While most people envision a quick, easy, and stress-free deal, selling a home is not the easiest of processes. Sometimes it can be lengthy and quite involved, depending on various factors, including the kind of house you’re selling, its size, condition, location, and how much you’re asking. With proper preparation, however, the process can be less stressful and you can hand over the keys faster than you previously thought you would. Most importantly, you can avoid making the mistakes, and learn how to avoid real estate scams most first-time home sellers make while pushing their property on the real estate market. Want to sell your house without feeling as if you’re about to lose your mind? Read on below as we take you through these 6 steps to make the house selling process simpler.
1. Choose a Selling Method
One of the first important steps in selling a house is deciding on a selling method. Are you going to have professionals do it for you or are you planning to sell the house yourself? Of course, the former is much easier as the home selling process is smoother and your house might actually move faster. However, the major downside is that with the many real estate listings sites available online nowadays, buyers are spoilt of options to choose from and unless you’re really lucky, your house can stay quite a while without finding a buyer.
On the other hand, selling the house yourself can be a bit taxing as you’ll have to handle various aspects on your own, including research, price-setting, negotiating offers, and preparing paperwork. If you need money urgently, nonetheless, you can consider selling your house in its current condition to house cash buyers. This is especially the case in areas such as Los Angeles, CA, where the real estate industry is quite competitive and the condition of your house can delay the sale by months or even lower your asking price incredibly. The folks at Socal Home Buyers assert that when you sell your house in Los Angeles for cash, it’s faster and you’re spared from a lot of burdens. Additionally, you will save money on agent commissions, closing costs, and escrow fees, not to mention the money you’d have spent on repairs and marketing. In a nutshell, your options are:
- List through an agent
- Find a buyer on your own
- Sell your house for cash fast
2. Schedule a Professional Inspection
Depending on the selling method you chose above, the second step would be to schedule a professional inspection for your home. The inspection will simply help assess the overall condition of your house before selling it, so you can avoid issues that may turn out costly in the future. Cash home buyers will also perform their own inspection before giving you an offer or negotiating a property deal. If there’s any major problem, many states will require you to disclose this information to your buyer so the deal is fair. An inspection will also reveal necessary repairs or upgrades where necessary so you can increase your home’s value and make it more attractive to potential buyers.
With the help of your real estate agent, you can negotiate a reasonable amount to accommodate such repairs and one of the better real estate agents will even be able to suggest various ways for you to increase the value of your home before selling. Ultimately, a home inspection can help you save time and money by revealing any problems that may arise when selling your property. It’s important for potential buyers to understand exactly what they’re getting, so an inspection will also give them peace of mind and make
Once an inspection is finished, it’s very important that you take note of any issues or potential work the inspector found and fix them as soon as possible.
Read More: Buying and Selling Home: Which works best for you?
3. Conduct Minimal yet Impactful Cosmetic Upgrades
Before selling your house, as mentioned, you may want to conduct repairs and simplistic upgrades that will improve its appeal. It doesn’t have to be an overhaul remodel; just a simple upgrade such as repainting can give your house an uplift that will dramatically make it look more appealing to your market. It’s all about creating a great first impression! All the same, be watchful not to spend so much on repairs and upgrades only to realize a loss once you sell the home.
4. Price It Right
Once you’re done with maintenance checks and upgrades, the next step is to determine your asking price. If you’re using a realtor or home buyer for cash, this should be easier since their inventory and sales records can help provide an estimate based on what similar houses were valued at. It’s also important to note setting the price too high can scare off potential buyers, whereas having a good asking price will attract more offers. Having multiple offers will give you a negotiating advantage and you can compare them to determine the most profitable deal.
5. Marketing
Of course, if you’re using a listing service, a lot of this will be done on your behalf. If you’re selling your house on your own, however, you’ll have to do your homework beforehand and employ real estate marketing tactics such as “coming soon” to maximize your house’s exposure. Also, be sure to give it a few days to weeks before for showings as you assess potential buyers and negotiate deals.
6. Negotiating
Once you get a considerable offer from various interested buyers, you will have an upper hand when it comes to negotiating a deal. From there, all that’s left is closing the deal after you’re done with the paperwork.
Real estate property is one of the most valuable assets you can have. The decision to sell your house can be influenced by several factors, including financial emergencies, downsizing, moving to another country, or even moving to a bigger house. With the steps above, house selling becomes easier and less tricky.
