Do you live in a retirement community and are thinking about selling your home? Perhaps you moved into the community thinking it was right for you but came to find out later that you don’t want to live there anymore. Or maybe you found a community you like better and want to upgrade into a nicer home. No matter the reason, it’s come time to sell your house.
But since you live in a 55+ community, you know that selling your home is different than selling a house in a regular neighborhood, because your property is age restricted. This article shares five tips for selling your retirement home in 2022, so that you can get the best price possible in the shortest amount of time. Let’s get started!
Use a Local Real Estate Agent
To get the ball rolling on selling your retirement home, you should contact several local real estate agents and schedule interviews with them. Try and find agents who have previously sold homes in your retirement community. Just any regular real estate agent who has never sold a 55+ home won’t do; you need to find someone with experience.
During your interview, ask the agent what their plan is to sell your house. Their plan should include taking high-resolution photos and promoting the listing online. The best real estate agents will have a database of potential buyers who they can reach out to and see if they’d be interested in buying your home.
The real estate expert behind RetireBetterNow.com notes that using a local real estate agent who knows your retirement community can pay off for you when selling your home. The right agent will know how to price your home and market it to the 55 and over crowd properly. The benefit of this is your home selling faster at a higher price.
Make Necessary Repairs
Before listing your home on the market, you should make any repairs necessary. The majority of these will be cosmetic fixes dependent on how badly they actually need to be repaired. If there are larger fixes, be sure to consult with your real estate agent and find out if they’re necessary to make before selling; or if it’s something the buyer can fix once they buy the home.
For example, in today’s hot real estate market most buyers are willing to overlook both small and large repairs, because there is so little inventory on the market. However, you and your agent will have to make note of any serious defects or broken items. If you decide to sell without making any repairs, you’ll want to note that your home is being sold “as-is”.
Making repairs to your home before selling isn’t required, but it’s a good idea to pick-and-choose with your agent the repairs that will help you get the best price when selling. Enlist the services of a licensed contractor or handyman so that it’s done right the first time. Otherwise, making repairs can turn into a hassle that’s simply not worth the time or money.
Paint and Spruce Up Your Home
Painting is one of the best ways to increase your home’s value when selling. The right paint color can make the space look bigger or cozier, depending on what you think the buyer’s preference will be. Painting the exterior of your home can make the property look newer and improve its curb appeal.
Before selling your retirement home, you should also consider sprucing up the property with small updates. Installing new flooring or carpet where it’s worn goes a long way toward impressing buyers during an open house. Adding some tasteful décor or art pieces throughout the home can also be attractive to buyers.
If you really want to update the home so it sells at a higher price, consider installing new energy efficient appliances. This can be a big purchase but also a huge selling-point to buyers. New appliances such as stoves and washer/dryer not only look sharp, but you can preach the benefits of savings on utility bills and being more environmentally friendly.
Deep Clean
Quite possibly the best thing you can do before listing your home, taking photos, and setting up showings with buyers, is to perform a deep clean of your house. It’s possible that you’ve lived in this home for a long time and it has accumulated dust, dirt and filth. There’s no better time to clean up and make it shine than before selling.
When buyers walk into the home, they shouldn’t smell pet odors or see clutter. You want them to see a clean home that smells nice; a place they can envision themselves living. Older folk who would be buying the retirement home often pay attention to cleanliness and demand a tidy home, so by cleaning your house before showings you’re setting yourself up for success.
Make note that you don’t need to be the one who cleans. There are many companies out there who will come in and perform a deep clean of the entire house. To save money, you might consider going with a smaller, local service provider or enlisting the help of family and friends if you choose to do it yourself.
Market the Home Online
To sell your retirement home in 2022, it should be listed prominently online. You’ve likely heard about the importance of online marketing to sell your home. However, today it’s more important than ever. Why?
97% of homebuyers search for real estate online. This means if you don’t use the internet to sell your retirement home, you could really be missing out. And though you might be thinking that since the home is in a 55 plus community that older buyers don’t use the internet, think again. All ages are looking at homes online, not just young Millennials.
Your real estate agent should be well-versed in how to maximize your home’s listing through online channels. This includes taking good photos and writing a compelling listing description. If you own a luxury home, your agent should consider making a video and possibly even having the home staged, so it really pops online.
Conclusion
Selling your retirement home doesn’t have to be any more difficult than selling a regular house, if you know what to do. This article has provided you with five tips for selling a house in a 55+ community. Take these into consideration and work with a good real estate agent, and everything should work out in your favor!
