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5 Tips: How to Sell a House Fast By Owner in Houston

Ben Naumann
Ben Naumann
Ben Naumann has been a well known figure in the real estate investing space in Houston TX for years

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Here Are 5 Ways to Do It Faster

Selling your home isn’t an exercise you can quickly finalize overnight. Listing, selling, and closing on your property is often a lengthy process, no matter how you intend to do it. However, there are a few things you can do to sell your home fast. Use our 5 tips to seal the deal in no time.

 First Thing’s First…

…Why Are You Selling?

Before we get into how to sell a house fast, let’s talk about why you’re selling in the first place. Your reason for selling might just influence how you need to sell your home fast. It’s often not as easy as simply hanging a “For Sale” sign on your lawn and hoping the perfect buyers will waltz in before the week is over.

 Here are some common reasons why you want to learn how to sell your home quickly.

You’re facing foreclosure.

Foreclosures happen for more reasons than simply not being able to afford your mortgage anymore. We’ve found that borrowers often need to sell their mortgaged properties to finalize their debt to the bank. We also often see loans that were granted over the home’s appraised value. In the case of a sale, the overall amount of the loaned capital (or money owed when the deal was struck) simply isn’t covered.

 You’ve just gotten or are facing divorce.

Going through a divorce is never easy, no matter the situation. One of the most difficult things to finalize during your divorce is what’s going to happen to the home you shared. Couples often buy homes together and share ownership. In this case, many divorced couples choose to sell instead of choosing who keeps it. This means that you’ll need to agree with your ex-spouse about different aspects of the sale, including the selling price, the sale documents, and how to manage them as well as who will be coordinating home showing etc.

 You’ve inherited an unwanted property.

Managing and maintaining more than one property take a lot of hard work, time, and money. That’s why there is no shame in selling an inherited property that you cannot or do not want to take care of. If a relative has passed and has left you or your siblings and family a property that no one wants to keep, the most sensible thing to do is sell it. By selling the property, you’ll be able to split the proceeds amongst your family and save yourself the time, effort, and costs involved with the alternative.

 Your house was damaged in a flood.

Flooding is one of the most common natural disasters that Americans face across the country. Not only does it take extra effort to find an insurance provider that provides adequate coverage for flood damage, but the costs of repairing that damage are often more than the home owner is willing to pay. That’s why knowing how to sell a house fast if it’s located in an area that has high flood risk is an important skill to have.

 Your house was damaged in a fire.

Just like flood damage, repairing fire damage is not a cost that many home owners can afford. Home fires damage more than just the actual body of your home. It can damage the plumbing, insultation, electrical systems, and even the foundation. Instead of spending the time and money to repair this damage, many home owners simply sell their homes to start over somewhere new instead. In this case, home owners often need to sell as quickly and as effectively as possible so they can start their new lives again.

 You need to move ASAP.

When we buy a home, we often commit up to 20 years to pay it off. However, modern life often comes with unforeseen changes that require you to relocate or sell your home fast. Perhaps you’ve gotten an incredible job opportunity in a different state, or you’d like to move closer to family members in need. Regardless of why you need to move quickly, you’ll need an effective and safe way to do it.

 Here’s How to Sell Your Home Quickly

Whether your home will be sold isn’t the question – it will happen. The problem is making it happen faster. Here are 5 ways that you can sell your home fast to get the process over and done with in record time.

 Option 1: Request Only Cash Offers

By selling your property for cash, you can eliminate potential buyers who still need to apply and get approved for financing that might fall through. Because you’ll only be accepting cash offers, you might have more space for negotiation with your buyers, which might increase the attractiveness of your property in the real estate market.

 How Long Does a Cash Offer Sale Take?

If you get a cash offer for your home, you could close on the sale within as little as 7 days. Unfortunately, few people have the means to make cash offers, which is why you might need to accept a lower offer than you initially bargained for.

 How Does a Cash Sale Compare to A Traditional Sale?

The cash sale process tends to be much faster and more effective. Not only will you be sure that your potential buyer actually has the capital to purchase, but you also won’t have to wait months or even years for their mortgage loan to be approved. You also won’t need to pay interest or commissions, and your deed costs should be lower. However, the price that you eventually receive for your home might be significantly less than you hoped for.

 Our Advice

To sell your home fast for cash, add a discount to the home’s market price to attract more interested buyers.

