Some sellers feel that absolutely everything has to be picture-perfect before they can put their home up for sale, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Let’s take a look at these 5 tips to sell a house that needs repairs in Houston.
Honesty Is the Best Policy
When it comes time to put your fixer-upper on the local market, you need to be prepared to carefully answer some important questions that your potential buyers may have.
A major part of selling your property is building trust between yourself and any interested buyers. The last thing you want to do is eliminate that trust instantly by trying to pretend an obvious issue does not exist, or by trying to sell the buyer on the idea that the problem isn’t as bad as they think.
As soon as any buyer thinks there’s a chance you’re covering something up they will become skeptical of everything else with your home and only begin to scrutinize every detail that much more.
Focus on the Positives
Just as you should when writing your listing ad, you want to do everything you can do to highlight the strengths of the property.
This doesn’t mean completely ignoring any possible shortcomings just to sell a house, but it could mean trying to re-frame things as an opportunity for the buyer to handle things the way they see fit and make it their own.
As an example, substantially aged homes are often assumed to be more likely to need serious repairs. On the other hand, their solid framing and plaster walls help with insulation and carry a certain charm for a section of the buying public.
Highlighting the strengths can also mean turning a buyer’s attention to the exterior and the possibilities afforded for outdoor leisure and entertaining guests during the warmer months.
Offer Added Value
There are some things you can do to make any home more appealing despite its condition.
First, you want to make sure you price the property reasonably relative to other similar homes in the area. Not only do you need to take into consideration the features of your home but the condition as well.
To help determine how much of a price discount to apply when first listing, get estimates for any crucial repairs and factor that into your initial pricing equation. An alternative way to lessen the impact of the necessary fixes of your home is to make small updates throughout the house.
New lighting fixtures or kitchen and bathroom cabinet hardware can freshen things up and make the entire property more appealing.
Keep Things Professional
As buyers begin to put in offers on your home and negotiations get underway, there’s certainly going to be some pushing the need for repairs as a reason to reduce the final price of the property.
Take their perspective into mind when making any counter offers but don’t lose sight of what you would like to get from your home sale. Don’t take any offers or comments personally and keep a level head when dealing with buyers.
If you feel this could be difficult for you, we absolutely recommend hiring the services of a qualified and experienced real estate agent. An agent will take on the role of representing you in negotiations and provide useful recommendations to help you sell a house with less stress.
Find the Right Buyer
This final bit is incredibly important: stay patient.
There’s a chance that your local market is highly competitive and it may take other properties being snatched up before the right buyer comes along to fall in love with the opportunities provided by your home.
Don’t let yourself get discouraged by picky buyers who aren’t wanting to put in the work because eventually, someone will come along who can appreciate what’s there.
Your Houston Partner to Sell a House That Needs Repairs
If you’re trying to sell a house in Houston that needs repairs, contact us at (832) 346-7631!