What concerns you when you ask; how can I sell my home?
What is your “fill in the blank”? If you’re like many homeowners embarking on selling a home, your “fill in the blank” will likely be addressed in today’s Real Estate article. I’ll answer homeowner questions on what’s best to do when a specific scenario applies to them when the times comes to sell a home and they’re wondering; “How can I sell my home when this particular situation applies to me?”. What can they do or should you do in order to sell a home? I answer that here.
When the time comes to sell a home, there are often specific scenarios that will differ from one home Seller to another, likely provoking needed answers to make sure it’s taken care of right out of the gates.
Are you this homeowner needing to know what you should do to be the most prepared when selling a home? Which scenario applies to you below?
Spent Beaucoup Bucks on Upgrades
You love your home, yet a job promotion taking you out of town, calls for you to put your home on the market for sale. Can you tally up all those beaucoup costs and add it on to your home’s list price? You spent what?! Ouch…no, sorry you cannot. It’s not that simple to just add your costs to your selling price.
Hopefully, you haven’t over upgraded for your area, where you’d lose out on “over” upgrading. If you live in a neighborhood area that has similar upgrades, your home’s upgrades will pay you what the going fair market value is for said upgrades; what the market will bear. It’s never about what you paid, expecting a new home Buyer to pay for the upgrades. If you upgraded according to your neighborhood you should be fine, yet if your home is the premier showcase in the neighborhood, you’ll likely not be able to recoup your extravagant upgrades. Think of the saying “birds of a feather flock together” – your home has to be part of the flock. Home Buyers want to live in a neighborhood where other homeowners value similar upgrades and if your home is the only premier upgraded home they’d rather live in a neighborhood with more like homes as yours.
It is important to know though that your upgrades can certainly make your home stand out from the competition bringing in more interest from prospective home Buyers. The interest will be accentuated when your home is also priced right.
An Original and Outdated Home
You’d like an updated home and don’t want to spend the time and money to update your current home, so you’ve decided to sell your home instead. Great, no problem with that at all.
The only thing you’ll have to keep in mind is that you’ll need to price your home based upon its current condition and place aside your years of memories; unfortunately memories are only valuable to you and not a home Buyer.
Also, make sure your home is sparkling clean. No matter how old a home may be, if it’s super clean, many would-be homeowners can look past the fact that your home is outdated; they’ll either accept it as is or plan for making their own updates. After all, it’s all about getting your home to sell.
A Home Needing Repairs
Oh those needed repairs that you’ve had all good intentions to address, yet somehow time just got away from you. What do you do about that?
Similar to an outdated home above, the main consideration is how you price your home. Had you made the repairs, you could have sold your home for more money likely costing you less to make the repairs and then being able to sell your home for more money. But I understand, sometimes making home repairs just isn’t possible. Just know, you will receive less money for your home.
And again, we go back to a home’s cleanliness. You can still have a home clean even when repairs are needed, so be sure to clean it up.
A Home That is in an Undesirable Location
How often do you hear the phrase repeated? Location, Location, Location. A Real Estate staple phrase, right?! Such sentiment echoes across the internet waves and at cocktail receptions where best Real Estate practices are often proclaimed. So then what do you do if the home you have to sell is in a less than desirable location? My advice:
“Make your home so desirable that they will overlook its undesirable location and only
behold your home’s jewel-like features”
An undesirable location home with a lousy curb appeal, unkempt interior and just lackluster pizzazz will accentuate to any prospective home Buyer the fact that your home faces a busy street front or that it backs up to a railroad.
A Home With Costly Liens
You won’t get very far in selling your home with liens against it, as these will need to be resolved prior to selling or by making arrangements at settlement to pay for monies due. This is referring to such items as an IRS Tax lien, property tax lien, judgements, city code violations, etc.
Were you thinking that nobody would find out? Unfortunately, your little secret will not remain a secret once the closing company performs a Title and municipal search of your property. Any liens will be very glaring once the search has been completed and they’re appearing on the reports. At this time, the Closing Agent will reach out to you and your Realtor to advise you what needs to be taken care of prior to going to closing.
