How to Sell Your House Quickly in Any Market

Published by julia | Filed under Buyer / Seller Tips, Real Estate

These days, selling a house is not easy. In the down real estate market, people are reluctant to make an investment that has backfired on so many of their friends and neighbors. It’s also much harder to get a mortgage now, so even those who WANT to buy a home may find it to be more difficult than they thought. This is bad news for people who need to sell their houses quickly. Whether you’re selling because you need to get a cheaper place, a bigger place, are facing foreclosure, are getting married, or are getting a job transfer, when you need to sell right away, dealing with a rough real estate market is tough!

Don’t despair, though, because selling a house quickly CAN be done, even with the market in the bad shape it’s in. The first and most obvious thing you can do is lower the price of your house so much that it becomes a virtual steal. This is great for people who already have a lot of equity in their homes and can afford to do so. However, this isn’t the best option for most.

The next best thing you can do is to make your house as charming and inviting as possible. Make it look cozy and almost storybook-like. You want potential buyers to see your house, both inside and out, and think that there’s no way they wouldn’t want to live there. They need to be able to picture a blissful, comfortable life there. Make them feel at home in your house, and they’ll move mountains to make a deal happen.

This means you have to clean things up. Put all clutter away. Make any necessary repairs. You don’t want anything to look ugly or out of place. Re-paint if you have to, and make sure the house smells good when people walk inside. Having a pie or cookies in the oven during visits from buyers is an excellent and proven tactic that gets people clamoring for your house.

If all else fails, you could offer owner financing. People who may want your house but can’t get a mortgage could be prime candidates for owner financing. If you can afford to do it and trust the people you’re selling to to be responsible, owner financing can get your house sold lickety-split.