In an ideal world, listing your house for sale would mean a quick sale and a smooth process. However, the reality is that the housing market fluctuates. Although some may find themselves in a lucky position where their house sells quickly, for many others they find themselves in a lull in the property market, and find it difficult to sell their home fast.
During a slow market, the real estate properties outweigh the number of potential buyers, so selling quickly becomes a case of imposing specific and creative selling strategies that will grab the attention of prospective buyers. If you find yourself struggling with selling a house fast in a slow market, follow our tried and tested tips that will help you in ensuring a fast sale.
How to tell if the housing market is slow
Before you do anything, establish whether the market is actually slow or not. There are two main ways in which you can determine this:
Days on the market
A good way to decipher the current market is to research how long houses are staying on the market before they’re sold in your area. The average time it takes for a property to go from “under offer” to “completion” is around 53 days. This is the national average, but can vary depending on your area. However, if houses are taking more than double this to sell, you may be looking at a slow market.
Reductions
The price of houses can also give a good indication of the current market. For example, if prices are high, then the demand for houses is higher. However, if you start to see more and more reductions, then the market may be slowing. No one truly wants to reduce their house price unless they’re looking for a fast sale, but may be forced to if they don’t take precautions and get creative with their selling strategy.
However, it’s also important to note that some houses don’t sell due to high prices, stubborn sellers or have flaws that many people can’t see past.
The best time to sell your home
Timing and luck can play a big factor in whether you sell your house fast in a slow market. As a general rule, the worst two months in which to sell your home are October and December. No one is really sure why, but we speculate that many chase the sun in these months, and prefer to focus on holidays instead of buying a new home.
Spring and summer are the perfect times to list your home on the market. Not only is the weather an influence, but this is a time when families seek new homes before the start of the school year, and a chance to start fresh somewhere new.
You will find several helpful tips for selling a house fast in a slow market below. However, if you want to take things to the next level and eliminate all hassle, we can buy your house for cash hassle-free in a matter of 2 to 3 weeks. Call us on 01772 237680 to learn more.
Tip 1 – Ensure the price is right
When considering how to sell a house fast in a slow market, we know that you want the best possible price. And, although slashing prices is a quick way to sell fast, it’s just not a valid option for some homeowners. Find the best competitive price for your home.
Tip 2 – Attract the right buyers
Although there are many people who may be interested in purchasing your home, not many will necessarily put in an offer for you to consider. So, who are you trying to attract? Young couples, a family? Highlight some of the qualities that will tempt these audiences such as local amenities and spaces in your home in your listing. If you live in a school district, why not mention this? Families love to know information such as this, and it will help them decide on whether to view your property or not.
Tip 3 – Sweeten the deal
One way to speed up the process of selling your home during a drought in the housing market is to sweeten the deal. This can be through incentives such as offering a home warranty that you can transfer once the sale is final. Small things really can make a big difference when it comes to securing an offer from prospective buyers.
Tip 4 – Introduce healthy competition
One way you can do this is by offering an open house event. This trend is taking off in London, and we’re sure that the rest of the UK will follow soon enough. Be ahead of the curve and open your home for viewing from multiple prospective buyers. It’s a sure fire way to ensure you get the asking price, and may even induce some healthy competition in order to boost the price higher than expected.
Tip 5 – Create an atmosphere that buyers will love
While many are preoccupied with how to sell their home using big techniques, sometimes you simply need to change small things. After all, they soon add up to create real change. For you, this could mean decluttering your home and creating an atmosphere that potential buyers will feel at home in. After all, you’ll want your home to appear welcoming and inviting, and changing the decor in small amounts can certainly do this.
Tip 6 – Always be ready for viewings
This is a great general tip to take on board, especially when you’re wondering how to sell a house fast in a slow market. Many people would like to view a property the earliest they can, so always ensure that you’re on top of cleaning and polishing so that the house is in pristine condition for viewers.
Tip 7 – Curb appeal
The first impression a prospective buyer will have of your home is the outside. It’s the first thing they see when viewing a property, and can make or break their opinion within the first five minutes. So, does your property have curb appeal? Ensure the grass is cut, your flower beds are trim and that your driveway is in perfect condition.
Tip 8 – Hire a professional photographer
When listing your website, ensure that your home is presented in the best way on photographs. Many estate agents use their own suppliers, but you can always opt to hire a professional in order to capture the best aspects of your home. They will know the best way to capture the right angles and lighting on your property.
Tip 9 – Don’t rely on estate agents
When we say this, we mean in terms of marketing your property. Of course your estate agent will do all they can to sell your property by marketing it in the correct manner. However, never underestimate the power of your own reach. Share the listing for your property in local Facebook groups, share it on Twitter and even reach out to friends to share the listing too. This can open up so many avenues for potential buyers to view your property and make an appointment to view it.
Is there another way of ensuring a quick house sale?
Yes! And this is something that we can help you with. We offer a fast property sale no matter the housing market, and serve as an independent cash buyer. We make the entire process of selling your home transparent and stress-free, and specialise in buying properties within 2-3 weeks. To top it all off, we’re known for our amazing customer service and regular communication with homeowners in order to keep them completely up to date on the progress of their house sale with us.
You can find out more about the process of selling your house with us here at Go Property Buyers here. Alternatively, give us a call on 01772 237680 and one of our amazing team members will be able to help you further.
