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Selling a Home

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In many ways, jumping into the housing market is like merging into traffic: You have to look for the perfect time — but if you wait too long, you’ll miss your chance.

To find out when that “perfect time” is, it’s important to understand the evolving landscape of the real estate market. You’ll need to know how it changes in response to buyer habits or supply and demand. Once you have all the facts, you’ll feel more confident listing your home — and, better yet, you’ll be more likely to get the best possible price.

Pull out your notebook and sharpen your pencils, because today you’ll learn about one real estate condition all home sellers dream of: a sellers market.

What is a sellers market?

The housing market, like any other market, rises and falls. It also varies from place to place, meaning the local and national markets may not perfectly align. These fluctuations can depend on a variety of factors, including:

  • Creation of new inventory.
  • Supply and demand.
  • Mortgage rates.
  • Home values.
  • Buyer interest.

As these factors adjust to reflect world events and financial conditions, the real estate market is impacted in various ways. The result is a spectrum with two extremes: a sellers market on one end, and a buyers market on the other.

A sellers market, as the name suggests, favors home sellers. It occurs when supply can’t keep up with demand — for example, when new inventory isn’t being built in a certain area. For a home buyer looking to find a place to live, that means any available house is a valuable commodity.

A buyers market, on the other hand, occurs when supply is much higher than demand and available homes are everywhere. This overabundance of inventory favors buyers, who now have the freedom to pick and choose between housing options.

No matter what the current conditions in your area, the good news is that no real estate market is permanent. Instead, you enter into a cycle where values, supply and demand, housing costs and other factors are constantly changing the game. Your biggest challenge is to survey the landscape before jumping in, helping you understand what you and other home sellers should expect, how potential buyers may respond and when the market may change again.

How a sellers market affects home sellers

Since so many factors influence housing prices and availability, you’ll need to act fast to take advantage of a sellers market.

Luckily, there are plenty of motivators to get you off the couch and ready to clean, repair or otherwise prepare your house for sale. Here are just a few things you can expect when yours is one of only a few available homes:

  • Higher prices: During situations where supply is low and demand is high, home sellers can slap bigger price tags on their real estate. If buyers want housing in your area, they won’t have a choice but to pay up.
  • More competition: Another benefit of a sellers market is that you’ll have no shortage of potential buyers. Rather than waiting weeks or even months for an interested party, you could have a dozen showings in a week and, depending on the intensity of the market, maybe even multiple offers on day one.
  • Motivated potential buyers: When available homes are few and far between, potential buyers are more likely to overlook imperfections. Their definition of a “deal-breaker” is likely to become more flexible — which means that, even if your home isn’t in perfect condition or has some undesirable traits, you’re likely to find a buyer who’s happy to overlook the details.

Of course, you aren’t the only player in the real estate landscape when trying to sell your home. As such, it’s often helpful to understand the market from the opposite perspective, too.

How a sellers market affects home buyers

For buyers, a sellers market can look somewhat bleak. Their target area is probably desirable, which means they’re not the only ones hunting for available homes. Here’s how the landscape looks from a buyer’s point of view:

  • Fewer options: Some buyers like to cruise the real estate market for months, thoroughly investigating each house and taking stock of the inventory. In a sellers market, this often isn’t possible. Fewer options force potential buyers to take what they can get rather than holding out for perfection — which often translates to less hesitation and faster deals.
  • Higher expectations: To stand out in a sellers market, potential buyers often need to sweeten the deal. Sometimes this means offering more than the asking price, making a cash offer or promising a quick turnaround time.
  • Higher prices: If a buyer absolutely has to move in the middle of a sellers market, they likely already know they’ll be paying more for real estate. Of course, if they’re moving from a location also experiencing a sellers market, they’ll have benefitted from it themselves — meaning they have plenty of cash to pour into a new home.

In short, any home buyer is at a disadvantage in a sellers market. However, the importance of a safe, problem-free home often outweighs the cost.

How to determine if you’re in a sellers market

Understanding the housing market is key to getting the best price, the fastest deal and terms that benefit you as a seller. To determine whether you’re in a sellers market, look for these telltale signs:

Inventory

Are new houses being built by the hundreds in your area, or has construction come to a standstill? The latter might mean you’re sitting comfortably in a sellers market. Similarly, if the availability of existing homes is low, that’s good news for you.

Housing prices

To understand the real estate market, you’ll need to do research on past and present housing prices in your area. Do this for all properties, not just those comparable to your square footage or lot size. This will help you get a complete view of market conditions — and if prices are trending upward, the chances are high that the market is favoring sellers.

Buyer habits

Another way to evaluate the housing market in your area is to watch buyer habits.

For example, if your city was just rated as one of the best places to live in the nation, you’re likely to see a home buyer migration as everyone comes looking for all those local wonders. This is reflected in rapid home sales, sharply increasing demand, purchases made at prices you may not have expected for your area and more. The result is a market where newcomers are willing to pay for what they see as your little slice of paradise.

Simplify the selling process with Bungalo®

If the terms “buyers market” and “sellers market” are bouncing around in your head and you can’t stop stressing about supply, demand, inventory and financial conditions, you may be thinking that being a seller is a lot of work.

We’re not going to lie to you: It is.

Luckily, when you sell your home with Bungalo, you don’t have to worry about any of that. We don’t just give you a great price — we also take care of quick fixes and large-scale repairs alike, so all you have to do is hand over the keys.

Check us out today to see why buying and selling with Bungalo is as easy as going home!

This article is meant for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed as financial, tax, legal, real estate, insurance, or investment advice. Bungalo always encourages you to reach out to an advisor regarding your own situation.

If you’re thinking about putting your house on the market, you’re surely thinking about getting the best possible sale price. After all the years and effort you’ve put into your home, it’s worth extracting the best possible home price.

You’re likely wondering whether to sell immediately or wait for the season to change. What time of the year has the highest buyer demand? Are the differences in interest and intention really strong enough that it’s worthwhile to wait?

There’s another question behind all of these: Could you avoid these real estate patterns and home sale processes altogether by selling through an alternative method such as the Bungalo platform? That’s certainly a possibility, and one worth exploring. But first, it’s time to rank the seasons and see when buyer demand is at its peak.

