How to Get the Best Outcome When Selling a House

Getting a great outcome when selling a house on the traditional real estate market requires time, money, and expertise.

If you’re thinking of selling a home, here are six questions to ask yourself.

1. How much time do I have?

Selling a house on the market with a real estate agent can be a lengthy process. Unless you live in an area with extremely high housing demand, it may take several months to sell your house. And that’s before taking into account the escrow and closing process. In fact, according to data from Zillow, houses sat on the market for an average of between 65 and 93 days in 2018.

2. What is my budget for getting the house ready to sell?

Selling a house takes preparation to get your house looking like it’s move-in ready, and often that means more than just a fresh coat of paint. You’ll need to take care of all the maintenance and repairs that you may have been putting off, replace old or broken fixtures like ceiling lights and faucets, and clean, clean, clean before having required inspections done.

You’ll also have to do this while still paying your mortgage, taxes, and utilities. Taking all this on at one time can be costly, while also adding a lot of responsibility and stress.

3. What experts I can rely on?

Getting help from the right experts can save you a lot of time, money, and heartache. It’s important to work with a team of people who keep your best outcome in mind, not their own. You’ll want a team that will tell you the honest truth, even if it’s not what you want to hear.

In a pool of millions of real estate agents nationwide, it’s not always easy to find this. Some real estate agents just want you to sign a contract with them because it means they get paid when you sell your home, whether they are responsible for it or not. If an agent or investor is telling you things that seem too good to be true, beware. Make sure you get input from multiple people with expertise in your local area before making a final decision.

If you don’t have the time, money, or expertise to manage the work required to get your house to an agent’s standards, consider selling your house off market.

4. Should I consider selling off market?

Selling “off market” means you sell your house as-is, without listing it on the MLS (multiple listing service). You’ll avoid cleaning, repairs, open houses, and showings, and you won’t need to hire an agent so you’ll pay zero commission when the house sells. In other words you don’t need to pour any time or money into your house before you sell it.

Sundae specializes in off-market sales. It’s the only marketplace that connects homeowners looking to sell their house as-is to the largest network of investors to ensure the highest possible offer. We meet you at your home to assess its condition, then give you an estimate of what the house might sell for. If you like it, we’ll promote your house to hundreds of investors, thereby guaranteeing that you’ll get the most any off-market buyer is willing to pay for it.

Once an agreement is reached, if you’re in a hurry to sell you can sell, close, and have money in hand in as few as 10 days (or as many as 60). There’s no uncertainty about waiting for a buyer, and eligible sellers may receive a cash advance of up to $10,000 to help with moving or any other expenses prior to closing.

5. How is Sundae different from other off-market buyers?

Sundae’s team of local Market Experts don’t take a commission. Their job is to make sure you get the most money possible from the sale of your home. We are fully transparent in providing our valuation report, scope of work, comps, and other property factors we use to determine our offer price. There’s a reason Sundae is known as “homebuyers with heart.” Our mission is to help homeowners get the best outcome when it’s time to sell a house that needs some love.

6. How much can I get for my house off market?

When selling your house off market, you should expect a lower price than you would ask if listing the house on the MLS. But an off-market price contains no commissions, fees, repairs, or other costs, so to determine the best route for your needs, you must calculate your net proceeds after a sale.