When you decide to sell your house privately, you are not alone. You would have come to the decision after considering all the lengthy processes like negotiations and paperwork etc requiring plenty of time and effort. It is more stressful as you are competing with real estate agents selling hundreds of properties with their professional knowledge and experience.  But you have help, thanks to technology and the internet as they provide you with the necessary information and guidance and even assistance.  Most of these services are free and you can use them from the comfort of your home easily and fast.  They help you with tips on how to set the right asking price, how to recognize the best buyers, how to handle queries, how to negotiate with potential buyers, how to close the deal and more.

There are several websites dedicated to helps seller who want to sell their properties privately. These sites allow you to advertise your house free of cost and charge no agent commission. They act as a platform for the buyers and sellers to find each other online. The buyers will contact you directly and your personal information is kept confidential.  You can take advantage of the vast exposure these sites give to your house having decided to sell your house privately. Your property remains online all the 24 hours of the day and seven days of the week. Some sites also provide the ‘For Sale’ sign boards which are effective.  Other marketing methods like flyers and post cards and word of mouth are good ways to attract the buyers in the local market. It is found that most houses are bought by people living within 5 km of the property.  

To sell your house privately, you need to ensure that it stands out from the rest of the properties in the locality as other houses sold by agents will be backed by professionalism and experience.   You have to give the house a face lift and make it inviting and enticing. So you can spend a few dollars to spruce up the house’s appearance as well as functionality. Fix the blocked drain, creaky doors and windows, stained walls and tiles and the like.  Make sure that the kitchen and bathrooms are clean and sparkling.  Remove clutter and odour from the house. Store away the extra furniture and knick knacks to make the house look spacious.   Keep the windows open and draw the curtains to allow natural light to make the house look brightly lit and well ventilated. Remove bushes, mow lawns, power wash the side walks and give the house a good curb appeal as it counts a lot as first impressions make a big impact on the buyer’s minds.  You can even place colourful flowering plants to add a touch of visual appeal to the buyers.

When you sell your house privately, you should be prepared to offer an incentive to encourage the buyer to make a quick decision. It may be a small discount for closing within a specified period such as accepting a portion of the payment in instalments, or giving some furniture away along with the house. They will prompt the potential buyer to close the deal immediately. You will do well to leave the legal paperwork to the conveyancer to ensure that the legalities of the transaction are followed. The above are some suggestions that will help you to successfully and quickly sell your house privately and get a good price.