The best time of year to sell a house

There’s no sense in delaying the answer: The best season to sell a house extends from late spring to mid-summer. The unofficial start of this season takes place in April, as parents get ready for the school year to wind down. Then, once it’s time to send the kids back to school in late August, the real estate market cools down again.

Some real estate market watchers have noted that an earlier start may help you sell your house. If you put the house on the market in February, March or early April, potential buyers interested in making a summer move, between school years, will be able to find their new target house early.

Closing the sale early will be a relief for the buyer — and for you as the seller. After all, the quicker and more drama-free your sale process is, the sooner you can make progress on your own search for a new home.

If you’re looking for the chance to sell during an active and busy housing market, a spring listing is your best bet. Of course, this can be dependent on location. If you’re selling a house in a popular area for winter vacations or for dual-residence families to spend the colder months, the calendar changes.

Regional trends don’t entirely supersede seasons, but you should make sure you know the patterns in your area before you list a house for sale. Picking when to list your house is one part of maximizing your chances — but not the only one.

The worst time of year to sell a house

If there’s a best, there must also be a worst, right? This means the depths of winter are the worst time to sell. Buyer demand hasn’t yet ramped up among parents of school-age children seeking a summer move, which takes away a big source of potential sales.

Not only are there fewer potential buyers testing the market in the winter, but there are also multiple big family holidays which encourage people to travel and visit rather than focus on house hunting. During the winter, people may be laying low waiting for the spring to get started.

As with spring and summer market conditions, however, fall and winter may end up being good times to sell depending on your location and the type of house you own. Then, there’s the prospect of having to sell quickly — maybe you’ve been asked to relocate for work and the timeline is short. In these cases, you can still succeed within the more limited off-season market.

Selling tactics by season

There’s more to seasonal selling than just picking the time with the most potential buyers and putting your house up for sale then. There are other ways to maximize conditions and present your property in the best possible light.


Depending on the temperature outside and the pace of home sales from month to month, buyers will be looking for different things when they read a listing or attend an open house. By playing into these real estate norms and expectations, you can enhance your chances, whether it’s the depths of winter or the height of summer.

There’s also another useful way to spend any given season: If you’ve decided it’s not quite time to sell, you can use the intervening time to perform renovations, upkeep and cleaning. Then, when the ideal home sale season comes around, your property will be looking its best.

Going through season by season, you can pick up some valuable strategies for the whole calendar.

Spring

Spring is a prime season to have a house on the market. Since summer is the part of the year when parents of school-age kids most want to move, they’re eager to buy homes in spring. Add that to the fact that people usually wait until summer to take their vacations, and you have a perfect storm of buyer interest.

Any time from February on may be a prime time to have a house listed. As the weather gets warmer, you can really show off your home’s curb appeal and outdoor features. This comes with a few checklist items: You should make sure the yard looks presentable after the winter, and keep the gardens planted with attractive springtime flowers.

As a general rule, people enjoy browsing houses in the spring, as temperatures get warmer and days get longer following daylight savings time. Of course, the fact that this is a prime selling season comes with added pressure. There are sure to be other houses listed near yours. Does your property stand out enough to command a good sale price?

Summer

Summer is the second half of the traditional buying season, following directly on from spring’s active real estate market. Shoppers in summer may be especially eager to make a deal — they could be interested in moving within a few short months.

Summer weather in some parts of the country is perfect for house hunting. If you live in one of these areas, where it’s warm but not too hot to be outside, you should maximize the value of your outdoor space. If your yard has room for hosting guests, you can set it up and let potential buyers imagine how much fun they would have living in the house.

Warm summer weather can be a double-edged sword. High temperatures will make outdoor features — porches, pools, patios and more — seem especially fun. They can also make the inside of the house feel stuffy. If you have good air conditioning, a summer open house is the time to show it off.

Fall

Autumn isn’t a traditionally hot time for home sales in the same way as spring or summer. Children are back at school, which means families with kids will be less likely to commit to a big move. Of course, in the absence of these buyers, other shoppers may investigate the market. If you’re patient, you can still create a perfect match in the fall.

Showing off your house’s outside areas is still a good idea in the fall. Some autumnal decorations — pumpkins, wreaths and more — can showcase your house in a seasonally appropriate light and enhance curb appeal. Keeping your yard in good condition is a bit more time-consuming in fall than in summer, considering that it may get a new coating of leaves every few days. If you put in the effort, however, your property can stand out.

Offering the perfect cozy fall home is a great way to win over potential buyers in autumn. With that said, shoppers in this season may feel less sense of urgency than they would during a fast-paced spring or summer. You may therefore have trouble driving your sale price higher in the fall. If you’re not satisfied with the offers you can get in autumn, it could be worth waiting and spending the time on renovations.

Winter

Winter in most parts of the country brings chilly weather and relatively inhospitable conditions for home buyers. With a lot of people traveling for the holidays and children in school, winter doesn’t offer the same long days of house hunting that spring does. If you can’t wait for the warmer weather to roll around, however, there are ways to build your home’s appeal in the winter months.

If winter is cold and icy where you are, you can create a cozy environment to maximize your house’s value. With a well-cleared driveway and walk leading up to a warm and welcoming door, the house may make a great first impression. Insulation and HVAC issues should be dealt with well in advance, so buyers don’t have to feel nervous about potential costly repairs.

In year-round warm climates, the math changes somewhat on house sales. You could even attract extra business from retirees seeking winter houses or families seeking vacation homes. In such areas, it pays to ask people who are familiar with the local real estate market, such as agents and lenders, to see what unusual buying patterns you should be watching out for.

Selling quickly for a fair price in any season

In recent years, one important trend has decreased the effect of seasons on the housing market. The overall strength of real estate demand has meant people are actively searching and ready to buy houses at any time of the year. This could strengthen your position even if you’re listing your house in the depths of winter.

There’s another factor to consider, too: A traditional listing isn’t the only way to sell your house. When you sell through Bungalo, you sidestep the basics of showing the home to multiple buyers and fielding competing offers. Prices paid by Bungalo are set based on the real values of other homes in your area, meaning they are always straightforward and fair.

