How to Sell Your Fixer Upper: From Sigh to Sold!

It’s Not ALL Bad

Just because your home needs some repairs doesn’t mean the house is one big problem. Every house has some attractive features that buyers will find desirable; design, historical value, or location.  You should know the advantages of your home and highlight them. Share your favorite aspects of the property like how the tree out back provides shade, keeping your energy bill low during hot summer months.  Pointing out the perks provides perspective to buyers and helps facilitate the sale.

Clean House

Highlight those advantages by tidying up.  When you’re trying to sell a home that already needs work, it does not help to have cluttered spaces and messy rooms.  This will put off prospective buyers, making things look worse than they really are.   So clean up the yard, and pull out the vacuum cleaner. Shine up the fixtures in the bathroom and kitchen (stainless steel cleaner works wonders!) and make your bed.  Now is the time to remove clutter and purge all unnecessary items.  Afterall, you’re getting ready to move and this will only help you in the end.  Keeping things tidy also helps prospective buyers imagine the space as their own, which is often the main draw of fixer uppers.  If you have unwanted guests (anything with four or more legs that you didn’t invite), get rid of them. This includes the gnats that tend to collect in the bottoms of light fixtures. For more extensive pest control projects, call the professionals and keep the documentation to show buyers who come to check out your home. Disclosing  current or former pest infestations to potential buyers is  legally required in most states.

Keeping Up Appearances

Take pride in your home!  Small cosmetic changes can make all the difference.  Replace burned out lightbulbs and broken or cracked electrical switches, outlets and plates.  All of which can be done on a budget and should be done with the proper safety precautions. Curb appeal is real!  Vamp up the exterior with potted plants at the entrance and a mat at the doorway to prevent tracking in dirt.  This not only makes the property more inviting, but you can take these items with you to beautify your new home.

The Unveiling

After you’ve cleaned up and made small cosmetic improvements, it is time to showcase your house.  Do your part by advertising online, in the local newspaper, and by word of mouth. It can be more difficult to find a buyer for fixer upper, but it is not impossible.  Be reasonable about how much you are expecting to sell the property for. It’s easy to put a sentimental value on your home, but that will not translate to buyers. Remember, you can sell your house as a fixer upper but the emphasis is often on fix.  Put yourself in the buyer’s shoes. Sure, the property has potential but potential means time and money.  Generally, a seller is willing to accept a lower offer for the convenience of selling the property as-is.  It’s a give and take type of situation. So when considering offers make sure it is fair and relative to the condition of your home.

Real estate investors are always looking for properties with potential. They can help avoid the hassles commonly associated with traditional home sales and often close quickly with no fees for their services.  If you or someone you know needs help selling or buying a fixer upper, contact us.