Understand that a Buyer will not want to pay for any of your liens. Should you not have the monies to take care of them before closing, there may be an option to hold the money back from your anticipated funds to receive at closing. This process would reduce your dollar amount anticipated for selling your home and would be shown on your settlement statement.
A Home with Termite Damage, Mold or a Leaking Roof
You have two choices; either repair and replace the damages or sell your home in its current condition. If you sell your home in its current condition you won’t sell your home for as much as you could would you had made the repairs.
Pets
You have pets and they’re top of mind…wondering how it will all work come home selling time.
First of all, it involves cleaning your home thoroughly to eliminate the smell of pets. Clean their toys, 
their beds, rugs or carpeting that they may lay on throughout the day. Also, know that you’ll need to put all the evidence of pets away for when showings occur. It’s best for prospective home Buyers to not even know you have pets. Clean it up and out of sight.
Next, what will you do come show time when Buyers begin viewing your home? What’s best? Ideally, having the pets removed from your home during showing times is best. If you’re able to have a few hours notice of when the showing will occur and you, a friend/family member or a pet sitter can take the pets from your home for the showing. Or if you crate your pets when you’re away at work, then that would work too as long as they’re quiet pets. Having to put them away in a separate room isn’t a good solution as that would mean the prospective home Buyers wouldn’t have access to that certain room; they’d want to see that room if they’re interested in buying your home.
Children
You’re a family with a bunch of little ones running around and it shows; they seem to be evident everywhere! Sure they are…they’re your everything. They’re the ones that bring meaning to your life.
Just like your pets, you’ll have to complete similar steps for them too. To begin with, it involves cleaning their play areas or places that are apparent that their fingerprints had been there, if perhaps literally!
You’ll also want to make sure you tidy up all their play things to their bedrooms. It you utilize an area in your home for their play area, it’s best clean up that area for what it’s real use is for, such as a dining room. Remember, it will only be temporary until you receive an offer for your home. Once you’re under contract you can let your guard down again and go back to what your normal routines are for you and your children. Also know that letting your children know that you’re selling your home and that you need their help; it gives them the opportunity to feel as if they really are an active participant in the family matters – a great teaching moment.
Wrap Up
It’s not uncommon for home Sellers to have concerns about their home they’re trying to sell. Worrying about getting it all just right. Worrying is never the answer. Determining what you need to do and doing it, is what matters. From those undesirable locations to pets in your home, there is a way, as you can see from reading my latest Real Estate article today. No matter where you live, from Boca Raton to Coral Springs Florida to California, to New York and everywhere in between, it’s pretty much the same. You just have to follow the advice of a Real Estate professional who will guide you towards a successful home sale.
Related Real Estate Resources:
“8 Types of Roads that can have a big impact on home sales” by USNews
“3 Reasons your Home went back on the Market” by Sharon Paxson
“Tax Aspects of Home Ownership: Selling a Home” by Intuit TurboTax
“10 Tips for Selling your Vacant Home” by Kyle Hiscock
“Should I Sell my House Now or Wait until Spring?” by Michelle Gibson
“How to Sell a House with Tenants” by Bill Gassett
“How can I Sell my Home Fast” by Lynn Pineda of Imagine Your House
” The 14 Most Common Pitfalls when Selling a Home” by Petra Norris
Today’s Real Estate article “How Can I Sell My Home When I Have (fill in the blank)?” was written by Lynn Pineda a top Coral Springs Realtor and Boca Raton Realtor. You’ll find Lynn selling homes in Southeast Florida in the cities of Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Coral Springs, Delray Beach, Coconut Creek, Deerfield Beach, Margate, Parkland, Pompano Beach, Tamarac, Sunrise, Plantation and Ft Lauderdale areas within Broward and Palm Beach counties. Call Lynn at 954-464-1100 if you have questions about how to avoid a buyer default when selling a home in Boca Raton to Coral Springs and around!
Lynn Pineda, a licensed Southeast Florida Real Estate Agent serving Southeast Florida since 2005 eXp Realty LLC. Real Estate Promises Delivered. You can speak with Lynn by calling/texting her at 954-464-1100 or you can email her at: LynnP@ImagineYourHouse.com if you need to buy or sell a Southeast Florida home. Your local, trusted professional when it’s time to buy or sell a home. Real Estate promises delivered.
