10 Tips To Sell Your House Yourself

Countless homeowners are asking themselves, “How much is my home worth?” 200,000, 300,000, 400,000, maybe 500,000. Let’s say on average 350,000. Check this out! You could save thousands of dollars by selling your house yourself. This blog offers tips as you navigate the process and will help you move forward with integrity.

Now, my name is Vania McClung with Integrity Cash Home Buyers and I’m dedicated to helping families in Hampton Roads get to their next destination in life. In fact here is a link to download a full checklist for selling your home yourself.

If you are considering selling your home in Hampton Roads you’ll want to be sure that you know what Realtors actually do. You’ll be responsible for every step of the selling process and trying to sell a home For Sale by Owner can be tough. But we got this!

Tip #1: Prepare

I cannot say this enough declutter, declutter, declutter, de- clutter. Get your home ready to sell. You don’t want to make your house look like it’s lived in and turn off buyers with unorganized rooms and items throughout your home. Like with most first impressions, you want to have that WOW factor when buyers enter your home. You can look for inspiration on websites like Pinterest and houzz.com. I’m talking about the things we can all do ourselves. Fixing basic things, Cleaning those baseboards and some fresh paint won’t hurt.

Avoid making costly renovations unless you know that you’ll be able to recoup your investment in your home. People just want to feel good about your home. They want to see that you’ve maintained and cared for the home. Little things matter and can really go a long way toward making a buyer feel good about your house.

Tip #2: Price is Everything

Your asking price depends on several key factors including timing and the current market conditions. Pricing your home to sell makes sense if you want to move on to your next destination in life sooner than later. But if you are not in a hurry why not price it high and adjust as needed.

Tip #3: Follow The Laws

Even if you don’t use an Agent to sell your home you have to follow the laws of the land. No amount of savings is worth putting you and your well-being at risk. Virginia is a “Buyer Beware” state and has minimal disclosure requirements for sellers. However, there are some issues that absolutely must be reported. Is your property near a military air installation? Are there any pending enforcements actions or zoning violations? Was your home previously used as a meth lab? Yeah a meth lab? Not disclosing these issues is against the law and can have serious repercussions. Bottom line, as a seller you cannot intentionally mislead or lie to potential buyers about known issues to your home.

Tip #4: Promote to family

Before you invest a boatload of money into marketing materials trying to promote the sale of your home with print ads, Facebook posts, and signage to paint the town with, share the news with your friends, family, and coworkers. Call, Text and email them all and let them know you have a home priced to sell. You might just have your buyer’s contact info in your phone right now.

Tip #5: Hire a Photographer

Sure the iPhone is cool, I have one too. But when it comes to selling a home, hiring a professional photographer is your best bet. The few hundred bucks you’ll spend on these services are more than with it. Nowadays, nearly every home search begins online and therefore home buyers and agents see photos of your home well before ever stepping foot onto your property. A professional will capture and highlight the best features of your home and will literally present them in the best light. Poor quality photos will drastically hurt your chances of capturing a buyer’s attention online and you will struggle to sell your home without quality pictures.

Tip #6: List on the MLS by Owner

The MLS is every real estate agents best friend. The amount of exposure your property will get by listing this way is well worth the costs. Your property can be featured on major websites like Zillow and Realtor.com. This will greatly increase your odds when selling your home without a realtor.

Tip #7: Promote

Gone are the days where a simple “for sale” sign in the front yard would have lines at your door and multiple offers on your home. In today’s digital landscape promoting anything is a serious undertaking and can be a full time job. You’re going to want do what suits you and your budget best. Don’t spend money on fancy walkthrough videos or other high-end promotions unless they highlight a very unique feature that only your property can offer. If it can be adequately shown in a photo, let it. Don’t get too carried away marketing your home to buyers.

Tip #8: Skip The Open-House

Personally I don’t care too much for open houses when you’re selling a home without an agent. I mean come on, having people you don’t know in your home. You’re not sure if they are even qualified to buy your home or what their motivations are. But if you do decide to host any open houses make sure you have someone you trust in the home with you. Do not do this alone. Also be mindful to hide any valuables or anything that you don’t want to grow legs. I mean its 2022 and yes people will come to your open house and leave with your favorite pearl necklace and not think twice. You can have people sign in and collect some basic information like name email and phone. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Tip #9: Must Haves

You are just about at the finish line and ready to sell your home without a realtor. But just because you don’t need a realtor, doesn’t mean that you won’t have any expenses fees and or commissions of any kind. The reality is that most buyers are represented by an agent and you will inevitably have to pay their side out of your pocket. And there is no way in the world that I would go through this real estate transaction without a real estate attorney or title company on my team. You absolutely owe to yourself to protect yourself from any issues that may arise before, during, or after the sale of your home.

Tip #10: Consider a Cash Buyer

One alternative way to sell your home without a realtor and move forward with integrity is to a cash buyer like Integrity Cash Home Buyers. We make fast fair cash offers on homes is Hampton Roads. We’ve been providing solutions to many of the common real estate issues facing families in the Tidewater region. We buy houses in any condition free from any commissions, fees, or costs to you. Call us and get a fair cash offer your home in as little as 24 hours. We are always open and we are here to help you sell your house whenever you are ready.