Whether you’re trying to move on with your life into a new home, selling property that you inherited, or trying to make good on a real estate investment, no one can predict quite how any home sale will go. Sometimes, you might find that it’s a lot harder to shift that property than you had hoped. However, you don’t need to despair. There are ways that you can improve your chances of selling, as well as alternatives to the traditional market that are worth considering, too. Let’s explore some of them.
Take A Second Look At Its Online Presentation
Nowadays, most home sales are decided (at least in part) before the buyers ever take a look at the thing. Your home’s online presentation is more important than ever. As such, you should make sure that your listing features high-quality, well-lit photos taken on a bright day to ensure that it’s making its best impression. You might even want to hire a professional photographer who specializes in real estate imagery. Make sure that your listing includes all of the necessary information, highlighting the benefits of the location, any upgrades that have been made, and specific features that can improve the lifestyle of the buyers. Virtual tours and video walkthroughs are becoming increasingly popular as a means to provide a deeper look into the property, too.
Invest In Some Curb Appeal
It’s worth taking a once-over, making sure that the home is in its best state, and there’s nowhere this matters more than its curb appeal. First impressions are hugely important in property sales, with many buyers deciding whether or not they like a home within seconds of seeing it. If your exterior has become a little overgrown and dishevelled, take the time to give it a good tidy and make sure your garden is neat and healthy-looking. Consider investing in a few simple updates, as well, such as repainting the front door, adding plants, or installing exterior lighting to make sure that your home pops as soon as you clap eyes on it.
Use Professional Staging Services
If your buyers can’t see the full potential of your home, then it might be time to help them along. Professional home staging services can help you rearrange furniture, declutter rooms, and add decor that feels natural to the space, helping buyers get a much better idea of what it might actually be like to live in there. This is especially good for homes that you’ve already moved out of, that might be looking bare without furniture, as well as if you have a more eclectic or individual decor style that not every buyer would appreciate. Even if they’re not buying the furniture, buyers will look at what is there as a model for what could be there, as well.
Consider Changing Your Estate Agent
If the home has been listed for months and there have been very few bites, it might not be the home that needs a change, but your choice of estate agent. Look for the signs of a good real estate agent and see how many of them yours embodies. Are they proactive with the marketing? Do they provide regular feedback? Is it easy to get in communication with them? If the answer to any of these is “no”, then they might not have the energy needed to sell your home, or you might not be a priority. Either way, it may be time to look for their replacement instead.
Explore Some Quick Sale Options
In some cases, you might not have a lot of time to wait around and see what strategies work. Whether this is due to plans to relocate, financial pressure, or you just want to not be responsible for the property anymore, quick sale companies can be a lot of help. These companies purchase homes directly, often completing the sale within weeks rather than months. You don’t get the benefit of the natural price competition of the market, but if you’re having trouble attracting buyers, you’re not likely to benefit from a bidding war in the first place. Even if you do get below market value, the speed, convenience, and certainty of the purchase can remove a lot of the stress commonly associated with selling a home.
Consider A Property Auction
If you think that you might fare a little better attracting the attention of multiple buyers, then a property auction can be an attractive alternative to the conventional home-selling process. These auctions tend to attract more serious buyers, such as investors and cash purchasers, who are ready to put their money down. There is real potential that the competitive bidding process can push the price of your property higher, especially if it’s able to generate strong interest. However, on the other hand, modest interest can mean modest prices, often lower than you might get through quick sale providers. There is also typically a fee involved to get your home up on auction, which is worth considering.
Reconsider The Asking Price (Or Fly Under The Radar For A While)
If the home isn’t attracting offers or viewings, but you’re committed to selling it on the open market, then it may well be the asking price that’s the issue. With easier access to market data than ever, buyers can come prepared with all the knowledge they need to find a property in their price range. If yours is overpriced, it may get overlooked entirely. It might be time to ask your estate agent for a new market analysis and adjust your price strategically. Alternatively, if you’re trying to sell in the winter, then you might see fewer buyers on the market in general, and it may be worth pulling back on advertising your property openly until the weather improves again, if you’re able to wait that long.
It’s not always easy to figure out which strategy, specifically, will see you finally sell your home. With the tips above, however, you have plenty of options, so take your time to explore them and, one way or another, you’ll get it shifted.