Selling a house quickly can seem like a daunting task. Selling a house fast is important, though, as a house starts to get lower offers if it sits on the market for a longer period of time. There are so many variables, ranging from the unpredictable market to paperwork to setting up a house and listing it in the most appealing way. However, there are also several things you can do to help a property sell faster. 

Hire a Respectable Real Estate Agent

The first thing you should consider when trying to sell a house quickly is hiring a qualified, respectable real estate agent. Real estate agents are professionals who know how to make houses more appealing and have valuable experience that the average person will not have. 

Real estate agents will know what qualities in a house attract buyers and how to advertise the spaces properly, and they will work to ensure that your house is advertised at its best. Homes that are sold without the help of a real estate agent are generally sold for thousands of dollars less than they would have been sold for if a real estate agent had been involved. 

Real estate agents are comfortable with selling a house. They will know the state’s requirements and know how to fill out all the paperwork associated with selling a property correctly. 

Complete Minor Repairs

Completing minor repairs in your home will help guarantee that viewers can imagine themselves living in the house and makes it more likely they’ll fall in love with the house.

For example, painting a house in more neutral colors to cover up any blemishes or outdated wallpaper in the wall can make the house more appealing to prospective buyers. Patching cracks in the walls and ceiling as well as providing adequate lighting can quickly improve the house’s general appearance without involving a large monetary investment or time commitment.

Completing minor repairs is a small thing that can go a long way with potential buyers and result in a larger return on investment once the house sells. 

List the House at an Appropriate Price

It can be tempting to list a home above value with the expectation that buyers will try to negotiate a lower price, which will be near your desired price, but this strategy can have the opposite effect. Buyers rarely want homes they must negotiate for and may instead avoid the home. If there are no bids, then the house will become a stale listing. 

A better strategy is to research the prices of homes in the area and price the house according to its market value, which may attract more attention and potentially start a bidding war that will help the house sell for a higher price. 

Declutter, Depersonalize, and Clean

In order to sell your house, it’s important to take away personal items. If personal items are left out, the prospective buyers will have more difficulty imagining themselves in the house, which means their personal connection to the space will be weaker, and they will be less likely to buy the house or to purchase the house at a higher price. 

Similarly, decluttering the house will allow the buyer to imagine the space as their own. It will also allow for them to see the space more clearly and will give the appearance that the space is a little larger.

After decluttering and depersonalizing, make sure to clean the house. Dust, sweep, mop, and vacuum! Cleaning the house will make the house seem newer and more appealing to prospective buyers.

Landscape the Yard

Landscaping provides a house with curb appeal, which is important to 71% of homebuyers according to the National Association of Realtors survey. Effective landscaping ensures that the first impression prospective homebuyers have of the house is positive and that the house is immediately inviting and aesthetically pleasing; the landscaping should draw one’s attention to the house’s front door. 

Landscaping involves cleaning up the yard by removing dead branches and leaves, weeding, mowing the lawn, and taking out anything else that doesn’t belong in the yard. It can also involve removing dead or dying plants and trimming overgrown plants.

Stage the House

Appearance matters a lot when trying to sell a house and can have an enormous influence on whether a potential buyer purchases the house. The National Association of Realtors suggests that 31% of buyers increased their offer on a home by 1-5% when the home was staged, and 77% of prospective buyers were more able to see themselves moving into a home if it was staged. 

Staging can transform a space and make it much more appealing to buyers. Staging can involve rearranging furniture in order to give the house a better layout and the illusion of more space. It can also involve adding decorations to make the house more attractive. 

It’s possible to stage a house alone, but having a professional real estate agent or a professional home stager will yield better results as they have more experience and know which setups are the most appealing and display the space at its best.  If combined with quality photos, staging can draw more people looking online to come visit the house, which can result in more competition between buyers and the house being sold at a higher price. 

Have Quality Photographs

Having quality photos taken of the space is important, as many people will look online at pages and pages of houses before committing to visiting them in-person. These photos should attract their attention and stand out amongst all the other home listings online. 

There are professional photographers specializing in real estate photography who know what lighting works best, which angles are the most flattering, and what types of pictures work best in the online format. Some real estate agents also include professional photographs as part of their service. 

Use an Excellent Listing Description

Having an excellent listing description will help you sell your house faster. Often a real estate agent will write the description to ensure that the listing conveys appropriate information and stands out to potential buyers. 

A good listing description should highlight the home’s best features and use effective keywords. A listing should also include information about the benefits of the neighborhood the house is located in. For example, the house may be near a lovely park or located within a good school district. 

Auction Off the Property

You could auction off your home, if you’re really in a rush to sell the house. However, you are more likely to sell the house for a lower price than you would have otherwise, so a much better route would be to hire a real estate agent. 

Add Sales Incentives

Another way to potentially sell a house quickly is to offer buying incentives like paying the closing costs or including furniture and/or appliances. These small incentives can help sway an uncertain buyer into deciding to buy the house. 

Selling a House Quickly? Call Teresa Mack!

Selling a house is a complicated process that requires a lot of effort and expertise. Contact Teresa Mack, an accomplished Los Angeles real estate agent who brings honesty, integrity, and years of experience in helping clients when they’re selling a house quickly.