Working with Bungalo is the easy and quick way to get full market value for a house. The simplified pricing is just one way Bungalo helps you avoid the most complex steps of a home sale. You receive an all-cash offer, with a fast, hassle-free closing. With the Easy Sell process, you don’t have to present or stage the house for open houses or potential buyer visits. There’s also no need to perform renovations or even cleaning. On top of that, there’s no commission for a sale agent — the whole price goes into your pocket.

Since the Bungalo sale process is mostly remote, you can simply sit back and relax, whether it’s a scorching summer day or the coldest night of winter. You can even stay in the house for up to a year through a leaseback program while searching for a new home.

If this sounds like the right option for you, contact Bungalo — whatever the season.

*This article is meant for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed as financial, tax, legal, real estate, insurance, or investment advice. Bungalo always encourages you to reach out to an advisor regarding your own situation.

Selling a house is no small feat. From scrubbing and decluttering every room to finally handing over the keys, you’ve got a lot of work ahead of you — and a lot of big wins, too. But how do you know what you’re really in for?

Because every home-selling experience is different, the best way to really understand the process is to find out how long it usually takes. That way, you’ll get an idea of what is in store for you— and how long it will be before you can start settling into a brand-new home.

Roll up your sleeves, grab those moving boxes and get ready to jump in: Here’s a look at the average time to sell a house.

Factors that can affect how long it takes to sell a house

The truth about home-selling is that you never really become an expert. Sure, you might have sold a dozen houses in the past — but since the market changes so rapidly and new factors are introduced every time you turn around, no home sale is really the same as another.

That’s why it’s smart to start fresh, whether you’ve sold one home or 100, and brush up on what’s impacting the home-selling landscape right now.

The state of the market

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the housing market has been especially hot. Properties are being snatched up left and right — which is great news for sellers like you. A market like this is called a seller’s market for that reason: Supply is low, demand is high and you’ve got what everyone wants.

What this means is that listing your house soon is likely to result in a fast sale. Wait too long, though, and you may miss your chance.

Buyer habits

Buyer habits change depending on the local and national economy, the tools they use to search for homes, the culture of their target neighborhood and even generational values. For example, when the economy is healthy and buyers feel confident, they’re happy to buy bigger, more expensive homes to settle down in. However, when the economy is uncertain and buyers don’t know what the future holds, they may be a little more restrained in their spending habits.

Right now, despite widespread uncertainty, buyers seem eager to find that perfect place to hunker down. Maybe they’re looking for their dream homes, or maybe they just want to get their hands on a house before all the real estate is gone — but whatever their motivation, it’s good news for you. You’re likely to spend less time on the market and more time working out deals — although that brings challenges of its own.

Mortgage rates

According to Business Insider, mortgage rates are highly dependent on the economy. In turn, mortgage rates influence the time a property sits on the market. When rates are low, buyers are even more motivated to close a deal — but when rates are high, buyers may be more inclined to drag their feet.

Asking prices

Generally speaking, houses with higher asking prices will stay on the market for longer. However, that’s not always the case — especially in areas where all house prices are climbing.

Determining an asking price is a delicate balancing act. The number should depend on what your house is actually worth, sure — but you should also keep in mind that a hot market means you may be able to sell for more than that. Too high, though, and you risk scaring every buyer away with an inflated sale price — so it takes a lot of homework.

How long does the entire home-selling process take?

According to the National Association of Realtors, the median time on the market was 16 days in the first half of August 2020, meaning sellers didn’t have long to wait after listing their property on the hot housing market. Those numbers may have you jumping with joy — but they’re only part of the story. Here’s a look at how long each step in the home-selling process could take.

Preparing your home for sale

Depending on the condition of your home, this step could take anywhere from a few days to a few months. During this time, you’ll be taking care of every little detail, including:

  • Finishing those half-done renovation projects.
  • Completing any necessary repairs.
  • Giving walls, doors or exteriors a fresh coat of paint.
  • Removing any personal touches that impact curb appeal.
  • Cleaning and decluttering.
  • Updating appliances as necessary.

Because this can take a lot of elbow grease, many buyers prefer to skip this step and sell directly to Bungalo — that way, all the work is done for you. You’ll be able to sit back and relax as Bungalo takes care of repairs and updates, navigates the current real estate market and gives you a great price.

Finding a real estate agent

Once you’ve scrubbed, shined, and repaired every last thing in your home, it’s time to decide whether you need a real estate agent. You don’t necessarily need a realtor; in fact, when selling with Bungalo, you can skip that step and save the 6% commission. That would mean saving $18,000 on the sale of a $300,000 home — which is money directly in your pocket.

If you do decide to work with a real estate agent, finding one can take some time. You want someone who knows the market, understands the latest home sale tools and knows how to make a great deal, all while representing all the greatest things about your home. Communication is key, so interview multiple people and choose a realtor who seems interested in making and maintaining a personal connection.

Listing

Listing your house is a quicker step. Although you (or your real estate agent) will spend time staging each room and taking photographs, the actual process of putting your house on the market is fast and simple. This is especially true if you use digital tools to your advantage — for example, selling to iBuyers who buy your house from you without all the trouble.

Marketing

Once your house is on the market, it’s time to attract home buyers. This has a lot to do with your sale price and, if you have one, your real estate agent. The idea is to get your home in front of the right people — but remember, in a hot housing market like this one, the buyers are likely to come to you.

Because houses are flying off the market across the nation, you likely won’t have much competition — meaning that this process could take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.

Closing

Once a potential buyer expresses interest, approaches you with a mortgage preapproval letter or offers earnest money, you move into the next and final stage: closing.

Although there’s paperwork to sign and final steps to complete, most of the work is on the buyer’s shoulders. Steps like completing their mortgage application can take anywhere from 30 to 60 days, so this is where most of your time will go. Some sellers find this part of the process the most frustrating since all they can do is wait.

What is the best time to put your house on the market?

Sometimes, the perfect house can sit on the market for weeks or even months without interest from even one potential buyer. The sale price is reasonable, the home is in good condition, the housing market is hot — so what went wrong?

