17 Ideas to Help Sell Your House Faster

If your house has been sitting on the market for a while, you may be eager to sell it faster. Here are 17 tips to improve your chances of selling your house faster.

Do’s When Selling Your House

1. Make A Good First Impression

It all starts with curb appeal. How does your home look when buyers pull up? Are there weeds in the driveway and flower beds? Are you missing bushes and flowers in your beds? Is your door dingy, dirty or dated? Is your front porch messy? Take a look around at home decor sites online (think: HGTV). Learn from those gorgeous homes. Add a few flowers, a simple green wreath, a couple of well-pruned plants by the front door, a brand-new door mat, and fresh paint on your door. Replace your front door knob/handle if needed. Make sure your windows and doors (inside and out) open and close properly. Make sure your lawn is in good condition. If you don’t have time to repair and maintain your yard, hire a lawn service while your home is on the market.

Once inside the door, be sure that rooms are clean and functional. Take out as many accessories as you can.

Feeling outdated? If you want to update a few things, change out your bed linens, towels, lamps and curtains to something new and fresh. Keep in mind that having dated furniture is much less of an issue than having cluttered rooms.

Bonus Tip: Clean your front door with a wet rag, and make the door handle shiny. Make sure your front lawn is weeded and that all plants are in good shape.

2. Look at the Details When Cleaning and Repairing

One word: Scrub. If you don’t want to do it yourself (or don’t have time), call a cleaning service to get your home cleaner than it’s ever been before! Every nook and cranny should be scoured. Now is the time to clean under and on top of furniture and cabinets. Clean those baseboards and handles. Wipe down cabinets. Use a pleasant cleaner on all kitchen and bath surfaces. Make sure those toilets, sinks and faucets sparkle. Wash all linens and towels so everything smells fresh and clean.

Does anything look dingy or broken? Now is the time to replace it. Yes, that includes everything chewed, broken, marred, stained or scratched (I’m looking at you, Mr. Door Chewed Up By Dog).

Need to recaulk? Clean up broken, peeling or messy caulk by removing the old and putting new down.

Scrub those windows inside and out. Wipe down your door and shutters. Think about repainting your door or exterior if it needs it.

Replace any nonfunctional or partially working appliances, heating and air conditioning.

Make sure switches, outlets, electrical and plumbing are up-to-code (ask your county codes’ inspector if you’re not sure).

Look at those floors. Are they stained? Is the grout nasty? Are they ripped, gauged, scratched or torn? See if they can be cleaned or repaired. Otherwise, replace them. Homes can languish for months on the market (losing tens of thousands of dollars) for something as simple as scratched up hardwood floors that could be professionally sanded and restained (cost is far less).

Since buyers like to look around at everything, make sure that you think like a buyer when looking at all of the details. Small changes can make large differences in price, so make fixes and keep everything looking comfortable. Pay special attention to the kitchen as well, as that is the heart of many households.

Tip: Have half-empty closets so they look nicer, and don’t forget to do your regular cleaning tasks more often.

3. Neutralize the House

People do not like to see clutter and the personalities of strangers. Semi-empty rooms make a good impression. Stage your home a few furnishings (no more than just a few) so that buyers can have a sense of scale to know if their furniture will fit.

Take a look at your paint and cabinet colors as well. Repaint any non-neutral walls (particularly bright or dark colors) to neutral colors. Yes, that includes that blue, red, yellow, green, purple, black or orange wall someone in your house loves. Don’t try to convince yourself that the next buyer will just repaint anyway. Sure, they probably will, but you need them to see a neutral wall as a canvas…not your shocking wall.

So, it’s time to repaint. Stick with cream, light tan, light gray, white or off-white. Yes, this even includes children’s rooms. Does that seem “builder-grade boring” to you? That’s OK! You want the house to be generic enough to appeal to the most buyers. The good news is that fresh paint (even low-VOC) has enough scent to make the house smell like a new home.

