When the real estate market is slow and buyers seem few and far between, it can seem impossible to find a buyer for your home.
It is possible to increase the chances of selling your home in a bad market, however, by making the opportunity to buy your home as attractive as possible to the buyers who are out there.
The first thing you should do when planning to sell a house in a buyer's market is to carefully evaluate your situation.
If you have already put your house on the market, but have had trouble getting any interest from buyers, then it is time to reevaluate your position.
It may even be a good idea to take your house off the market for a few months while you do this or to wait a few months for a better time to sell.
Before you begin trying to sell your house, you should make sure that you are prepared financially for the move.
If you are able to move quickly, then you will make it easier for people to buy from you.
You also need to prepare the house for sale.
You should perform any repairs that need to be done and make sure your house looks as good as possible.
It will also be a good idea to look at the competition.
You should find out about recent sales of houses similar to yours, particularly ones that were sold in your neighborhood.
This will help you to understand what buyers are looking for, so you can make your home more attractive.
Once the house is ready, you need to choose a Realtor.
You may want to change Realtor if you have already worked with one unsuccessfully.
Make sure you choose the best Realtor for the job, and ask for valuations from a number of different Realtors in order to get a better idea of the true value of your property.
You should work with your chosen Realtor to help with the marketing of your property, ensuring that they have attractive photos and accurate information about the house.
If a potential buyer decides to view the house, make sure that it is clean, tidy and uncluttered.
You may want to redecorate in a more neutral style in case they do not appreciate your taste.
If you will be present at the viewing, make sure you have plenty of information about the property and neighborhood so that you can answer any questions the buyers may have.
Ask for feedback through your Realtor if the buyer decides not to go any farther after the viewing.
You can use what you learn to help make your property more attractive to the next buyer.
You will also need to be prepared to negotiate with buyers.
You may need to accept a lower offer than you had hoped for, or add in some extra benefits such as curtains or carpets.