6 Tips to Selling a Home As-Is

Are you considering selling your home as-is? Whether you need to move out quickly, don’t have the time or money to make the repairs your home needs, or are just hoping to get out of an expensive, troublesome mortgage, an as-is sale can offer you a lot of benefits. No matter why you’re selling your home as-is, here are 6 top tips to help you sell your house as quickly and as smoothly as possible. 

#1 Be Honest

The great thing about selling a home as-is is that you don’t have to handle any of the necessary repairs or problems your home might have. That said, you are still legally obligated to honestly answer any questions a buyer asks you. If you know your roof has a leak, your foundation has a large crack, or you’ve experienced electrical issues, termite damage, or any disputes over the title, you’ll have to disclose that information to the buyers. It’s good to know that if you’re selling the home as-is, these issues won’t typically deter a serious buyer, but you do have to disclose them before selling the property.

#2 Create an Attractive Listing

If you’re planning to sell your home as-is, and aren’t interested in hiring a realtor or reaching out directly to a specific real estate investor, then it’s a good idea to create a digital listing on real estate sites like Trulia and Zillow. In most cases, you can post a listing for free, and you can specify in your description that you’re selling the home “as-is”. 

To create an attractive listing, make sure you take a few great pictures of your house. Wait for a bright, sunny day, so your pictures feature a lot of natural light, both indoors and outdoors. Then, post those images with an honest, positive description of your home. 

#3 Price to Sell 

If you’re listing your home online and you’re planning to sell as-is, you’re going to want to price your home to sell. Many homeowners think they can start at a higher price, and then just let potential buyers talk them down a bit, but in reality, this typically just increases the amount of time your home sits on the market. 

Price your home to sell, keeping in mind that when you sell as-is to a cash buyer, you don’t have to pay for closing costs, any inspection fees, repairs, or renovations. In many cases, you won’t even have to clean your home. The offer you get from the buyer is the money you’ll keep, so remember that as you set a price for your home. 

#4 Don’t Just Accept the First Offer

Now that you’ve listed your home for a great price online, it’s time to listen to offers. If your home is priced well, and listed “as-is”, you’ll likely start to see offers from as-is buyers, investors, and individual homeowners looking for a project. It’s important to take a good look at each of the offers you get, rather than just accepting the first one. If you’ve just listed, give your home a few days before you accept an offer. It can be in your best interest to hear what all of your potential buyers have to say, so you can choose the offer that’s best for you. Remember that offers aren’t all just about cash, either. If you’re still living in the home, you’ll want to make sure you accept an offer from a buyer who gives you a reasonable amount of time to move out, and who can close on your schedule. 

#5 Choose an Investor You Trust

When you sell a home as-is, many of your potential buyers are likely to be real estate investors, like Hometown Development. It’s important that in the end, you go with an offer from a buyer or investor that you trust, and who has a good reputation. You don’t have to accept an offer from an investor you don’t like, or who seems to be pressuring you into making the sale. If you don’t feel quite right about a buyer, it never hurts to do a bit of homework — look them up online, check out their business profile, and see if they have any reviews from previous clients. A great real estate investor will have a solid reputation and a legitimate website offering information about their past and current projects. 

#6 Be Flexible

Selling your home, even when you sell as-is and for cash, isn’t always easy. It’s important to be flexible as the seller, so you can make that sale happen in the time frame you’re hoping for, and for a reasonable price. Remember that when you sell your home, you’ll have to be available to let buyers walk through and take a look at it, and also remember that not every buyer is going to give you an offer that’s at your asking price. As long as you remain flexible, and work to accept an offer from a legitimate buyer who is willing to work with you, too, you should be able to sell your home as-is, with minimal hassle. 

Selling a home as-is doesn’t have to be difficult. If you need to move on from your property quickly, and without making repairs, the Hometown Development team would be happy to help. We purchase properties exactly as-is, and for cash. For more information about our process, and for your own personalized quote, give us a call at 616-379-3090 or contact us online.