The truth is that buyers are more active during certain parts of the year. If touring, paying for or moving into a house is inconvenient due to weather or scheduling conflicts, a potential buyer may choose to bide their time and buy when the housing market benefits them more.

That’s why it’s smart to list your house in the spring. The weather is comfortable, grade school and college semesters are wrapping up, workers have had time to build up PTO and the conditions are just right for a home sale.

Think of it this way: April showers bring May buyers.

Tips for shortening the amount of time it takes to sell a home

If you want to save time during the selling process and transition more smoothly into your next home, there are a few steps you can take to make sure your home sale goes through quickly.

  • #1: Choose the right agent (or don’t choose one at all)

Real estate agents with knowledge and experience are your best bet for a quick sale. They’ll know how to get a buyer’s attention, finish paperwork quickly and get you the most money in the least amount of time.

Of course, you don’t have to choose an agent at all when selling with Bungalo — so consider this option if you’re looking for an easy sale without that 6% commission.

  • #2: Know what you’re on the hook for

Knowing what to expect ahead of time will help you sell your home more quickly. For example, when it comes to closing costs, remember that sellers are usually responsible for paying the commissions of both agents (or just the buyer’s agent, if you choose to go in alone).

  • #3: Be careful with the sale price

There’s an art to choosing a sale price that benefits your budget without scaring buyers away. Also keep in mind that, when searching for homes, buyers usually set their price criteria — so make sure your listing doesn’t get filtered out. For example, if a buyer wants a house under $500,000, your listing would need to be $499,999 to make the cut.

  • #4: Put your best foot forward

Remember all that cleaning, decluttering and repairing you did to prepare your home for sale? It’s important that buyers see all that hard work — which means making sure the real estate photographs, 3D walkthroughs or drone shots of your property put its best features on display to any potential buyer.

Sell at the speed of light with Bungalo

Even in a hot market, your house could take more than two months to sell. If your timeline is tighter than that — or even if patience just isn’t one of your biggest virtues — maybe you need a faster, simpler option.

When you sell directly to Bungalo, you don’t have to worry about repairs or renovations. You also don’t have to hire a real estate agent, stress over the sale price or try to time your listing just right. All you have to do is sit back and get paid.Start working with Bungalo today to sell your home at the speed of light.

Selling your home can be a long, complicated process. But it doesn’t need to be. There are a few simple steps you can take to make sure you’re completing the process the right way with as few headaches as possible. Keep reading to get our checklist for selling a house and learn more about making the process as smooth and easy as possible.

Step 1: Understand your selling expenses

Your home is a pretty big asset, so you’re probably expecting a big payday at the end of the process. But before you dive in, it’s important to know that there are a few expenses you’ll have to cover before, during and even after selling your home.

Here are some of the big ones to know about:

  • Repairs: It’s important to keep your house in tip-top shape when showing it to a prospective buyer. You’ll need to take a good look throughout your home and identify anything that needs immediate repair. It’s also a good idea to give your house a cosmetic facelift, doing things like painting the walls and cleaning the carpets.
  • Closing costs: It’s mostly the buyer who foots the bill for closing costs, but these are always up for negotiation, and sellers are usually expected to cover at least some of them at the end of the sale. If it’s a buyers’ market, you might find yourself paying more of the closing costs than you would otherwise.
  • Real estate commission: At the end of the sale, sellers will have to pay their real estate agent a commission, usually between 5 and 6% of the final sale price. This is typically the biggest cost for sellers, and one of the reasons many sellers choose to sell their homes themselves is to avoid paying it.
  • Taxes: Everyone’s favorite constant in life. You’re going to have to pay taxes on the sale of your home. That includes a capital gains tax if you sold your home for more than you initially paid for it. Sellers also might have to pay a property tax, depending on the terms of their agreement with the buyer.

Step 2: Hire the right real estate agent

Real estate agents have major roles to play in the home-selling process, so it’s important you do your homework and choose the one that’s right for you. The realtor is responsible for giving you advice on the market, helping you make decisions about prices and upkeep. It’s crucial you pick an agent that has a good level of local market expertise so you’re setting an asking price that’s reasonably in line with everyone’s expectations.

Good real estate agents are the ones that lead showings, interact with prospective buyers and answer any questions they have about the property itself. That means you need to hire someone who not only can learn quickly and get a good grasp of the particulars of your home, but who you also feel comfortable working with.

The right real estate professional isn’t just going to fall in your lap. You need to do your research. Here’s how to start:

  • Come up with a list of suitable agents
  • Search online for their recent sales
  • Get the data on each of their final sales prices compared to the asking price
  • Figure out how long each of their properties were on the market

Don’t be afraid to reach out to ask for this data. It’s the real estate agent’s job to instill trust in their potential clients.

All this might sound like one big headache. No sweat. With Bungalo, you can use our mobile app to completely cut out the go-between (in this case, the real estate agent) and handle much of the buying process yourself. Doing this helps you save on those pricey agent fees that can really stack up at the end of the sale.

Step 3: Determine your home’s value

There are a few different factors that go into determining the value of your home, but it mostly comes down to the sales prices of similar properties in your area. Here are a few of the qualities real estate agents consider when determining a home’s value:

  • Size
  • Location and surrounding area
  • Number of rooms
  • Type of house
  • Condition
  • Local market factors

Your asking price will depend in large part on what month of the year you’re trying to sell. In the spring and early summer months of March, April, May and June, prospective buyers are hitting the markets hard after a long winter of being cooped up inside. With so many buyers on the market, you can afford to bump your asking price up a little.

As the year drags on, however, buyers are either locking in deals or losing interest in the market. By the time the fall and early winter months roll around (September, October, November and December), any remaining buyers on the market are just going to wait until next year. At that point, you’ll need to bring your asking price down if you still intend to sell.

Get an appraisal

Sellers aren’t required to get a professional appraisal on their home because they won’t need to take out a loan from the bank (to sell, at least. They’ll likely need a loan if they’re purchasing another property). Still, it’s a good idea to consider an appraisal because it’ll give you more information to work with and might help you corroborate the value proposed by your real estate agent.

