Selling a home that’s in good condition is hard enough, but what if you need to sell a house that’s seen better days, and you don’t have the resources to make last-minute improvements to increase its property value?
In most cases, the task becomes exponentially harder. And just because you’re selling your home in its present condition, doesn’t mean buyers won’t make any specific requests before agreeing to a purchase. Still, there are steps you can take to help sell your home at the best possible price.
1. Look for an Experienced Real Estate Agent
If you desperately need to put your property on the market but can’t do much about its present condition, a seasoned real estate agent can really do some good work for you. A great agent can do the following:
- Provide an objective assessment of your property’s pros and cons—not all agents will do this for fear of offending you
- Provide suggestions on affordable upgrades that will actually yield the most value for money
- Connect you with a network of buyers willing to compromise on your home’s shape
When looking for potential real estate agents, narrow down your search to at least three professionals, all of whom should have experience selling homes as is. Ask each agent to create an action plan for selling your property, and choose the one with the most realistic assessment.
2. Get a Home Inspection
Just because you have an old home, doesn’t mean it’s in terrible shape. Conversely, just because you have a relatively new home, doesn’t mean it’s automatically problem free either.
A home inspection can give you an accurate assessment of the true condition of your home, which may uncover ‘hidden’ problems that involve your plumbing, foundations, and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and cooling) system among others. For older homes, an inspection can put into writing any repairs and improvements buyers may need to make after buying your property.
Inspections are all about objectivity and transparency, helping you and potential buyers know the situation at hand, ensuring that everyone walks away from the transaction without any regrets.
3. Go All Out in De-cluttering Your Home
If you can’t make any expensive improvements before selling your home, then at least make sure you clean and declutter the house before handing it off to a buyer. For homes owned by seniors or anyone who’s unable to do all the work of de-cluttering the house themselves, we suggest enlisting the help of those who can—think family members, friends, or neighbors.
Just because you’re selling your home as is, doesn’t give you an excuse not to clean it. You can still sell a fixer-upper, but you’re not exactly doing yourself any favors if you sell a home with a lot of junk inside it.
When all else fails, you can sell your home as is to an investor like Blue Hen Homebuyers. We buy all kinds of houses, regardless of their age or condition. Call our offices today at 910-802-2222 to learn more about how our services can help you.