You need to sell your house fast but aren’t sure what the best option is for you and your current situation. This article will explain the 3 primary ways to sell your property and what each means to you.

Option #1: Selling with a Real Estate Agent

Agents are great if you have plenty of time to sell and your house is in excellent condition.

There are thousands of agents in the Bay Area, so the first challenge will be to pick one that has successfully closed some deals and is experienced. Your Agent will likely walk through your property and give you advice on what should be fixed, cleaned up or removed.

Then you’ll sign a 6-12 month listing contract and they’ll put it on the MLS (Multi Listing Service). Most agents will charge 6% or more depending on the situation for there services. They will handle all the calls, lots of paperwork, qualify the potential buyers, and present you with the offers.

Once your property hits the MLS the fun begins! You’ll have people coming into your home, looking around and checking every nook and cranny, 7 days a week, and quite possibly at all different times of the day.

When a buyer is found, which takes 3 months on average, your agent will open escrow and the buyer's “inspection period” will begin. During this period, several inspectors will come to your house and check everything. After these inspections are complete most buyers will give you a list of items that they expect you to fix, or they may ask for a large price reduction. If you don't agree the buyer can walk away and you're back to square one.

After you get past the inspection period, the buyer’s lender will order an appraisal to ensure that the value of the property is acceptable to the lender. The appraisal process, which used to be fairly routine, is now causing many lenders to retract their offer to fund the mortgage. Appraisers are more cautious with their valuations considering the current market, this change in sentiment does not help you sell your house fast.

Once you get past all of these steps you can finally close on the sale, traditionally the buyer and seller split closing fees, which can cost you roughly 2-4% of the sales price, and are taken out of your proceeds.

Agents are great if you have plenty of time, your house is in excellent condition and you don’t mind people coming to your house continuously. They will work to get you the highest gross price for your house (before commissions, repairs, closing costs, time on market) however after all of the additional costs you will incur going this route may not provide you with the most money in your pocket.

Option #2: For Sale by Owner (FSBO)

Selling your home "by Owner" is very similar to Option #1; the difference is you have to do all the work. Market the property, find the buyer, show the house, negotiate the sale, write the contract and disclosures, and so on. Most buyers will need to get financing so there will be a risk of appraisal. There will still be closing costs and fees that need to be paid. This is a great solution again if you have time and are comfortable with handling the sales process. It may take longer to find a buyer as you won’t have thousands of agents seeing and potentially showing your house to buyers. Things can get frustrating as you are responsible for the whole transaction and most likely don’t have prior experience selling a house. FSBO's work fairly well for sellers that have the time and patience to do the work needed.

Option #3: Selling to a Real Estate Investor

The key to selling to a real estate investor is to find someone you like and trust. Someone that is willing to work with you and go the extra mile to get your house sold fast and with no stress on your part. Real estate investors handle all of the paper work; the only thing you need to do is show up on the day of closing and collect your check.

Most investors buy houses in ‘As Is’ condition, meaning you will not need to do any repairs prior to moving, you can even leave unwanted items in the house and they will remove. Investors also focus on closing fast, unlike the options listed above; an investor can close the sale in as little as one week, allowing you to move on with your life.

Another advantage to working with an investor is that they generally make all cash offers; this eliminates the possibility of an appraisal causing the loan to fall through. When an investor makes you an offer you can be confident that the money is there to close the deal.

Working with an investor also means there are no Agent commissions to pay, and in most cases they will cover all closing costs.

Choosing this option to sell your house works well for people who need to sell fast or anyone who simply doesn’t want to deal with the hassle of the selling process. Investors focus on structuring deals that work for all parties involved.

So what option is best for you?

Now that you have a little more knowledge on the 3 options for selling your house you can make an informed decision on which one to pursue given your current situation. Please don’t hesitate to give us a call or fill out the form on this page if you are interested in a free, no obligation, consultation on selling your house.

Real estate investors have developed a slightly negative reputation over the years; some people see them as dispassionate swindlers looking to take advantage of the housing crisis by buying up foreclosures. I’ll be the first to admit that there are some crooks in the industry, just like any other; however that is the very rare exception, not the rule. Most real estate investors are hard working people looking to earn a living and help get the housing market back on its feet. The following are four critical contributions that real estate investors offer the communities they work in (for this article we will focus on investment in residential real estate, specifically single family homes).