Do you have wallpaper? Wallpaper is a very personal choice. It’s like gluing your favorite artwork all over your walls and expecting someone else to love it. Many home buyers cringe at wallpaper removal. You’ll have a better chance of getting top dollar for your home if you’ve done the hard work for them. Strip the wallpaper yourself or have someone do it. Repaint in a neutral color.

How about those kitchen cabinets? Changing out kitchen cabinets can be costly and time-consuming. But, if your cabinets are more than 10 years old and good quality, consider having them painted by a professional. If your cabinets are more than 20 years old, you may need to have them replaced, particularly if they are in poor condition.

Have a tile counter? Reality check: tile counters are dated and off-putting to many buyers. Even if you’re strapped for cash, you may want to considered a more up-to-date laminate countertop as a replacement. Or spring for granite, Corian or quartz if you want to make a bigger investment that could pay off (a real estate agent can better advise you on how much you could get back out of a home improvement project like that).

Anything else super-dated or nasty? Let’s be honest. Does your sink have permanent stains? Is your toilet peeling or cracked? Is that a brassy light fixture circa 1990? Take a quick trip to a home improvement store to see if you can find a good replacement option at a reasonable price.

4. Declutter Everything

Buyers want to feel relaxed when visiting the house. A stranger’s clutter is not relaxing. To solve this, remove furnishings and knick-knacks that are not necessary for appealing to the buyers. Rent storage for a few months. That way, you can keep clutter out of sight for sure.

Remember: This is going to be their home, not yours. This is no longer a showcase of your personality and preferences…as cool as they may be!

Go ahead and pack up (out of view; in a storage facility; just hide it already!):

• mementos
• heirlooms
• collectibles (yes, dolls, cars, vases, Precious Moments, etc.)
• toys (keep as few around as your children can tolerate)
• extra clothes (especially dirty clothes!)
• picture frames / collages / any word art (think: Live, Laugh, Love)
• family photos
• excess candles
• kitchen appliances
• bath, makeup and hair accessories (hide your shampoo, conditioner, etc. when not in use)
• dirty dishes
• decor above your cabinets
• mismatched furniture
• storage boxes
• pet toys, food, water, beds, crates, litter boxes, leashes and supplies (during showings)
• CDs/DVDs
• any cords that are hanging out
• loose papers, files and books not on a shelf

Tip: Clear off most objects on shelves, and clean up any desks so they look less cluttered.

5. Create a Relaxing Ambiance

To make an impact on buyers, you can play light music (think: Sinatra not eminem) or classical. You can also bake cookies, set out water bottles, and burn neutral, lightly scented candles (think: apple or blueberry muffin; avoid cinnamon, pine or other common allergens). Just make sure that candles are safe and don’t smell artificial or too strong, as that can be offensive.

6. Be Welcoming with Lighting…and More

Good lighting makes a room feel warm, cheery and welcoming. To keep the house comfortable, keep the blinds raised and open, switch on every lamp and turn the overhead lights on. People want to see a house at its best. A dark house is dreary and uninviting. If you need more lamps, now is the time to buy (or borrow) them.

And, don’t forget to make your beds, straighten up your closets and baths, hang your towels neatly, put away your toothbrushes, and toiletries, open all the doors, open up your shower curtains half way, and put down all the toilet lids.

7. Compare Your House to Other Similar Houses

If there are houses nearby with similar characteristics (bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage), then you should look at their list price. Be competitive. If a similar house is well-maintained, take great care of yours and lower your price.

8. Timing the Market: Put Your House on the Market in the Spring or Fall

Since school is either starting or ending and the weather is not very cold, you should consider putting your house on the market in the spring or fall. People are often not willing to buy right around Christmas, and summer may not be ideal due to travel. So, that leaves spring and fall as the best seasons to put your house on the market. However, if you must sell in winter or summer, you may find that you have less competition which could help your house sell faster. A real estate agent can help you know what works best in your area.

