If you own an unoccupied property, you’re probably wondering how to sell an empty house.
There are many dangers that come along with owning a vacant house, but luckily for you, we have created…
The Quick 6 Step Guide to make the most of your vacant house!
Selling a vacant house fast is critical. Liabilities of a vacant house can include:
- Vandalism and Theft
- Trespassing or Squatting
- Weather Destruction
- Neglecting Regular Maintenance
- Water or Fire Damage
Will My Empty House Sell?
Selling an empty house is possible! Below, we’ll cover our top 6 tips for selling your empty house including 1) getting an appraisal, 2) staging the empty house, 3) maintaining utilities, 4) necessary repairs, 5) securing the house and 6) how to sell an empty house fast.
1. Appraise & Estimate Repairs
Having an appraisal gives you credibility as a seller, and reduces the time taken to negotiate. Buyers who can see an appraisal will feel more comfortable with your selling price and, in-turn, with their offer price. Whether or not you plan to repair the house before you sell, make sure to get repair estimates from more than one source.
Your “handy dandy cousin” may “know” what he is talking about, but believe us, ask for many different professional opinions it’ll save you time, money, and give you a step up when negotiating the sales price.
2. Do Houses Sell Better Furnished Or Unfurnished?
People are emotional creatures, make your house light, bright, charming, and if necessary bake some cookies. Everyone loves cookie things, particularly a cute house full of baked cookie smell.
Have enough furniture and décor to make the house looked lived in, this works wonders. Staging your house helps buyers see how each space can be used.
How much does it cost to stage an empty house? Staging an empty house is a great way to show buyers the potential the house has. So, how much does it cost to stage an empty house? We found that sellers spend an average of $1,800 to stage a house, but staging a house can cost as much as $5,000.
3. Leave The Utilities On
Papa always said turn out the lights before you leave, but in this case leave the utilities on:
- Keeping the utilities on will help prevent weather damage
- If the utilities are off the buyers get the impression that the house needs more repairs than it actually does, for example, “Well, honey the lights or water don’t work, that’ll cost us.”
- Keeping utilities on will also make it more comfortable for anyone seeing the house. It gets hot out here in the summer.
4. Must Do’s If You’re Making Repairs
If you are the DIY-er type and want to fix up the house before sale, heed this warning. First of all, you will have to spend time and money on the house, and if the repairs aren’t seen as valuable you will more than likely be throwing your time and money out the window.
Also, if you do not complete all the repairs, make sure you disclose all the repairs needed. You could be found liable for problems you did not disclose, even in an as-is sale. We’re not saying it’s impossible, but make sure you measure twice and cut once.
5. Secure the House
Lock it up! To protect your house from intruders, make sure the house doesn’t look vacant. Here’s some tips:
- Get automatic lights, it gets dark, they go on!
- Get your neighbor to collect any miscellaneous items that end up on your doorstep, little kids are very good at this, and $5 goes a long way when you’re 12 years old.
- Have your trustworthy local neighbor keep an eye on the house. Believe me this will give him something to do and he’ll like the authority you have bestowed upon him.
- Or you could make it look like your house is full of people. Anyone remember the party scene from Home Alone?
6. How To Sell An Empty House Fast
Selling an empty house fast is crucial if you want to avoid the dangers that come with a vacant house. Sellers have several options for selling quickly, but one popular option is selling to a reputable real estate investor like Ben Buys Indy Houses.
This is how we make our living: we buy houses in any condition. We have everything you need to make selling your house as simple as possible. We are here to help you in your selling, our caring process is what separates us from our competition.
