There are several simple steps you can take to ensure a quick and easy sale of your home. HomeJab, a real estate photography website, has even discovered that locations using professional HDR photos in their listings can sell around 50% faster while also accruing 118% more views in the same time.
So, aside from ensuring that you don’t use simple smartphone camera shots, do you know how to sell your home faster?
Below, we answer the question, “How do I sell my home fast and without fuss?”, shaving time and effort off your sales process to ensure that you resolve everything as quickly as possible.
Read on to ensure that the Memphis housing market works for you. Use these home sale strategies and avoid the mistakes that would turn a profitable sale into a moment you regret for years to come.
Price Your Memphis Home Right the First Time
It takes almost two months to sell a house in Memphis, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, and this can drive some people to impatience. To speed things up, you should ensure you source an appropriate valuation.
This will help you avoid underpricing. Overpricing can also cause the home to sit on the market for longer than it should, which can force you to underprice it later when the listing goes stale.
So, use online price-checking sites to find a list of sales that match:
- Bedroom numbers
- Bathroom numbers
- Square footage
- Aesthetic
You can then estimate the approximate price you could sell for. However, be aware that these are not the only factors that impact a price.
For example, Better Homes & Gardens recently pointed out that even something as simple as landscaping can yield an ROI of up to 200%, making it a key factor in preparing a home for sale. Homes with this update can sell for significantly more, potentially skewing the cost in your local area.
Adjust for Local Trends
While it may require some research, you should investigate local trends to determine whether your region demands higher prices for specific amenities. For example, you may be able to ask for more if your home is:
- In a walkable area
- Surrounded by potential new builds
- In the center of a good school district
- A single-floor bungalow
Track the monthly market reports on each of these potential locations, understanding that some sell for more or less at specific times. For example, families with children may choose to move home more during the summer months when the children are no longer in school, but they may also be those aiming for a specific school district.
Factor Closing Costs Into Your Plan Before Listing
Before you get dollar signs in front of your eyes, remember that the listing price is not necessarily the same as the amount you will receive. You will need to accept things like:
- Title transfer costs
- Escrow
- Transfer taxes
- Agent commissions
- Buyer concessions
- HOA disclosure packets
- Attorney review
All of these can start to add up. However, unless you use a cash-in-hand property sales platform such as WeBuyHouses.com, they are relatively universal. As such, don’t worry too much about trying to avoid them.
Make Repairs and Upgrades That Protect Your Asking Price
When you put the house up for sale, remember that viewings and legal processes will make every blemish and repair requirement clear to the potential buyer. You cannot hide these things, and Tennessee law states that sellers who do not do so face significant fines.
Much of the time, however, sub-$1,000 fixes can significantly boost the property’s price, offering a bump in price of several thousand dollars with each one.
Prioritize these fixes by those that are likely to offer the strongest ROI, such as:
- Repainting the main living areas in warm neutrals
- Painting the front door black or charcoal
- Swapping any older light fixtures for modern LEDs
- Pressure-washing the driveway and walkways
- Adding fresh mulch to the property and trimming plants
- Installing oversized solar-powered lighting
- Replacing the house numbers and mailbox
Keep any receipts for repairs and upgrades you make. These are perfect for when you wish to reassure any buyers and negotiate a price following their inspections.
In many cases, you may also be able to offer them warranty documents, allowing them to receive another repair at no additional cost should anything go wrong after the sale.
Replacing any cracked fixtures, such as bath and kitchen faucets or light switches, also modernizes the spaces and ensures that the location appears newer. You can often swap these out for brushed-nickel or other “luxury” options for a more opulent feeling.
If you have any hardwood flooring, be sure to repair and varnish any scratches to instantly enhance the perception of good property maintenance. These require minimal cost for each scratch and can provide a significant boost in ROI per square meter.
When Selling Without Repairs Makes More Sense
If the total repair cost is likely to exceed 10% of the after-repair home value, you may want to consider investing in another area. Remember that you are aiming for both speed and value, so the time taken to make repairs may be a problem itself in many cases.
Additionally, it is not only the cost of materials that you will need to consider. If repairs require the use of a specialist or additional inspections, then it will cost you even more.
Finally, as mentioned before, you will need to report any defects in detail during the sale, regardless of how well you repair them. As such, if you clean and varnish a floor only to inform people that it is damaged due to a termite infection, they are unlikely to consider the aesthetics, as they may rip the floors up after the sale.
Avoid Inspection Issues and Pass Your Code Check
While Tennessee sellers are not required to source an inspection, buyers may demand one. Before scheduling an inspection, however, ensure that you have done everything reasonable to put the home in good order. They are likely to look at areas such as:
- HVAC
- Roofing
- Wiring
- Utility installations
Pre-inspect these to stay ahead of the issue and avoid the need to bring in an inspector more than once, which would cause you even more outgoings. AFS lists that the most common examples of inspector issues to be aware of include:
- Faulty wiring
- Poor drainage and clogged gutters
- Roof issues
- Damp basements and faulty plumbing
- Heating and ventilation issues
Each of these might cost a small portion of your home sale profits to fix, but completing them will prevent any buyer from noticing them before a sale and factoring them into negotiations or causing you litigation after the sale.
Market Your Home Sensibly
Axios recently reported that every modern buyer performs some form of online home browsing. As such, manage your listings in the Memphis housing market to appeal to mobile-first browsers.
You may also want to investigate issues such as real estate SEO to ensure that people looking for a new home find you before others. Keyword-rich descriptions that appeal to local buyers will boost your visibility in Google, attracting more attention to your home.
At the same time, post online in locations that will put your home in front of those most likely to buy it. There is no point, for example, in posting on Facebook if you want to appeal to a younger crowd, as most of those individuals don’t use the platform in the same way.
As video becomes easier to manage, you may wish to shoot a few tours for TikTok or Instagram Reels. Real estate agents will feature these on their pages, increasing your visibility. However, discuss with them how best to do this, as they may already have a process in place.
When working with a real estate seller, ensure you review the terms of sale for any contingency clauses and adhere to them. The last thing you want is a last-minute issue that interferes with what would otherwise be a simple sale.
How to Sell Your Home with a Fast Cash Sale
Instead of following the lengthy process of traditional real estate sales, investigate options like WeBuyHouses.com. We can go from your first phone call to a complete sale in a matter of weeks, rather than months.
You simply need to sign up on our website, providing us with information about the property, and one of our specialists will book an inspection. Once this is done, we can make you an offer valid for thirty days, giving you time to decide whether or not to sell. Then, receive the money without fuss and without fees to ensure you get the cash you deserve.
Make a Quick Property Sale Without Regrets
Wondering how to sell your home quickly? Don’t take too long to get your home on and off the market. Repair only what you need to, make upgrades only if they offer a significant return on investment, and price the house sensibly for your needs.
Or, skip all that and contact WeBuyHouses.com via our online form. We can get in and out with an offer you can be happy with. Get a no-obligation cash offer and gain certainty about your financial future today.
