If you’re planning a move this year, you may have mixed feelings. Selling a home can be both exciting and bittersweet! This is especially true if you’ve been in your house a long time.
This may be the situation for many sellers in 2024. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), in the years since 1985, the average time a homeowner has owned their home has increased from 6 to 10 years (see graph below):
With the mortgage rate lock-in effect easing, many sellers in 2024 may even be over this average. With that in mind, here are our three must-do’s for selling your house in 2024:
1: Stay rational.
It’s easy to get emotional when selling your home of many years. Walking around the house will bring memories of “Happy Birthday” being sung in the kitchen, loved ones gathering around the dining room table for the holidays, and your kids taking their first steps in the living room. These memories give sentimental value to your home.
Before making a final decision, it’s important to ask yourself: “Can I sell my house without getting too emotional?” Once you commit to selling, do your best to look at all your decisions with a rational mind.
2: Stage your home properly.
If you’ve been in your home for many years, you’ve likely put a lot of effort into your décor! It’s probably arranged just as you like it. For staging, though, remember that what matters is appealing to as many buyers as possible.
If your style is strong or you have too many personal items displayed, buyers may not be able to see themselves living in your home. As Jessica Lautz, Deputy Chief Economist and Vice President of Research at NAR, explains: “Buyers want to easily envision themselves within a new home and home staging is a way to showcase the property in its best light.”
If you find yourself stuck deciding between two staging options, ask yourself: “What will sell my house faster?” The better choice is the one that will appeal to a wider range of people.
3: Price your home right.
Again, it’s time to think rationally. Ask yourself: “What’s the right price to sell my house in today’s market?” You don’t want to price it too low and leave money on the table, but pricing it too high will deter buyers. It’s important to price your house according to the current market, not sentimental value.
Hannah Jones, Economic Research Analyst for Realtor.com, expands on this:
“Sellers need to become familiar with their local market and work closely with a local agent to make sure their listing is attractive to buyers. Buyers feeling the pressure of affordability are likely to be pickier, so a well-priced, well-maintained home is the ticket to drumming up big demand.”
If your home is distressed, listing on the market may not be the best option for you.
Selling a distressed house:
When you’re dealing with a distressed house, you may want to sell the house as-is. When you sell a house as-is, you don’t have to worry about spending time and money on repairs and upgrades or preparing it perfectly for buyers. You can sell a house as-is to a cash buyer like MarketPro Homebuyers. It’s the fastest way to sell your home!
Work with MarketPro:
We’ll give you a fast cash offer for your current home just as it is now; no repairs, no upgrades, no inspection, no commissions or fees. You can even choose your exact closing date. Our team will walk you through your quote, including a review of what your home would likely bring on the open market.
If you’re in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania or Florida, we’d love to show you how easy and stress-free the sales process can be. Contact us today for a same-day, no-pressure quote.
