6 Secrets to Getting a Good Deal on a House

Selling your house is one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll make in your life, and as such, you’ll want to do it right and get the best deal out of it. No matter the reason for selling your house, chances are that you need urgent cash, and coupled with the fact that you’ll most likely be dealing with people more experienced than you, getting a lowball deal is quite easy. To steer clear from the risk of making mistakes, you should weigh your selling options. One way to significantly ease this seemingly daunting task is to consider selling your house to reliable and trusted real estate groups in Jacksonville. Since you’ll be dealing with them directly, this will eliminate the need for real estate agents and other associated costs such as fees and repairs.

Everyone you’ll meet and engage with involved in the home buying-selling business will always be out for their best interests, and so should you. Most real estate agents and homebuyers are savvy and know all the tricks at the back of their sleeves. To help you match up, this article will highlight 6 secrets you should know to avoid falling into common pitfalls.

1. Price

The price you set is a critical consideration and a primary determinant of the deal you get. It’s what makes selling a house difficult or easy. To get this right, you should be knowledgeable of the prevailing market prices for home properties around the area the house is located. You can tell how similar houses that were recently sold around the area were priced using comparable home sales. Your set price shouldn’t deviate too much below or above the prevailing market price, depending on your circumstances. It should be optimal and capable of attracting as many potential buyers as possible. This will initiate a sense of competition and a bidding war that could increase the price.

2. First Impressions Matter

The statement ‘the first impression is the only impression’ couldn’t be further from the truth, especially when prepping your house for sale. There is no better way to achieve this than working to improve your curb appeal. Many homeowners focus on the interior at the expense of the exterior, not knowing that a potential buyer or property valuer started judging long before they got into the house. Identify inexpensive ways to spruce up your home’s exterior by focusing on areas like entryways. Invest in things like bright flowers, painting work, benches, etc.

3. Weigh your Upgrades

Be very frugal when it comes to major upgrades and focus on the most crucial ones with guaranteed returns only. When doing upgrades on their homes before selling, many homeowners tend to stray into their impulses and do upgrades that may not do much on increasing the home’s worth. Do an evaluation beforehand and ensure you can recoup more than the expenses you channelled into the renovations.

4. Make Essential Fixes

Quick fixes around convenient locations within your house will go a long way in boosting the value of your home compared to expensive upgrades that rarely guarantee returns. Consider spots that can have the most impact, like sprucing up the walls with fresh painting, new curtains, fixing malfunctioned locks & doors, repairing cabinet hardware, and other viable things. These seemingly minor inexpensive fixes coupled with a perfect curb appeal will have a compounded effect and dramatically increase your home’s aesthetic value and perceived worth.

5. Depersonalize, Clean, and Declutter

Depersonalizing your house, or removing your home from the house, is a great way to increase the chances of a potential buyer liking the place. It’s hard for buyers to imagine themselves and their families living in the house with your personal touches all over. Get rid of as much as you can, from family photos to your unique keepsakes. Also, ensure to thoroughly clean and declutter the house to showcase its full potential. You may want to consider the services of a home stager for the best results.

6. Work with a Local Real Estate Expert or Investor

As a homeowner, you’ll probably sell or buy a house only a few times in your lifetime. Real estate experts and investors, on the other hand, buy and sell houses for a living and have successfully closed various deals before. Get someone who’s aware of the real estate dynamics within your home’s community area. With so many buyers and sellers in the market, finding an expert agent will save you the hassle of advertising and negotiating your house’s sale, thereby saving you lots of time.

A real estate agent’s services aren’t free and will cost you about 5-6% on the sale price. However, it is worth the expense given the amount of work they do on your behalf, like navigating the laws, handling negotiations, marketing, dealing with customs, etc.