How To Sell A Vacant Home
When selling your home, it’s common you may experience some stress, feel a bit uncomfortable, and even have some anxiety. These feelings are usually magnified when selling your home while it’s vacant. The truth is that even though most human beings are hard-working, considerate, and law abiding citizens, there are always some people however, who are not. When selling a vacant home, the probability of a home being vandalized, damaged, or broken into does increase.
Following these tips can make a huge difference in keeping your vacant house safe while it’s for sale.
Alert Local Law Enforcement
As a resident of your local municipality, you are required to pay taxes. The money you work hard to earn helps cover expenses and salaries of local governmental departments and their employees, such as the local police department. Make the local authorities aware that your home is for sale and ask if they can keep an eye on your property. Many local law enforcement agencies will make note of your vacant home and often will make additional “drive-by’s” in your neighborhood. A quick phone call to the local police department is all you need to help reduce the possibility of a problem when selling your vacant home.
Stage To Reflect An Occupied Home
Even though you may not be living in your home doesn’t mean that it has to be empty. When selling your home, it’s extremely likely that photos will be taken of the interior. There are simple staging tips that can help sell homes but also by leaving some small furniture such as tables, chairs, or couches in the rooms, can deter criminals from thinking your home is vacant.
Secure Possible Entrances
Securing all possible entrances may sound like common sense but there are many sellers who fall short in executing this. Whether it’s leaving a first floor window open or a sliding glass door, making sure your vacant home is secured is critical. A few extra precautions that can be taken include adding deadbolt locks to all doors, chains to doors, and installing wooden or metal sticks in sliding door tracks.
Keep Lights On
Another simple precaution that can be taken when selling your vacant home is leaving lights on. Certainly having lights on during the day is not necessary and also a waste of energy and money, however, once the sun is down, it’s strongly suggested. Interior lights can be set up on timers, which can be purchased cheaply at a local hardware store. These timers are able to be set for an on and off time. By having interior lights on at your vacant home can portray that someone is living there or is currently inside the home. Purchasing motion activated lights for the exterior of your home is suggested. Similar to timers, exterior motion lights can be purchased at your local hardware store.
Maintain Curb Appeal
Just like having a poorly lit home screams “vacant home,” not maintaining the exterior of your vacant home will do the same. Make sure when selling your vacant home that you have the grass cut, driveway snow-plowed, or flowers watered. A home with well maintained curb appeal is a sign that the home is visited often enough to keep it well maintained. If your vacant home has overgrown grass, weed filled flower beds, or three feet of snow on the driveway, this can portray nobody is around to care for the home, making it an easy target for potential break-ins.
If you are considering selling your vacant home in Duluth, MN contact us !We’d be happy to give you tips to help sell your home in a short amount of time for the maximum value.