Fortunately, thanks to a hot seller's market, many homeowners are seeing their houses sell fast. Some homes are selling in just 24 hours.
In today's market, a home that sits for sale for an extended period of time can be costly to the seller. Not only are there potential mortgage payments, landscaping, and insurance fees, unsold homes may develop a stigma that can be difficult to shake.
So how is it that some homes sell with lightning-fast speed, while others sit? What's the secret to sell a house fast, as in just 24 hours?
How to sell your house fast
When asking a real estate professional, "What should I do before selling a house?" he or she is likely to recommend tips for selling your home that include concentrating on six things when it comes to how to get your house ready to sell:
1. Price the property "ahead of the market"
A home's price, relative to everything else on the market, is the main determinant of how quickly it may sell.
Some homeowners make the mistake of thinking that selling your home is just like selling anything else -- start high and then lower the price later if it doesn't sell. This approach, however, can often result in a slower sale, and possibly at a lower price.
According to real estate experts, the first 30 days of activity, sometimes even the first two weeks, after placing your home for sale, is the best activity you're going to see. As such, a house that is priced too high could keep many buyers and their agents away. They may assume you're not serious about selling, or uninterested in negotiating.
2. Upgrade your home's curb appeal
Improving curb appeal is one of the most important tips for selling your home. The first thing a buyer sees when they pull up to your home is the exterior. If your house doesn't look great from the outside, some buyers won't even get out of their car. Clean up your yard, trim the hedges, refresh mulch and edge the lawn. These tasks typically come with a small price tag, especially when compared to their impact on the buyer's perception.
3. Sell a house fast with attention to the interior
As the saying goes, "You only get one chance to make a great first impression." This adage is especially true with homebuyers.
Consider interior lighting. You want homebuyers to feel energized when they walk through your home. Poorly lit homes can come across as dark, damp and even depressing. Fortunately there are plenty of inexpensive ways to brighten up living space. Wall mirrors can work wonders by amplifying lighting; install a few throughout your home. Another surprisingly quick and relatively inexpensive way to brighten your home's interior is to swap out existing lightbulbs for ones containing higher lumens.
Remember the importance of removing personalized items from your home. Remove photographs of you and your family throughout your home so that would-be homebuyers imagine themselves living in their new home. Be aware that not everyone has the same taste in art. The wrong artwork could become a distraction, and take away from the house itself.
A great way to get your house looking its best is by decluttering. It's important to note that while you may think that shoving things into closets is a quick and easy solution, this isn't always the best idea.
Homebuyers are almost certainly interested in seeing closet storage space. Disorganized and overstuffed closets can be a turnoff to serious buyers.
You want your home to resemble a well-staged department store or even a model home when buyers walk through the front door. If it's in the budget, consider hiring a home stager and perhaps a professional photographer who can capture your newly-staged dream home.
According to the Real Estate Staging Association, staged homes sell 73 percent faster than their unstaged counterparts. Make sure your furniture displays well and that the aromas are inviting.
4. Document improvements and more before selling your home
If you're wondering how to get your house ready for sale quickly, produce records of home improvements made since purchasing yiour home, including the amounts spent to enhance the property and the dates when improvements were made.
Provide copies of recent utility bills, redacting personal information such as your account numbers. This allows buyers to be informed of expected costs for heating/cooling, water/sewage and electrical charges and can help them feel comfortable about their ability to maintain the home.
Depending upon where you live, consider arranging for a radon test and make the results available to potential homebuyers. It may also be helpful to pay for a professional home inspection and indicate items that you plan to address as part of the home's sale. These reports have the potential to increase your costs as you prepare to sell your home, but its likely that radon or home inspection items may be identified by a buyer during the closing process and that being transparent about what items you are willing to address might help you sell a house fast. Consult with your real estate agent for advice on the best documentation to provide.
5. Employ social media to sell a house fast
If you want to sell your home quickly, use social media to attract qualified buyers. It's crucial to put the word out about your home via every possible marketing channel. In today's world, social media is a hot, free must-have. No longer are the days when most of your marketing involves snail mail, newspaper ads and magazine listings. Work with a realtor who demonstrates competence in social media and be sure to include your home on every possible platform. Consider setting up your home's very own accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or share photos, videos and listing information on your own social media accounts and ask your friends and follwers to share your postings.
Update your social media messages regularly to show how to get your house ready to sell. Before your listing goes live, share images of the exterior and interior progress you make getting your home into top shape. Repeatedly announce when the listing is planned to be active so potential buyers can be ready to view it and make an offer right away.
6. Real estate professional: "Sell my house fast for cash"
A great realtor with a proven track to sell a home fast can make a huge difference. Alison Crawford of Keller Williams Atlanta Partners who sells 80% of the homes she lists just north of Atlanta in a week or less for asking price or above, talks about the importance of choosing the correct realtor.
"Selling a house is an art. A good realtor can combine price, location and style to create a unique experience for each homebuyer that enters your home. An experience that allows the homebuyer to see the home through similar eyes as the seller, ultimately making it their dream home as well."
Be cautious about hiring an agent because they're an old college buddy or a friend of the family. This is business proposition related to what is most likely the largest investment thus far in your life. Do some research and due diligence when hiring an agent. Ask potential realtors if they have recently sold homes rapidly, perhaps for cash. Check out their online reviews and ask to interview other recent home sellers with whom he or she has worked.
While selling a home in 24 hours is possible, the most important outcome is selling your home quickly at the best possible price. Following these tips for selling your home should put you in the best possible position.
Article updated by Craig Berry
