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The common theme in my listings appointments this week has been, “Can I sell my Triangle Area NC Home in “as is” condition?”
Here is the good news. Of course! You don’t have to do a single thing and you don’t need to spend one thin dime.
But it is not a good idea.
Why? Because you can make some serious money by investing a little bit of money and work in “staging” the home for sale.
Most sellers, however, are afraid that the buyer will require fixes that will either be expensive, inconvenient or a lot of both. The devil is in the unknowing – what will that potentially unrealistic/demanding buyer want?
Here are 5 simple steps that will keep your nasty surprises to an absolute minimum.
1. Have a home inspection before marketing your home to the public
This is the wave of the very near future and it is already standard practice in other parts of North Carolina. At the very least your potential buyer can make an offer based on real knowledge of the home’s true condition.
2. Fix any maintenance items upfront
This will eliminate the “nickel and diming” so many sellers fear. As an additional bonus, a house that is in great form always appears to the buyers as a home of much greater value than one in “normal wear and tear” condition.
3. Seek a written quote for items that need repair but you are unwilling to fix now.
Perhaps there is a significant problem that you can’t or won’t deal with upfront. Give the buyer a solid, written solution. Decisions made on facts are always better than decisions made out of the fear of the unknown.
4. Make copies of these reports available to potential buyers upfront.
5. Touch up worn paint and trim and fix or replace broken latches, windows or handles. Replace broken or missing outlet and switch covers.
If everything the buyer sees is in tip top form, they will assume that everything they can’t see is in similar shape.
One last word to the wise. In today’s incredibly difficult business environment, it is vital that you have an experienced Realtor handling the distribution of this information. These reports need to go to the right person at the right time. One false step can have serious consequences to the sale of your home.