Step 4: Check every room in your home and fix things as needed

Some people are looking for a fixer-upper — a house in desperate need of repair that they can spend their time and money devoted to turning into their home. But most people on the market are looking for a property that’s already in good shape. If a potential buyer takes a tour of your home and it’s anything but, they might end up walking out the door for good.

Before you put your home on the market and start scheduling showings, it’s important to inspect every corner of the property and make any necessary repairs. Some common fixes include:

  • Faded paint on the walls
  • Cracks in the ceiling or in glass windows
  • Broken door hinges/locks
  • Faulty appliances

Some jobs — like a quick paint touch-up — you might be able to handle on a Saturday afternoon. For others — like fixing the air conditioner — it might be better to hire a professional. It’s up to you whether you want to keep your appliances when you move, but if you intend to leave them, they should be fixed up and ready to use before the next person moves in.

The amount you spend on pre-move home improvements depends on a lot of different things, including how much work the property needs, how many repairs you can do on your own and what your prospective buyers’ expectations are. But any work you do could help you secure a higher sales price, and you could recoup much of those expenses later.

Don’t have the time to take care of all this yourself? When you sell to Bungalo, we inspect every part of your house and take care of any and all home repairs. Every home we list is certified to the highest standards.

Step 5: Show your house to prospective buyers

The biggest thing to remember when getting ready for a house showing is that your home’s curb appeal matters. A lot. You want your home to look as nice as possible to prospective buyers who are going to take your home’s visual appeal into account before making a decision.

Make sure you give your home a good deep clean from top to bottom before showing it to buyers. That means steaming and vacuuming the carpets, cleaning the windows and, of course, washing the bathrooms.

It’s also important to move all personal items out of view to whatever extent possible. Prospective buyers are taking a look at your home in part because they want to know if it feels like a fit for them and their families. If you have your kids’ toys, family pictures and other personal items scattered around the house, it’s a lot harder for them to picture it as theirs.

When it’s time to meet prospective buyers, you have a few different showing options. These include:

  • Open house: Sellers schedule blocks of time to give open-door access to members of the public interested in their home. Prospective buyers usually don’t need to make an appointment beforehand.
  • Private showing: Buyers will schedule an allotted time to meet with sellers and their real estate agent to get a private view of the home. These tend to be more intimate and give the buyer better access to the seller.
  • Lockbox showing: Prospective buyers get a key from the seller and tour the house on their own time with their own agent. This allows them to see the house for themselves without the influence of the seller hanging overhead.
  • Bungalo keyless app showing: Prospective buyers can schedule and tour any Bungalo home right on our mobile app, giving them a more convenient and efficient way of perusing the housing market.

Step 6: The closing checklist: After you’ve accepted an offer

You’ve accepted an offer on terms you and the buyer both agree to. Congrats! But there’s still a lot of administrative tasks to take care of. Most importantly, you need to hand over all the necessary documents to the buyer in exchange for the agreed payment. Your real estate agent should know exactly what documents you’ll need, so leave that part to them. It can vary in different states.

But closing is more than just the final exchange. This is also when you need to pay any remaining liens on the home to your own mortgage lender, and pay back fees for any services provided during the home sale process. That includes all real estate agent commissions, which, as we mentioned, will probably end up being one of your biggest expenses.

If you agreed to make any repairs or improvements as part of the closing settlement, you’ll need to have those finished before you shake hands. Some people choose to make separate deals and agree to let the now-former owner make the necessary repairs at a later time. In those cases, you won’t have to worry about fixing anything up before completing the sale. All in all, the process from listing to closing takes an average of around 24 days, according to data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

With Bungalo, you don’t have to worry about anything slipping through the cracks after you’ve closed. We stand by our certification for a full 90 days after closing, and we’ll cover a variety of different issues that arise in that time.

Bungalo makes the process easier than ever

Selling a home can be a challenge but knowing the right steps to take before getting started can help ease much of the anxiety that comes with it. That’s where we come in. Bungalo is transforming the entire home-buying and selling process by making it easier for buyers and sellers to navigate the housing market and helping people land their dream home.

Buyers using Bungalo can conduct convenient self-guided tours at their own convenience. Our certification process also gives them the confidence that they’re only touring homes that meet our high standards of quality. Best of all, transparent pricing models let buyers rest easy knowing they’re getting exactly what they’re paying for.

Contact us today to learn more.

*This article is meant for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed as financial, tax, legal, real estate, insurance, or investment advice. Bungalo always encourages you to reach out to an advisor regarding your own situation.

If you’re looking to buy a home in a fast-growing city with top-ranking business and career opportunities, look no further than Charlotte, North Carolina.

Also known as the Queen City, Charlotte has a lot to offer for a new home buyer or investor who wants to enter the southeast. Yet, before you start scouring listings for your potential future home, it’s essential that you take the time to research the housing market and determine if this area fits your house-hunting criteria.

At Bungalo®, we aim to guide potential buyers through each step of the home buying process — streamlining what was once a complicated affair into our all-in-one platform. Learn more about how it works and the ways we keep it efficient for you here.

Read on to find out more about the ins and outs of the Charlotte housing market so that you can make the best decision for yourself and your family.

The state of the housing market in Charlotte

Charlotte is an extremely popular city, ranking as the 3rd fastest growing city in the U.S., according to The Charlotte Weekly. WalletHub recently ranked it as one of the best real estate markets in the country.

Due to this, the housing market in Charlotte is a “seller’s market,” like most of the country. With more buyers than sellers, there are fewer available homes making up the real estate inventory, which is creating much higher demand than supply.

Since 2020, Charlotte’s real estate prices have also been increasing as home values rise due to growing popularity. Older generations and millennials alike are flocking to the city, which is fueling these market prices.

On the other hand, buyers aren’t shying away from the higher average sales price of a Charlotte home — partly because of the low mortgage rates, which make it much easier to become homeowners. With rates lower than ever, it’s still a great time for buyers to start their search.

Although home prices are increasing, the actual cost of living in Charlotte is low compared to other major cities. Also, though home prices are higher than before, they’re still economical when juxtaposed with other major cities. According to Kiplinger data, Charlotte is one of the more affordable cities in which to buy a home in the U.S.

