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It’s time to sell. You’ve made your own mental preparation, listed the property, and found the right agent. But now what? How long does it take to sell a house that you’re confident should go without a problem?
The answers may surprise you, and they’re dependent on a number of different factors. But ultimately the ones that are in your control can turn the persistent thoughts of how long does it take to sell a house into a single thought: ‘sold.’
How Long Does It Take to Sell a House and What’s at Stake?
It’s a bold decision, and one that’s not to be taken lightly. In addition to pondering the thought of how long does it take to sell a house and where to go next, you should also be thinking about the logistics of the sale and subsequent transition.
Estimates vary based on location and popularity of the market, but in the United States, the average time it takes to sell a house is between 65-68 days.
A Brief Window into Your House’s Past Value
When you bought the house you’re currently trying to sell, there’s a good chance that the person you bought it from was also thinking, how long does it take to sell a house and is this person the right buyer?
Well now all of those things that you considered are going to be coming back into the fold. It’s important for you to now remember everything you looked at before you chose this house for yourself. It will help you determine just the right way to market it.
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First Impressions Are Very Important
When you first saw this house, what drew you to it? What time of year was it? Was there any particular element of uniqueness that tapped you on the shoulder and said ‘hey, you should really buy this house’?
If so, it’s time to start a brainstorming session and write down as many of these ideas as possible. It will ultimately help you write your description and then also inform what to bring up when you talk to prospective buyers.
Repeating the Best Selling Points
You’re building an ideal image of your house in the mind of the buyer, so it helps to repeat the most appealing aspects of your home if you have them at the top of your mind.
These great selling points could include a particular architectural or popular style that your house is built with, or even some rooms that you’ve taken extra care to renovate.
How Have You Contributed?
Have you made any improvements to your home since you took up residence? The big rooms to consider here are the bathrooms and the kitchen. Empirical evidence has proven that buyers pay the most attention to the bathrooms and the kitchens of any house.
So if you can, make sure these look their best; and if you’ve renovated either or both during your stay, it will be a great source of appeal to any potential buyers. So remember to bring it up.
You Clean Up Nicely, House
Another huge consideration when it comes to the question of how long does it take to sell a house or property is how much effort are you willing to put in to clean it? The house itself may have dirt or grime that’s been building up for years if you’ve been neglecting its regular tidiness.
If this is the case, make sure to clean your whole house as deeply as you can, because this is one of the biggest issues that potential buyers look at.
The Outdoors
Does your home have a particularly brilliant lawn or garden? If so, it’s time to spruce it up as much as possible. Does the outside paint job need a bit of a ‘pick me up?’ Then it may be worth finding someone to do some touch up work.
What about the lawn itself, if there is one? Is it nice and even and green? Or if it’s pavement, is it smooth? Are there noticeable cracks or holes in the asphalt, concrete, or brickwork? The impressions of these items can make a difference.
The How Rural Is the Property and Do the Pests Abound?
Another task you’ll want to get sorted out right away, if it’s a problem, is the presence of insects or rodents. It may not be pleasant to think about, but if you don’t take care of it, the question of how long does it take to sell a house will never get answered in any short amount of time.
Think about it: would you want to move into a space with an active infestation of some kind?
Making the Indoors as Open as Possible
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The outdoors are wide open by their very nature, so if you can keep the indoors open and clear of any kind of clutter, you’re far more likely to paint a good picture for your prospective buyer to take with them as a memory of your beautiful space.
This ultimately gives a shorter time frame to the question of how long does it take to sell a house effectively.
Pets and Hair
This may be less than obvious, but for some reason, buyers are turned off by pets that are not their own when evaluating a property. If your pet is present, it’s more likely that there’s hair in places you perhaps didn’t spot.
Remember, these future owners are imagining the space becoming theirs, and unwanted pet odors or hair in odd places may keep them from fully committing to this vision.
Taking Yourself Out of the House and Filling It with Light
There’s a natural appeal when a person looks like they’re ‘glowing.’ There’s also a reason that neutral colors and shades of black or white look better than wild patterns on the clothing people wear.
In a similar way, it may be time to make your space more ‘neutral’ so that it has a wider appeal.
This also includes taking what you’ve simplified and cleaned and brightening it as much as possible. Then you’ll cease asking how long does it take to sell a house quickly.
The Lite Brite Effect
There’s a reason that this activity experienced an explosion of popularity when it first came out. People are drawn to light; especially dazzling light. But before you go decking out your space with neon, consider that a more simple, natural light could look better than anything artificial.
This means letting as much light in as you can during your showings, or scheduling open houses during the brightest parts of the day. Lamps with soft light can also be used for this purpose.
Removing the Evidence of How You’ve Lived There
Because this is a process of your moving out and someone else moving in, it will be valuable to ensure that the most unique aspects of your home’s decoration be removed before you show it. If you have a way of storing these things there, but put away, great.
If not, it may be time to rent a storage unit for the most unique pieces you’ve got. There’s an added benefit of opening the space and allowing more light in. Remember: clean up after taking away what you’re removing!
Seasons of Sales
Depending on where in the world you are, the seasons can make a big difference when it comes to asking how long does it take to sell a house, ultimately. If you already live in a temperate climate, great!
If not, it may not be so useful to try to sell your property in the dead of winter. Springtime is an especially attractive time to sell a house. And if you can get it ready in time, your seller’s window may close in an even shorter amount of time.
Proper Logistics
So even if it’s the prime season to sell and you immediately find a buyer, you’d still be smart to figure out how long the closing process will take. There are a series of inspections and evaluations that must be done.
These requirement vary depending on where you live, but even when you’ve accepted an offer, it will still take around one month for both sides to get everything in order. Make sure you’ve done your research ahead of time and are ready to complete everything.
Conclusion – How Long Does It Take to Sell a House
So how best to predict how long it takes to sell a house? Well the answer might just be right next door. Any good real estate agent will look at the other homes in your area to see what you’re working with.
There are always homes being bought and sold in a continuous cycle, so depending on how you observe and take action in response to these cycles will determine how long your home stays on the market, and also how quickly you can close.© Incomestorage
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