Are you looking to sell an old house?

When you’re planning to sell your house, there are a lot of decisions to make and factors that will inevitably affect the outcome of your sale. This is especially true when you want to sell an old house.

According to Statista, about 25% of buyers prefer new homes as opposed to older homes. While that may be the case, around 87% of buyers purchased a previously owned property, per a study published by the NAR (National Association of Realtors^®).

So, what should you do when you’re selling an old house?

Know your selling options.

When trying to sell an older house, here are two of the selling options available to you. You can:

• Sell with an agent: Working with a real estate agent can take time, and your house may be sitting on the market for months. You will likely need to budget for repair costs, staging costs, and agent commissions. While these steps can lead to a higher sale price, they can also take significant time and investment.
• Sell your house off-market: You could sell your house to an off-market home buyer. This means you may get a quick sale for under market value. You wouldn’t need to deal with any repairs or staging costs, and there are no agent commissions to worry about.

How to prepare your house for sale

If you’ve decided to work with an agent, it’s important to know what’s involved in the process. Getting your house ready to sell includes:

• Pre-sale inspection: You may want to get an inspection before you start the selling process, as problems with a buyer’s inspection can cause contract delays and cancellations. Have the house inspected for potential problems, including your HVAC systems, roof, foundation, and plumbing.
• Repairs: Depending on the outcome of your inspection, you may want to either make repairs or disclose your property’s condition to buyers. Keep in mind that if you do make repairs, you may still need to provide disclosure depending on the state you live in.
• Curb appeal: You should consider making improvements to your lawn. According to the NAR, over 90% of real estate agents will advise improving curb appeal before listing and believe it is an essential part of attracting potential buyers.
• Painting: Painting has the biggest return on investment when it comes to selling your house. Interior painting can have an ROI (return on investment) of 107%, and exterior painting can have an ROI of around 55%. This can be a great low-cost way to increase your expected sale profit.
• Appraisal: You will need to determine the fair market value of your property. You should consider getting an appraisal so you can price your house correctly. This will also help any interested buyers in securing a loan to purchase your house.
• Stage your home: Staging is an integral part of your home sale. It’s important for potential buyers to be able to imagine themselves living in your house. You can hire a staging company if you don’t want to do this yourself. Virtual staging is now an option, too.
• Listing: Once your old house is ready to market to buyers, it’s time to list. When working with an agent, you will likely have your house marketed on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service). Your listing will include your home sale price, contact information, and property description.

How much repair work does your house need, and how much will it cost you?

Many buyers prefer purchasing a house that doesn’t need a lot of work. If you plan on selling your house by listing it on the traditional real estate market, you may need to consider some things before you even list. What condition is your house in? Does it need major repairs or only minor updates? Are there issues like foundation problems or a leaking roof that may discourage buyers? This will impact the selling process and the expected proceeds from your sale.

You may need to make some repairs first. It’s important to budget for home repair costs, as they can easily cost you thousands of dollars.

You should also keep in mind any recurring or required maintenance costs. According to Census.gov, homeowners spend around $200 per 500 square feet of living space on routine maintenance every year. Home improvement projects, on average, cost $700 for the same amount of space. The costs of repairs and maintenance will largely depend on the size of your house and the scale of disrepair.

Challenges of selling an old house that needs repairs

Between all the legwork and labor costs, there are a lot of steps involved when you want to sell an older house.

If you don't want to take these steps, you could always sell your house “as is” to an off-market home buyer like We Buy Ugly Houses^®.

When you choose a direct sale for your old house, you get to sell with:

• No repairs or renovations.
• No inspections or staging.
• No decluttering or deep cleaning.

How to sell your house “as is” with We Buy Ugly Houses

When you want to skip the steps involved with selling your old house and get straight to your home sale, We Buy Ugly Houses is here for you.

For over 29 years, our local property buyers have helped sellers get past the common roadblocks and red tape that come with selling on the traditional real estate market.

Using our 3-step home-buying process, we can streamline your sale. With us, you can:

• Sell your house “as is.”
• Minimize selling costs.^†
• Get a quick sale.

If you want to sell quickly and avoid repairs, reach out to We Buy Ugly Houses. We buy old houses fast, and we close quickly, sometimes in as little as 3 weeks.

Ready for a new way to sell your old house? Contact off-market home buyer We Buy Ugly Houses and get a free consultation toward a fast offer.

This blog is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice.