How to Get Your House Sold Fast in Orlando, FL
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If you own a home or property in Orlando, Florida that you are ready to sell you might wonder about where to start. You likely don’t want some long-drawn-out process and you don’t want a ton of uncertainty. You just want to sell your Orlando home fast.
An obvious option is to list way below market value. This will likely get some offers that you can choose from and be done.
You might want a cash offer or a fair cash offer, you might want closing costs covered by the buyer, you might just want to see your house as is.
But if you want to sell quickly and get a fair price, there is a little more thought that needs to go into it. So how can you sell your house fast in Orlando without losing big on the deal?
We’ll tell you how.
Before you start, it’s essential to have a good idea of your home’s value. The average home value for Orlando is $345,541. 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.
Orlando, FL has a lot to offer to potential home buyers. There are many people relocating to Florida every year. Things like warm weather, areas with great schools, and proximity to attractions, draw new residents to the state. All things that you can promote as you market your home.
There are some things you can do for your specific property that will help you close the deal.
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. Especially if a buyer is searching from out of state, they might not have the luxury of seeing the home in person.
If your pictures are poor quality or don’t show the best parts of a house you might lose buyers before they get to the description. Your Orlando home needs to be photographed in a way that makes it look clean, bright, and well taken care of.
If you’re seeing your house as is you can still have pictures that show it’s potential. Talk to an experienced real estate photographer.
2. Make Quick and Easy Repairs
If your home has visible imperfections, faulty wiring, poor plumbing, or overall looks old and decrepit, this could hurt your sale. Even small cosmetic changes can be the difference between a sold home and an aging listing.
Obvious damage and fixer-upper homes can keep your Orlando 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 1980s 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 of what it would be like to live in this home. Too many personal effects, clutter, and general messiness will not attract buyers. You must stage your house in an attractive yet neutral way 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. Staging Your Home
Now let’s talk about staging your home to help sell your house fast in Orlando. 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 Orlando.
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. Improving 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.
In Florida, planting palms seems obvious but there are a lot of other popular landscaping plants that will make your home stand out. American beautyberry, Azaleas, and Crape Myrtles rank at the top for popular landscaping plants in Florida. These can add a lot of beauty and appeal which in turn can help your house sell 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-damaged, 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 need to know how to sell your house fast in Orlando, there are always things you can do to get your home sold faster.
The median household income of Orlando, FL residents is about $51,757. 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 Orlando to sell fast by far is by hiring an experienced Orlando, FL real estate agent. Despite what you might think, a quality agent hears you out and works overtime to sell your house in your desired window. Find out what the average commission rate is for agents in your area here.
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 but talking to one of the talented agents on FastExpert.com!
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