17 Tips to Get Your Home Ready to Sell During Social Distancing

April 29, 2020

When you are ready to build a new custom home but you already own a home, you want to make sure you can sell your old home in just the right time frame to match up with your closing date on your new dream home.

Getting the timing just right when you are building a new house can be a bit tricky. Custom home builds often take 8-12 months so you do have some time to work with. (Please check with your particular builder for the time frame they estimate for your new home.)

Some people prefer to try to sell their old house way before the new house is ready and choose to live in an apartment temporarily. Other new construction home buyers try to line up the timing so they can move right from their old house to the new house.

7 questions to consider before you put your home on the market

Is it a good time to sell a house? (The best times are often in spring and summer.)
How desperate are you to sell? Are you open to lower cash offers?
Can you handle two mortgages for a time, if necessary? Or can you cover the building costs for your new home if you still have your old home?
Do you want to use a real estate agent or try for-sale-by-owner?
Are you willing to make concessions like helping to pay the closing cost for your homebuyer?
What price per square foot are houses selling for in your area?
Is it a sellers’ or a buyers’ market?

Each regional market (and even each neighborhood) has its own special quirks. But there are some tried and true methods that can help you get your house ready to sell quickly. A home seller generally wants to try to appeal to as many potential home buyers as possible.

How to sell a house quickly during the quarantine

Many of the same tips we always recommend still hold true during this time. You may just have to make a few tweaks in your plan.

Choose a top-selling realtor who knows your area well and who offers virtual tours and online meetings.
Do a thorough spring cleaning (including washing all the windows inside and out) before taking pictures.
Freshen up the paint to a neutral color with wide appeal.
Spruce up the landscaping for great curb appeal with fresh mulch, hedge and tree trimming, and some new flowers.
Pack up clutter and put it into storage to make the house look more spacious and peaceful.
De-personalize your space. Put away things like sports team memorabilia and decorations, family pictures, religious statues or paintings, and anything that might prevent potential home buyers from being able to picture themselves living in the space.
Choose a reasonable sales price for your area and for the market.
Consider painting the front door an appealing contrasting color like red or navy blue.
Pressure wash the outside of your house, the driveway, patio, and sidewalks.
Add a few more lamps to brighten up your home.
Change out the kitchen hardware to give the kitchen an inexpensive lift.
Change old light fixtures to more modern styles.
Lightly stage your home.
Have professional pictures made of your home in good lighting conditions.
Add fresh, bright linens and curtains to bedrooms and fluffy, new towels to bathrooms.
Consider adding fresh, new shower curtains to bathrooms.
Hire a handyman to do any minor necessary repairs or, if you have the time and skills, work on them yourself.

COVID-19 home-selling tips

If you have a potential buyer who wants to tour your home in person during the quarantine period, your realtor may provide masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, and disinfectant products for the tour.

If you, or anyone in your home, have signs of illness, please don’t allow potential buyers or a realtor to come into your home until after everyone is well and the threat of spreading sickness has subsided. (Please follow the latest CDC guidelines.)

For more tips on how to sell a house fast, check with your trusted realtor. You can find a realtor through the National Association of Realtors. Your custom home builder may also have some suggestions, as well.