You may think that whether you find a buyer for your property is a luck of the draw. However, this is not the case. There are a few simple things you can do to make sure your house sells and avoid any roadblocks that might slow the process down. Below, we’ve listed 10 of these helpful hints, tips, and tricks that you can use to make sure the sale of your home is as smooth as possible.
What to Do Before the Sale…
This first stage is perhaps the most nerve-wracking time when it comes to selling your home. If you’re at this stage, you may be worried that your home is going to be one of those nightmare properties that take years to sell. Don’t panic, as statistically, it’s very unlikely this will be the case, especially if you follow the handy tips below.
- Do Your Real Estate Research
Some of the most important key figures in the process of selling your home are your real estate agents. Doing your research will help you find a great realtor who fits your budget and knows the sellable points about your local area. It’s worth getting this part sorted first, as it will save you a lot of potential hassle down the road. Choosing a real estate agent up front and getting your name in their books will help the sale of your home progress according to a set schedule.
However, realtors aren’t the only thing you need to research in preparation for selling your home. You might also like to look at the financial side of things, as well as the benefits of living in your area. For example, it can be worth looking at how much money you’ll need to move to your next place, as well as the prices of any homes listed nearby. This, alongside your realtor’s expertise, will help you determine an asking price that works for both you and any potential buyers.
- Make and Work Through Your Home’s To-Do List
Every home has a few things you can do to spruce it up a bit. The more attractive you make your home to potential buyers, the quicker your home will sell, and the more excited they’ll be to get the keys. Spend an afternoon wandering through your house and making a list of all the odd jobs and renovations that need to be completed before you can list the property. Completing any large renovations will also help you finalize a more favorable asking price and attract buyers who don’t want to complete these renovations themselves. After that, it’s time to get your DIY on and bring your home up to the standard needed to snatch a buyer’s attention. Completing these renovations first will also help you manage your final budget.
- Add to Your Curb Appeal
Don’t underestimate the amount of interest in your home that you can generate without even opening your front door to potential buyers. The facade of your home has a lot of power, so make sure to pressure wash your walls and drive if possible. As well as this, if you have a front yard it may be worth investing in some weed killer, and a few flowers to make the area stand out. Finally, make sure you have a For Sale sign outside with all the relevant contact details, to hook any interested parties.
- Perfect Your Photos
If an individual is interested in your home but doesn’t live in your neighborhood, they’ll probably find out about it on your chosen realtor’s site. Your best bet to reel in potential buyers here is to make sure the pictures of your home are top-notch. High-quality images of rooms are best. If your realtor is taking charge of photos, they’ll have the professional camera equipment needed for beautiful imagery. If you’re handling the photography yourself, however, don’t deceive buyers by overly editing your photos. Instead, clean your home beforehand and find the best angles to showcase the size and potential of different areas. Also, ask your realtor about the possibility of completing a 3D tour of your home that they can add to the listing.
- Enhance Your Tour
You know your home better than anyone else, so you know exactly what parts to highlight when showing potential buyers around. Your home should be perfectly clean before you invite any interested parties inside. However, you can also move some furniture around to showcase how easy it is to move around your home and how versatile the spaces can be. On top of this, there are some professional touches you can add to your home to make it appear even more inviting. For example, some comfy blankets and a roaring fire will do wonders for a welcoming and homely atmosphere.
- Be Open and Accommodating
The best way to guarantee you sell your house to the best buyer is to invite as many as possible to tour your home. Even if it means you must rush home from work to vacuum the dining room carpet, it’ll be worth it when the offers begin to roll in. Accommodating potential buyers and providing them with all their desired information about the property, greatly ups your chances of selling your home. If an interested party is eager to see your property, it’s also likely that they’ll be just as eager to move in as you are to move out.
What to Do During the Sale…
Hopefully, using the tips above, you’ll have found a buyer who loves your home. But just because you’ve received an offer on your home, it doesn’t mean the work is over. More importantly, it doesn’t mean the sale of your house is going to be a breeze from here on out. There are still lots of things that can slow the process down, and at this stage, some of those roadblocks can even send you right back to square one. Once you’ve received and accepted an offer, it’s useful to think about the administrative side of things, and how you can ensure that everything is as it needs to be.
- Find Out About Your Buyer
One surefire way to avoid anything that might hinder the sale of your home is to ensure your buyer is genuine and qualified. Much of this responsibility will fall to your realtor. However, you can certainly check with the buyer yourself if you get the chance, even in the casual sense of finding out what their plans are for the property. Of course, they will need all the correct documents surrounding their identity and mortgage to purchase your house. As well as this, you should find out about their situation concerning their current property. If they’re a first-time buyer, it’s far more likely you’ll be able to get the sale completed quickly. However, if they’re in a chain waiting for their property to sell before they can purchase yours, it might create the potential for delays.
- Find Your New Home Promptly
Getting everything sorted when it comes to your new property will ensure you can sell yours as soon as possible, with no delays or interruptions. The purchase of your new home should run concurrently with the sale of your current home. So, if you haven’t already, this is the perfect time to find out where you’ll be heading next. As we know, deciding on your next home is a lengthy process, so don’t leave this important step until last. Once you’ve received an offer on your home and you know the sale is subject to contract, it’s the perfect time for you to put an offer in on any new properties that you like. The sale of your current home will depend directly on your purchase of another one, especially when it comes to deciding the exact dates for the solicitors to exchange contracts and buyers to collect keys.
- Complete Your Admin
If buying a home means anything, it’s paperwork. At this stage, there will be various legal documents to fill out and get signed, so the sooner you complete any necessary forms for your realtor, solicitor, and mortgage advisor, the more delays you’ll be able to avoid. Perhaps the lengthiest part of this process is the property appraisal and valuation survey, which requires a specialist to visit your home. You’ll also need to decide on, and note down, anything you’re planning on leaving in your current home, such as larger pieces of furniture. Another big task here is finalizing your mortgage agreements, especially if you’re getting another mortgage on your new property. Finally, if you know where you’ll be moving to, you might like to set up a mail redirection.
- Be Available and Efficient
If any problems do crop up with the sale of your home, the quicker you find out about them, the quicker you’ll be able to work with the necessary parties to solve them. One way to ensure this happens is to agree with solicitors and realtors that you’ll receive regular updates on the sale’s progress at intervals that work for you. As well as checking and replying to emails regularly, answering any calls, and getting all your essential documentation sent off in due time, you should be prepared to tackle any delays. To do this, if you’re comfortable with taking calls, make sure your buyer has your contact information. This way, if they have any worries or urgent questions about the property, they can cut out the middlemen and come straight to you, ensuring any issues are sorted efficiently.
When it comes to selling your home, remember that nothing is guaranteed until the buyer has the keys in their hand. Try and stay calm and avoid getting your hopes up. It’s better to expect, and be prepared for, the worst to happen. In truth, there are many reasons for the sale to fall through that are completely out of your hands. For some buyers, it may just be the wrong time. If your buyer disappears and you have to go back to hunting for offers, at least you’ll know the ins and outs of the process, and be able to breeze through it the second time.
Sources
https://www.pettyson.co.uk/about-us/our-blog/563-prepare-your-home-for-sale
https://www.leaders.co.uk/advice/tips-to-sell-home-quickly-for-best-price
https://www.expresshomebuyers.com/sell-house/getting-past-the-roadblocks-to-sell-your-home/
https://inpeaks.com/2022/02/26/roadblocks-that-can-come-up-when-youre-selling-your-home/
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