Selling your house in one week sounds too good to be true – but it is possible! Sometimes it is just plain good luck; the right buyer walks into the home and simply falls head over heels for its charms. But that is the exception not the rule. However, don’t be discouraged! Here are some tips to make your home the hot property that will have the offers flooding in – possibly even within a week!

Ask a fair price for your home

The most important thing you can do to get your house sold quickly is to have a fair asking price for your type of home and its location. In any market, a home listed too high will not sell quickly. Real estate agents are astute and will wait out a bad price, advising buyers to remain patient until the price eventually drops or to move on to another home rather than overpaying. All sellers want to get high price for their home, but if you want to sell quickly, find a price for your home that still nets you a nice profit while not turning buyers off. According to the National Association of REALTORS ®, sellers looking to sell immediately are more likely to accept a price that is less than 90% of the asking price. Those who are less urgent may get 95-99% of the original asking price.

Don’t underestimate curb appeal

Once the price is right, you have to make them fall in love with your home. As the saying goes, you only get one chance to make a first impression. And the first thing your potential buyer sees is the outside of your home. Repaint or replace chipped and cracked window shutters and exterior doors. Clean out neglected gutters. Fix or replace that dented mailbox. Replace old gray mulch with fresh, richly colored mulch around trees and bushes. You may even want to plant fresh flowers to really make your home stand apart from the rest. Take whatever necessary steps you need to make it a home buyers can see themselves happily walking into (or driving up to) each day after a long day of work.These steps can make the difference for a quick sale.

Minimize and Depersonalize

After you’ve drawn them in with an appealing exterior, it’s time to land the sale with your carefully and deliberately staged interior.The first thing you should do if you want to “wow” potential buyers is to prepare the inside of your home by minimizing. Get rid of excess wall, shelf, counter and table decoration. You never know what the nationality, race, religion, or political affiliation of a potential buyer that walks through your door might be, so remove anything from your home that could distract and possibly offend a buyer. Don’t forget to take down the family photos as well. You want visitors focused, having a pleasant experience and imagining themselves living right there rather than inspecting your family experiences. Finally, remove any excess or visibly aged furniture. That old, worn out lay-z-boy is comfortable for sure, but it needs to go to the storage unit for now. Plus, less furniture will actually make your home look more spacious.

Keep an eye on your agent

After the home is ready inside and out,your real estate agent will list your home in the usual publications and online directories. If this is all they do, it might not be good enough to achieve that one-week sale you desire. Find out if your agent has a social media presence and is taking advantage of the outstanding reach of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and other platforms. Post your listing on your own social media accounts as well, asking your connections if they know of anyone in the market for a home. Make sure to praise your neighborhood in your listing. Mention the great parks, lakes and schools that are near your home. Also, make sure you and your real estate agent are using crisp, clear, dynamic photos that make your home look enticing to potential buyers. If you have an eye for photography, don’t be afraid to take them yourself. And don’t be afraid to review and approve or disapprove the photos your real estate agent has taken.  Be active in the selling of your home and ask questions about how your agent is getting your home out there to potential buyers.

Be flexible to maximize visitors

After your home is listed,you are going to have to be fully committed to selling it in one week. And this means being available all day. Nobody said this quick sale was going to be easy! Cancel your appointments. Use vacation days from work. Do whatever it takes to be fully free to show your home to buyers anytime – nights and weekends included. Also, consider rescheduling home meals earlier in the day and later in the evening. This will avoid postponing a visit from a sudden potential buyer because you are eating. While we are on the subject of eating, be careful what you cook during your busy week of visitors. The smell of your salmon and asparagus will certainly linger and have guests looking for a hasty exit.  

Don’t leave the quick sale of your home to blind luck. With a little extra time and effort, you can take control of your home’s destiny and achieve the elusive one-week sale.

For more information on selling your home today, read our seller information or contact us today to be on your way to selling your home quickly and effectively!