Selling your house might sound straightforward at first, but the reality is that it can be a more difficult and more expensive process than you might think. Property is usually the largest asset we have, so it’s understandable that every homeowner wants the best result from their sale. Here’s some useful information from Dallas real estate solutions specialists to help you get the most value for your home and avoid paying more than you should in the process.
The Hidden Costs Of Selling Your Home
Selling something is usually a straightforward transaction – you list the item you have for sale and accept the offer that’s closest to your asking price. Selling your home is different, however, and this can lead to serious costs for homeowners, including:
- Real estate commissions: According to studies by Zillow, the average commission for selling your property through a real estate agency is 6%. With homes in the USA selling for $196,500 on average, this means that $11,790 of your sale goes straight into the real estate agency’s pocket. That’s a significant portion of your home’s value!
- Property appraisal: Before you sell your home, it’s important to get a clear idea of what it is worth in order to make sure it sells quickly at a good price. While there are some free online tools to help you get a good idea of the value of your property based on similar sales in your area, many property owners choose to get a professional, detailed appraisal. According to the True Cost Guide on HomeAdvisor.com, this can cost an average of $321 for homes in the Dallas area.
- Home staging: This is a service that’s aimed at helping homeowners present their home at its most attractive to help it sell faster and for a higher value – but this comes at a price. Zillow’s study puts this at an average of $1,208, which may increase or decrease according to the city you live in.
- Home improvement: Many homeowners choose to do basic home improvements to help their property sell faster or look more attractive to buyers. This could include calling in a handyman to take care of repairs at an average cost of $385, or more major projects like putting in a new kitchen or bathrooms at an average cost of $17,494 and $9,724 respectively for the Dallas area, according to the True Cost Guide on HomeAdvisor.com. A simple paint-out of the interior is more affordable but still costs an average of $1,915. Even carpet cleaning, another popular pre-sale home improvement, will cost $175 on average.
- Backyard improvement: Backyards are another area of focus for sellers and improvements such as trimming back trees and shrubs or installing landscaping easily costs homeowners an average of $741 and $3,279 respectively in the Dallas area.
So, What Is The Best Way To Sell Your Home?
Since estate agents come with such a high cost, more and more homeowners are looking at ways to sell their house more affordably. Here are some options that will help you save:
- Sell your house without an agent: It’s possible to sell your home without listing it at a real estate agency – and cutting out that cost of commission can help you save a lot. For example, you could save around $14,000 on a $300,000 sale even with the costs of online advertising for your property, a lawn sign and sales brochures. It’s important to keep in mind that there is a lot of work involved in earning that saving, from staging and showing your own home to negotiating your own sale. You’ll also still have to pay any other costs involved in your property sale like attorney’s fees.
- Sell your home to a real estate solutions company: If you want the savings of not having to pay real estate commission but would like to avoid the hassle and time commitment of selling your own home privately, then this may be the perfect solution for you. A real estate solutions company specializes in making home sales as simple and fast as possible by buying the property directly from owners. This takes all the pressure of selling a home off the homeowner and ensures that they have the money from the sale on hand as soon as possible. These companies are focused on giving you the best deal possible for your home and are happy to take on properties in any price range and condition, giving you additional savings.
Speak To Real Estate Solutions Specialists And Sell Your House Without Real Estate Agent Commission
Shiny Keys Properties is a real estate solutions company that aims to take all the stress – and additional costs – out of selling your home. Whether you are moving home, want to downsize, are in a foreclosure situation or simply want to sell quickly and easily, we can assist you. For more information on our cash for houses services in Dallas, please contact us today and speak to one of our friendly team members.