Once you make the decision to sell your Madison house the need for speed sets in. Most of my clients are anxious to move on to the next phase in their life and, although they want top dollar for their homes, they also want the process to be quick and easy.
Let’s take a look at what goes into speeding up the sale process with the least amount of discomfort.
The real estate agent
The most difficult and time-consuming way of selling a home is to sell it by owner, also known as the FSBO, for For-Sale-By-Owner. You’ll need to know how to price the home, stage the home, market it, field calls from potential buyers and be available on a moment’s notice to show the home.
Then, there’s the paperwork. Locating it, learning what you need, how to fill it out and the dangers lurking in the contract takes time and effort.
Sure, I’m a real estate agent so naturally I hope you’ll hire me. That said, however, a Stanford University and the National Bureau of Economic Research study finds that homes marketed by professional real estate agents sell faster.
Pricing the Home
There’s a fine line between pricing the home too low and pricing it too high. A too-low price makes buyers suspicious that something is wrong with it. Price it too high and you’ll lock out the very buyer pool that can afford your home.
A strategic list price, in line with current market value, will help the home sell quickly.
Marketing
Marketing sells homes, there’s no doubt about it. While the MLS listing will help alert buyers’ agents to the homes availability, it takes reaching out on the Internet and through a network of contacts to truly get a home sold quickly.
The home
Homebuyers today want turn-key homes. They don’t want to have to do repairs, shampoo carpets or have workers swarming the home after they move in. Make the repairs before the home goes on the market and then stage the home. Staged homes spend less time on the market and sell for an average of 17 percent more than non-staged homes. If you’ll be staging only part of your home, the National Association of Realtors suggests that the living room, kitchen and master bedroom are the most important.
Sweeten the pot
In a slow market, if you add some incentives for the buyer the home may sell quicker. This might include throwing in the price of new flooring or leaving the patio furniture for the buyer. You might also consider adding a quarter to a half percent to the commission of the agent that brings in the buyer during the first week the home is on the market.
We have additional ideas on how to sell a home quickly and easily. Feel free to contact us to learn more.
Posted by Jolenta Averill on