While the growing competition between buyers means new houses are rapidly listed and then just-as-quickly sold, it also guarantees a more efficient process once your offer has been accepted.

For more articles on the home buying process, including how to stand out in a competitive market, check out our blog here.

What’s it like to live in Charlotte?

Purchasing a home is a major investment — both in terms of money and time.

Most homeowners are making a years-long commitment to a specific location when they close on a home, so it’s critical that you know you’re choosing the right area for you and your family.

After all, you don’t want to find your dream home and then discover that the costs of living, commute or even school zones aren’t what you expected. So, is Charlotte the right city for you?

As Charlotte only builds in popularity each year, buying a home in the area will definitely be an investment long term. Higher home prices reflect the rising interest in the metro area (and population growth), which shows no signs of slowing down.

For the day-to-day, there’s a reason so many people are moving to Charlotte (besides affordable housing). When it comes to seasonal changes, Charlotte’s weather is always moderate, so you won’t have to deal with freezing temperatures every winter. Besides great weather, Charlotte’s citizens enjoy diverse food, an exciting social scene and the benefit of many entertainment options that make the city an attractive place to live in.

As the largest city in North Carolina, Charlotte also has become a tech hub for startups and great job market opportunities for millennials. Bank of America’s headquarters are downtown and financial career opportunities are only increasing each year.

Expectations for the Charlotte real estate market in 2022 and beyond

Charlotte is currently in a seller’s market and it doesn’t look like that’s going to change anytime soon — especially as more and more buyers recognize the value of the area. As buyers continue to outnumber sellers and housing inventory, the boom in the real estate market will continue to hike up prices.

Predictions forecast that supply and demand will remain the same as home listings aren’t increasing to match up with demand. However, this is also driving up home value and increasing the investment opportunities of the Charlotte area.

Tip for homebuyers: To ensure that you’re buying a home worth its price, make sure you research each listing and ask for home inspections before you buy. Unexpected costs can come out of the woodwork if you don’t have experts verify potential homes, which is why each listing on our platform is Bungalo Certified. Inspected multiple times by our professional team, our homes include 90-day post-close protection to guarantee that your purchase fits expert standards.

Find your dream home with Bungalo

Our interactive Bungalo platform was built to ease the transition from homebuyer to homeowner by completely reinventing the way you discover and purchase your future home. Each step is seamlessly integrated into our website so that you don’t have to deal with the outdated traditional homebuying journey.

Ready to find your dream home in Charlotte? Explore our latest house listings here.

*This article is meant for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed as financial, tax, legal, real estate, insurance, or investment advice. Bungalo always encourages you to reach out to an advisor regarding your own situation.

Anyone who’s ever spent time in the housing market knows there’s a best and worst month to sell a house. Sometimes prospective buyers are careening to get a glimpse of your living room and kitchen, and other times it feels like you can’t even get anyone to make a quick drive-by. It can be tough to know when you should and shouldn’t try to sell.

That’s why we’re here. Bungalo® is upending the traditional way of selling a home by making it easier than ever to complete every step of the process, including getting market value and closing quickly.

Factors that influence whether it’s a good time to sell your house

First thing’s first, let’s take a look at the many local factors that help determine whether it’s a good (or bad) time to put your house on the market.

  1. Greener pastures: People are moving all the time. If a city or locality is seeing a population bump (or drop), that can seriously affect the value of the homes in that area. Keep an eye on moving patterns in your region. If lots of people are moving out, it might be a good idea to wait a little while. People do most of their moving in the spring and early summer months, so keep that in mind.
  1. What goes up, must come down: Get a sense of the state of the real estate market. If it’s a seller’s market (meaning housing prices are sky high) you can expect to get a great house price. A lot of this will depend on what month it is. Keep in mind that the market will eventually come back down, and it might not be as favorable if you wait to sell.
  1. It’s the economy, silly: There are some annual patterns that make it somewhat predictable to decide when the best month to buy and sell is. But it’s important to remember that everything depends on a healthy local economy. If the economy isn’t doing so great, it might be harder for a prospective buyer to take money out to buy a new home, and that can bring the market down.
  1. Pay attention to the rates: If a potential buyer needs to take out a loan (which is just about everybody), it’s important to consider mortgage interest rates because that will give you a sense of how many buyers can get credit. The interest rate changes every day and they can fluctuate significantly. For example, interest rates in September 2021 were at a historic 2.3% low, per TIME, but those were exceptional. The rates hovered around 3.2% for much of 2019.
  1. What’s the government up to?: Back to the economy. A bad economy usually means it’s not a good time to sell a home, but that’s only if the government sits back and doesn’t do anything about it. Sometimes the government will introduce a slew of tax credits, deductions and other incentives to get people to buy. That’s what it did in the wake of the 2008 recession to help jumpstart the crippled housing market.

The best month to put your house on the market

The best time of year to sell a house tends to be in the warmer months. The cold weather keeps people hunkered inside their homes, and much of the home-buying process is simply undesirable around that time. By the time spring rolls around, sellers and prospective buyers are eager to hit the markets again, and that leads to a flurry of activity in the market.

The flood of buyers on the market means sellers have plenty of hungry takers, so you can feel confident knowing you might be able to sell your home in a shorter span of time. May is traditionally considered the best time of year to sell a home, but that can sometimes fluctuate. Information provided by ATTOM Data and reported by Bankrate suggests that June has been the best month to sell in recent years.

It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that seasonal house-buying splurges tend to vary across different regions. In the Midwest and Northeast, for example, the busiest months of the year — May, June, July and August — get more house-selling action than in any other region, according to the National Association of Realtors. This probably has a lot to do with the intensity of the winters in those regions, when snow, sleet and freezing temperatures keep people inside for longer, leading to a major swing in the other direction when the weather warms up.

The worst month to put your house on the market

As the year drags on and winter starts to loom again, buyers lose interest in the housing market (or simply put off buying their next home until the following year). As the market dries up, it becomes harder and harder for sellers to get their asking price, and they’re forced to either drop their price or wait out the winter.

