What to avoid if you want to sell a house quickly?

 Selling your house is a big business.

There are many factors to consider at every stage, from the moment you decide to move to the day you close the sale and hand over the keys.

When you're in a rush to sell, you need to be on the lookout for some daily hurdles that could slow your progress.

Here are 5 common mistakes salespeople make. If you can avoid falling into these traps, you can successfully sell your home in Washington in no time.

1. Go it alone

Hiring a real estate agent is a no-brainer for buyers; they get all the help, while the seller pays the commission, usually five to six percent of the sale price, split between the seller's agent and the buyer's agent.

But if you're selling, you may be wondering if you really need a real estate agent. After all, you can get thousands of dollars more off the sale if you don't have to pay that commission.

However, if you're looking for a quick and smooth sale, a real estate agent might be worth the price. Not only do real estate agents can list properties on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), but they also have networks with other agents and clients, and they can use these networks in their search for buyers.

A good agent should take care of all the details and paperwork of your real estate transaction so that you don't miss a step. Your agent should also have good advice on what buyers are looking for in your market, as well as extensive experience in managing the bidding phase and negotiating the best-selling price.

If you need to leave your home as soon as possible without spending months renovating your home, there are options that go beyond the traditional approach. For example, third-party vendors like Sundae offer ways to sell your home off the market.

2. Not preparing the house

Clean, well-maintained homes attract more potential buyers, so don't skip the minor repairs and renovations that can make your home more attractive.

Minor repairs to leaky faucets and broken windows prevent buyers from perceiving the home as rundown. These are only minor problems, but if you don't fix them, you could lower the price you can get for your home.

Make sure your home is thoroughly clean, tidy, well-furnished, and well-lit to make a great impression on your potential buyers. The most important thing is to erase as much as possible. Crowded rooms and storage areas make the home seem smaller, and your possessions can distract buyers and prevent them from seeing you there.

3. Set the wrong price

Finding the right price for your home can be tricky, and overpricing your home is one of the biggest mistakes a seller can make.

Too high a price can deter buyers. If they are looking for a house like yours, they will find other options at a better price. However, if their budget matches your list price, they will find bigger and better homes for their money.

An overpriced home will stay on the market and generate little interest.

On the other hand, if your price is too low, your house will sell quickly (unless buyers suspect something is wrong), but you could lose a significant profit.

To determine the value of your home, you can compare it to homes of similar size and amenities that have recently sold in or near your neighborhood. A list of these comparable sales is called a "comparative market analysis" or (CMA) and can provide useful insights into the local real estate market.

Your broker should be able to provide this analysis; it is often used in the industry. If you don't have a real estate agent, you can use public records to find home sales dates and prices in your area.

A well-priced home has the best chance of selling your house quickly in Idaho without leaving any money on the table.

4. Ignore big problems

Home buyers inspect the home to make sure it is in good condition before bidding. Leaks, vermin, and a damaged foundation are some of the problems buyers might encounter at a show. Any of these issues could lead buyers to decide that the home is not for them.

Even if the buyers see no problems and decide to make an offer – and you accept – the next step will be a professional inspection. Most buyers will try to condition the sale on the results of this home inspection, giving them the option to opt out. If you lose your buyers, you're back to the beginning.

If time is running out in selling your home in kansas, you can pay for an inspection out of pocket before buyers even see the home. If there are any major issues, you can have them repaired immediately. If there are any easy-to-fix items, you can fix them yourself.

Regardless of any follow-up, provide buyers with the inspection report along with receipts or documentation of repairs made. Not only does this give buyers confidence in the condition of the home, but it can also persuade them not to make the sale dependent on a re-inspection – and it could save you valuable time.

5. Accept the wrong offer

All the hard work is done and now you have your first offer. What are you going to do?

If the offer price is reasonable, you can go ahead and accept it, but you may not want to. There are a few factors to consider. First, it is common for buyers and sellers to negotiate the selling price of a home. Unless told otherwise, the buyer's first offer is probably not the best and last offer. In most cases, you need to make at least one counteroffer.

Second, you need to consider the terms and contingencies of the offer. These can have a huge impact on your history. We have already discussed the emergency inspection; if you have done your due diligence beforehand you should be able to avoid this eventuality or at least not be in for a big surprise when the re-inspection is over.

Another common contingency is the ability to secure finance. If your buyers have a financing condition, make sure they are at least pre-approved for a loan. Better yet, they must be prequalified -- a higher standard -- and their lender can send you a letter saying they've been approved up to the bid amount (or higher).

If they have neither, you may want to decline the offer and hope a better one comes along. Another way to handle this situation is to make a counteroffer with a "bump clause". A bump clause means that the offer is still on the table, but may be ruled out by another, better offer you may receive.

The other unforeseen event that often causes delays is the sale of the buyer's current home. If you're looking to sell quickly, this contingency should be a red flag. This is because you have no control over when the buyer's home is sold.

Depending on the market and the condition of the home, this can take days or months. As with the funding clause, you may want to decline or add a bump clause. Remember, you can also remove the contingency in your counteroffer to see if they'll accept the added risk.

Finally, keep in mind that you can negotiate the timing of the offer and acceptance. You can set a closing date earlier than usual (although you'll need to work with lenders, titular companies, etc. to ensure you can meet this date).