The Process of Selling a House: An Overview

Every month in the United States, over 670,000 single-unit homes are sold. 

Most people will sell at least one home in their life. You know how to buy a home, but have you ever considered the process of selling a house, and how those two things can differ?

Process of Selling A House

The process of selling a house begins the moment you decide you want to upgrade, move or change residence. What is the process of selling a house, and how long is the process of selling a house? The basics will cover how to start the process, and it often takes around 65 days for a house to sell. 

The Basics

You can think of the basics as the process of selling and buying a house. What you want to be covered if you’re buying a house, versus what you have time and money to do to sell your home. 

One of the first things you have to take into account is the curb appeal of your home. This means the way it looks to a potential buyer from the moment they see it as they pull up in their vehicle. You can make improvements such as landscaping or gardening, or just leave the house as it is. 

The next thing you want to do is clean the house and make sure that it is presentable. This often involves deep cleaning the carpets, walls, ceilings, furniture, and anything else that is going to be left behind. Don’t forget to clean the appliances and other types of flooring in your home, potential buyers will notice these things. 

Some people find this is a good time to start packing for your move, but you don’t have to. If you’re relying on the money from selling the home, you should wait. If you aren’t, then go ahead and start packing because the home could sit unsold for a while before an interested buyer sees it. 

While you can take the time at this point to do some maintenance you may have put off, like cleaning gutters, etc, don’t waste your money with useless upgrades. If you do want to do some upgrades, make sure that you focus on ones that will give you a high return on investment. 

Sellers should also take the time to consider having professional photos taken. This will give the best look possible to a potential buyer, and helps to show how beautiful your home is. The proper photo can set a home apart from other options in the area. 

Set a price that is reasonable, do some research on the appraisal of your home as well as what other homes in your area are going for. This will help you make a decision based on facts, not on how much you want for your home. Consider how long you are willing to wait as well. 

Real Estate Agent 

One of the most common ways to sell a home is to list that home with a real estate agent. Agents are often in contact with buyers and so will know who might be looking for a home like yours, and can get you in contact with that person. This method is easy but does come with some pitfalls. 

While your home will be put up and a group of eager customers will have access to it, the agent will get their cut. This is often taken out as a percentage, usually between 5-6%, meaning that you won’t get the full asking price of your home, the real estate agent gets some of it. There are some other steps that go into this method as well. 

When you use a real estate agent to sell a home, almost everyone requires a home inspection. Home inspections are part of the process of selling a home whenever a bank is involved, as many won’t issue a mortgage without an inspection. 

Selling By Owner 

You are fully within your rights to sell your home without involving a middle man. This is often done on homes that may require some fixing up, or on homes where the sellers don’t want to pay a real estate agent any part of the total value of the home. It is also done between family and friends as an easy if risky possibility. 

The problem with the process of selling a house by owner is that you have fewer protections. You won’t have the benefit of getting the money upfront, so any liability or delinquency will fall back onto your lap. Instead of a lump sum, you’ll have to deal with monthly payments. 

Selling the house yourself does remove some of the barriers and expenses, but it can lead to others. If you’re not comfortable being responsible for all the steps and paperwork, this is not the route to go. So that leads us to our final and perhaps most interesting possibility. 

Find a Cash Buyer

There are those who will buy the house for cash, and the process is often very quick and easy. If you live in a major developing urban area, the quest to find a cash buyer is even easier. What makes cash buyers so attractive is that you often won’t have to worry about putting a lot of money into the home, you can sell it as is. 

This will affect the overall price of the home, but if you’re in a hurry or need to move quickly it can be an amazing option to consider. In many cases, you’ll get a fair offer minus the cost of the renovations or repairs that the company has to do. The process of selling a house for cash is among the quickest and easiest possible ways. 

Selling Your Home 

If you’re looking for a quick offer that offers up a fair value for your home, then the process of selling a house can be extremely easy and simple. If you have any questions about the process or want to get out of your house now, contact us. We Buy Properties can get you the cash you need without the headaches or wait.