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Maximizing Your Profit When Selling A
Vacant House
Most Realtors® will tell you that an
occupied home will sell much faster than a vacant home. Although this
isn’t a steadfast rule, it is true that buyers often have a hard time
imagining how their furniture and belongings fit an empty house. An
empty home may seem more spacious, but potential buyers won’t get that
sense of home from a vacant house.
Fortunately, if you have to put an empty home on the market, there
are several things you can do to make your house more attractive and
thus minimize how long your house spends on the market.
First, make sure your house is clean. Although it may be easier to clean
an empty house, keep in mind that more will show. Make sure you clean
everything from top to bottom after you’ve moved all of your belongings
out of the house. You may want to consider hiring a cleaning service to
give your home a good scrub down after you move—and then have them
continue to clean on a regular basis until your home sells.
Also, invest in some minor upkeep. Consider having the interior painted
and having the carpets professionally cleaned. As for the exterior, hire
a landscaper to spruce up your yard and then continue to do routine
maintenance. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on such repairs, but
remember that your walls and flooring—as well as your yard—will be in
the spotlight when potential buyers come to see your home.
In terms of your utilities, you should always keep them on when you have
to show a vacant house. Buyers like to flip switches and test
appliances. In the summer, make sure the air conditioner is set at a
cool temperature and in the winter make sure the heat is on. If you plan
on having your house shown in the evenings, keep enough lights on so
that your home is well-lit.
Sounds and smells are a big part of a home’s impression, whether the
house is vacant or not. To reduce echoing, you might want to leave
behind a few pieces of furniture in each room to absorb the sound. As
for aromas, although you won’t be able to bake a fresh batch of cookies
each day to entice potential buyers, you can make sure the house is air
out at least a couple times a week.
Finally, before you put your house on the market, talk to your Realtor®
about your list price. Whether it’s correct or not, some buyers tend to
believe that an empty house for sale means that a seller is desperate
(because the seller had to move quickly due to a job, divorce, etc.) and
may have two mortgages to pay. You definitely want to list your house at
a fair price; don’t overprice your home—or it may sit on the market even
longer. ∆ |
