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Do you need to sell your Bucks County home fast? Taking a few pre-listing steps can shorten the time from listing to sale while still ensuring that you sell at a good price. A trusted real estate agent can help you take the right steps to speed your sale along.
Request a Comparative Market Analysis
The first step is to have your agent do a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA), which compares your house to similar houses in your area. Unless you have real estate experience, you shouldn’t try to do your own analysis. As a real estate agent, I have the expertise to choose the right comparables and make adjustments in value as needed, for instance, for current market conditions or the condition of the home.
A thorough CMA will evaluate multiple data points: not just what comparable houses have sold for but also what homes are under contract, how many comparable homes are still on the market in your area, the season in which you are trying to sell, and current economic conditions.
Do a Pre-listing Inspection
While your CMA is being calculated, have a pre-listing inspection done by a reputable company. You should take care of any small repairs, but major issues or repairs should be clearly listed for potential buyers. If you have a few major upgrades that the new buyer would likely need to make, consider selling your home “AS IS.” Sometimes, fixer-uppers are very attractive to young first-time home-buyers who are willing to do their own work on a house in exchange for a lower price.
Set a Selling Price
Once you have your CMA and a clear understanding of what work needs to be done on your house, you can set a selling price with the advice of your agent. If you really want to sell fast, set a price a little below that of similar competition. Price is the number one concern of some homebuyers, and a lower price will definitely draw attention.
Help your buyer by preparing a list of all recommended repairs, as well as a complete list of all appliances that come with the house, along with their warranties. List all expenses that come with the house: property taxes, average monthly utilities, trash, homeowners’ association fees, pool upkeep if you have a pool, etc. Have all your financial records prepared for quick turnaround: deed, tax records, mortgage, etc. Having all the answers ready before the buyer asks will expedite the sale.
Consider offering certain concessions to make buying your house look more attractive. Covering all or part of closing costs is a popular and attractive option. You can contribute to an interest rate buydown, thus lowering the buyer’s interest costs for a set period of years or for the life of the loan. You may also offer to leave more appliances in the home so that the new buyer does not need to purchase them.
Prepare Your House for Sale
I still recommend you take the same steps any other home seller would take: clean the house top to bottom, declutter significantly, and tidy up the exterior to boost curb appeal. People don’t want to buy an eyesore, even if they are getting the house for less than other houses in the area. Make it look as nice as possible so that you will have multiple offers, and you may find that you actually sell for more than you are asking, just because you worked with your agent to do the upfront work.
