The population in Dallas is constantly growing, and a lot of home sellers have never been in a more powerful position. The area has been saturated with buyers of all ages and income levels due to the city’s booming job market. There are about 50% of the more than one million housing units in Dallas, TX that are owner-occupied. If you are part of that population and you are thinking of selling your house yourself, there are a few things that you need to know before you put your house on the market.
It’s quite convenient to just hire a realtor to take care of the details in selling a house. However, it also means that you have to give up a substantial percentage of your profit. If you do not want this, then selling your home by yourself is the key. Learn more about how to sell property by owner in Texas here.
If you are planning to sell your home in Dallas, we are here to give you a few tips that might help.
Determine the value of your house
One of the important things you need to know if you plan to sell your house is its value. You don’t have to sell it for the same price you bought it for, especially if it has been a long time since you bought it. You need to do some research and see how much the houses in your area are selling for.
Get help from a home inspector
You can also consult with a home inspector to help you determine the value of your house. A home inspector can check all the details, such as pipes and electricity. If everything in your house is in good shape and is functioning well, there’s no need to adjust your asking price with the amount of work your buyer will need to do after closing the sale. However, if there are some needed repairs in your house, you can either include them in your own budget or decrease your asking price and sell your home as it is.
Know the dimensions of your house
Another thing that makes a big difference to your asking price is square footage. In addition, knowing this also helps potential buyers visualize the space. Therefore, if possible, provide them the overall square footage of your house, including all the measurements of each room.
If you can give more information in your listing, the more professional it will look. Also, the more answers you can provide to potential buyers, the more confident they will feel about working with you. Therefore, give the answers before they even have to ask.
Make sure to declutter your house
One of the major things you need to do if you want to sell your house is to make it viewer-ready. Therefore, make sure to clean your house and remove or strategically hide any clutter. This way, you can show potential buyers a house as a place where they will live their best lives. Also, a clean space will also help them imagine a future in your house where they stay on top of their cleaning.
Depersonalize your house
Aside from decluttering, depersonalizing your house can also help. Potential buyers would want to envision their own things, such as furniture, paint, and décor, in a house before buying it. They want the opportunity to imagine the space as their own. To give them the opportunity, neutral tones and depersonalized décor is the key.
Let natural light in your house
It’s also great if you can take advantage of natural light. Remove your curtains, buff the windows, and let in the natural Dallas light. This way, potential buyers will view your house as a bright and relaxing space.
Do some needed renovations and updates
If it is not worth it for you to do major renovations, then you can perform lower cost updates that are worth considering. This can include replacing small appliances and even door and cabinet knobs, which are fairly inexpensive. You can also pull up old carpeting to reveal clean floors and repaint dark or unnatural-colored walls. This way, your old-fashioned house will look like a modern home. Make it simple, natural, and sleek.
Make your front lawn or exterior appealing
When you look at home listings, you usually see a photo of the outside house first before seeing its interior. This is the same when potential in-person buyers visit your house. They will see your front lawn and front exterior first, even before parking their cars outside. Therefore, when selling your house, your curb appeal is the first impression, so make it count.
Ensure that your lawn and garden and maintained. You can invest in a few potted plants to brighten up the walkway. You can also repaint your mailbox and front door if they are looking ragged.
Take beautiful photos of your house
Make sure that you use a good camera to take photos of your house. It’s better to take photos during the day when natural light is not very harsh or blinding but just bright enough to illuminate the room. Try to avoid using unnatural light to prevent casting a yellowish glow. Try to have at least one photo per room. For larger spaces like living rooms, up to two photos are needed to capture different angles.
Think about the local attractions in Dallas
Another thing that potential buyers look into when choosing a house is the surrounding attractions and conveniences of the property. With this, you need to think about all the things that Dallas has to offer.
For example, you can add how many minutes of car ride your home is from the Dallas Museum of Art and other interesting places to your listing. Also, think about conveniences for your potential buyers. List how many grocery stores, malls, schools, and hospitals are nearby your house and how they could get there easily. Just let your buyers know the kind of perks they can expect when they buy your house.
Be ready to negotiate
You cannot expect that all potential buyers will pay your asking price without any questions. Keep in mind that people always want to negotiate for a better deal, whether they would ask you to sell the house for less or pay for more of the renovations than you envisioned. There will be times when it’s in your best interest to take a little bit less than your asking price. However, do not give up too much of your potential profit. In the end, what you need to do is make a contract that will protect you and the buyer.
These are some of the best tips we can give on selling your home in Dallas. It is indeed the best time to consider entering the Dallas real estate market, with the job market increase and an influx of millennials flocking to the city for its affordable price. We hope these tips will help you in selling your home in Dallas.