Selling a Vacant House?

       Sometimes you have to move before you sell your home. Most often in the Mount Washington Valley, it's a second home that's placed on the market. In many places, a vacant home can signal desperation on the part of the seller. Fortunately, that's not true in this area. Nevertheless, following certain guidelines can hasten the sale of your home, and protect it as well.

       Give the house a lived-in look to thwart any unwelcome visits. Set a couple of lamps on timers, and have a neighbor or friend check on the house daily to take in mail, park a car in the driveway, and close and open drapes and windows. Continue using a gardening service or hire someone to cut the grass regularly. During the winter months, arrange to have snow shoveled from the walks and driveway.

If you remove the furniture, have the house cleaned and painted. Furniture, rugs and decorations tend to hide or minimize imperfections. When furniture and artwork have been removed, every blemish and bruise becomes accentuated, faded paint and wallpaper become more noticeable and scratches and nicks stand out.

Leave behind a few select pieces of furniture and keep the window treatments in place. Instead of producing a spacious appearance, an empty room tends to look smaller than a furnished room. A chair or lamp on a small table will confer a sense of scale and help potential buyers gauge whether their furniture will fit the space.

Find a real estate professional with experience selling vacant houses. Very often, these agents specialize in relocation. Sellers should have their relocation specialist monitor the condition of the house with regular visits; twice a week would be reasonable. And agree up front that if a problem develops, a contractor will be arranged for and the work verified by the relocation specialist.

       Although a vacant house presents certain challenges, it does not need to be difficult to sell. Just keep it spotless and in show-to-sell condition, inside and out.

Contact Chuck so that he can perform a no cost Comparable Market Analysis for you. This CMA will take in to account the recent comparable home sales in your area as well as comparable homes for sale on the market in your area. A comprehensive CMA is the best starting point for any Homeowner who is thinking of Selling their home.

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