Closing is the final step in selling your home. Getting to closing can produce a lot of anxiety and worry because so many things can go wrong to delay the closing. There are some steps you can take to ensure the process is smoother and the closing will be faster. So let’s take a look at 4 things Westfield, Cranford, Clark, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside Areas home sellers can do to ensure a fast closing.
1. Price It Strategically
Most of the time, achieving a fast closing for Westfield, Cranford, Clark, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside Areas home sellers begins with pricing their home right, that is, pricing strategically. It may currently be a seller’s market, but you still have to “keep a cool head when it comes to pricing your home.”
Sellers can take advantage of the current market conditions and command a premium but you still can’t go overboard on pricing. In some cases, sellers are being led to believe that everything will sell, sell quickly, and for a huge premium. But they need to understand that not every home or listing will sell at the top price. Setting up your home, staging, cleaning, and professional photography is still required. Every additional buyer/offer for your home can bring additional profit and help maximize what you sell your house for.
We can help you to come up with a strong opening price in the Westfield, Cranford, Clark, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside Areas and let the market factors (low inventory, high demand) do the rest.” To discover more about strategic pricing for a fast closing, call 917-608-7277.
2. Avoid High-Risk Buyers
Another way to increase your chances of a fast closing when selling your home in Westfield, Cranford, Clark, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside Areas (or, at least, a faster closing) is by avoiding high-risk buyers. Vetting buyers may seem like a strategy to push closing further away, but nothing creates a longer delay than when a deal breaks up and your home has to go back on the market.
Some of the buyers to avoid or be wary of are:
- Those who present the potential to back out of the deal if there are certain problems with the property. The most common remedy here is for buyers to limit the inspection contingency to major issues only.
- Those who don’t “have enough cash to cover the difference between the mortgage amount and the home price if the appraisal falls short”. Appraisal waivers and proof of funds to cover the difference are very common in a seller’s market.
- Those who need “to sell their home before they can buy”. This is a common contingency. Many seller’s will accept this if the buyer’s existing home is under contract.
In today’s hot real estate market, Sellers need to consider more than the amount offered for the home. Buyer contingencies, reputable lenders, and timing should all be considered when vetting an offer. So the best course for most Westfield, Cranford, Clark, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside Areas home sellers is to rely on their agent to help vet buyers and consider the pros and cons of various offers.
3. Make Repairs and Stage It
You can further increase the likelihood of a fast closing if you make the necessary repairs to your home and then stage it. Even when inventory is limited and buyers are feeling desperate they will walk away if the house doesn’t live up to the price tag, or at least get close to it. If you’re seeking a fast closing, you must present your home in the best, most appealing light possible.
While you don’t have to go all-out and perform, say, a major kitchen remodel, you do need to make the obviously needed repairs and maybe make some upgrades. Buyers will pay a premium when comparing options in this market for homes that provide peace of mind and for being move-in ready.
Then, be sure to stage your home. Numerous surveys have found that not only do staged homes sell for 1% to 5% more, but they also sell faster. And a faster sale means a closing that happens sooner. We provide a free stage consultation on all new listings. You will be amazed how small changes can make a huge impact on a home.
4. Prepare for the Final Walk-Through
It also pays to keep in mind the things that can go wrong at the end of the process to delay closing. One of these is the final walk-through.
The typical sales contract allows the buyer a final chance to walk through and inspect your home one last time within 24 hours of closing. This is the buyer’s last chance to make sure your home is in good condition and that agreed-upon repairs have been made. Usually, this goes off without hitch, but problems that delay closing can arise.
Here are some of the things you can do to prepare for the final walk-through to make sure your fast closing stays on track:
- Clean your home thoroughly. The expression you will see is the home must be “broom clean”
- Provide the owner’s manuals and warranties for all the appliances and home systems.
- Provide a vendor list with contact information for all “the home contractors and/or maintenance companies that you’ve used in the past.”
- Check to make sure you haven’t left anything behind.
Use a Westfield, Cranford, Clark, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside Areas Agent for a Fast Closing
A final thing that will help most buyers achieve a fast closing is enlisting the aid of a hardworking realtor like us at Steve Christian Homes. Listings represented by an agent typically sell for more, and closing usually happens sooner as well. Every local market has its peculiarities, we know just what it takes to expedite closing in the Westfield, Cranford, Clark, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside Areas. So if a fast closing is your goal when selling your home in Westfield, Cranford, Clark, Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Mountainside Areas, contact us today at 917-608-7277.