Unlike selling the average home, selling a slightly downtrodden home can be a different process, and it can be a lot more difficult than if you’re selling a fairly new house in immaculate condition. Buying a fixer-upper home isn’t to everybody’s appeal, however luckily for those out there who are left selling them, there is a target audience out there for you. Even if you have trouble finding the renovating enthusiasts, and don’t have the time or resources to do it yourself, there are options out there for you. Below are some top tips on how to sell a house, even if it is downtrodden.
Clean the House Thoroughly
One of the first things that any family looks for when they’re moving home, is that the house they’re viewing is clean and tidy. There is nothing that’s more off-putting than stepping foot into a house that either smells or looks like it needs a good clean. It doesn’t matter how much actual work the house itself needs done, as long as it’s clean, you can hold your head high, and show it around to its full potential. Some studies even claim that simply by cleaning up the interior and exterior of your home, that you can increase its value by 10% or more.
If the house needs a lot of expensive work done, and you feel its beyond your control, then why not focus on something that you can control? As well as making sure everything is clean and tidy, be sure to work on your curb appeal. Landscaping isn’t as complex as it sounds, so be sure not to leave it all to the professionals. It can be as simply as trimming the lawn, weeding, putting a few colourful flowerbeds down and investing in a welcoming door mat. All of these things combined can really help with the appeal of your home, and distract from any negatives.
Make the Minor Repairs
You don’t have to be a DIY expert in order to repair the smaller things that are wrong with your home. Obviously if there are plumbing and architectural faults these are best left to the professionals, but no matter what your experience there are certainly a few things you can do to improve the overall appearance and functionality of your home.
For example, if you have a dripping tap, investigate further and see if you can make a difference by simply tightening some of the piping, or adjusting the tap itself. It might sound daft, but even though you might not notice a dripping tap anymore, you can be sure that the fresh eyes of a budding buyer will.
Likewise, think of the cheap and easy ways that you can make your home look better on the superficial side of things. A prime example of this, is your kitchen cabinets. However old, worn and tired your kitchen cabinets might look, some new handles will spruce them up in no time. Doing this is completely inexpensive, not at all time consuming and will work in your favour when it comes to selling.
Don’t Overprice it
The unfortunate news is that because your property needs some work, people won’t want to pay as much for it as they would have originally – particularly property investors. When marketing your property, you have to think about who the best sort of buyers are going to be, and what sort of people are going to be interested in a property. A lot of the time, the average consumer wants to move into a house that they can simply decorate, and move their stuff into. You’re probably going to have more luck pushing your property towards property investors.
However, the problem with this is you’re unlikely to get the asking price. Investors thrive on paying less for a property, doing it up well, and selling it on for more profit. Unfortunately if you’re not willing to do this yourself, it would appear that this could be one of your only options. Having said that, it is possible you’ll find someone out there looking for a deal on a property who are willing to do it themselves. The best thing you can do is explore the options you do have, and if you do want to sell the property as it is, then you’ll possibly just have to take what you can get. Selling a fixer-upper property is a risky business financially, but it could pay off.