Although selling in a recovering market can be a challenging task, there are still steps sellers can take to entice buyers to bite. If you've already followed the usual protocol for staging and curb appeal, try the following:
Get a professional opinion. Knowing what a professional appraiser deems your house to be worth will help you set realistic expectations for your sale. You can then compare your home to others in the same price range and discover what your property may be lacking. It will also give you a good idea of what kind of loans your buyers would need to get in order to purchase the home. At least this way, you can be confident that you are in the right ballpark on price.
A pre-inspection is a must. By getting a pre-inspection, you can find out if your home has any problem areas that need attention. This tells buyers that you care about the condition of the home and also that you have taken care of these potential issues. Don't be surprised if a buyer hires his or her own inspector, however. It's par for the course. However, with less red flags around, you have a better shot at nabbing an offer close to your asking price.
Throw in an added bonus, like a home warranty. Offering a home warranty with the sale may entice some buyers to make a bid on the house. This plan will provide assurance that if something goes wrong with any major appliance, the new buyer will not have to shell out loads of money to fix the problem.
Cover some post-moving expenses. Make the move easier for your potential buyers by offering to pay for some or all of the moving costs. Alternatively, hire a contractor to take care of the yard work or pool clean-up for the first summer. Covering some of these expenses may put you in the buyer's good graces and may just seal the deal.
By remaining flexible throughout the process, you can find the right buyer in any market who will be willing and able to make a deal that supports both of your interests.
Want to add curb appeal, but don't have much money to spend? Here are some simple things you can do for under $100.
Tip 1: In strong markets, where demand outstrips supply, home sellers can hold out for top dollar. In weak markets the reverse is true—there are many homes on the market and unless you price your home very competitively you'll be very unlikely to attract any buyers. Whatever the current market conditions you will be most likely to get the highest possible price if you are willing to take the time to understand each of the components of a successful home sales campaign so you can assure that you, or a real estate service provider who may be assisting you, are doing everything possible to maximize the effectiveness of the home marketing effort.
A: It is a short-term bank loan of the equity in the home you are selling. You may take out a bridge loan, or interim financing, to help with a knotty situation: closing on the home you are buying before you close on the property you are selling. This loan basically enables you to have a place to live after the closing on the old home.
In early 2011, the Census Bureau released a statement noting that the national average for vacant homes in the U.S. rested at over 11 percent, placing more pressure on the housing market. Selling a vacant home is more difficult than selling a furnished one, in any market. A vacant home—regardless of how nice the property—can seem eerily empty and lacking in character and warmth. However, if you are trying to sell a vacant home—whether it’s a second home or a space you were unable to sell before moving to a new location—there are a few key tips that can make the process easier and help provide a quicker selling time, and a better selling price.
Of all the tips for selling your home, hiring a REALTOR® (A real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS®) may be at the very top of the list. If you're a homeowner saying "we want to sell our home fast," you owe it to yourself to find out how a REALTOR® can make it happen!
By Dan Steward
