Want to know how to sell a house? It can be a lot more challenging than you might think. It’s not just about putting it on the market and waiting for buyers to come calling. There’s a lot more to it than that, and if you get it wrong, you risk stranding your house on the market for a long time and losing money as a result. If you’re thinking of selling your house, read on for some expert advice.
How to Sell a House: 9 Important Tips
How to Sell a House Tip 1: Decide on Why You’re Selling
This may seem like a silly thing to say, but it’s important to ask yourself why you’re selling your home. If your house is worth a lot of money, then that’s great. But if it’s not, then you’ll be better off selling it to someone who can make use of it, even if you don’t make a ton of money from the sale. Why you’re selling your home should inform everything else in this article. For example, if you decide to sell because you think you will get a lot of equity, make sure you are right and hire an appraiser first.
How to Sell a House Tip 2: Decide When to Sell
There are some broad guidelines to help you decide when is the best time to sell your house. If you’re in a hot real estate market for sellers, it might be a great time to try to sell. But if it’s a buyer’s market, you may want to hold off on selling until things improve. More importantly, though, you need to decide when it makes financial sense for you to sell. If you have a mortgage on the house, you need to make sure it’s paid up before you sell without any property liens that can kill a deal. Another thing to keep in mind is that some seasons are busier than others when it comes to selling real estate. Late Winter, Spring, and Summer are hot times, while Fall and early Winter tend to be slower.
How to Sell a House Tip 3: Get an Idea of the Value of Your House
This is a critical first step when it comes to selling your home. If you don’t know what your house is worth, then you have no way of knowing how much to ask for it. You also don’t know how long you should wait to sell it. You can start by looking at recent sales in your neighborhood. You can also get an estimate of how much your house is worth from an appraiser. But don’t just take that number at face value. Instead, think about how you can make your house more attractive to buyers. If it doesn’t have great curb appeal, you might want to do some work to make it more attractive to buyers such as fresh paint, new appliances, or fresh landscaping.
How to Sell a House Tip 4: Organize and Clean
Before you put your house on the market, you’ll want to clean it from top to bottom. Not only will a clean home make your home more presentable, but cleaning it can also help you catch up on any repairs that need to be done. You can find a handy checklist online of the things you’ll want to clean before you put your house on the market. You’ll also want to organize your home. You can do this by placing items in boxes and storing them in a closet until you find a new place to live. If you’re selling your home, it’s a good idea to put away your personal items, as well. Don’t forget to clean your yard and do any gardening that may be necessary. All of these things will help your home look its best when it’s on the market.
How to Sell a House Tip 5: Understand How Long It Can Take to Sell a Home
There are many factors that go into determining how long a house will be on the market, including the location of the house, the condition of the house, and the price of the house. If you’re selling a home in an area where there are a lot of houses for sale, it’s likely to take longer for someone to purchase it than if you’re selling a home in an area with less competition. You can also expect it to take longer to sell your home if it needs repairs or if it’s priced too high. If a home is priced appropriately and in good condition, it will sell in about 30 days from accepting an offer.
How to Sell a House Tip 6: Review Offers Carefully
When you’re ready to review offers on your home, you’ll need to make sure that you’re reviewing them carefully, as mistakes on your part can cost you the sale. When reviewing offers, it’s important to make sure that each person has a legitimate interest in your home. You’ll also want to make sure that the offers you’re reviewing are fair and legitimate. You can do this by making sure that the buyer’s financing is in place and that they have enough money to be able to purchase your house. If you find that there are multiple offers on your house, it’s always best to go with the buyer with the highest offer and who has financing secured.
How to Sell a House Tip 7: Choosing the Right Real Estate Agent
Before you start looking for a buyer for your house, you need to hire a real estate agent. A real estate agent can help you list your house, advertise it, show it to prospective buyers, and negotiate a better sales price. So, it’s very important that you find the right real estate agent, one who will be able to sell your house quickly and for the best price possible. You can start your search for a real estate agent by asking friends and family for recommendations. You can also search online for real estate agents in your area. You can also look for real estate agent reviews to see who is being recommended by past clients.
How to Sell a House Tip 8: Preparing Your Home for Sale
You probably don’t want to spend a ton of money on renovations, but if you don’t make some small upgrades, you could be doing yourself a disservice when it comes to selling your house. If you want to sell your house quickly, the best thing you can do is make it as attractive as possible to as many people as possible. The best way to do this is to make your home look modern and up-to-date. You can do this by replacing old light fixtures, painting walls a neutral color, and upgrading your appliances. Another thing you can do is make your home appear larger. You can do this by removing clutter and adding extra mirrors. The more spacious and open your home looks, the more attractive it will be to buyers.
How to Sell a House Tip 9: Negotiating With Buyers
The last important tip on how to sell a house is closing the deal. The best way to negotiate with a buyer is to have an experienced real estate agent by your side. Your agent can help you navigate the sales process, and they can also get you a better sales price if you’re negotiating a sales price. A good real estate agent will advocate for you and insulate the pains of the experience as much as possible. This helps reduce your stress overall and makes it a more pleasant and rewarding experience. Take a look at what to look for when vetting real estate agents here.
Selling Your Home? Vasquez RE Can Help
If you follow these tips on how to sell a house, you’ll be well on your way to a happy and successful selling experience! But don’t forget, we have over 20 years of expertise and the resources to help you. Let our team be your team! If you want to learn more about how to sell a house, contact us today.
Ana and Hector Vasquez are the founders of Vasquez Real Estate, pioneering a culture of excellence and service since 2001. Their collective expertise in real estate brokerage, sales, and management has empowered the team to guide home buyers and sellers across Contra Costa County, the Bay Area, Alameda, Santa Clara, and San Joaquin County. They're dedicated to ensuring every client experiences confidence, joy, and unmatched support throughout their real estate journey. At Vasquez Real Estate, exceeding expectations through transparency, honesty, and unwavering integrity is their commitment to making your real estate transaction a remarkable milestone in your life.