Reflecting the seasonal preferences of buyers, the worst months to sell are usually October, November, December and January — with October and December being the worst — according to ATTOM Data. But there’s more to it than just the weather. The fall and winter months are a busy time for many families, especially those with children. Parents sending their kids to school want to be moved and settled into their new home before the school year starts in September, and this is typically when market activity takes a dip.

More than that, November, December and January cover the holiday season, gift-buying and winter vacations, meaning lots of people simply don’t have the time (or the money) to devote to buying a house. It isn’t until after the last holiday turkeys and hams are eaten in January that the market finally starts to pick back up again.

What to know if you have to sell during the worst months of the year

For lots of people, either for family or money reasons, they have no choice but to sell when the going isn’t good. They know that can hurt their chances of getting their asking price, but believe it or not, selling in the winter months might not be as bad as it sounds.

Here are some of the ways selling in the worst months could work in your favor:

  • The buyer is more motivated: You won’t have as many prospective buyers coming to take a look at your home, but the ones that do are probably in a similar position to you: They need to buy, and they need to buy now.
  • Less competition: There will be fewer homes on the market and that means fewer competitors. Buyers might be scarce, but the ones searching will have fewer options to choose from, and that means they’re more likely to take your offer.
  • Dedicated real estate agent: Your realtor won’t have as many clients in the winter months, and that means they can devote more of their time and resources to you.

The housing market changes by the month, and that can cause some serious headaches for sellers and buyers alike. But none of this is a problem if you choose to use Bungalo. Our online marketplace helps make the home-buying process hassle-free and easier than ever. Take a look through new homes, pick your mortgage lender and even submit an offer all right there on our mobile app.

Check out our website to get started.

*This article is meant for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed as financial, tax, legal, real estate, insurance, or investment advice. Bungalo always encourages you to reach out to an advisor regarding your own situation.

When you imagine a peaceful paradise, what do you see? Is it palm trees swaying or a misty morning in a sprawling pine forest? Whatever you envision, the chances are that you’re not seeing piles of stuff in every corner. Clutter keeps your home from being that peaceful paradise — but the good news is that there’s an easy way to win the battle against stuff.

The key is to create an organizational strategy that works for you. That means you’ll actually want to use it — which, in turn, means you won’t give up on it after a few months and end up buried in clutter again.

To make that organizational strategy a reality and turn your home into a relaxing retreat, you’ll need to take these simple steps.

Don’t let mental clutter stop you from getting organized

Sometimes, clutter is just as much about what’s in your head as what’s in your home. Seeing so much stuff can be overwhelming — and if you’re not sure where to start, it’s possible that you’ll never want to start at all. This is part of the reason why clutter quickly gets out of hand: It’s easier to brush it aside than to address what’s going on under the surface.

To successfully organize and declutter your home, you’ll need to deal with mental clutter first. Here are a few things to keep in mind — and a few to get out of your mind while you’re at it.

Make a plan

Your first order of business should be making a plan to help you start organizing. It doesn’t matter which decluttering method you choose or where you prefer to begin — what’s important is that you have a clear path to follow. This helps you know where to start, which steps to take in what order and how to prioritize your rooms. Plus, having a plan means you’ll be able to see — and feel motivated by — your continuing progress.

Get others on board

Let’s face it: If you’re the only one organizing, you won’t make much ground in the battle against stuff — and that’s its own kind of mental clutter.

To be sure you’re actually making progress, it’s important to get others on board. This can be as simple as getting the kids to put their toys away or as intricate as working with your spouse to design decluttering methods that work for both of you. No matter who’s in your house, get them to help — or at least get them to stay out of your way.

Start with the easy stuff

Part of why decluttering the house feels so difficult is the sheer amount of work you expect from a job like this. To make it easier, give yourself permission to start with the easy tasks. Get rid of clothes you don’t wear anymore, toys the dog doesn’t play with, knickknacks you never liked anyway and even furniture that just doesn’t fit in your space. By eliminating this first round of clutter, you’ll feel like you’re making great progress and you’ll have a clearer view of what still needs organizing.

Acknowledge your emotions

Sometimes, clutter sticks around because you’re emotionally attached to it one way or another. To make sure feelings don’t get in the way of your organizing journey, be sure to acknowledge your emotions — but don’t be ruled by them. The key is to find your ideal balance between logic and nostalgia.

For example, a snowglobe from your first family vacation may not serve a purpose, but it’s an important keepsake. On the other hand, a wall-hanging from a friend might stick around just because you feel too guilty to take it down — which means it’s just adding clutter to your space.

Battling stuff

To win the battle against stuff, you’ll need to know how to address different spaces in your home. Here are a few tips that can help turn the tides in your favor.

  • Use the Peter Walsh method.

This one likely won’t work in big spaces, like living rooms or kitchens, but it can be a big help for closets, kids’ play areas and more. According to Forbes, the Peter Walsh method of decluttering starts by removing everything from a certain space. Once the room is empty, start putting items back one at a time. As you do, you’ll notice what stuff you actually want in the room and what feels like clutter.

  • Try the 365-day method.

This method usually takes a year, but if you’d prefer your organizing journey to be a sprint instead of a marathon, you can shorten the timeframe.

Take all the clothing hangers in your closet and turn them in one direction. As you wear clothes, turn the hangers the opposite direction so you know you’ve used them recently. At the end of a year (or however long you want the method to take), you’ll have a visual representation of what you actually wear and what can be donated to free up extra space.

  • Don’t forget the junk drawer.

It can be tempting to take stuff without a home and cram it into the junk drawer — which is why you should challenge yourself to declutter that, too. Chances are, your junk drawer has a lot of clutter that can be reorganized, stored elsewhere or thrown away. You can use a drawer organizer or drawer divider to help win this particular declutter challenge.

  • Consider a garage sale for kids’ toys.

Having a hard time convincing the kids to let go of toys they don’t use anymore? One simple trick is to plan a kids’ garage sale. The little ones may not like the idea of their stuff walking away in a stranger’s hands — but they will be excited to help out if you give them the money from anything they manage to sell.