9. Know When to Lower the Price

Having a plan for when to lower the price is important. Instead of being too emotional, take out your feelings and follow through with an objective plan. That way, you can act in the buyer’s best interest and get the house sold faster.

Examples: If you aren’t having any interest in your house, you may want to schedule a lower price for the next week. It is best to move prices right around the century mark, as that can attract more people.

10. Consider a Pre-Inspection

Having an inspection already done shows initiative and honesty. Seeing that an inspection has already been completed and that problems have been addressed can reassure buyers that you have taken care of your home responsibly. Just make sure that, if you do a pre-inspection, you’re prepared to fix any problems.

11. Hire an Agent

Find a good real estate agent. Real estate agents are experts in real estate, and they keep an objective viewpoint on pricing your house. Instead of attempting to do a FSBO (For Sale By Owner), look up good real estate agents. They can save you time and money.

12. Add Extra Incentives

Having extra incentives can be just what a buyer needs to buy a house. Talk to your real estate about incentives you could use. Many buyers like a home warranty. Offering to leave behind fashionable curtains, furniture or appliances can entice a buyer to make an offer.

Examples: Maybe you can attract more attention if you pay for a year of pool service or a few months of lawn care. People could agree to higher prices, and you could make more money.

Don’ts When Selling Your House

1. Show (or Sniff) Evidence of Pets

Not everyone loves pets. People will not want to see your pet supplies. Bring your pets with you for the day, or hire someone to take care of them. You should also think about taking out pet bowls, litter boxes, and photos of your pets. Also, if you have a pet, realize that your home may have an odor. Yes, our sweet furballs leave odors, hairs and at times urine and excrement behind. Sometimes that odor is hard to detect when you’ve been living with it for years. And, your friends and family may not be entirely honest with you about how bad it smells. Be proactive and hire a carpet cleaner or professional cleaning service to take any bit of smell out of your carpets, tile and furniture. Not only will it smell better to potential buyers, it may be healthier for everyone. If a friend or family member can keep your pet during the process of selling your home, you may have a better chance of selling your house faster.

2. Overprice Your House

It’s uncommon to price a house too low. It’s far more common for home sellers to exaggerate the value of their homes and even push real estate agents to list the home for a price higher than it should go for. Take a look at the price of similar homes for sale in your area. Some suggest taking off 10-20%. If you can attract buyers for lower prices, you might get a bid war, which could bring in more money than if you started higher. Talk to your real estate agent about the right pricing strategy for your home.

Examples: If you have a 200k house, then putting it up for 170k or 175k could get more people to be interested. With any luck, there could be bidding that pushes passed 200k.

3. Sell the House Yourself

If you try to sell the house yourself, you could be too subjective and emotional. Unless you have a real estate license, you may also lack the expertise needed to know how to price your house. And, let’s not forget the legal issues surrounding a real estate sale. Hiring an agent may be a good option for you. Saving time and earning more money will be worth the fees in the long run.

If you really don’t want to use an agent, working with a real estate investor may be the right move for you. They may buy your home more quickly and for more money than you might otherwise get by listing your home. Zillow, for example, has started buying homes directly from certain sellers. Do a little research on the web and see what companies are available in your area.

4. Hide Problems

Keep yourself out of legal hot water and be honest about your home’s defects. Don’t try to hide anything, like covering up a stain with a rug.  Often these issues will pop up during an inspection anyway and you’ll run the risk of losing the sale if you are dishonest.

5. Not Show Excellent Photos for the Listing

Many people look online for houses. If you do not show professional photos, buyers won’t get a good idea of what your house looks like. Try to shoot for 20-30 high-quality pictures, as that’s a good average. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words!

Did you like this article? If you did, check out more on planandorganize.com. You may find many other things that are fun and interesting!

 

Sources:

https://www.wikihow.com/Sell-Your-House-Fast

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/mortgages-real-estate/08/home-seller-mistakes-selling-house.asp

https://www.hgtv.com/design/decorating/design-101/10-best-kept-secrets-for-selling-your-home