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6 Things to Keep in Mind When Selling Your Home

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By Stephanie Mojica

During the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, investors and traditional homeowners enjoyed a true seller’s market. But as COVID-19 slowly fades from the news and global financial challenges persist, sellers no longer have the same advantages.

The good news is that the majority of homeowners can still get more than they paid for their property, but the bad news is that more planning is required. To that end, here are six things to keep in mind when selling your home, per REALTOR.com.

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1. Set the right selling price from the get-go.

Pricing your property above market value is a recipe for disappointment. Also, don’t count on the bidding wars that were everyday occurrences at the height of the pandemic.

2. Do not try to sell your property “as is”.

People just aren’t buying homes in need of TLC nowadays. While it may feel unfamiliar and even irritating, repairing your house before it hits the market will heighten your chances of making a quick sale.

3. Help your buyer as much as possible.

Interest rates are at historic highs, causing lenders to offer their customers less buying power. As a result, concessions such as sellers helping their buyers with closing costs are now a bigger part of the game.

4. Don’t expect any property to sell quickly.

The times of a home only sitting on the market for a few days seem to be gone; the current national average is 50 days. The good news is that this is still less time than the pre-pandemic average of 68 days.

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5. Invest time and money into home staging.

An empty house doesn’t appeal to buyers the way it once did. In fact, homes that are tidy and staged sell 88% faster (and at 20% higher prices) than non-staged properties.

6. Consider when to sell your home.

During the peak of the pandemic, it was okay to list a home anytime. But nowadays, spring and summer are the best buying seasons.

Stephanie Mojica

Stephanie Mojica, writer of How One Writer Shifted From Settling for $12 an Hour to Prospering at Over $90 an Hour and shorter books such as Quick Answers to Frequently Asked Credit Questions, is an award-winning journalist with publications such as USA Today, The Philadelphia Inquirer, San Francisco Chronicle, and The Virginian-Pilot, among many others. She helps executive coaches, business consultants, business owners, attorneys, and other decision makers generate more money online and become the go-to expert in their field by guiding them step by step through the process of writing and publishing a book.

WANNA KNOW WHAT MAKES A HOUSE UNSELLABLE?

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By Glenn Mananeng

So, you’ve finally decided to sell your house. You prep up the property, do all of the paperwork, get it listed and think that you’re good to go, only to find nobody’s buying your house. Bummer right? Well, you have to back up a bit and think why; is there something wrong with your home? If you’re still clueless as to why your home is not selling, worry not. SellUsHomes has got you covered, and we’re here to help you identify some common reasons why houses just don’t seem to sell.

Undesirable location

navigation-2049643_1280You’ve probably heard that location is everything when it comes to real estate. This can be the biggest obstacle in selling your property. The problem is, you cannot just conveniently move your house. If you are close to an airport, busy road, or highway, this might make it harder to sell your home. Even if your potential buyers are attracted to the house itself, they might not want to deal with these issues.

A bad location is basically up to preference. It depends on your target audience whether they’re families with kids or maybe the elderly. So the question is, can this be corrected? Absolutely!

Remember, you’re selling your property, not the neighborhood surrounding it. Focus on things that you have control over. Focus on the positive, and unique features. Intensify your curb appeal and make it stand out from others. Try to be more open to your buyers and offer concessions such as paying a part of the closing costs or credit towards repairs and improvements. Most investors find that reducing the sales price of the house even by just a bit increases the chances of closing the deal.

Outdated and too personal decor

tiffany-531993_1280This doesn’t just apply to the decor, this covers the fixtures as well. Think of the most likely buyer. If you’re planning to target a much younger audience, you won’t have any luck with your Tiffany lamps and your avocado green shag carpets. You’re offering a home, not a trip back to the 80’s.

We won’t question you with your interior design choices, but consider what your buyers want. If you do some research on how properties that sell fast look like, you’d find that the majority of them have interiors that are catered towards the current trend. A little touch-up can bump the value of your property much higher than you’d expect. Updating your light fixtures, installing a nice clean kitchen top, or even doing a brand new paint job can benefit you a lot. Keeping the decor neutral, reducing clutter and reducing personal items are very helpful.

Maintenance issues

plumber-228010_1280Obvious neglected maintenance and repairs will ward off potential buyers. Buyers want a stress-free purchase. Not a lot of people will be willing to deal with the hassle of repairing a leaky ceiling or addressing plumbing issues. Address needed repairs before you list your home for sale.

Any health hazards that your house might bring to your buyers is not good as well. Dampness and humidity of the interiors can invite molds to form on your furniture and create condensation on your windows. Buyers who have very minimal immunity to these can cause allergies and even serious health problems. Keep a balanced humidity level by providing good ventilation and check the electrical and plumbing systems.

Checking your utilities, and having them serviced, can add assurance that they are working well, and add confidence to a buyer.

Lack of natural light

Most architectural designs promote the use of natural light. This is a major turn-on for a lot of buyers. Nobody wants to live in a house that resembles a cave. Lighting up the interior can give the illusion that the living space looks larger than it normally does. Plus, people feel better when there is more light and brightness.

indoors-3096629_1280If you have the extra cash to install skylights then go for it. However, there are ways to achieve this without little to no expense at all. If you move any furniture that blocks any source of natural light, that would greatly help. You can change the curtains (or remove them) into something with a lighter or transparent material. The introduction or use of glass panels allow light to pass through. Also, opt for a much lighter color scheme for the interiors to compliment any natural light.

Weak broadband service (or lack thereof)

In today’s world, most buyers expect to have a good, stable and strong internet connection. People dedicate most of their time online. Without this amenity in your house, you might be in for longer waiting time.

internet-3471739_1280You don’t necessarily need to have it installed before you place your property for sale. Most telecommunication companies can inform you all about the signal strength and speed of the broadband service. Once your buyers know that it’s possible for the property to have internet connection, you just increased your chances of closing the deal.

Sprucing up your house and making a little effort can be more than enough to increase your chances of a successful sale. However, most sellers find a really hard time in prepping their property before placing it on the market. Don’t be discouraged, because that’s what our team at SellUsHomes is here for.

We realize the difficulties of selling a house can discourage a lot of first-time sellers. That’s why we strive to make the sale as seamless as possible. To learn more, contact us at (734) 224-5947 or email us at [email protected]