5 Tips to Sell Your Home Fast

Looking to sell your home fast? Here are some helpful tips to get you on your way.

Work with a Licensed Real Estate Agent Who Agrees to Your Time Frame

Industry experts recommend you interview at least three agents before signing a contract. Taking this advice will give you a feel for what you can expect marketing your home from different agents.

Having a local expert can be a huge advantage for sellers. Local agents will be aware of any upcoming developments in the area, plus plans for stores or other amenities that might affect the value of your property, how quickly it will sell, and the price you're likely to get. They'll also know what local buyers are looking for in real estate. Ask our seasoned loan originators for a Preferred Partner Agent in your area.

Get 3 Recent Comps and Price Accordingly

In real estate, the term "comp" is short for comparable. It refers to recently sold homes that are like your house. To be a comp, the house must have similar characteristics, such as size, school district, and amenities. You will want to know as much as you can about the neighborhood as the difference between one neighborhood and the other one a half a mile down the street can be totally different in home value, even if the characteristics are nearly identical.

You'll want to be sure they are the most recent sales in your area, no cherry-picking.

Establish Curb Appeal

If your home's curb appeal makes a great first impression, everyone (including potential homebuyers) will want to see what's inside.

Curb appeal goes beyond what friends have to say about the new plants in the front of the house. A few quick, inexpensive updates to your home's exterior could help make selling your home easier and faster. One of the most common things you can do to increase the outside curb appeal is to power wash your porch, driveways, and gutters. You could update the painted areas with a nice fresh coat, including mailboxes. You might even add more value to the asking price.

One good idea is to scope out the comparable listings in your area and see how you can match, or one-up them.

Neutralize the Interior

You may love the floral wallpaper in your dining room, or the shag carpet in the master bedroom, but buyers may not be into your taste as much as you are. When possible, go with neutral colors like shades of white, beige, taupe, and gray. Neutral colors allow potential buyers to visualize their style and want the creative freedom to add their personal touches when looking for a new place to call home. Neutralize goes for odors too! Be sure smoke, pet odors, or litterboxes are tidy and clean. Strong candles and the smell of cigarettes should be avoided.

Organize the Nooks and Crannies

Prospective buyers want to be able to envision what they will do with the home once it is theirs. This is why it is important to have everything organized and tidy, down to as many nooks and crannies as you can. You want to keep your buyers focused on their soon-to-be home. You want to think like you are staging the property (like they do on TV), and if it doesn't fit in that plan then put it in storage until you sell the home. A cluttered home doesn't sell as quickly or at as high of a price as it could. Buyers want to imagine their furniture, knickknacks, and personal items in your home, not be overwhelmed with how much you can fit into one room.

Offer Borrower Pre-Approvals on the spot

Insist on only receiving offers from pre-approved buyers. Do not slow down the marketing of your home to unqualified buyers. A pre-approved buyer has had their credit report and income documentation reviewed and prepared for the purchasing process.

Please contact one of our seasoned loan officers for more information or click the apply button above.

Written by: Patricia Eubanks, Vice President