A Contractor’s Guide to Selling a New House Quickly

Preparing a house for a quick sale can seem overwhelming. As a builder or a contractor, getting the house built may seem like crossing the finish line, but sometimes that’s not enough to seal the deal. Following these expert tips will help you attract buyers, not just sightseers – which is exactly what you want.

The process of selling a house is much the same whether you are selling a home that was pre-existing, rehabbed, or just built. A home is one of the biggest purchases that most people will ever make. It’s no wonder why people would be pickier about their homes than other purchases.

Entice Buyers with Curb Appeal when Selling a House

The first thing you’ll want to consider is the curb appeal of the houses for sale. Since this is the first impression on your home to prospective buyers it should be no surprise that your curb appeal can boost your property’s value by up to 17 percent, according to a Texas Tech University study.  

Of course, this is easier said than done. But when the homes for sale are new, there is a lot more potential starting with a blank canvas so to speak.  Professional landscapers in your community who can do things like install walkways, planters, shrubs, trees and more.

According to HomeAdvisor.com, this can cost an average of $3,219 per home – but with a boost in value as high as 17 percent that’s certainly worth the investment.

Now, you should also think beyond the curb appeal of the individual homes for sale. Instead, if you’re building a new community, don’t forget to consider the curb appeal of the community from the roadside as well.

Is your sign easily seen and read from the road? Did you use landscaping to make your new construction feel inviting? This will all pay off more than you might expect in the long run.

Staging is the Key – Make the Buyer Feel at Home

Staging your houses that are for sale is just as important on the inside as it is the outside. You want the potential buyers to be able to see themselves in the model home. On average, staged homes sell 88 percent faster and for 20 percent more than ones that are left empty.

Of course, you’re going to be keeping track of your costs throughout this endeavor and you don’t want to spend too much on staging. You could easily spend over $5,000 to stage a home – but there are less expensive options than buying furniture you will eventually discard.

Professional stagers are always an option – but you’re going to be paying that higher price tag for the convenience. Generally, you will be charged $300-600 for an initial design consultation – then budget $500-600 per room, per month. However, if you’re on a time constraint, this can often be done start to finish in less than 24 hours – so consider whether it is worth the investment from the start before you have no choice.

If you’re on a tight budget, then you can always use digital staging – where you take photos of empty or slightly furnished rooms and add furniture using editing software like Photoshop. However, this is best used in the initial phases, before your model home is ready to be properly staged.

Emphasize New Technology and Energy Efficiency

Another thing you’ll want to do that most contractors do when selling a house is to emphasize any new technology or energy-efficient appliances that are being installed in the home. In a technological age with smartphones, smart cars, and even smart houses this should be a no brainer.

In all your marketing materials – whether you are focusing on an online or snail mail approach – make sure you talk up any technology your houses for sale come with. This could include anything as small as a USB outlet directly in the wall or something as major as a home security system or high efficiency kitchen appliances.

Even if you don’t have a ton of tech in your new construction property for sale, it likely still has more than older homes in the same area. Anything that sets your home apart from existing properties is something you want to strongly emphasize.

Don’t Neglect Your Marketing – It’s Essential Selling a Home

This might seem obvious – but don’t get so caught up in building your new community or houses for sale without putting some time into your marketing efforts from the start. Everything counts – from word-of-mouth mentions to snail mail to social media marketing. Of course, some methods will be more likely to attract buyers – listing your home on real estate websites like Zillow, Trulia and Realtor.com are all great ways to get the word out there to millions with little-to-no cost to the seller.

Use the best pictures. Use many pictures. People searching online want to see as much of the house and neighborhood as they can before they go see a property that is for sale. Once they’ve come out to look, if you’ve taken care of curb appeal, staging and talking up the tech, you will likely see your homes sell quickly.

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