It happens for all kinds of reasons: divorce, job layoff or relocation, or mortgage payments just becoming too much to handle. Whatever the reason, you are now in the position of needing to sell your house fast for cash in Chicago.
You need, then, to market your house to people for whom buying a house with cash is the actual goal (not just tire kickers), get them in the door, and then close the deal. Understanding the process and knowing how to get your house ready for sale may help.
How To Sell Your House Fast For Cash in Chicago
Title/Deed
Generally, after locating a solid possibility, people buying a house for cash will want to make sure some kind of purchase-and-sale agreement has been drawn up. Next, they are likely to conduct a title search to make sure the title is clear, with no liens or other encumbrances. And then they will want to know what kind of deed you are offering, for example, quit claim, warranty, or special warranty.
Offer
If all these things are in order, the cash buyer will make an offer. A buyer offering cash will feel she has more bargaining power because the sale doesn’t depend on a third-party loan and the inevitable wait. You can always make a counteroffer if the first offer doesn’t suit you.
Inspection/Appraisal
If an offer is accepted, the person buying a house from you will then want an inspection and possibly an appraisal done to make sure there are no huge problems and that she is getting her money’s worth.
Close
Since this is a cash deal, you and the buyer can set the closing date for a time convenient for both of you, usually much sooner with a cash deal. You simply show up at a notary’s office with pen and cashier’s check in hand.
Here are some steps you need take before attempting to sell your house for cash.
Price
Pricing your house right is probably the best step you can take toward making a fast sale for cash because it’s what gets people to consider your house in the first place. If your price too low, buyers will think something is wrong with the house, and a too-high price may make it sit unsold for a long period with the same result. It pays, then, to check out comparable house values in the area and price accordingly.
Curb Appeal
This is what creates that critical first impression and gets them to stop and come in the door. So sprucing up the yard and the house’s exterior are definitely worth the time and expense involved. And it doesn’t take a lot, really – maybe just some lawn clean-up and minor landscaping, a little roof repair, touching up paint, and dressing windows.
Deal Sweeteners
It always pays to sweeten the deal to make it more attractive for buyers. The tried-and-true principle of reciprocity tells us that people are willing to give more (sale price) if they feel they are getting something in return (the deal sweeteners). For example, you could offer to pay some or all of the closing costs, or you could offer to provide a transferable home warranty, which would cover, say, major appliances and/or the HVAC systems.
If you need to sell your house fast and are looking for someone buying your house, these tips and steps will help you close a cash deal. But there’s, even more, you can do to get a better cash offer and expedite the sale.