Did you know that the average number of days a home was on the market in Chicago in May 2021 was 34 days? Homes are selling much faster than in previous years, but if you need to sell your home fast, over a month just won’t cut it.
If you need to sell your home quickly, you’ll need to know what to do to make sure a quick sale happens. Read on for our tips for selling a house in 7 days or less.
1. Decide How You Will Sell
When you need to sell a home quickly, for whatever reason, you will need to decide what route you are going to take. You can choose to hire an agent to handle the listing, negotiations, and paperwork.
Or, you can opt to sell it by owner if you have the time and feel that you have the expertise to handle the sale. If you need to sell quickly, though, for sale by owner may not be your best option.
One last option is to sell your home for cash to an investor or company that buys homes as-is. These companies or investors often buy properties and flip them or rent them. They make cash offers, don’t require any inspections or repairs, and can typically close very quickly.
2. Clean and Declutter
If you decide you want to sell your home with an agent or for sale by owner, you will need to decide where to focus your energy. If you need to sell in 7 days or less, there are so many hours in the day to get your home ready.
One of the most impactful things you can do is to declutter and clean your home. If you have to rent a storage unit, do it. Get all the clutter, extra furniture, and any items from overflowing closets, basements, or attics out of your home. Let prospective buyers see the house, not your stuff.
You want them to be able to picture themselves in the home, which is hard to do when your shelves and closets are overflowing with your things. You should make sure the home is spic and span as well.
Buyers who see that your home is dirty on the surface will wonder what else you’ve neglected in the home if you don’t even do basic cleaning.
3. Make Small Repairs
When you’re trying to sell your home fast, it’s not the time to decide to add on a deck, replace kitchen cabinets, or install new flooring. Instead, focus on quick repairs that will have a big impact.
If you have any loose tiles, scuffed walls, or burnt-out lightbulbs, address those. Fix anything that is damaged and consider a fresh coat of paint on the walls to brighten things up. Paint is a quick and easy way to update your home.
Otherwise, try to only fix things that may come up in an inspection, such as faucets or outlets that don’t work, clogged drains, leaking pipes, etc.
4. Improve Curb Appeal
Your prospective buyers have the entire time they are walking up to your door to judge your home. You don’t want them to have a bad impression before they even get in the door. Make sure that your yard is clean and manicured, weed any flower beds, clean your front door and porch, and consider planting a few flowers to make it look inviting.
Don’t take on a huge landscaping project a week before you want to list your home, but take a few hours to clean up your yard and entrance to your home.
5. Price it Right
When you want a fast sale, you want to price it right so you get a lot of showings right off the bat. You don’t have time to go back and forth with buyers trying to negotiate a lower price nor do you have time to lower the price if you don’t get an offer.
Your agent should be able to advise you on how to price your home, and if you price it right from the beginning, you may end up with multiple offers and a bidding war, resulting in a higher-than-list sale price.
6. Be Flexible with Showings
Plan to be out of your home as much as possible to allow as many showing as you can. Stay with friends or family or get a hotel for a few days so buyers can come through when they want, whether that’s 8:00 a.m. or 8:00 p.m.
If you have pets, take them and any evidence of them (food dishes, beds, toys, etc.) with you. There should be no trace of your pets in the home when buyers walk through.
7. Market Like Crazy
When you pick an agent, make sure they know you are on a tight timeline. This means that you’re going to need to market your home like crazy right from the start to get people in there.
Your agent should have a clear marketing strategy and use professional photos, virtual tours, and even aerial videos to show the property to prospective buyers. As the seller, you can also share your home on social media and with friends and family.
8. Time Your Sale Right
There are better times of year to sell, especially in a place like Chicago where the winter is particularly brutal. In northern and midwestern states, the best time to sell your home is in the spring.
Your agent can advise you on the best strategy, but you can interpret this two ways. First, you could wait until the spring to list your home, as that is when most buyers will be looking. Or, you can decide to list in the winter months, with the hope that you’ll attract more buyers as there are fewer homes on the market.
Selling a House in 7 Days is possible with URB
Selling a house in seven days is possible, but you’ll need to work hard and be strategic to make it happen. Your best options are to sell your home for cash or to choose an experienced agent who understands your time crunch.
If you are ready to sell and want to take the cash route, contact us today on our Fair Cash Offer Hotline.