You’re probably familiar with the old real estate adage; it’s all about location, location, location!
For homesellers, this truism isn’t always welcome news. After all, the location of your home may not be ideal. You may be living in a neighborhood that has seen some decline, or simply isn’t perceived as being a very nice place to live. That can obviously make it a little bit more challenging for you to get the place sold.
With that said, there are some steps you can take to make selling your own property just a little bit easier, even if you happen to be in a less-than-optimal neighborhood. We’ll highlight some of those steps below.
Additionally, remember that you can always request your SOLD.com report for some personalized house selling tips. Grab your seller’s report now!
How to Sell a House in a Bad Neighborhood
Here are some tips we’d recommend for anyone who’s struggling to sell in an undesirable neighborhood.
- Know your audience. First and foremost, think about the kinds of buyers who might be willing to compromise on the neighborhood. You’re probably not going to attract a lot of seasoned buyers who are looking for their forever home, but you may be able to entice first-time buyers, who will probably see the property as more of a starter home anyway, and thus be less concerned about the neighborhood.
- Enhance the curb appeal. You can’t control the appearance or upkeep level of the neighborhood, but you definitely can control the appearance and upkeep of your property! Do everything in your power to make sure the home wows buyers, focusing especially on the front lawn, garden, and the exterior of the house.
- Clean up the neighborhood. We just mentioned that you can’t control the appearance of the neighborhood, but actually, there are some small steps you can take to tidy the place up… whether that’s mowing the lawn of the abandoned house, taking some time to clean up trash, or even pressure washing dirty sidewalks. Yes, it will require some sweat equity, but if it results in a nicer-looking community, it may help you in getting your place sold! And ideally, your neighbors will appreciate the effort and pitch in themselves.
- Hold an open house. There’s debate in real estate circles about just how valuable an open house really is. When you’re trying to sell a home in a bad neighborhood, open houses can really go a long way. Simply put, the sight of other interested buyers can greatly increase the home’s desirability.
- Introduce your neighbors. If you’re selling your own property, one strategy you might try is inviting your neighbors to come over and speak with prospective buyers. Simply ask them to share some of their favorite aspects of living in the neighborhood. This can bring in a human element and might make the buyer feel a little more favorable toward becoming a part of the community.
- Get the timing right. For some neighborhoods, certain times of day are far more flattering than others. For example, if you live near a school, it may be wise to schedule showings for late morning or late afternoon, when there won’t be as many kids hanging around.
- Sweeten the deal. Sometimes, you just can’t get your buyers past the roadblock of the bad neighborhood… but what you can do is sweeten the deal with a few concessions. Offer to pay some closing costs. Throw in a home improvement allowance. Take whatever steps you can to make the overall deal a little more enticing.
These are just a few steps to consider as you brainstorm ways to sell your home… even a home that’s located in an undesirable neighborhood.
Get House Selling Tips from SOLD.com
Remember, you can get some additional insights into selling your own property by requesting a seller’s report from SOLD.com.
This free report includes independent advice from unbiased, third-party experts; included is a custom recommendation for how to sell your home (FSBO, working with an agent, etc.).
No matter your real estate goals, we can help you achieve them. The first step is requesting your report. Claim your report from SOLD.com today!
