How to Sell a Home in a Less Desirable Neighbourhood

IN THIS POST

• Hire an Experienced Agent 
• Don’t Mislead Buyers
• Put a Positive Spin 
• Price Accordingly
• Host a Lot of House Tours
• Enhance the Curb Appeal
• Be Smart with Staging 
• Highlight Positive Changes
• Find a Workaround 

Selling a home is a time-consuming and stress-inducing process. Unfortunately, it can become even more difficult when the property is located in a less desirable area.

Regardless of whether your house has a brand-new Italian kitchen or large French windows filling each room with natural light, you may have trouble finding suitable buyers if the neighbourhood does not hold a good reputation. However, there is always a buyer for every type of property. Even if your home is not presently in demand due to factors outside of your control, there are a few strategies you can use to make the most of your situation.

9 Tips for Selling a Home in a Less Desirable Location

Is your property located near train tracks or in a congested area? Well, you can lay your worries to rest and follow these tips for selling your home in no time. 

Hire a Seasoned Real Estate Agent 

If you have been trying to sell your property on your own but haven’t had much luck it is a sign that you need to consult with an experienced real estate agent – preferably one who has previously sold homes in your area.

What most first-time sellers fail to realise is that sound marketing and good home presentation paired with the right price can even make property located in suboptimal areas stand out from the rest and attract buyers. Hence, instead of spending months trying to find leads that may not work out in the end, it is recommended to find a reliable real estate agent who knows just how to overcome the challenges of selling property in a particular neighbourhood.

You can also check out our guide on top reasons to hire a real estate agent in Pakistan for more information.

Don’t Mislead Prospective Buyers

It may seem tempting to hide the truth about the subpar location of your home from prospective buyers, but doing so is never a good idea. Most real estate experts recommend sellers be truthful about the features that make the neighbourhood less coveted among buyers. After all, there is nothing worse than trying to blindside someone who may be putting in their life’s earnings to buy a home for their family. 

Moreover, there is a good chance they will find out about the issues pertaining to the area even before they sign the contract, which will inevitably make it more difficult to sell your home. Therefore, you should consider being truthful about the factors that may affect the future dwellers of the residence and present them with possible solutions – which takes us to our next home selling tips.

Put a Positive Spin on a Potential Problem 

While you should refrain from being ambiguous or outright deceiving future buyers, you may want to learn how to put a positive spin on the possible problems when selling a house. It is also important to understand that what could be a hindrance for one individual might be a perk for another.

For example, if you live near a school, you may find the noise and traffic rather troublesome. However, for families with young kids, this could be a win-win situation as they would be able to walk their children to school within a matter of minutes, ensuring more relaxed mornings.

Similarly, if you live in a densely populated or congested area, it might also mean that public transportation is easily available on the roads with supermarkets and commercial centres also situated at a short distance. 

Price Your Property Accordingly

Your home may be adorned with expensive hardwood floors and your kitchen may feature sleek marble countertops, but if it is surrounded by run-down buildings or under-construction sites, it may not fetch you a high price in the market.

So, if you are trying to sell a home in an undesirable location, make sure to price it accordingly. If you set the price too high, it may deter a lot of buyers who would otherwise be willing to negotiate. You would also be surprised to know that pricing the property incorrectly is one of the most common mistakes made by sellers in Pakistan. 

Furthermore, if you set a better price than a similar property in the exact area, you may be able to prove the value of your home and draw the attention of buyers in the market. 

Be Prepared to Host a Lot of House Tours

Having strangers come into your home and criticise its features may not sound pleasant, but it is a necessary evil when it comes to selling a home in a less popular area.  

If you are working with a skilled real estate agent, they may invite potential buyers to visit the property and see its layout and condition for themselves. Although it can be a little frustrating at times, the more people you show your home to, the more likely you will get an offer. 

It is also pertinent to ask the real estate agents what the visitors thought of the place. This feedback will help you understand the reasons buyers are not interested in your property, which could be really useful.

Here are some more things people may or may not look for when viewing a home for the first time.

Enhance the Curb Appeal

If you want to find a buyer for your home in a suboptimal location, you may want to learn how to make your house look good for selling regardless of its surroundings.

The first thing potential homebuyers may notice upon arriving at your address is its exterior, which generally includes the paint on the outer walls, the front lawn or patio, and the main gate. You can make your property look more alluring by sprucing it with a fresh coat of paint in a neutral hue, mowing down the lawn, doing some light landscaping, and power washing your driveway. If your budget allows, you can also consider installing a new front door to impress buyers.

Don’t forget to check out our top ideas to add curb appeal to your home for more inspiration.

Be Smart with the Home Staging Process 

One of the best tips for selling your home faster is to highlight its best aspects with tasteful staging. While you can’t magically transport your property to a top-notch neighbourhood, you can still make the buyers overlook the bad points by enhancing the interior. 

Some of the most important home staging tips include thoroughly cleaning the property, removing the clutter, depersonalising the space, making essential repairs, rearranging the furniture to make the rooms look more spacious, and adding a few indoor plants to brightly lit areas. If the paint on your walls is old and peeling, you should consider re-painting them with a neutral shade to make your home look more aesthetically appealing.

Highlight Positive Changes in the Area

Even if your property is situated in an area that is not high on buyers’ lists, there is a good chance few positive changes are happening around the neighbourhood that can appeal to potential buyers. For instance, the addition of new supermarkets or trendy restaurants to your locale is something that may draw the attention of those in the market for a new home. Similarly, if there is a park or a playground in the vicinity, it could help your property score more points.

To put it simply, please share any developments happening in your locality with prospective homebuyers. 

Find a Workaround for Major Issues

Last but not least, if you are still having trouble selling a home in a challenging location, you can do some research and present potential buyers with some alternative solutions. For example, if your property is located near a busy thoroughfare or train tracks, you can consider soundproofing the home to reduce the noise and disturbance.

Furthermore, if the crime rate in your locale is quite high, investing in an advanced home security system could give the buyers some peace of mind.

To conclude, if you are looking for tips on how to make your house look good for selling despite its less-than-pleasant surroundings, consider starting with hiring a seasoned real estate agent. Moreover, you should be more forthcoming about the challenges of living in the area and try turning potential negatives into a positive. It is also crucial to set the right price and be open to showing your house to multiple people. Adding curb appeal, tasteful home staging, promoting positive changes and presenting alternate solutions are also essential to selling a home faster.

For more home selling tips, please stay connected to Zameen Blog – the best real estate blog in Pakistan. You can also write to us at blog@zameen.com and like our Facebook page to stay up-to-date about the latest trends in the property market.