As a real estate agent, I find that helping a client understand what things to do to sell their home fast is a really important part of my job. There are some people out there that are not in any rush, so they don’t mind if it takes a little extra time to sell a house. But you may be one of the many that needs to be efficient! I’m going to provide you with some key considerations that will help you do things quicker!
Selecting An Agent
The agent that you choose may be among one of the most important decisions that you make! I hear people frequently tell me that picking a veteran agent is the single, most important objective. Let me be the first to tell you that that is not necessarily true. Veteran agents do not guarantee that they are good agents and it especially is not a good indication that that agent will know how to market a home in today’s economy.
Yes, of course you need someone who is competent, but you need to know that your agent is going to market your home for you in a way that fits today’s market! That will include social media marketing! I can’t believe how few agents are doing it and how many fewer are doing it effectively!
If you want to sell it fast, be aware that you’re going to pay for that service in commission. If you hear an agent tell you a really low percentage, they will likely not be doing any additional marketing. They’re praying for high volume because of a low commission. Unfortunately, you will not receive any quality service or advertising for that. A good agent won’t apologize for their commission rate because they will make it worth your while!
Price It RIGHT the First Time
This is such a biggie when it comes to selling a house quickly! Yes, we are in a seller’s market and a lot of homes are moving quickly, of course! However, the average house still is on the market for nearly 2 months! Don’t forget that most closings are 30-45 days. So if you’re wanting your house moved fast, 3-3.5 months is not quick!
When you select a good agent, they’re going to provide you with a comparative market analysis (CMA) which will indicate what the fair market value of the home is. Listen to them. If you want your house closed in 3-3.5 months, then go with the price that they’ve told you! If you want to sit on your house for 9 months or a year, then bump it up 10%. If you want your house under contract in a few days, try lowering the price by 10%. If you’re in a situation where you need it done fast then it might be because youhave another mortgage or need to get out of the area and wasting time will cost you more in the long run!
Check out Price It Right the First Time for more details!
Describe the Value of Your Home
All agents like to have their clients provide them with a special paragraph that highlights or outlines what is special about the house or neighborhood. Paint a picture for them. A good agent will know a lot about the home, but they don’t have the personal experiences that you do!
Clean Up
If you want a positive first impression that will up the perceived value of your home, then keep it clean! That means possibly taking your pets out of the house with you during a showing, take out the trash, wipe down your counters, appliances, showers, etc. You may need to remove mismatching furniture, take down drawings off the fridge and declutter the kitchen table! Remove the 12 cereal boxes off the top of your fridge. This doesn’t really fit in clean up, but it is worth noting that you should have all of your lightbulbs in working order!
Fix It Up
We’re talking about selling your home quickly, so no, do not start doing major reconstruction in your home! With that said, if there are visible items to fix, you should do those. For example, maybe part of your gutter is hanging, or there’s a loose handrail, or kitchen cabinet knobs missing, or a deck board could be replaced, or any kind of item like that will really boost the perceived value of your home. Do these smaller items, trust me!
Improve Curb Appeal
This is something you could spend $10,000 and a month improving, but again, we’re talking about selling your home quickly. Do some things around the front of the house that people will want to see. Keep your grass cut, trim the hedges, maybe even put a few potted plants out front. If the paint looks bad, paint your front door and maybe the shutters. Do not leave things out in your driveway! Or if you’re like neighbors that I’ve had in the past, don’t leave tires, or old broken grills on the side of the house. Go out 60 feet from your door step and examine your house for a second as if you’re a potential buyer, what do you see? Fix those items if possible!
Check out the Ultimate Seller’s Checklist and Ready to List? Start Here! for more tips to help you prepare to list your home!
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