Do you have a home in Virginia that you need to sell fast? Whether you are wondering, “How can I sell my house fast in Northern Virginia?” or googling “home cash buyers near me,” the good news is you have choices when selling your home.
Whatever circumstances have led you to a fast sale, there is a solution that will free you from the burden of your home. Determining the ideal path will depend on how fast you want it gone and how much maximizing profit is worth to you. You must prioritize speed, convenience, or profit when selling your house. Once you know what is most important to you, you’ll have a good idea of the best route you should take to sell your home.
3 Ways to Sell Your Home Fast
1. List It with a Realtor
You can expect a quick offer when you properly prepare to sell your home, price it right, and market it extensively. By listing with a realtor, you get the benefit of great exposure through their network of realtors. You’ll also have the advantage of tapping into the wealth of knowledge from their experience selling homes in your area of Virginia. A realtor knows what buyers look for and what makes houses sell fast.
The downside? They take a chunk of the sale. A realtor gets a commission for the sale of your home. The buyers and sellers agents typically split the commission, with a piece going to the brokers. And while 5-6% doesn’t seem like much, it adds up fast. The average home price in Virginia is currently $370,000. A 6% commission on that sale will be $22,200, which is a pretty big hit to your profits.
2. Put Up a “For Sale By Owner” Sign
If you have a DIY mentality, you can sell your own home. Anyone can pay the fee and list their home on the MLS, and from there, you will need to negotiate any offers, handle the paperwork, and navigate closing. But, at the end of the closing, you get to keep a chunk of the money you would be paying in realtor fees.
The tradeoff is that you lose out on the experience and knowledge of hiring a professional. Handling the sale of your home is the most involved way to sell your home, and your lack of experience can leave room for errors and slow down the process. If you are confident, you can handle the loads of paperwork and have time to navigate the sales process, this could net you a higher profit.
3. Contact a “Buy My House for Cash” Investor
If your priority is speed, the best option, hands down, is to sell to a real estate investor. While you won’t get top dollar for your home, you will be guaranteed a quick and easy sale. An investor can get you out of your house in as little as a week. They’ll handle the paperwork, help deal with any liens, tackle necessary work, and free you from the responsibility of owning that home.
The negative is that while an investor is willing to take on all the work to get a house ready to sell, they also want to make money doing it. Their offer will likely be less than what you could get with a realtor, knowing they will need to sink more money into your home before they put it back on the market. Investors provide an invaluable service, but their offers reflect the time, effort, and cost they’re saving you.
Tips to Ensure a Fast Sale
If your goal is to try and get it all (speed, convenience, and profit), you will have your work cut out for you. But Virginia is a hot area. On average, a house only spends 17 days on the market. You can absolutely sell your home fast, as long as it is priced right. Homes that sit for weeks are generally priced too high or have significant issues.
Remember that if you sell to a real estate investor, they will handle the following. But here is what you must do to ensure your home moves fast:
● Price It Right
A well-priced home has the best chance of moving fast. Realistic expectations of your home’s worth will get potential buyers in the door and lead to a faster sale.
● Enhance Your Curb Appeal
Take stock of any exterior work and upgrades before you list your home. For potential buyers, you want it to be love at first sight. Anyone who pulls up should dream about calling your home their own.
● Make Upgrades
If you are selling fast, you don’t have time for significant upgrades, but what could make your home more modern within your timeline? New paint? Appliances? A new water heater? A house should appear well-maintained and cared for. If things look rough and dated, do what you can to spruce the place up.
● Invest in Expert Marketing (Including Photos)
High-level marketing casts a wide net of exposure for your property. You want professional-looking materials that use quality photos of your home. The images people see online will make them attend an open house or schedule a showing.
● Clean, Declutter, and Depersonalize
Every home on the market should appeal to buyers by being sparkling clean. If there is one thing you do to prepare your home for sale, it is a deep clean. People have trouble seeing through a mess to truly grasp a home’s potential. Scrub every surface, get rid of clutter, and remove anything personal.
● Stage It to Make People Want It
When you show your home to buyers, you want them to see themselves living there. Whether you bring in a professional stager or reconfigure what you have, proper staging should show your home’s best features. Focus on minimal furnishings to make rooms appear spacious and open. And remember to give your outdoor spaces some attention as well.
Virginia is a great place to call home. Rest assured that when your home needs to move fast, buyers are looking for exactly what you have. By honing in on the right sales solution for your unique situation, you can wrap your home’s sale up in record time.