Everyone knows the housing market is on fire right now. And in parts of the world where the demand for homes far exceeds the supply, homeowners looking to sell are in a position to make a killing.
Enter Southern California. It’s by far one of the hottest residential real estate markets on the planet. Homeowners from Santa Barbara down to Chula Vista have the chance to earn a decent profit.
With that said, selling your home in Southern California takes more than putting a sign in the front yard and listings online. In order to get the most money from the sale, you need to make the right moves at the right time.
Fortunately, we have you covered. The following are six tips for selling your home in Southern California:
Find cash buyers in Southern California
Many homeowners mistakenly believe selling their homes for cash means getting less than it’s worth. While cash buyers in San Diego and Los Angeles are looking to make the most of cash offers, they’re also smart enough to act fast when the opportunity is good. With this in mind, get in touch with cash buyers in your area. After purchasing your home, most cash buyers will get to work flipping your property, and some will even split the profits with you after the final sale.
Find cash buyers abroad
Don’t limit your search for cash buyers to those in your area. Expand your search to include potential cash buyers overseas. Foreign real estate investors – especially those in China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia – are eager to buy up homes in Southern California. What’s more, they have the cash needed to make strong offers and back them up with fast action. Once again, the only thing you have to lose is time spent turning down lowballers. Meanwhile, you drive up the selling price overall by getting more cash buyers interested in the sale.
Find a reliable real estate agent
The booming SoCal housing market means the region is saturated with real estate agents looking to get in on the action. With so many out there, it’s essential for homeowners to take their time finding the right one for them. We suggest treating the process like you’re hiring a contractor. Rather than let the would-be real estate agent control the conversation, take an assertive stance like you would if interviewing a potential employee. Pepper them with questions, listen carefully to their replies, and look deep into their background. Given the high volume of options, there’s no reason for Southern California homeowners to settle for an inexperienced or otherwise inadequate real estate agent.
Deep clean
When was the last time you deep cleaned your home? We’re talking about getting underneath furniture, behind appliances, and everywhere else you rarely clean throughout the year. If it’s been longer than six months, you’ll need to perform deep cleaning duties before putting the house up for sale. Doing so will make your home more appealing to potential buyers. Most open-house visitors don’t peek behind the refrigerator, but the ones that mean business will take the extra steps to examine the property thoroughly. With this in mind, make a point to get your house looking as spotless as humanly possible.
Improve curb appeal
Once you’ve improved the appearance of your home’s interior, it’s time to turn your attention to its exterior. Maximizing your home’s curb appeal remains an essential aspect of the selling process. Failure to do so will lead to a reduction in home value and make it harder to get the most money from the sale.
Brace for a bidding war
As mentioned in the introduction, the Southern California housing market is red hot. That means there’s a good chance of a bidding war unfolding between potential buyers. While manipulating the situation to force a bidding war is frowned upon, there’s nothing wrong with taking steps to ensure the bidding process benefits you the most.
If you’re looking to sell your home in Southern California, then you’re in luck. It’s one of the hottest markets out there right now. But that doesn’t mean the process is a picnic in the park. Selling your home in SoCal calls for the same steps as it does anywhere else. The only difference is the demand.
Michael Driver is a freelance writer from Texas. He enjoys covering topics related to history, real estate, and technology. Michael can be reached at ReddishRaddish87@gmail.com.