How to Sell Your House Fast

It’s very obvious that we are in a buyer’s market in which there are more sellers than buyers. The excess of supply over demand results in lower prices and longer time to sell. This is quite opposite of a seller’s market.

For those who are in the market to purchase a home, it’s the best time ever to do so. Interest rates are low and you actually can take time to shop around till you the home of your choice.

If you are selling your home to purchase another house, there is no need to despair. You are taking advantage of the market situation in your purchase. It is your goal to make sure your house attracts prospective buyers so you can make a sale as soon as possible and walk away with the amount you are satisfied with. Even if you are among the unfortunate group of homeowners who have to sell due to involuntary reasons, you are still shooting for the same target.

It’s true that decision to purchase a new house is rational, yet picking the house is a rather emotional process. With an overwhelming number of homes for sale on the market, how can you make your house stand out and make an unforgettable impression to potential buyers?

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Aside from the obvious tips you got from watching HGTV, such as cosmetic quick fixes, here are some practical things you can do to enhance the appeal of your house to potential buyers.
   
   First things first, do a thorough cleaning of your house including carpet, wood floor, windows and doors. A few hundred dollars saved here could cost you thousands down the road.

2. Make your house as inviting as you can for your open house. Keep you front yard well maintained. Seasonal floral plants can be purchased inexpensively at Home Depot and planted at the entrance. If you do not want to spend money, the least you can do is keep it well watered, neat and clutter free.
   
   The look we are looking for is a model home presentation. You may go visit some new home communities in your area to get some ideas on how they stage the model homes.

3. Rearrange and even remove furniture to make your house more model-like than practical. You have to live inconveniently for a purpose, which is to make a quick sale and get more money for your house.
   
   Put those magazines and newspaper on the coffee table away. Clear your desks of piles of paperwork and books. Buyers come out to find a house they like, not common interests with you. Besides, they make the house look messy and crowded.

4. In normal cases, bathrooms and kitchen are the key factors in selling your house. Again, stage your bathrooms and kitchen as if they are in a model home. Yes, I know you still live there. But you are also trying to sell your home in an unfavorable market for a seller.
   
   In your bathrooms, remove all your personal items and put them in closed cabinets. Use secondary bathrooms instead of master bath. Showcase your master bath with decorative towels and floor mats; scented candles and soaps. Put those flowers from your garden to good use. Give those bath tubs a good scrub and pull open the shower curtains. When curtains are drawn closed, it makes the bathroom look smaller. If you have glass shower enclosures, make sure you wipe them clean after you use them.

5. Free the Kitchen counters of misc. appliances and gadgets. Leave only your coffeemaker and toaster if you have to use it. Cluttered counters translate to buyers as not having enough counter space and storage in the kitchen. Keep your mind focused on the decorative effects rather than the practical factors.
   
   Store away your winter clothes if you are selling in summer, or vice versa. Make your closets organized and spacious. Showcasing your fashion collection is not what we are trying to achieve here. A cluttered closet leads buyers to wonder if they will have enough space for all their stuff.

6. Take your kids and pets out and have some fun on the days of open house. Keep the toys and backpacks out of sight with exceptions of a few pieces, staged nice and neat in your children’s rooms. If you are working, keep your pets in the backyard or in a designated area in the house. As much as you love your pets, some buyers are not used to having your pets following and sniffing them around.
   
   If you have teenagers living at home, who love to put gazillions posters of their idols on the wall, remove them, the posters, I mean. I guess you can remove your teens if they do not cooperate. They tend to make the room appear smaller.
   
   Clear your counters in the hall way of all your personal collections and family photo frames. Buyers are not interested in your private lives. They are only out looking for a nice house with a good value, either appraised or perceived. Show as much space as you can.

7. Keep all the lights on in all rooms including bathrooms during open house time. Open up your windows and shutters. A well lighted house looks more appealing. If you have a lockbox on your door, you will have buyers coming with realtors to view your home when you are not home. Keep the lights when you are gone. Make your beds every morning before your leave the house. Make sure your trash cans are empty. Put some soft music on your CD player and have it repeat throughout the day. All the other above suggestions still apply.

8. In order to keep your house clean, and buyers from having to take shoes off, provide disposable booties or shoe covers at the entrance
   
   Utilize your grill and microwave for your meals. Make your cooking as minimal as you can to keep your kitchen clean; and your house free of odors. Paper plates and disposable utensils are great ideas during this time. Change your trash bags frequently.
   
   Ask your realtor to take pictures of your home and post the maximum pictures allowed in the MLS listing. For upper scale homes, request a virtual tour of your home to be posted online.

9. It can be a very tedious thing to have to keep your home like a model at all times when you are trying to sell your house. It’s also very inconvenient to have to hide away lots of items you use daily. Keep your mind focused on the real goal here and maybe you can get motivated by the end result.

[godfather25]

on 7/3/2009 Great tips on selling your house fast.

[karileighk]

on 6/26/2009 My parents are trying to sell their home. I'll pass this to them. *5

[starlet67]

on 5/23/2009 Smart tips for selling your house fast!5*

[tachic]

on 4/1/2009 Great tips to sell your home fast

[jjkadaba]

on 3/10/2009 This is experience talkin in this article! I've followed this advice for years (and 5 houses) and it works. Taking down personal items is really the best. 5*'s!