Selling a House When You Have to Move Long-Distance Suddenly
Faced with a sudden long-distance move and the necessity of selling your home fast? You’re probably experiencing stress, uncertainty, and maybe fear. How will you be able to pull off a fast-track home sale?
Those feelings are understandable. As you face moving long-distance and selling your home at the same time, consider that you have two options for how to make the sale. We’ll discuss both options in this article: 1) traditional, and 2) expedited.
Option 1: Sell Your Home the Traditional Way
You can sell your home the traditional way–on the market with the help of a real estate agent. Most of the selling process will probably happen after you’ve moved, and you’ll need to deal with everything long-distance, perhaps with a trip or two back to tie up loose ends.
This traditional route can be a good option for homeowners with the resources to make it work. By resources, we’re talking money for repairs and paying people to do the things you can’t do when you’re not there.
If you choose this option, in the short time available before you move, do as many of the tasks below as possible. If you allow two to three focused days to do these tasks, you’ll be able to get most of them done. Fitting them in before you leave will make the rest of the selling process more manageable. They will increase your chances of selling quickly, and none involve a lot of expense.
Take Good Pictures
The National Association of Realtors has reported that most buyers begin their house searches online, so it’s crucial that you have high-quality images posted with your listing. We’ve all seen dark and blurry real estate photos that make even the best homes look unappealing, so be careful which photos you use. If you take your own photos, consider these pointers:
- Use the best camera you have. Cell phone cameras are improving, but don’t assume your phone will deliver the best photos.
- Take exterior pictures when the light is most flattering, which is usually around dawn or dusk.
- Include a full-house shot from the curb plus photos of each room, especially the kitchen, master bedroom, bathrooms, and entertaining areas.
Stage Your Home
The Real Estate Staging Association found that homeowners who staged their homes before listing received an offer 90% faster than those who waited. If you’re moving before getting your home packed up (i.e., someone else will be packing it for you before or while it’s on the market) make sure YOU do these things before you head out:
- Clean everything as much as you can
- Declutter—take stuff off counters, mantles, shelves, and tabletops
- Straighten up laundry rooms and pantries
- Remove extra furniture
- Ask your realtor to put fresh flowers in the house for every viewing
Depersonalize the House
You want buyers to imagine themselves living in your home. Take down family pictures, memorabilia, and even your favorite artwork. Anything that takes attention away from the house itself should go.
Painting
Repainting in neutral colors is another way to create a blank slate that allows buyers to picture your house as their own. If you have the time and money, repaint your walls before you leave town. If you have the money but not the time, hire someone to do the work.
Spruce Up the Exterior
You’ve heard it said that curb appeal matters and that you’ve only got one shot at a first impression. The first three seconds after a buyer pulls up to your house are crucial.
You don’t have to call in a professional landscaper but do what you can in half a day before you go.
Think simple: mow the lawn, edge the driveway, throw down a few bags of mulch in beds near the front door, and trim your shrubs. Spray the cobwebs off the shutters and ditch the deteriorating basketball hoop. Wipe down the front door and wash the front windows.
Now let’s look at a second strategy for selling your home when you have to move long-distance suddenly.
Option 2: Expediting the Sale–Sell to an Investor
The second option for a home sale is to sell your property to an investor. The beauty of taking this route is that the whole process can be completed in a matter of days because home buying companies purchase properties in their existing condition. If your long-distance move is happening in two weeks, it’s entirely possible to have your house sold by that time.
Houston Capital Home Buyers is a Houston-area investor that can buy your home.
We’ve been in the homebuying business for over a decade. We’ve purchased more than $26 million worth of houses in and around Houston from homeowners just like you. We’ve earned the respect of our community along with an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
We buy houses as-is, which means you don’t have to do anything to prepare your home for sale—no repairs, no improvements, nothing. We keep things as simple as possible, so the sales process stays short and sweet.
Here’s what it looks like to sell a house to HCHB.
- Request an offer from us. Do this online by clicking “Get a Cash Offer Today” and filling out the form or by giving us a call.
- We’ll get back to you within 24 hours with a cash offer and a contract. Look it over and let us know if you have any questions. (There’s no pressure to accept, and you can take as long as you want to decide.)
- If everything looks good, return the signed contract, and we’ll get things moving with our title company.
- We’ll set a closing date in as little as seven days, and you’ll leave the table with cash.
Four steps and you’re done. Submit a request for an offer today, and this time next week you could have cash in your hand.
If you’re skeptical, ask any of the 400+ families that we’ve worked with over the last ten years about our service and speed. Call us for more information, and we’re confident that you could be our next satisfied customer.
Conclusion
Making a long-distance move suddenly can put anyone into a tailspin. If on top of the move you also must sell your house, it can feel overwhelming. Follow our tips above if you decide to sell your home through a realtor. Otherwise, give us a call today and let us help you.
