Do you need to sell a house that needs work? A lot of people dread that, knowing that their sellers will probably ask them to make a bunch of repairs before they buy it. That can be scary and make you put off selling. We put together a few tips to help you sell your Baton Rouge home, even if it needs a bit of TLC.
We come across many people who want to sell their houses that need work, but hang onto them instead because they don’t have the time or money to repair them. This strategy ends up costing them more and stressing them out since run down houses are such a hassle. When you neglect something in a home, the problem tends to snowball into a bigger problem. Like a roof leak. What might start as a little water in the attic can turn into sagging ceiling, water spots, rotting framing and decking, and next thing you know that $400 repair is now $4,000.
On the flip side, there are a lot of investors who are looking for houses that need work and will buy your house for a fair price, freeing you from the property and the burden of making repairs. Selling to an investor is a little different than selling to a first time home buyer, or other person looking to live there, and with our tips, you will be able to sell your Baton Rouge house quickly and for a great price!
How to Sell a House That Needs Work in Baton Rouge
Fix What You Can
You have a limited budget, I get that. But there are a few things that will give you a high return on the money spent repairing your home. A fresh coat of paint makes a huge impact. Repairing holes in walls, cleaning the carpets, and adding updated fixtures will make your old home look new (ish) without making you go broke. Having a roofer look at and repair any leaks in the roof is another thing that will help you in the long run. Patching a hole in the ceiling does not do much good if next time it rains, the same spot gets soaked again. Curb appeal has a major impact on potential buyers’ perceptions of the home, so cleaning the yard, mowing the lawn, and trimming the bushes will help your buyers have a favorable opinion of your home from the start.
Get Your House in Front of Serious Cash Buyers & Investors
Where do you find serious cash buyers and investors? The RING meetup in Baton Rouge is a great place to start. That is a real estate investment group and there is a ton of money in that room every month. Let people know about your home and help them see the potential value. Run the numbers yourself with repairs and what the renovated homes in your neighborhood are selling for. Make sure you leave some room for them to make a profit, and you should have no problem selling it.
Play Up What’s Good
Every house has good features, even if the house is falling down, maybe the parcel of land is larger than the neighbors and a corner lot on a dead end street. Find the silver lining and talk it up. Focus on the positives and the potential of the property.
Be Upfront
Along the same lines, be honest about what is wrong with the house. Address everything that needs to be fixed so the buyer isn’t surprised when they have an inspection. It is the right thing to do, and will protect you from a lawsuit for failure to disclose a deal breaking fact about the property.
Call For Offers and Wait
One great strategy to get multiple offers is to call for offers and wait. Tell everyone you are advertising it everywhere and will consider all offers. Also tell them you will choose an offer to accept on a certain date. This creates a sense of urgency and will make people think they need to act now or lose out. You can also create a bidding war and get more money!
Help People Use Their Imagination
Help your buyers see the potential by staging the home or using free design software to show what it would look like with a wall removed and a few other renovations. Not everyone is creative, but if you make it easy to see the potential, your effort will be rewarded! Set the mood with scented candles or fresh baked cookies, and wait for the offers to start rolling in!