 Option 2: Find the Best Realtor in Houston

While private sales might seem like a great option if you want more control over the sale, they might not be the best solution for first time sellers. Any realtor worth their salt will know exactly how much your home is worth, how to weed out buyers that won’t close, and how to tie up any loose ends regarding how to close your sale as quickly as possible.

 Here are some of the ways to find the very best realtor to work with in Houston.

  •  Ask For Recommendations

Your friends, family members, and colleagues might have had to sell a property in the past. If they worked with a great realtor, they should be happy to share their contact details with you.

  •  Check Their Credentials

Ask your preferred real estate agent if they’re certified as a real estate professional. Certified real estate consultants tend to have the skills and experience they need to ensure a faster and more effective sale.

 How Long Will It Take to Sell Your Home?

While this heavily depends on your property and circumstances, it generally takes about 10 to 20 days to sell your home fast with the help of a realtor. In most cases, you should be able to sell your home within three months or less. While this may take longer than selling your home for cash, you should also be able to get a higher selling price and access to a variety of sales tools.

 What Are the Benefits of Working with A Realtor?

Despite the higher costs of working with a realtor (like commission fees), the benefits are definitely worth it. Professional realtors have a sprawling network of potential buyers that they (and you) can rely on to make a sale.

 Our Advice

If this is your first time selling a home or you’re not sure of the process, work with a professional realtor instead and save yourself the stress. While they might be a bit more expensive than selling privately, they tend to be more reliable and can often get you a higher price.

 How NOT To Sell Your House Fast?

  •  Overpricing

When buying a home, most buyers will try to negotiate – which will bring the costs down. To mitigate too great a loss, many sellers overprice their homes to lower the negotiation margin. However, overpricing your home could turn away interested buyers and take months for sell. Instead, keep your initial asking price close to the home’s actual market value. Reach out to a professional realtor to find out how you can set a fair price.

  •  Auctions

Unless you’re selling an exclusive or upscale home to a small pool of potential buyers, auctions simply aren’t worth the effort. While they do create a sense of urgency in buyers, auctions also tend to undervalue properties which could lead to a loss for you as the seller.

  •  For Sale by Owner (FBOs)

Unless you’re a professional realtor, you probably won’t have access to the tools and internal market data you need to fairly price your home, sell it quickly, and finalize the necessary legal procedures. This lack of experience could cost you in the long-run.

 Working without a realtor might also mean that you don’t necessarily know how to market your home in the best way. Realtors know how to take photos, write listings, and show your home in a way that highlights its very best features. Without their help, you might not be doing your home justice, which could lead to lower selling prices or longer waiting periods.

 You also might not know how or where to market your home. Professional realtors help you sell your home fast because they have the necessary platforms and connections to get your house seen by as many potential buyers as possible.

 While working with a realtor might come at a fee or involve paying a commission, we believe that the industry-specific insights and tools you gain access to are worth the investment.

 Option 3: Presenting Your Home with Pride

How To Sell a House Fast with Tried and Tested Tips

Now that you know what to avoid if you want to learn how to sell your home quickly, let’s talk about some tips that you can employ to make sure you blow every potential buyer away when they view your home.

 Cut The Clutter

Decluttering your home will do more than just make it easier to navigate during a showing. When your potential buyers step into your home for the first time, they’ll immediately start imagining themselves living, relaxing, and even working in the different spaces. However, this isn’t easy to do when the home is already overstuffed with furniture, personal belongings, and general clutter.

 Maximize The Lighting

Open the blinds, pull away the curtains, and turn on some ambient lighting to make your home look and feel more open and airy. Dark, stuffy homes don’t seem as alluring as light, open spaces, which is why we recommend letting some light in.

 Minimize The Personal Items

While it’s important to show your home as a space where people can truly live, it’s equally important to keep excessive personal photographs, religious or political items, and irrelevant stuffed animals and belongings out of sight. This will make sure that your belongings don’t detract from the home itself, while giving your potential buyers an easier way to imagine themselves in this space instead.

 Focus On the Details

One of the best tips we can give homeowners who want to learn how to sell your home quickly is to focus on all the small things that make a house a home. Try to make buying your property seem like a convenient and smart option by fixing up broken outlets, replacing blown bulbs, and repairing any cosmetic wear and tear. Showing your potential buyer that they won’t be spending the first few months repairing small admin issues like these makes your home a more attractive option.

