10 Tips to sell your house faster

Are you getting married? Is your family growing? Have you decided to look for a house in the countryside for a peaceful retirement? Any reason is valid for saying "goodbye" to your usual residence, and no one will hold it against you if you're in a hurry!

However, in an expanding market with a lot of competition, in order to sell a house quickly you need to take into account the factors for closing a deal in a flash that we're going to present below. We can't guarantee that you'll have your house sold before you finish reading this text, but you're almost there!

How to sell a house faster?

When it comes to selling a house, one of the most common concerns is how long it will take to find a buyer, particularly if the property is being sold due to divorce, a change of job, a change in lifestyle, health issues, financial problems or investment opportunities. Whatever the case, if the property market is not favorable, you can use effective strategies to sell your home, speeding up the process and achieving your business goals quickly:

1 - Hire a real estate agency
To be able to sell your house in record time, follow this advice: look for a reliable real estate agency. Asking for help from professionals in the field is always an excellent idea. Do you have any doubts? Read on to find out the main advantages of putting a house up for sale with a property broker:

More visibility
You need to make your house visible in order to sell it. And a real estate agency has all the tools you need to promote a property in the best way:

• Firstly, by creating a very descriptive advert that highlights the characteristics of the flat or villa: from solar orientation to the number of rooms, location, proximity to services, shops, public transport and schools, among other points.

• Secondly, creating an eye-catching advert, with captivating text and incredible videos and/or photos.​

• Thirdly, spreading the advert on various offline and online platforms, naturally focusing more on the latter, in order to take advantage of targeting mechanisms and present your property only to buyers with the right profile and interest, so as to increase the chances of selling your house quickly.​
  

Global network

Do you know anyone interested in your house? No? Real estate agents do, thanks to a wide network of contacts and resources for finding people interested in buying a house, which can result in a quicker sale.

4 - Clean up and get rid of the unnecessary

First impressions count! That's why, after renovation work, you should do a deep clean and take the opportunity to get rid of all the useless objects you've accumulated over the years. This will make your home look more modern and appealing and enhance the feeling of space in the eyes of potential buyers.

Also remember to box up personal belongings (such as family photo frames) that can leave potential buyers feeling like real intruders.

5 - Highlight the strengths

Do you have a super modern kitchen with energy-efficient appliances? Let it shine during your visits. A spacious attic? Organize it so buyers can see its potential. Does the living room have a cozy fireplace? Light it up. Does the balcony have a panoramic view? Keep the shutters open and invest in a small outdoor seating area with a table and two chairs. Is the garden in full bloom? Make it stand out.

Does the house have a security system and intelligent temperature control? Show how this equipment can make life easier for the residents. Is the house on the beachfront? Talk about the joy of spreading your towel on the sand or diving into the refreshing blue sea!

6 - Consider home staging
If you want to increase the value of your property so that you can sell your home more quickly, consider hiring an interior designer who specializes in home staging, a technique that involves organizing and decorating your home to make it more attractive to visitors.

With cleaning and minor renovations, but also expertly chosen colors, timeless furniture and minimalist lamps and decorative accessories, home staging highlights the strengths of each room and minimizes the weaknesses, creating a pleasant and appealing environment. This way, with a positive first impression, you'll be able to sell your house quickly and at the best price on the market.

7 - Create an incredible advert
Creating an incredible property advert is a fundamental step towards selling your house in a flash. The good news is that any estate agency can take care of this quickly and effectively, but you should still check that…

• The photos are high quality and have been taken from various angles, highlighting the strengths of your home, such as the swimming pool, the modern kitchen, the terrace with sea views or the well-kept garden.​

• Videos or virtual tours have been included to allow you to explore the property online, at any time and in complete comfort.

• The description is detailed, highlighting the unique features, benefits and amenities of your home, such as the number of suites or the area in square meters.

• The location has been highlighted, such as proximity to beaches, shopping areas and/or essential services such as schools and hospitals.
  
  

• The title piques buyers' interest by mentioning (at least) one of your home's best features.​
  

• The price is competitive, based on a market appraisal, preferably done by your property consultant.​
  

• Contact details are clear so that interested parties can book a viewing on the spot.​

Remember that a well-designed property advert can attract more people and speed up the sales process.

8 - Hide the cat and walk the dog

Take the time of visiting hours to go - or ask a family member to go - for a walk with the dog and hide the cat's litter tray! Is it really necessary? Yes, not everyone likes pets and if a potential buyer doesn't sympathize with the idea of animals living in their "future" home, the deal could fall through.

Moreover, some visitors may have allergies to fur and others may be afraid of animals, in which case the presence of dogs or cats may put them off. In addition, more sociable dogs and cats can distract buyers, preventing them from concentrating on the features of the house, which will jeopardize the sale.

9 - Have a flexible schedule
Would you like to go away for the weekend? You'll have to put that off until another time, because weekends are the favorite time to book viewings. If you want to sell your house more quickly, you need to make your diary more flexible so that you can meet interested parties on the day and at the time that suits them best.

However, whenever possible, try to show your house at the time when the light is at its brightest, be it late afternoon or first thing in the morning. That moment can be decisive for a potential buyer!

10 - Practice negotiation
Be willing to be flexible in negotiating and respecting the price and deadlines for closing the deal or delegate this task to your property consultant, as this professional is properly trained to negotiate and to help you sell your house at the best price, saving you time and stress.

Prefer to talk to the buyer in person? Then prepare yourself in advance:

• Know the conditions of the property market in your area because if the market is booming, with lots of demand, you may have more negotiating power. On the other hand, if it's down, you may have to be more flexible in order to sell your home quickly. ​

• Set the minimum price you are willing to accept, according to the market value of your property and ask for written offers, which are easier to evaluate. ​
  

• Maintain open and transparent communication with the buyer, listening to their concerns and needs to try to reach an agreement that is beneficial to both of you. ​
  

• And finally, be patient because negotiation can take time. To speed things up, there's always the chance to ask your estate agent for some tips: they can provide valuable guidance on negotiation techniques or even mediate the conversation between you and the buyer.​
  
  

Selling your house faster requires a lot of planning, strategy, preparation and adaptation to a series of factors that only a renowned real estate agency like Engel & Völkers Portimão can ensure. Contact us!