Moving can be a wonderful experience. It
can mark the beginning of a new life in a new place. It can be an exciting time
full of adventure. It can also be a major headache. Moving can be especially
nerve-wracking if you've put in an offer on a new place and have somewhere to
be soon but haven't found a buyer for your home yet. Coordinating your house's
sale with your move requires a little bit of organization, but it can be
done.
The following will help you plan the sale of your house with the dates you'd like to move.
Understand How Long Selling Takes
Typically, once an offer is made on a home, there is a 35-day long closing period. This is pretty difficult to navigate around if you are selling your home traditionally. Beyond this, the average home in the United States is listed for somewhere around 40 days. Of course, every home is different, and so every listing period is going to be different. If there are things that need to be done before your listing, this will add to the time required. If possible, begin the process early on. A real estate agent with knowledge of your area's properties and sales can help you determine a good date to list, depending on when you need the home sold.
Set the Price for a Sale
Of course, the price you set is essential. An agent can give you an idea of what is reasonable and what price ranges can be expected to sell in what timeframes. It might also be a good idea for you and your agent to determine a timeline for reducing the price. This means that you list at an ideal price, but if the house hasn't sold by a specific date, you lower the price. This can keep your home from floating on a listing for ages with no buyers.
Consider Alternatives to a Traditional Home Sale
There are other options to selling your home to another buyer through a real estate agent. Particularly, if you're moving need to sell house fast, you might want to look into some of these other options. Some businesses buy homes as-is (sometimes with cash) without the process of listing. This sort of option is probably the fastest way to sell a house. Often, these businesses involve a flipping component where they then work on the house and sell it later at a slightly higher price to account for their work.
Do What You Can to Encourage a Sale
Little tweaks can make a big difference in
buyer interest. Things like clearing your home of all the clutter and
personalization can make it
easier for potential buyers to imagine themselves (and all of their
stuff) in your space. If they're able to picture themselves living there, they
might feel more encouraged to buy.
Another wonderful trick—if you're not able to get all of your possessions out of the space early—is to take half of your stuff out of all the closets. This makes the storage space look bigger. All buyers love more storage space, and this can make a home feel more appealing to shoppers.
Speak to your real estate agent to discover if there are other tweaks, such as painting the cabinets or changing up the light bulbs, that could boost the first impression your house makes. Sometimes, in different neighborhoods, there are trends that are easy to adapt to that can make the difference between a sale and a pass.
Be Easy To Work With
Buying a home can be a stressful affair. No
one wants to deal with a difficult seller on top of the regular challenges.
Make sure that you're being as accommodating as possible with viewings and
tours and that you make yourself available to the agents or businesses
involved. Things like returning calls right away can increase the efficiency of
your sale.
With the above tips in mind, you're well on your way to making sure the sale of your home aligns with your move into the next place. Selling a home and moving at the same time can be stressful, so make sure that you're taking a few minutes every day to breathe and give your mind a rest. It is completely possible to manage the two tasks at the same time, but it can be made easier with a little help. Reach out to a professional real estate agent, but also to friends and family members, if you need an extra set of hands.