 Do A Deep Clean

To sell your home fast, you need to show it in the very best light. A messy, untidy, or dirty home might make potential buyers feel like you haven’t cared for your space. If you didn’t take care of the general cleanliness of your home, it might suggest that you didn’t maintain or care for your actual house either. Invest in a professional cleaning service or dedicate a day to getting your home nice and clean before a viewing to make sure the space feels open, taken care of, and ready to be moved into as soon as the sale is finalized.

 Take Extra Care of Your Home’s Exterior

Potential buyers form an initial opinion about your home long before they even step foot in the door, so make sure their experience is positive from the minute they catch sight of your property. Some exterior styling tips include:

  •  Cleaning the access stairs to your home of leaves and debris
  • Adding a modern doormat or removing a broken one
  • Fixing any exterior lighting

 A neat and well-maintained garden can add up to 10% to the overall value of your home. You can invest in a professional gardening service or take a day to make sure your garden and yard look up to standard. Some of the things that you can do to make sure your garden looks great include:

  •  Pruning any trees, shrubs, and bushes outside your home
  • Mowing the lawn and raking any fallen leaves
  • Removing algae and dead leaves from any ponds or pools

Option 4: Making Repairs A Priority

If you want to sell your home fast, you need to make sure that any outstanding repairs or maintenance have been done before a potential viewer sets foot on your property. A home with outstanding repairs or significant damage might lead to your buyers making a counteroffer that’s much lower than your asking price. By making sure that your potential buyers have nothing to complain about, you can ensure that you’ll get as close to your selling price as possible.

 Finalize Your Repairs Before Showing Your Home

We’re not necessarily talking about plumbing or electrical repairs, even though these do need to be finalized professionally before you even consider selling your home as well. We’re talking about those cosmetic issues that, while small, make a big difference in how potential buyers see your home. Broken shutters, cracked windowpanes, and even scratched countertops can influence the value and final selling price of your home.

 If you need to repair or redo the floors, counters, or walls, consider using neutral, light tones instead of the original colors. Keeping your home light and open will make it seem larger, while potentially upping the value and selling price.

 Boost The Curb Appeal

Your home’s façade influences the selling price and overall value of your home, because it leaves an impression on buyers before they’ve even seen the inside. Chipping or faded paint on a gate or exterior wall can immediately put a buyer off your home, because it hints at extra work they’ll need to do to make your home livable.

 Neutral colors like stone or beige are a great way to add a sophisticated touch to your property’s exterior, while yellow or mint add life and vibrance. Decide how you want to present your home by speaking to your realtor, and be sure to apply their advice as quickly and as professionally as possible.

 Option 5: Market Your Home Like a Master

Learning How to Sell Your Home Quickly with Better Advertising and Listings

 Use A Multichannel Approach to Selling

Make sure you list your home on more than just one platform. The more exposure your home gets while on the market, the easier it will be to find an interested buyer in your area. Reach out to a real estate firm or expert to find out which platforms, apps, and websites will work for your needs and budget.

 Set A Fair Price from Day One

Setting a fair price for your home isn’t as easy as you might think. Let’s imagine that you did somehow have access to a platform that lets you check the accurate and up-to-date value of homes like yours. You’ll then need to understand which factors come into play when setting a price. These factors, like location, size, age, and previous damage, all contribute to higher or lower costs, which is something that you might not be able to navigate as a first-time seller.

 If you do choose to work alone or you want a clear idea of how to sell your home quickly before you start the process with a realtor, here’s what you need to know.

 A too-high price might scare away potential buyers who aren’t willing to put in the time and effort to negotiate with you. You might imagine that lower prices will attract more buyers in no time, but it might just do the opposite. A selling price that seems way too good to be true might make buyers think that there’s a hidden issue or bigger problem that’s driven the price down, which means they might not even reach out in the first place.

 Your price needs to accurately reflect the age, size, location, amenities, and condition of your home, and the only way to determine that is by working with a professional realtor.

 …Work With a Professional Realtor.

Reading tips on how to sell a house fast is one thing, but applying them in a professional, cost-effective way is another. By working with a professional realtor in your area, you’ll be able to market your home more effectively without lifting a finger.

 Your professional realtor will be able to access a sprawling network of real estate listing platforms, websites, and apps that you wouldn’t have been able to find before, let alone use.

 Thanks to their connections within the real estate industry, you might not even need to list your home at all. Many realtors already have a list of potential buyers who have explained what they’re looking for, and your house might just fit the bill.

 If you want to know more about how to sell your home quickly, reach out to Christian House Buyers now!

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