1. Purchase Foreclosures and other Distressed Property

Real estate investors purchase all sort of distressed properties, the most well known being foreclosures, or properties where the current owner is behind on their mortgage and the lender has decided to claim the property to satisfy the loan. After the housing market crashed in 2008 large quantities of foreclosures began to come up for sale, further depressing the housing market since foreclosed homes typically sell well below fair market value. Seeing this trend Investors jumped in to help reduce the excessive number of distressed homes then turned them into affordable housing for renters. By keeping the number of distressed properties for sale at a manageable level real estate investors help prop up values for all homes.

1. Rehab Rundown Homes

We have all seen those houses that have boarded up windows, overgrown grass, and junk all over the yard, they are an eyesore to anyone that passes by. These sorts of distressed houses can be in any neighborhood, regardless of how nice, and one thing they all have in common is that they have a very negative impact on the value of surrounding homes. In the real estate market a property’s value is based on what comparable properties have recently sold for, so a run down house that sells at a steep discount drives down the price for future listings. Now let’s see what would happen if a real estate investor purchased that house and fixed it up then resold it to a family that was looking for a new home. Since the house has been completely updated it is one of the nicest in the neighborhood, so it is understandable that the value of the house is significantly higher than it was when originally purchased. In its rehabbed condition, this house helps increase the value of all the other houses in the area by the same comparable pricing strategy as before.

1. Provide Houses for Renters

Most people think of apartments when talking about renting a place to live, however the reality is that a large number of people living in single family homes are renters, and ever since the housing market crash this has been a growing trend. Given the choice, most people would prefer to live in a house rather than an apartment; real estate investors have realized this demand for well maintained rental homes and are working to ensure a healthy supply to choose from.

1. Help Rebuild Credit Scores

Real estate investors help many people rebuild their credit score through using lease options. This is where a tenant moves in as a renter initially, however it is agreed that after the initial lease is over they will have the option to purchase the house from the investor for a predetermined price. This sort of arrangement is perfect for people who lost their home to foreclosure, they are used to owning their own home but don’t have the money for a down payment or a healthy credit score. During the lease period the renter can save up the required down payment, rebuild their credit score by making timely payments on credit cards and establish a solid rental history.

After reading about the positive impact that real estate investors have on the communities they invest in, it is our hope that if you are considering selling your house, for any reason, you will give us a call to discuss your situation and see if we can be of assistance to you.

Anyone who is looking to sell their home fast and for top dollar should consider the benefits of home staging. The following article will give you the rundown on this valuable selling strategy.

Home staging is the art of displaying your home so that it will attract buyers. The idea is to highlight the property’s positive features by utilizing furniture and decorations; keeping it easy on the eyes so that buyers are able to visualize your property as their new home. Staging will make the home stand out from competition and increase the number of quality offers you receive. Buyers are often influenced by their emotions, they want to feel comfortable and at ease when choosing a home. A properly staged home will draw attention to the good qualities and will minimize imperfections. The goal is to create a soothing environment so that buyers will be able to imagine that they already live there.

Staged homes start from the outside. Curb appeal is essential because it’s the first thing they see, the first opportunity to make an impression. The grass and bushes must be neat and trimmed. Sidewalk, driveway and roof should be free of leaves, dirt and mildew. Windows gutters and decks should be washed.

The inside of a property should be transformed from a personalized home to one that will appeal to a wide range of buyers. If you are still living in the house then de-cluttering is a must. A staged home draws attention to the features of a home rather than all of your stuff; it’s hard for a potential buyer to see themselves living in the house when pictures of your kids are all over. The video below, by the Home Staging Channel, demonstrates this principle by staging a master bedroom.

Arranging furniture and décor to create a flow of traffic is key; you want to guide buyers through the house. Simple decorations such as plants, drapes, pillows and throws are great accessories. Lighting makes a big difference as well; keeping windows open and lights on makes the home feel more spacious and vibrant. Neutral paint and carpet colors are always preferred; it might be worth your time to paint over that hot pink your daughter just had to have in her room.

Most home stagers will provide you with a free consultation, the cost of their services varies a lot based on the size of your house and how upscale things need to be. The Stager will come in and do a walkthrough, room by room taking notes of what needs to be done to showcase the home. The Stager should be able to utilize some of your furniture to save money.

Recent statistics gathered by Stagedhomes.com show that 94 percent of homes staged by an Accredited Staging Professional sold in 29 days or less compared to an average of 145 days for homes that were not staged. Although it may sound like staging is an unnecessary expense, the statistics don’t lie, those who stage get offers.

Now that you understand the benefits of staging your house as well as what the process consists of, if it seems like doing any of this would require too much time, money or energy please give us a call, we would be happy to discuss your current situation and help you develop a plan to get your house sold now.