As career real estate agents, we’re used to clients who enter the office with the “sell my home fast” approach. If that describes you, we have great news. Right now, Volusia County is riding the cool wave of a hot seller’s market, and real estate inventory is flying right off our curbsides. 

According to realtor.com, the average home in our county sells in about 47 days. That’s pretty speedy when you compare it with the stat that 90 days was the median time a house spent on the market just a year ago. However, the term “median” or “average” means some homes still take longer to sell than others.

Three Surefire Steps to Sell a Home in 60 Days or Less

If you’re wondering, “how can I sell my home as fast as possible,” we’ve got the answers.

Bonus Step: Hire the Right Real Estate Agent

Before we move forward with the steps you can take when you want to “sell my home faster,” we’re going to start with the obvious. Find yourself a local, licensed real estate agent who has a record of quick sales and satisfied customers.

Talented real estate agents move homes faster because they know how to market the home to the right audience, and they have the inside real estate network connections to generate a buzz. Don’t have a real estate agent just yet? Read Choose the Right Real Estate Agent to Sell Your DeLand Home, and let the search begin!

In the meantime, here are three steps to help your home sell quickly and for an optimal price once the “For Sale” sign goes up.

1. Make it pretty (inside and out)

There are two types of homes that sell the fastest in a seller’s market: turnkey homes that require zero to very minimal improvements and total fixer-uppers that sell for rock bottom prices. 

As a homeowner wanting to get the sales price, your job is to make the home and property as appealing as possible. Prospective buyers should be able to envision themselves feeling right at home instantly. An experienced real estate agent is your best ally in making the changes necessary because we know exactly which trends appeal to today’s buyers. 

Places to start include:

• Increasing curb appeal with new coats of paint, some landscaping updates (if needed), and ensuring the landscape is meticulously maintained, so it appears effortless to repeat prospects.
• Making neutral changes to the interior (eliminating highly personalized design choices) so the home appears as a polished, blank canvas that is ready and waiting for the new owners’ furnishings and decor.
• Declutter, declutter, and declutter some more. You’re planning to move anyway, so pre-sale decluttering and packing up the extras get you ahead of the moving game while enhancing your home’s appeal. 
• Staging the home for sale using a professional stager or an agent who has the right touch. Statistics held by the NAR tell us that 83% of buyers report that it’s easier to visualize staged homes as their own and that staged homes sell faster and for a higher price.
• Deep clean the home and shampoo the carpets. Occupants tend to become accustomed to their home’s accumulated wear-and-tear, not to mention dirt or longstanding grime, but prospective homebuyers notice right away, and it’s offputting.
• Repaint the walls, so they look fresh and clean. If your children are struggling with the changes you’re making, feel free to let up in their rooms a bit as those are the least likely to be “judged” by buyers. Instead, focus on the main living areas – living room, dining room, family room, and kitchen – as well as the master bedroom.

These cosmetic changes make a tremendous difference in how your home appears to buyers. 

2. Complete necessary repairs

Most buyers will schedule a home inspection before the contract is finalized. If there are issues with any of the more expensive home systems, they might balk at the sale or ask for a repair/replacement credit, which lowers the sales price. As a result, more minor house repairs left unfinished diminish from Step #1: Make it Pretty.

• Patch or repair any holes, cracks, or blemishes in walls, doors, siding, and other visible structural surfaces
• Repair the roof, so the home inspector will sign off that it has more than five years left (anything less than that and the home is uninsurable without roof repair/replacement)
• Replace an outdated HVAC system (one that is 20 years old or more)
• Tighten any loose or leaky faucets
• Tighten or replace any loose or missing door/closet/cabinet handles, knobs, or pulls
• Secure or replace loose or missing tiles on the floors, in showers/tubs, and on the fireplace
• Replace or tear up old/stained/worn flooring. Right now, buyers prefer hard surface flooring to carpet, so keep that in mind if you opt to replace it.

Buyers are most attracted to homes that look great and won’t need any major repairs or system replacements for at least another five years or more.

If, however, you don’t have time, money, or interest in doing notable repairs or improvements, be prepared to offer compelling incentives or buyer credits. While these take away from the final sales price, they often inspire buyers interested in making a few changes to the home anyway.

3. Use professional photos and marketing

Hopefully, you’ve honored our “Bonus Tip” and plan to hire a real estate agent. However, if you’re throwing around the idea of selling the home on your own, visit our post, Why Should I Use a Real Estate Agent to Sell My Home?

Once you decide on the right agent for you, make sure prospects partner with a professional photographer. There is a big difference between professional and amateur real estate photos. Since today’s buyers often peruse homes online before scheduling a tour, your photos are often a major player when it comes to selling your home faster.

Also, take a look at the prospective agent’s current real estate listing and their marketing approach. You’re looking for professionally written descriptions that are accurate and truly showcase the home’s “character” as much as its features and or flowery language. If the ads appeal to you, odds are the agent’s ads for your home will appeal to the right buyers.

The real estate agents at Southern Exclusive Realty are known for selling homes fast and getting top dollar for their clients. Contact us today to schedule a consultation, 386-279-7244. There’s not a moment to waste so we can list your home for a fast sale.