10 tips to sell your home faster:

by Payel Kundu

Nov 22, 2023 5:00PM EST

Life is ever-changing and one must always take important steps to alter and change in accordance with it. Selling a home comes at the top of the priority list. If you need to sell your home, you should try to sell it fast. Whether you’re relocating for a new job that starts soon or have a pending offer on a new place, it’s important to increase the interest in your house, especially if you’re willing to close quickly. The more potential buyers you can attract, the better your chances of selling fast, and at a good price. Following are 10 tips that will be a guide to your expert home-selling experience.

1. Finding a trusted real estate agent:

If you want to sell your home fast, the first step is to hire a real estate agent. The ideal person will know the local market and have a sales record that proves they know how to sell. A real estate agent will help with the entire process e. g. they’ll oversee the professional photographer who will take high-quality photographs of your home, as well as negotiate the best price. They also will write up a real estate listing that sells, schedule and host showings, and market your property to get it to be seen.

• A definite Selling Strategy:

If you’re contemplating selling your home, it’s important to have a definite selling strategy in place. Spring is considered the best season for selling, but before you put up a “For Sale” sign in your yard, take the time to choose the selling strategy that will work best for you. If you’re looking to sell your house quickly, the best time to list it is between March and May.

• Do a thorough cleaning:

A dirty house is a major turn-off for potential buyers. If you can’t clean it yourself, consider hiring a cleaning company to deep clean it for you. It is advised that the house should always be clean and tidy while it’s on the market, regardless of the time of day or night.

Key places to clean while your home is on the market are Kitchen countertops, inside cabinets and appliances, floors and room corners where dust collects, shelves, bathroom counters, toilets, tubs, and showers, inside closets, windows, inside and out, scuffed walls, baseboards, and doors. And also the basement and garage. Focus on home improvement projects that offer the most value for your money. Replacing your garage door provides the highest ROI, with an average return of just fewer than 94 percent. Updating your kitchen with minor upgrades like resurfacing cabinets, replacing countertops, a fresh coat of paint, or updating fixtures and hardware is also a wise investment. Finally, renovating your bathroom is another smart way to add value to your home.

• Set a suitable price for your home:

To determine a reasonable starting price for your home, it’s advisable to research online real estate websites to see what homes like yours in the same area have sold for recently. Once you’ve identified comparable sales, calculate the price per square foot by dividing the price by the number of square feet. Apply this number to your home’s square footage to get a fair starting price. However, keep in mind that you may need to adjust this price if your home is more desirable (e.g. located on a quiet cul-de-sac) or less desirable than the comparable sales. Pricing your home accurately from the beginning is crucial. This will not only help you sell your home faster but also help you earn more money. To achieve this, sellers should imagine themselves as potential buyers and think like them. For instance, if a house across the street has been on the market for five months, buyers are less likely to offer the full price. Therefore, it is essential to price your house competitively from the start to avoid lengthy delays in the selling process.

• Make a good first impression:

Making a good first impression is crucial if you want to sell your home quickly. The first thing a potential buyer will notice is the exterior of your home and how well it fits in with the surrounding neighborhood. Therefore, it is essential to pay attention to both the house itself and its surroundings to improve curb appeal.

Curb appeal should never be underestimated, as the saying goes, “You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.” “Make sure to clear your front yard of any debris, prune the bushes, and cut the grass,”. Additionally, adding some bright potted plants near the front door can help make buyers feel welcome.

Some easy updates that can significantly improve your home’s curb appeal include touching up exterior paint, installing window flower boxes, and a new mailbox. Also adding rich-looking mulch around shrubs and trees, which can enhance the overall charm of your home.

• Hire professional photographers:

The 2022 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers released by the NAR (National Association of Realtors) reveals that 96% of recent home buyers rely on online tools to search for properties. Therefore, it is crucial to showcase the best features of your home through high-quality listing photos. Poor-quality photos may lead potential buyers to reject your property without even scheduling a tour or attending an open house. To attract buyers, consider hiring a professional photographer to take at least 30 photos of your home, both inside and outside.

