Selling a home is not something most people do often. So, tips for selling a house are always helpful. So, it is easy to make mistakes along the way. However, some mistakes that are made during the process of selling a home can be costly or otherwise disastrous. So, it is important to take help anywhere you can to avoid any potential pitfalls. Here are some helpful tips you should know before selling your home to make the process as smooth as possible.
Top Tips for Selling a House
Get Your Paperwork in Order
Selling a house is a legal transaction. So, it requires that everything be done in a particular way. As soon as you decide to sell your home, get all of your paperwork organized right way. That way, if it sells fast, you do not have to spend time tearing apart the house looking for everything you need. If you decide to work with a realtor, he or she can let you know what kind of paperwork will be necessary. You can expect that you will need to provide information about the major mechanics of the home as well as any upgrades you made to the house while you were living in it. Other paperwork you may need to provide includes:
- Warranty on the roof.
- Furnace, air conditioning and hot water heater manuals.
- Major appliance purchase information and manuals.
- Dates and pertinent information about any projects like additions, remodels and window installations.
- Certificates of compliance such as building permits.
- Outstanding mortgage and pay-off balances.
- Instrument surveys.
Get a Pre-Listing Inspection
Before you list your home, have a professional inspection done on it by someone who belongs to either the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) or National Institute of Building Inspectors (NIBI). Having an inspection done will allow you to address any issues that could hold up a sale from going through. Once the inspection is complete, be sure to get a detailed report and pictures related to anything the inspector notes in the report. You can then pass along the report and corresponding pictures to whomever buys the house. Besides the main inspection, you should also consider having the following inspections done as well:
- Radon.
- Pest.
- Chimney.
- Septic system.
- Well water.
Research Your Local Real Estate Market
All real estate markets are different. If you want a successful experience of selling your house, you need to have it priced right. Of course you want to make as much money on the sale as you can. But, pricing it out of alignment with other houses in the market can make it impossible to sell. Do your homework and research the housing activity in your area. It is also good to know how many houses are currently for sale in your area so you know what the competition looks like. Comparing houses that have similar attributes to yours will give you a good indication of what price you can sell your house for.
Get Your House Ready
Even though you are going to be leaving your house, you should not leave it in a state of disrepair. Make the effort to give the walls a fresh coat of paint, clean the carpets, repair any holes in the walls and make any other necessary repairs that will make the home more appealing to prospective buyers. The first impression a prospective buyer has on a house can often make or break a deal, so be sure to have your house looking its best.
Become Emotionally Detached From Your House
If you have lived in a house for many years and made your life there, it is easy to become emotionally attached to it. But, always keep in mind, that you are not selling your home, you are selling a house. Your home is wherever you spend your most intimate moments and create memories with the people you love. Even if you leave the space where all that occurred, it will always be in your heart. When you decide it is time to leave your house, you need to remove your personal attachment to it and start looking at it as a business transaction. Put yourself in the mindset of doing what you need to do to make a sale happen rather than focusing on what you are leaving behind.
Do Not Forget About the Outside
You are not just selling your house, you are selling the entire property. So, do not ignore what the exterior of the house and the landscape look like. Power-wash the siding and driveway. Keep the lawn neatly mowed. Plant some vibrant flowers in your garden. Keep the hedges and bushes from becoming overgrown. With just a little bit of effort, the exterior of your house and its landscape can be perfect as a picture and ready to be sold.
If you need to sell your home, Ben Buys Indy Houses can help! We buy houses in the Indianapolis area for cash, and can get it done in 30 days or fewer. Contact us today to see why selling your house for cash to Ben Buys Indy Houses can be the right choice for you. Click here to see testimonials of happy and satisfied customers.
