July 11, 2021
Being in active military service is an honor and something to be proud of. But, this being said, the strains of having to constantly move around from one suburb to the next can be taxing. With a hundred and one things to focus on, you need to sell your home to move on in your career.
In a situation that’s already filled with complexities and work, is there any way to ensure that your home sells quickly and fairly?
Here are some steps to ensure as someone a part of the military or moving house for the military spouse is easier.
Taking the steps to selling your home
Taking the traditional method of selling a home can be a tricky and long process.
From locating a realtor you like and trust to undertaking renovations of the property, listing the property, and then hosting showings, the process can be stressful and demanding.
As someone who is already busy negotiating with their military career, you won’t have time to interview a realtor. So, you will have to trust your spouse.
Another unconventional option you have is to sell your house without a realtor. While this is a cost-cutting exercise it will require a lot of time to complete.
This being said, selling a home is never easy. And if you’re up to selling your home quickly the next step is researching and deciding the price.
Research
Those who fail to prepare are preparing to fail. If you are planning on selling your home successfully, you will need to complete some research.
The first information to look up is how quickly homes are selling in the area. Most real estate websites will give a timestamp for when the listing was originally uploaded.
If homes are taking longer than the national average, which is 55-70 days in the U.S., you might need to consider lowering your asking price to ensure it moves, as slow-moving properties are prone to potential buyers haggling on prices. For those not certain of even the asking prices in the area, you can purchase these records by looking them up online. These statistics are referred to as a CMA or a Comparative Market Analysis document.
These documents normally lay out the pros and cons of the area you live in and how much other properties have sold for in the last 90 days. You might also want to look up what is required by appraisers who’ve been sent by potential buyers’ lenders, as listing your property above their asking price can result in major issues down the line. Unless you’re able to sell the house for cash.
What these appraisers are focused on is the state of your home.
This being said, what is the next step for selling your home as an active member of the military?
Getting the home ready!
As stated, unless the buyer is paying for the home in cash, they will most likely rely on the financial help of a lender. This is something worth noting as you will be buying a home while in the military, or buying a home in the military, when you arrive at your new posting.
These lenders will require an appraiser to inspect the property and to ensure that the asking price matches the true value of the home.
What are these appraisers looking for?
Just like you, the appraiser starts with research before putting a foot into your home. They will pull up a CMA.
A CMA gives the appraiser an idea of the prices homes have sold for in the area over the last 9 months. Also, this information is gathered on the surrounding properties within a 3-mile radius.
Once up to speed on your area, they will visit your home with forms that ask a number of questions that need to be answered. These can include: what the demographic of the area is, housing trends, utilities, home measurements, and the characteristics of the home.
These are just the general areas they will mark down. But the home appraisal process is a little more complicated than that. They will also need to look for:
- The state of the home in regards to cracks, damage, and leaks
- Size of the home and the property lot
- Quality of the landscaping
- Condition of the foundation and roofing
- Number of rooms
- Lighting and plumbing
- Number of fireplaces
- Condition of swimming pool or sprinkler systems
- Basement
- And finishing details around the home.
As you can tell from this list, the appraiser can take time to conduct their investigation.
But this list is something that someone who is moving because of their duty to their country should work through before thinking about listing their property. It’s a to-do list.
These jobs can be expensive to fix, but you’ll want to fix them before you list your property. For those
If you’re planning on showing your home, or staging it, there are a few tips to consider.
Showing your property
Before showing your house to any potential buyers you will need to conduct a few odd jobs to ensure your home is looking amazing! Staging a home can be tricky unless you follow the following steps.
Such as upgrading curbside appeal. This is the first impression potential buyers get before stepping foot in your home – as someone who is buying a house in the military you’ll notice this viewing new properties as well. Also, good curbside appeal has been known to speed up sales.
Make sure to declutter, each room of your home needs to be easy to move through and free of any distractions. A buyer who can imagine their own items in the space is one closer to buying your place.
A splash of paint is the cheapest way of transforming a room. And in the great scheme of things, is the quickest to complete.
Staging can be tricky, so hire a professional to help transform your home from drab to fab!
And finally, make sure you add some lighting to showcase your areas better.
Once you’ve completed this step, you should have buyers knocking at your door. If you’ve hired a realtor to help you with your sale, they’ll be doing the listing for you.
But what should you be wary of?
What your listing should include
Posting a listing can make or break your sale and if you’re moving for a new role – it needs to sell now. If your agent can upload it to a multiple listing service (MLS) this should help. After all, you’ll need the capital ASAP as you’ll be in the military buying a house soon!
