Selling a house — especially if it’s your first time — can be a daunting prospect. There’s so much involved in the process, and it can be difficult to know where to begin.
With cash buyers declining, that leaves mostly the traditional route to focus on. The process of selling a house requires some patience, knowledge, and research.
This is how to sell your house and be ready for what’s coming. Make sure you read everything carefully and keep yourself in the know, because it’ll help you a whole lot when it comes to getting through this, and making sure your expectations are right!
Prepare Yourself
The first thing you should do is prepare yourself. Make some decisions about what’s non-negotiable to you.
For example, you might have a timeline for moving out that you want to stick to. You might have a minimum price you would accept for the house, or a limit on repairs and improvements you’d be willing to do.
Prepare yourself by knowing all of this first, and it’ll make the rest of the process easier.
You may also want to research the best time for selling in your area.
Real Estate Consultation
Having a consultation with your real estate agent will give you the best idea about what to realistically expect.
No one knows more about the house selling process than your real estate agent, who will be able to have a look around the home and evaluate it. They’ll let you know if your expectations are on point, and what to do to make the house more appealing to buyers. This might include:
- Minimizing the pet belongings on display
- Cleaning the whole house
- Decluttering
- Taking down some personal decorations, like artwork
You may have to make some compromises at this stage, for the sake of selling your house in a timely manner, but it’s important to take a professional’s advice.
Most importantly, this is the point at which you will establish an asking price for the house.
Sign the Listing Paperwork
When you’ve come to an agreement about selling the house, the contract, and the staging, it’s time to sign the listing paperwork! Make sure you read this carefully, and you and your real estate agent will be well on your way to making a sale.
Time to Advertise
You want to make sure that people are aware you’re selling! That means aside from making sure you’re listed on major websites, you can do the following things:
- A yard sign
- Virtual tours
- Property flyers to post around the area
Make sure you market the house as effectively as possible!
View Offers
If a buyer makes an offer, it’s time to negotiate with them!
They may offer a little less than you want, or want repairs that you’re not willing to do. You can go through all of this with them and decide what you’re willing to compromise on. Hopefully, you can come to an agreement.
If you can’t, you may have to reject the buyer’s offer and go through the process again.
Obviously, one of the final necessary steps is to ensure you fulfill any obligations. If you’ve signed off on anything on the contract and promised to make repairs, make sure you get this done and hold up your end.
Time to Move Out
The last step to selling your house is to move out! If you’re buying and selling, you might have to consider temporary housing in the interim, since you might not have managed to buy at exactly the same time.
You can have rented accommodation for a short period of time, or put your things in storage and stay with a family or friend.
Once you’ve handed over the keys, congratulations! Your house has officially been sold.
But What If You Want to Sell for Cash?
Although traditional is the best way for many, the fastest way to sell a house is for cash. The number of cash sales might be declining, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a great option for those who really want something done quickly.
If you’ve found yourself googling “sell my home” and looking for the most convenient option that doesn’t require such a long and drawn-out process, a cash sale may be the way to go. There are many advantages to doing this, including:
- The sale is less likely to fall through, as there are fewer steps
- It’s less complicated, and the company buying can usually guide you through the sale
- You’ll get all the money without having to pay commission to your realtor
Some people simply don’t have the time to go through the lengthy process that is selling a house, and there’s where home cash buyers come in handy.
There are different ways to sell a house, so do your research into each of them and decide exactly what works for you before making the leap.
The Process of Selling a House Doesn’t Have to Be Hard
It can be intimidating to sell a house and you might feel like you don’t know what you’re doing, but you’ll get through it! Research each way and decide what’s best for you, and listen to the experts when it comes to being guided through the process of selling a house.
If you do all of that and set your expectations, you’ll be handing over the keys to a new owner in no time at all.
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