I just retired. To see my retirement fund drop by 20% is not a great way to go into 30 plus years of retirement. Knowing exactly when to sell the house isn’t an exact science but I decided to put the house on the market ahead of waiting for what the government is going to dictate. The house sold in 2 days at the full asking price and here’s what I learned about how to sell your house fast.
Coronavirus Pandemic and Real Estate
The coronavirus crisis hit and Airbnb halted with a whiplash. The real estate market also took a pause and dropped 27.6% in January.
I had intended to sell my second house in November 2019 but decided to wait until I retire when I have more time. No one anticipated that the pandemic would put a kibosh on selling the house.
Renovate to Sell Your House Fast
Real estate is one of the best place to put your nest eggs for wealth growing strategies. One of the properties I purchased was in 2016. It was my dream home in the heart of the wine country in Temecula. The house was on 3 ½ acres, had a pool and a spectacular sunset each night. As I do with each new house I buy, I renovated it. I do this with each property I purchase and have always sold my house fast. The reason I do this is that I want to enjoy the renovation while living there in contrast to fixing up the house for someone else like the next owner.
Find a Great Real Estate Agent
I found an agent who is an owner and agent. She is knowledgeable, flexible, and has a team to react quickly. A good agent has resources of people (landscaper, handyman, painter) she can recommend to get your house in order. Your agent will also ensure a professional photo taken of your home will attract a lot of potential buyers. She also can advise you on the best time to sell and price the house right for selling your house fast.
Sell at the Right Time
There is no exact science on when the right time is short of having to sell because you need to relocate or needing to sell for financial reasons. The general guideline is when the inventory is low, it’s a seller’s market and that’s a great time to sell your house quickly. The inventory was low before the coronavirus pandemic hence the high cost of real estate. I contemplated whether to wait until the Great Lockdown is lifted or do it now when the inventory is nonexistent. I chose the latter and it paid off. Your great agent should be able to guide you through the optimal time to sell.
Stage Your House to Sell Fast
I used my second home for Airbnb so the house was already staged with minimal furnishing that was clean and functional. If you have a lot of furnitures in the house, you may have to hire a professional to stage your house.
Unclutter
Remove all unnecessary furniture and objects. I even removed all decorative pillows that may look cluttered to minimalists. Don’t pack them up in your closet that the potential buyers will open. Donate them or put them in storage.
Clean
Scrub and sanitize your house from top to bottom. This means removing all the spider webs, clean the baseboards and making the windows sparkle. Remove all pets and items associated with them such as litter box and pet odors.
Neutralize
The colorful dishes were removed and replaced by white china for the glass kitchen cabinets. I staged the kitchen with clear white wine glasses that appealed to the potential buyers. Have you been to a house where each room is painted in different color of green, blue, and red? It can be a turn off to some buyers.
Depersonalize
Remove personal objects such as paintings, family photos, and refrigerator magnets that are personal. Cultural arts that you may love may not appeal to potential buyers.
Repair All Broken Items
Fix broken cabinets that the potential buyers will open. The less items the buyers have to fix means less work and stress for them.
Brighten Things Up
Make sure the light to the entrance is working and lit. I have mood lights in the front and the back of the house that would make any buyers happy. Who doesn’t want a bright house? I love skylights in the hall and the bathrooms.
Curb Appeal
Trim all the trees; pull out the weeds and plant colorful flowers in the front yard. No one wants to see deferred maintenance that translates into more work for them. Nice curb appeal also means you are a seller who cared about your home and maintained it well.
Upload Spectacular Photos
Use professional photos to highlight your beautiful house. Having a great agent will ensure this. My agent knew the house would be at optimum views at sunset. BTW, the photos are of my house that I enjoyed for the last four years.
Be Proactive to Sell Your House Fast
There is no free lunch. I sold my house within two days for various reasons. Luck played a role. Yet, I would like to think I did it by being proactive. I studied the market and talked to my real estate agent on weekly basis. Listening to her advice on painting the fence, strategically replacing paintings with mirrors and neutralizing the house paid off. The secret is to put yourself in a place to be lucky.
Selling your house is personal. If you have put love, care, and attention to the house, it will sell. Follow these tips and sell your house fast even during the Coronavirus Crisis.