Make sure that you post a solid and informative write-up about your home and the features it has is a must. Buyers want to know all the details about your home. These include:
- Closest public schools
- Size of the property
- Shops and amenities
- Does your property have a backyard with a pool?
- Is it a condo, single-family home, or a homestead?
- Can you access nightlife and attractions easily? Or is it a sleepy neighborhood?
- Where’s the closest public transport hub?
- Closest public parks and outdoor spaces
- Is it a family, young adult, or student neighborhood?
- And is it part of a homeowners association?
Once you’ve compiled a comprehensive list of informative points to include on the listing. Also, include that it was close to your last military posting as your replacement might be interesting and in the military buying a house.
For those who can’t wait for all these steps to take place, you can get a cash offer in a matter of minutes from an iBuying service – like House Buyers of America.
Companies like ours will take your home “as-is”! But why choose us?
Why trust House Buyers of America to buy your home?
Since 2001, we buy houses in Maryland, virginia house buyers, and Washington, DC. During this time we’ve innovated the real estate game, as well as impressed thousands of customers. It’s this longevity and success that sets us apart.
Currently, we have over 100 reviews with 5 stars , with testimonies from a select few! Most of these reviews highlight that House Buyers of America will:
- Sell houses fast
- Pay cash for homes
- Treat you with the utmost respect
House Buyers of America has also earned an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), which is an organization that helps United States consumers find businesses they can trust.
When you’re selling your home, you want to be 100% sure that you can trust the company you’ve contracted to help you. And nothing will put your mind at ease more than reading our clients’ reviews of our services.
And because our clients have spoken about us with such fondness, we’ve been asked to contribute thought leader comments to America’s most trusted media outlets, like:
- USA Today
- The Wall Street Journal
- CBS News
- ABC
- NBC
- And Fox
But how does House Buyers of America work?
How House Buyers of America works
We’ve ensured that every step is simple, quick, and efficient. That’s why our first step is you approaching us.
Simply give us a call at 855-659-3289 or use our online form to get started!
Within 10 minutes, if the call is made during office hours, we will have a fair cash offer for your property.
Once we’ve gathered your information, we will arrange a time for us to come by the house to finalize that important paperwork.
And once you’ve signed on the dotted line, the money will be in your bank account in a matter of days.
It’s never been easier to sell your house fast.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Selling Your Home Fast
During a transfer, a new deed is drafted and signed by the seller, transferring ownership of the house to the new buyer. This document is then recorded in the land records with the above-mentioned deed of trust.
We work with your bankruptcy attorney to present a FAIR offer and give you additional money at closing. We present the offer directly to your attorney and work to have the offer accepted by the bankruptcy court. Once the offer is accepted, we ensure that the bankruptcy is released and we buy the property as soon as possible.
Yes, we can work with any seller who needs to move a property quickly for any reason and in any price range. We have purchased million-dollar houses before.
Yes, we buy apartments, multi-family houses/buildings and land.
No! You have no obligation at all if you submit an information form, show your property to House Buyers or receive an offer to buy your house. You are under no obligation at all. All we ask for is the opportunity to make an offer for your house, you’re in the driver’s seat as to whether you accept the offer or not. You are in complete control. You are only obligated to our service if you have entered into a purchase agreement with us, as with any other real estate transaction.
We need very basic information from you about your house. The number of bedrooms, bathrooms and overall condition of the property is needed. We will also ask you how long you have owned your home and if there are any mortgages or liens against the property.
We offer the maximum amount possible, our offers are very competitive. If our offers weren’t competitive, we wouldn’t have purchased thousands of houses! There is no magic percentage we use, every house is unique. Our Real Estate Consultants take into consideration the age, condition, size, features and location of the home much like an appraiser would. We factor in the costs to repair the house, what other homes in the area are selling for and how long it is taking to sell those homes. These and several other factors are researched to determine a fair offer.
As soon as we receive your Online Form, we will review your information and get back to you ASAP (usually within 30-60 minutes depending on when you submit the information).
We work FAST to help ensure that your house doesn’t go to foreclosure. We present you with a FAIR offer to pay off your mortgage before the foreclosure. We help save your credit, avoid foreclosure and allow you to sell your house FAST and FAIR. Due to recent legislation, if you reside in the state of Maryland and are within a certain period of time before your foreclosure sale date, we will introduce you to a Foreclosure Consultant. The legislation mandates that if you are within this certain window that a foreclosure consultant must explain to you all of your options involved in selling your home.
No problem! We can still buy your house as is, even if it has demolition orders scheduled.
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