven’t gotten any interested buyers yet then it may be time to cut the price. Another huge mistake sellers often make is trying to maximize their offers by only cutting the price 1% or 2% at a time. If you want to sell your house fast you need to calculate how much your house is worth and slash the price 10%. Slashing your price is not only good for traffic. It shows that you are serious about selling your house and will attract a higher volume of serious buyers. As an investor I am constantly combing the market for motivated sellers who want to sell their houses fast. If I see a dramatic drop in price I am immediately on the phone trying to contact the seller. The slash method is a great strategy when you can’t afford to waste time or money on a property. If your traffic is stagnant don’t cut your pricing, slash it. You will sell your house in no time!
5. Do not settle on a broker
Not everybody is cut out to sell a house. Putting a For Sale by Owner sign in the front yard is easy, but marketing your house can be confusing and expensive. Many motivated home sellers will contact a broker to help make the process easy. You should not settle for just any broker though. Since brokers sell houses for a living they have plenty of experience in the real estate field. Make sure to do your homework and find a reputable broker in your area. An experienced broker will know the trends and can help you make informed choices. While going the broker route does still cost you money it could save you some time which, if you are reading this post, is your goal.
How you can sell your house fast and avoid the hassles?
By now you should be able to see that in order to sell your house fast there are big mistakes that need to be avoided and a lot of work to be done. So how can you avoid broker fees, for sale by owner costs, buyers who aren’t serious and cleaning costs? If you really want to sell your house fast try selling directly to a local investor. I am an investor who works locally in the San Antonio area and I pay cash for houses. This allows me to make on the spot offers and to buy your house fast. While I can’t speak for all investors, I can say that customers that have sold their houses to me didn’t have to worry about cleaning or removing clutter. I took care of that for them at no extra cost. The most important service an investor can offer you is speed. I’ve bought houses in as quickly as a few days, but that may not be the case with all real estate investors. If you don’t want to pay commissions, worry about what to do with junk or personal items lying around the house and you want to sell your house fast, try reaching out to a local investor in your area.