Do you need to sell a run-down house in Lincoln, NE? Pop culture and TV have a way of convincing us that in order to sell a house it has to be in perfect condition with all the latest bells and whistles. We also see a lot of TV shows based around the idea that market buyers are finicky and picky, looking for any little reason to consider looking elsewhere and not buying your house. Can you imagine if you had to sell your house in Lincoln under those conditions? It sounds impossible. It almost seems like it’s impossible to make any kind of money selling a house these days, especially if you want to sell your house fast. However, that’s not really true.
If you need to sell a house in disrepair or just a house in need of some repairs, it’s entirely possible for you to find a buyer and sell it quickly. There might be some options to consider that you didn’t already know about, like selling your house as-is to a cash buyer like Element Homebuyers. But even if you want to go the traditional route and sell on the open market, you have options. Here are six steps to sell a run-down house in Lincoln, Nebraska.
How To Sell A Run Down House In Lincoln
Instead of Repairs, Consider the Competition
When you take a look at your run-down Lincoln house, you’re going to want to sort through all of the repair needs that exist. Everything big and everything small. Once you have that list, you’ll have a good idea of how much it would cost to fix everything that you’ll probably find that it’s impossible to cover most, if not all, of them. But you don’t really have to because the truth is that, if you’re selling on the open market, you just need to measure up to the competition. So instead of starting to make all the repairs that you can, ask your real estate agent to show you what all of the similar houses in the neighborhood look like, what upgrades they offer, and their current state of affairs. That will give you a good sense of how vital each repair possibility in your house is. The question to ask yourself is how you can get your house as close as possible, if not in a better position than your neighbors, without spending money on unnecessary repairs. And keep in mind that you’re trying to recoup anything you spend the get your Lincoln house up to code, so you don’t want to overdo it on something that won’t ultimately matter to buyers.
Consider the Curb Appeal
First impressions matter so much when selling your house on the open market and trying to sell your Lincoln house fast. The curb appeal is so important, especially when you know that the interiors are going to bring some caveats in the form of repair needs. You want people walking into the house already excited so that any repair concerns are offset by the potential they see in the house. Go get in your car and drive around until you come back to your house. Now, look at it. Does it make you want to stop and take a closer look? Does it make you have to call the real estate agent right now to schedule a tour? Probably not, so your job is to change that. You want everything to be as aesthetically pleasing as possible. Mow the lawn regularly, get the landscaping sorted out, paint the fences and siding, and gussy up the garage. If you’ve got the time and money, go get some flowers to plant and splash some color to the front lawn.
Consider Hiring a Home Inspector
If you’re trying to sell a house fast but there are repairs needed, you can’t always tell yourself exactly what all the problems are. That’s why it pays to hire an expert to come in and tell you. A licensed home inspector will be able to tell you exactly what all your house’s major problems are. They’ll be able to spot a bad electrical system, leaky roof, or cracks in the foundation. This is important because any smaller work you might do could end up making the big problems even bigger. You’re going to have to pay for the inspection and you’ll also have to pay to fix any major damage they find, but that’s the cost of doing business when it comes to selling your house on the housing market. And if you can at least take care of some of the major issues, you’ll have a much easier time selling quickly.
Consider the Right Time to Sell
While there’s no hard and fast rule and there’s a time for everything, trying to sell your house fast is traditionally going to be a lot easier in the spring and summer than it is in the winter. So if it’s December and there’s a foot of snow out, you’re already making things pretty hard for yourself, and that’s before you get to the fact that your house needs extensive repairs. People are out more in the spring and summer, the days are longer, families are more likely to move in between school years, and the nice weather makes curb appeal easier to wow potential buyers. If you absolutely need to sell your house right now, you’ve got options, but if you can afford to wait until the weather improves that’s a good idea when selling your house on the open market.
Consider the Right Price
If you’re trying to sell your house on the open market, you’ve likely hired a real estate agent. They will help you set a listing price that balances your desire to make more profit with the actual market value of the house. Because you are selling a house in need of repairs, that price is probably going to be lower than it might have been otherwise. The longer the house sits on the market, the more that price will have to drop. So if you do go this route, it’s important not to start too low. Buyers are almost certainly going to want concessions to deal with the repairs, so you could find yourself in a position to make very little money when it’s all said and done. Remember, the real estate agent gets a commission fee and there are closing costs to consider.
Consider Selling Your House As-Is
As you can see, trying to sell a run-down house in Lincoln, Nebraska can be a daunting task. You’ll probably have to at least attempt some repairs to get it market-ready and compete with neighbors. You’ll have to pay for inspections and curb appeal in order to make the house appealing to potential buyers. You’ll have to hire a real estate agent, who takes a commission fee when the house does sell. And even if you do everything as you should, there’s no guarantee your house will sell, and every month it remains on the market means more costs for you to incur.
You can avoid all of that hassle by selling your Lincoln house as-is to a cash buyer like Element Homebuyers. We buy houses in any condition, which means you don’t need to make any repairs. You don’t even need to clean up. We will buy your house whether the rook is leaking, the basement is flooded, or the entire house in disrepair. And we’ll give you cash for the house too. You don’t need to pay any real estate agent fees or wait for a bank to approve a loan. We can close in a matter of days, whatever works for you. Contact us today and we’ll make a no-obligation offer on your house in as soon as 24 hours!