Providing excellent photos is key for real estate listings as most buyers first view homes online. Here are some factors that contribute to top-notch photos:

• To take great photos of your house, you should follow some guidelines. Firstly, clean, declutter, and stage your home before taking photos. Secondly, take the photos in the early morning or early evening when the light is best. It’s also known as the golden hour. Thirdly, use supplemental lighting to enhance the photos. Fourthly, frame and crop every shot of the house. Avoid using obvious photo filters as they tend to look fake and might make it look like you’re hiding something. Use wide-angle shots, but don’t make them so wide that they’re distorted or misleading. Take more than one perspective of each room and arrange them logically, starting with an attractive exterior shot. Lastly, avoid accidental duplicates.

To enhance the visibility of your listing, you may want to take into account these additional features:

• Drone shots: Buyers can gain better insight into the immediate surroundings and broader neighborhoods through higher-quality and up-to-date imagery compared to Google Maps Street views.
• 3D walkthroughs: Buyers can experience the flow of your home by touring virtually. Buyers can experience the flow of your home by touring virtually.

• Make necessary updates:

If your kitchen, bathroom, or living room looks outdated, it might be worth making some minor improvements before putting your house on the market. According to Cantley, there are several things you can update as you prepare your house for sale, and it could cost as little as a couple of thousand dollars. However, these updates can have a huge impact on the buyer’s perception of your house and, ultimately, your final sale price. Some of these updates may include replacing your cabinet or door hardware, applying fresh paint, or installing new countertops. Keep in mind that if potential buyers see that they need to remodel several rooms, they may subtract that cost from their offer price.

• Choosing potential and financially sound buyer:

Selling a home can take time, especially if the buyer needs to close on a mortgage. The process can take up to two months, which might not be ideal for some sellers. On the other hand, a cash buyer can close the deal within days. However, not all buyers have the cash to make an outright purchase, so waiting for a cash buyer might limit your options and even result in a lower selling price.

There’s one more option to consider. You can look for a buyer who needs a mortgage but has a pre-underwritten loan. This means that the lender has thoroughly reviewed the buyer’s finances and approved them to spend a certain amount on a home. Pre-underwriting is considered a step beyond pre approval, but final approval will still depend on whether the home appraisal is high enough and if the property meets any conditions required by the lender or loan program.

• Consider your friends and extended family form before other buyers:

Selling your home to someone you already know, like a friend or family member, can make the home-selling process less complicated and save you from paying an agent’s commission with a for sale by owner (FSBO) property. However, it’s important to remember that three out of four FSBO properties sold in less than two weeks during 2020, but they also sold for about 10% less than agent-listed homes, according to NAR. So, even though you might save on commissions, you could end up breaking even. Additionally, selling to someone you know could cause problems in your relationship if the sale doesn’t go as planned.

1. Impressive entrance:

When potential buyers visit your home, it’s important to leave a good first impression. Buyers usually decide on a house within the first few seconds of entering. Hence, it is crucial to keep the foyer clean, clutter-free, and welcoming while your house is on the market. If you have limitations on where you can make improvements, focus on the areas visible from the entrance as they can make the biggest difference. A fresh coat of paint or refinishing the floors in these areas can make them look more appealing.

Conclusion:

Selling a home can be very stressful, especially if you’re on a tight deadline. Fortunately, there are ways to speed up the process if you need to sell fast due to a new job, a life event (such as a divorce), or financial reasons.

If you have a limited budget to prepare your home for sale, focus on the first impression that buyers will have when they see it for the first time. Buyers usually decide within a few seconds – some from the curb, and some when they step inside the front door. Therefore, it’s essential to make those seconds count by having a great agent, a well-maintained house, and a strong financial offer.