5 Ways to Get Your House to Sell Fast in Milwaukee

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If you need to sell your house right away a simple answer is to list your home at a low price. The average home sale price for Milwaukee is $170,000 or $107/sqft. Using that and your home’s condition as a starting point, your agent can help you find a list price that will likely drive quick offers.

But, if you’re hoping to sell quickly and for a good price, we have some suggestions that can help draw attention and fair bids to your home.

Milwaukee, WI has a lot to offer that appeals to a lot of people. You can’t change the weather, school district, or proximity to attractions, but here are some things you can do to improve your chances.

1. Take Good Pictures

Your listing photos are the first thing buyers will see, and potentially the last. These need to be attractive, accurate, and very telling of what living there will be like. 

If your home has visible imperfections, faulty wiring, poor plumbing, or overall just looks old and decrepit, this is going to hold you back. Even small, cosmetic changes can be the difference between a sold home and an aging listing. 

2. Make Quick and Easy Repairs

Obvious damage and homes in need of repair can keep your Milwaukee house from selling fast. If the house you’re selling is in dire need of repairs, this may turn away prospective buyers. No one wants to invest in a money pit. 

A fresh coat of paint can do wonders for your home’s exterior or interior look. Try to stick with neutral colors that your buyers are less likely to paint over. If your carpet is worn down, stained, or otherwise damaged looking, get an upgrade! 

If your fixtures and cabinets look like something out of the 80’s or older, modernize their appearance! Seeing “retro” looking fixtures and wallpaper might be fun for some, but some buyers may see it as a sign that the home hasn’t had an inspection in a while.

Prioritize Repairs

While cosmetic upgrades can make your home look far more attractive to the eye, they shouldn’t be used as a cover for more pressing issues.

The biggest deal-breaker is leaving your buyer with a long list of repairs for things like air conditioning, plumbing, lighting, heating, and architectural damage. You wouldn’t want to move into a house where the toilets work only half the time, so you can’t expect your buyer to want to either.

3. Clean and Reduce Clutter

Your photos and house tour videos (should you have any) should be a preview into what it would be like to live in this home. Too many personal effects, clutter, and a general mess will not attract buyers. You must stage your house in a way that’s attractive, yet neutral to any interested buyer (but more on staging later).

Whether you’re getting pro shots taken of the home for a listing, or showcasing it via an open house, there are steps to be taken to ensure your home is perfectly cleaned and uncluttered. Here’s what you need to do:

Reduce Personal Decor

First, reduce as many personal effects as you can such as family photos, posters, religious paraphernalia, children’s toys, collections or displays you may have, etc. Pack these away in storage bins or boxes and take them to a storage unit. If you have already moved into your new home and just need to sell your old one, you can simply take everything out.

Pro Tip: If you are still living in the house, do not fill your closets with boxes. You want to show off the closet space your buyers can expect.

The idea is to show off the home’s best features while still being able to live in it if you have not yet moved. Your buyers should be able to picture themselves living there and not be distracted by mess and personal items.

Deep Clean the Home

Second, you’ll need to do a deep clean of the home. Not just a spot clean, a really thorough cleaning. You might be able to get away with some surface cleaning in your listing photos, but when buyers come to see the house that’s a different story. They will look through every nook and cranny trying to find something wrong with the house. So remember, if you sweep it under the rug, they will find it. Deep clean these areas to ensure you have a home that’s ready to be showcased:

• Clean your baseboards
• Wipe down inside and outside of your kitchen cabinets
• Mop your kitchen and bathroom tile
• If possible, organize your fridge and clean it out to prevent smells
• Give your showers, tubs, and toilets a good scrubbing
• Thoroughly vacuum your carpets and remove any stains

Pro Tip: If you’re strapped for time, call on some friends or hire some professionals to get the job done faster.

4. Stage Your Home to Highlight Potential

Now let’s talk about staging your home to help sell your house fast in Milwaukee. This process goes hand in hand with cleaning and decluttering the space. If you’ve already moved into your new home, all your personal belongings will be out of the way and it will be easier to clean.

Furniture

You can decide to leave the home empty, and leave the possibilities open to the imagination of your buyers. Or, you can leave some furniture (or buy) and gently stage the home.

Again, keep it simple. You don’t need to go for a theme or go all out (but if you do, I won’t stop you). The staging furniture should be simple and keep things neutral. The point is to give your buyers an idea of what life could be like there.

Furniture is not required, but it does make a house more inviting to be sure. Consider this when staging your home to help sell your house fast in Milwaukee.

Wall Decor and Paint

As previously mentioned, when staging your house, you want to keep things neutral. Buyers are turned off by bright, loud, wallpaper patterns and paint colors.

White, off-white, and beige are always safe bets when it comes to wall paint. If you do have some color, make sure it’s subtle. For instance, a very soft blue bathroom may create a more calm feeling. Soft and subtle grey paint is also acceptable. You want to stick with soft colors that won’t distract your buyers from the quality of the home.

5. Improve Your Home’s Curb Appeal

While you’re focused on cleaning the inside of your home and staging it, don’t forget about the exterior! The outside of your house is more than likely the first thing buyers will see on your listing. This can make or break a sale. If your house looks unattractive from the beginning, you’re going to have a hard time selling your house fast.

Power washing can make a huge difference in your home’s appeal. If you’ve got a stained driveway, artillery fungus on your home’s siding or sun damage, chipping paint, a good power wash can make your home look sparkling new! You can buy power washing tools and clean yourself, or you can hire a professional. Lack of curb appeal can definitely be a deal-breaker, so take pride in the look of your home! 

The Bottom Line

If you’re looking for answers to “how to sell my house fast in Milwaukee,” there are ways to get your home sold faster by far. 

The average yearly income of Wisconsin residents is about $90,695. This can give you insight into what kind of offers you may receive.

Making easy improvements to your house will make it more attractive and less of a fixer-upper. This will draw attention to your listing. No one wants to invest in a house that will end up draining their bank account with repairs. 

They’re already spending a fair amount of cash plus additional fees that come with purchasing a home. Your buyers don’t want to fund a remodel as well.

Ask yourself, what can I change about my home selling strategy to improve it quickly?

The best way to get your house in Milwaukee to sell fast by far is by hiring an experienced Milwaukee real estate agent. Despite what you might think, a quality agent will hear you out and work overtime to get your house sold in your desired window. 

Secondly, reduce your asking price in your listing. You might think this will attract lowballers, when in fact this will actually create competition. A great home at a low asking price is a gold mine, this will attract buyers and the offers will climb. You may end up selling for more than you expected.

Get started on selling your home fast with FastExpert!