The real estate market is all over the place lately. But if you need to move or you’re looking to downsize, you may not be able to wait for consistency.
You want to sell your home now, but to do that, you need the right strategy. Fortunately, you don’t have to drop your price to a crazy-low level to make it happen.
These 15 tips could help you sell your home fast — and hopefully, boost your bank account — in any market.
1. Get expertise behind you
You’re likely not a real estate agent, which means you may not have the experience to really push the sale of this home.
Hiring a real estate agent is a wise move. They can speed things along, increase the sale price, and help you avoid wasting money . Plus, the buyer often shares a portion of the agent’s fee.
An agent not only knows how to market your home but will also have network connections and industry insight to share. They know how to price your home for the best return and timeline.
Own a car? Here's 7 warning signs you're paying too much for car insurance. 2. Clean out the clutter
A survey from Zillow found that 64% of buyers believe storage is a huge factor when buying a home. If all of your storage is packed with boxes and “stuff” during showings, your home will look small.
Potential buyers will open the closets and look in the attic and basement. So if you want to sell your home, you need to clear everything out that you can to help it feel roomy and with ample storage.
3. Keep it clean
When you want to move fast, you need to make your home look as good as possible. A dirty house is going to put off many buyers who don’t want to contend with cleaning, painting, and updating before they move in.
The entire home should be clean but pay particular attention to carpets (get them professionally cleaned), walls, doors, and windows. Sweep out everything, clean off the scuff marks on the baseboards, and even dust the fan blades.
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4. Price your home based on recent sales
It’s a mistake to price your home based on what you paid for it (or on what your neighbor paid last year). Instead, work with your agent to determine your home's most likely sales point based on recent comps.
Market data will indicate what homes of the same size and style in your community sold for in the last six months, so use this as a guiding tool.
If you price your home too far ahead of the market, you’re not going to attract buyers who know the value of the neighborhood.
5. Set a strategic price
A strategic price is one that’s aligned to bring in the most buyers. When choosing to sell your home, position it to get the most people looking at it.
When someone is looking for a home to buy that’s under $300,000, your home priced at $305,000 isn’t even in their search results. However, going for $299,900 will put you on their list.
6. Offer an incentive
Are you moving across the country and need to sell your home within 60 days? Offer some sales incentives for those who can help you. For example, agree to pay the buyer’s closing costs if they bring an all-cash offer.
While all-cash offers can be harder to find in some markets, offering a great deal like this can help more people consider the option, especially those looking for a good deal.
Get Out of Debt for Good: Try these 6 clever ways to crush your debt 7. Include the appliances
One way to sell a home faster could be to simply offer to include the appliances.
Now, there are some things that could hold buyers back, like that old piano or moldy hot tub in the backyard. Get rid of those.
However, if you have modern, functioning appliances in your home, make it a point to note that you’re including them in the sale of the home. That will convince some first-time home buyers to take your property more seriously.
8. De-personalize your home
This can be hard to do, but it’s part of the moving process anyway. Take down the photos of your family, remove the kid’s artwork, and put away the religious or political items. These things showcase that this is your home.
Your goal, though, is to help people see that they can make this their own home. By removing personal items, you’re clearing the way for them to see themselves in your space.
9. Take magical pictures
You may know the importance of clear listing photos that help showcase the details of your home. Take it a step further with beautiful shots.
If the sun streams through the skylights in the morning, get a photo of that. If that bathtub is the perfect place for candles and relaxation, make sure that comes through in a staged photo. If the backyard is beautiful when the solar lights come on at night, capture that.
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10. Create curb appeal
Many people decide whether to buy a home based on their first impression. That means your curb appeal has to be on target.
Clear the walkways, trim back bushes and trees, and be sure there are no mildew spots on the siding. You also want to make sure the flowerbeds are clean, so they look easy to care for. And keep the grass properly mowed and green.
Add a few flowers, and don’t forget to dress up the area around the door to make it feel welcoming.
11. Offer a 3D virtual tour
It’s a good idea to work with a local videographer to create a 3D walking tour of your home as a way to help people really feel what it has to offer.
Your realtor should be able to arrange for this (another reason to use one). That way, only seriously interested buyers will schedule a showing.
People love virtual reality, but they also enjoy simple videos that showcase what a home looks and feels like.
12. Get rid of odors
You may have heard that baking some cookies before a showing or open house is a good idea. What’s even more important, though, is getting rid of any bad odors.
Cleaning the carpeting and upholstery will help with this, but plan to keep windows open, run fans, and consider having the ductwork cleaned if there are strong scents in your home.
You can also add some fresh lemons to the home but don’t use chemical fragrances. People may wonder what you’re hiding.
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13. Inject some urgency into your listing description
Your listing description should be thorough and outline everything the home has to offer. Then, incorporate a bit of urgency into it.
A statement like “Accepting offers through [DATE]” will make people think they have to make a decision right away. You want them to pull the trigger if they are a serious buyer.
14. Attract better buyers
Though you may be trying to sell before a downturn hits, setting some qualifications for would-be buyers heading into a transaction could be critical.
For example, you may not be accepting offers from buyers who don’t have preapproval from a lender. That means the lender is ready to move the process forward, likely limiting delays.
15. Sell to someone you know
Whether it’s a local investor or a friend, selling your home to someone in the community that you know is in the market may help to speed up the process and save you some time.
You may be able to sell the home as a for-sale-by-owner property then and keep more money in your pocket .
Bottom line
These tips can help you to take it to the next level, but ultimately, you don’t want to sell your home for too little and regret that decision later.
Maybe you're buying elsewhere or downsizing for retirement. Whatever your reason is, the faster the sale, the sooner you can move into your new home and lower your financial stress .
If you’re unsure where to get started, turn to a real estate agent in the area that’s known for an aggressive, get-it-done attitude.
Money tips that can work for everyone
No matter what your bank account balance is, there's always an opportunity to optimize and improve your finances. Here's a quick checklist of things you can look at today.
Focus on paying off your debt . Debt can hold you back from making progress with your overall financial well-being. Aside from cutting expenses, there are tools that can help you pay off debt faster like balance transfer credit cards and debt counseling.
Earning extra income can give you breathing room. If finances are tight, earning some extra money to supplement your income can make a huge difference. A new job is one option to consider, but if you're not ready to make a big change or already retired, a part-time side job could be a better choice.
Cut your expenses. It sounds painful and so not fun, but it doesn't have to be. Take a look at your biggest expenses because that's where you'll probably find the biggest savings. For example, auto insurance rates have been soaring so shopping around for a new insurance company can be the fastest way to cut your bill. Also, look for ways to cut your grocery bill (despite rising inflation).
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