If you own a home in Lake Charles, LA that’s currently vacant, you’re probably wondering how to sell it.
Having a house that sits empty for a long period of time can eventually be a liability. Here are just a few of those liabilities:
- Vandalism and Theft
- Trespassing or Squatting
- Weather Destruction
- Neglecting Regular Maintenance
- Water or Fire Damage
That’s why we created a quick and easy guide to sell your vacant Lake Charles home quickly and efficiently.
Tip #1 – Appraisal & Estimate Repairs in Lake Charles
Having an appraisal gives you credibility as a seller and reduces the time it takes to negotiate. It helps you to know what your Lake Charles home is worth “as-is” and catches some repairs upfront. Buyers who can see an appraisal will feel more comfortable with your selling price, and in-turn, with their offer price. Whether or not you plan to repair the house before you sell, make sure to get repair estimates from more than one source in the Lake Charles area. That way you also understand if the repair is minimal or major.
Quotes on repairs and appraisals should come from experts in the market to further the legitimacy.
Tip #2 – Do Lake Charles Homes Sell Better Furnished or Unfurnished?
People are emotional creatures, make your house light, bright, charming, and even add some things to help the house smell clean and taken care of.
Have enough furniture and décor to make the house look lived in, but not too much where it looks cluttered. Staging your house helps buyers see how each space can be used versus trying to use their imagination.
Most people have never staged a home before. Staging an empty home is a great way to show buyers the home’s potential. We found that sellers in Lake Charles, LA spend an average of $1,800 to stage a home, but staging a home can sometimes cost as much as $5,000.
Tip #3 – Leave The Utilities On
Your mom and dad always told you to turn out the lights before you leave a room, but in this case, leave them on (all utilities):
- You know how Lake Charles weather can be. Keeping the utilities on will help prevent weather damage.
- If the utilities are off, the buyers will get the impression that the house needs more repairs than it actually does. For example, “Well honey, the lights and water don’t work, that’ll cost us.”
- Keeping the utilities on will also make it more comfortable for anyone viewing the home. It gets hot out here in the summer!
Tip #4 – Things You Must Do When Making Repairs
If you’re the DIYer type and want to fix up the house before sale, let us just say this first… You will have to spend time and money on the house, and if the repairs aren’t extremely effective, you will more than likely be throwing your time and money out the window.
Also, if you do not complete all the repairs, make sure you disclose all the repairs needed. You could be found liable for problems you did not disclose, even in an as-is sale. We’re not saying it’s impossible, but make sure you measure twice and cut once.
Tip #5 – Secure the House
Lock it up! To protect your Lake Charles home from intruders, make sure the home doesn’t look vacant. Here’s some tips:
- Get automatic lights! It gets dark, they go on.
- Have your trustworthy local neighbor keep an eye on the house. Believe me, this will give them something to do and they’ll like the authority.
- Or you could make it look like your house is full of people, just like the movie Home Alone.
Tip #6 – Sell an Empty Lake Charles Home Fast
Selling an empty Lake Charles home fast is crucial if you want to avoid the dangers and liabilities that come with owning a vacant home. Sellers have several options for selling quickly, but one popular option is selling to a reputable real estate investor like Bayou Property Partners.
This is how we make our living: we buy houses in any condition. We have everything you need to make selling your Lake Charles house as simple as possible. We are here to help you and our caring process is what separates us from our competition.
