The Journey
So you’ve decided to take the next step in changing the direction of your journey on this strange, unpredictable, wonderful ride we call “life”. The only thing stopping your progress momentarily is that you need to sell your house. Sometimes life just turns out differently than what we originally planned.
It’s all part of what makes it so thrilling and exhilarating to wake up each new morning, and seize yet another beautiful day of it! Some people are content staying on one straight road, where they can see what’s ahead and everything is black and white. Challenges occur, but are somewhat expected, and their level of difficulty is minimal. But not you. Your world unfolds in vivid, living, fluorescent color.
You prefer the road less traveled, the unique, and the unusual. You love and embrace changes and challenges, and you have a good intuition. You like trying new things and taking a chance once in a while. After all, we only get one shot at this, and life is way too short for hesitation.
There are far too many things to experience, and not enough hours to experience them in! Now is the time to learn how to sell your house. You’ve made the decision, so what’s the next step?
The Value
OK, so first you’re going to want to do some good old-fashioned (well, sort of, but I’ll stop before I really show my age) research. You don’t want to go into this situation “blind” and looking foolish. After all, this is going to cost you enough as it is, what with paying off your mortgage, house repairs and renovations, real estate agent commissions, closing costs, legal fees and pre-inspection costs.
At least educate yourself on what you’re doing, and what you’re doing is market value research. This is one of the biggest factors to get right the first time when selling your house, and the one thing homeowners so often get wrong. For one thing, you have to remember to remain objective, and detach yourself from any emotions connected to the house, when you’re trying to put a price on it. (Also see our post about how much does it cost to sell your house)
You will also want to do your market value research. Utilize real estate valuation websites like Zillow and Trulia, both of which will offer you a free estimate on your home’s current market value that is fairly reliable. If you have a friend or relative who happens to be a realtor, have them give your home a quick tour and give you any suggestions they may have to help you sell it, as well as an estimate on its current value. You can also have a realtor you don’t know come and give you this same information, and it should also be free of charge. The difference is, an agent you don’t know is going to expect a shot at talking you into letting them list it.
Be prepared to endure and resist a pretty good, pretty aggressive sales pitch. Last but not least, you can hire a professional appraiser for somewhere around $4-500, give or take a hundred or two, depending on several different variables. This person will also be able to give you suggestions for improvements or upgrades, plus give you a very reliable number to go off for a listing price.
Typically you won’t be able to sell it for any higher than the appraisal. Then, when the buyer’s lender requests one of these (the sale will be contingent on one), you’ll know what to expect and what numbers they should be arriving at. It’s also a handy tool in your pocket to have as the seller, especially to use in your favor with influencing interested buyers. In any case, you have several options for accurately determining the value of your house. Once you feel comfortable with your research, come up with a good price that still has room for a little negotiation, and move on to the next step in how to sell your house.
The Preparation
Your best bet for preparing your house for the market is to do two main things. Number one, get an official home inspection checklist or, better yet, pay $300-500 and have a professional do a pre-listing inspection.
Though yes, it’s another expense, it’s a justifiable one because it will save you money in the long run, and potentially could save you thousands or even tens of thousands. If you just can’t swing it with your budget right now, download a copy of the official checklist and a pad and paper.
Start going through your house room by room, and going through the checklist meticulously. Take notes and call contractors for any work you find that will need to be done, and start scheduling estimates.
Stay on top of things and stay organized, take things room by room and give things away, throw as much as possible out, and declutter your house completely. Yes it’s a huge, daunting process, but is a necessary part of making the change you desire. However, there is an alternative…
The Other Option
If you are looking everything over and calculating time, energy and money in doing all of this, what it’s going to cost you is overwhelming. There are a myriad of reasons why a person may want or need to sell their house, and of course every one of our situations are different.
Some people have a lot of equity in their homes, and their choices are somewhat limited if they want to get the most from their investment. If that is your situation, this article is good, sound advice you can take to the bank. If, however, you’re looking for a quick and painless solution and don’t mind taking a little less than market value in exchange for some enticing perks, continue reading!
Sellyourhousefastlv is a respected cash home buyer in Nevada you can trust. They’ve been featured on several major networks’ news programs and newspapers as well. They make getting a quick, no obligation CASH offer on your house so simple, why wouldn’t you call?
They schedule a time to come see the property, and can make you a cash offer on the spot. There are no inspections and they take houses in any condition, plus they pay all costs related to the sale. Check them out for more details, and happy selling!
