How to Get Your House Ready to Sell

Depending on how you choose to sell your home, you might have to invest a lot of time, energy, and money upfront. Here’s how to get your house ready to sell in three unique situations.

To get your house ready to sell requires substantial time and effort. There are several approaches you can take to selling your home, with some allowing you to move more quickly than others.

Homes typically stay on the market for three weeks, and up until recently it took an average of 45 days nationwide to close a purchase on a home. That adds up to more than two months between listing and closing. But you could easily beat that time by selling your house off market, or you could end up extending that time if you need to make repairs.

Given that your home is likely your most valuable asset, you may want to maximize proceeds when you sell. But aiming for the highest sale price means committing your time and investing money in the sale of your home. If you need to move quickly, selling your house off market might be the easiest route. And if you’re still undecided about whether and how you want to sell, there are ways to test the waters.

See also: 4 Ways to Prepare Your Home Before a Sale

If you’re undecided

It can be difficult to make a decision about selling your home. You may want to hold on to your investment until it appreciates more, unless you need cash right away. You might be considering renting your home, but you could also be concerned about the time and effort that will entail.

If you want to test the waters, you can ask an agent to help you prepare a Coming Soon listing, which will help you gauge buyer interest before listing your home for sale. You might even get offers before your home hits the market. You should also request an offer from an investor on Sundae’s marketplace to find out how much you would earn selling your house as-is.

From there, you can calculate your net earnings if you were to pay real estate commissions and make necessary repairs to get the highest price for your home. Compare that figure to what you would earn selling your home with Sundae, taking into consideration the time and effort required for each type of sale.

If you want to maximize your profits

Most buyers want homes that are considered move-in ready. To get the highest asking price, you’ll need to make necessary repairs and be willing to renovate your home. You’ll also need to make sure your home looks its best in your listing and for showings. That means you’ll need to:

• Clean and declutter
• Stage your home to potentially increase its dollar value
• Add lighting and hire a professional photographer

Prepping your home for sale not only takes significant time and effort, but also requires a financial investment before you ever see a cent of profit. You’ll need to spend money on repairs and renovations, staging, photography, and marketing. And when you finally sell your house at top dollar, you’ll still be on the hook for real estate commissions (up to 6% of your home’s sale price) and some closing costs.

Read more: How Long Does It Take to Sell a House?

If you need to sell fast

If you’re in a hurry to move or need fast cash, selling your home off market will likely be your best option. There are a few ways you can go about selling your home as-is:

• Sell to an investor
• Work with a fix-and-flipper
• Sell to an iBuyer
• Request an offer from Sundae’s marketplace

Benefits of selling your home off-market include speedier closing times and fewer financial considerations. You’ll be able to avoid real estate commissions, closing costs, and pricey repairs if you go this route. However, many of these options have drawbacks. Fix-and-flippers typically aim to make the most profit, resulting in a low offer. And iBuyers charge fees ranging from 13% to 15% of your home’s sale price. It’s important to ensure that you’re saving enough on real estate fees and repairs to offset these costs.

Selling your house with Sundae is more straightforward. The offer you receive from an investor on the marketplace is what you get, without any hidden fees or closing costs.