Designing a more peaceful home

Decluttering isn’t all about getting rid of stuff. It’s also about giving every item a home — that way, you won’t slip back into bad habits. To make your house that perfect paradise, try some of these solutions that will lay the groundwork for a lifetime of organization.

Savvy storage solutions

If you come across something you don’t want to get rid of but don’t really want sitting out, you’ll probably want to shove it into a storage space. However, these areas quickly get overwhelmed when you use them as a cure-all. To keep household items from overflowing from the drawer or spilling out from under the bed, create more storage space throughout your home. For example, you could add shelves to the garage or laundry room, use office or home gym closets for household stuff, buy furniture with built-in storage and more. According to Better Homes & Gardens, you can also consider going vertical with your storage solutions to save space.

When choosing how and where to store your stuff, remember that even the cutest storage solution is no good if you won’t actually use it. Make sure storage fits into your life — not the other way around.

Clever closets

If you have a linen closet or other storage space in your laundry room, mud room, hallways or garage, use it to your advantage. Instead of stuffing them with, well, stuff, use them as a home for items that have a tendency to get lost or end up in the way — for example, keeping shoes in a closet by the front door so they’re not all over the house, or hanging keys in a closet when you come in from the garage. That way, you’ll always know where these things are, because you’ll have to pass them to get out the door.

Choosy children

If you have young kids — or even teenagers — you’ll want to create organization techniques they can be on board with. If it’s too much work, little ones might lose interest, while older kids might just forget — so when it comes to getting kids organized, keep it simple. For example, make sure little hands can reach the drawers they need to use to put their toys away, and give teens the tools they need to organize their own space (so their stuff doesn’t end up in yours).

Helpful habits

To get into good organizing habits, it’s important to pay attention to the little stuff. For example, throw out empty containers in the kitchen and bathroom, get rid of broken items you’re never going to fix and — perhaps most importantly — don’t buy things on impulse. It’s okay to add a knickknack or decoration to your home now and again, but impulse buys can end up as clutter you’ll just have to deal with later.

Limiting future clutter

Once you get your home organized and decluttered, the last thing you want to think about is having to do it all over again. The good news is that there’s one approach that can help out: minimalism.

According to Good Housekeeping, minimalism is the practice of “living with less.” It’s all about simplicity and stress-free living areas — but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring. Here are a few ways to adapt minimalism to your needs and make this decluttering method a lifestyle.

  • Learn why you have too much stuff in the first place. If you’re guilty of impulse buys, recognizing that habit can help you reach your minimalist goals. Similarly, if you tend to keep things for nostalgic reasons, you could consider adapting to mementoes that don’t gather dust — like pictures stored in a digital file.
  • Don’t take it too far. Minimalism isn’t about getting rid of everything you own. In fact, if you try to take it too far, you’ll burn yourself out — so make minimalism part of your life rather than letting it have total control. Start small — maybe just one room at a time — and see what’s most comfortable for you.
  • Pay attention to what’s meaningful. Avoid items that have no purpose or value beyond aesthetics — no matter how cute they might be. Instead, try decorating with things that are meaningful to you. Remember, “meaningful” is up to your personal definition — so even if something doesn’t feel particularly minimalist, you should hold onto it as long as it actually makes you happy.
  • Have a purpose. Good Housekeeping recommends having a purpose for your minimalist lifestyle. Understand why you’re making these changes — to save money, try a new decluttering method, simplify your life or something else — and use that as motivation to guide you.

Start fresh with Bungalo®

There are a lot of reasons to declutter — but for many people, the journey begins when it’s time to pack everything up and move to a new home. If you’re hoping for a fresh start, make sure organization is one of the first things on your list; after all, there’s no better time to get rid of extra stuff than right before you have to drag it across town or even across the country. Plus, a new home is the perfect opportunity to create and stick to organizational techniques that you’ll actually maintain.

Another thing to keep in mind is the home search itself. If you look for houses with ample storage space, like big kitchen cabinets or plentiful shelves, you won’t end up cramming things in closets or under beds while you’re trying to move in. Also, if you really want to win at your home search, keep in mind that Bungalo Certified houses come with guarantees that your new place is free of issues from electrical to HVAC and beyond — which means you won’t get any nasty surprises when you’re trying to organize your new home.

To get started finding your peaceful paradise, browse Bungalo listings today. This article is meant for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed as financial, tax, legal, real estate, insurance, or investment advice. Bungalo always encourages you to reach out to an advisor regarding your own situation.

If just hearing the words “increasing home value” is enough to send a shiver down your spine, you’ve come to the right place. Upgrades and home improvements don’t have to be stressful to increase resale value — and knowing where and how to invest your time will make every project feel more like progress.

Roll up your sleeves, grab a hammer and get ready to learn about home improvements that your wallet — and every potential buyer — will thank you for when moving day rolls around.

Home improvements that add value

Whether you’re buying a renovated house or are working on your own fixer-upper, one thing is clear: Paying attention to home value from day one will keep you from making mistakes that could hurt your chances — or your bottom line — if you ever want to sell. The truth is that every home buyer is unique, but no matter their values, they often care a great deal about curb appeal.

Isn’t curb appeal subjective?

Curb appeal might just be one of the most subjective things in the real estate world. One person’s front yard fountain installation could be another person’s blocked view of the front porch. So how do you know what to do and what definitely not to do when choosing home upgrade projects that increase a home’s value?

Your best bet is to keep it simple.

If your goal is to sell your home, whether that means now or in ten years, make sure you do everything with curb appeal in mind. That means making your choices carefully — for example, take care of the lawn (who doesn’t love a lush green front yard?) and avoid additions that might make buyers drive right on by. Basically, don’t do anything a house-hunter will have to pay to undo later, or your resale value will suffer.

Maybe you’re not really a hammer-and-nail type of person. If that’s the case, don’t worry — when you buy or sell with Bungalo®, renovation projects big and small are handled for you.

What boosts curb appeal?

Because curb appeal isn’t so easy to pin down, it may be helpful to think of other words to inform your renovation planning. For example, do you want your house to be welcoming, homey and warm, or would you rather go for stately and impressive?

Either way, curb appeal adds home value — and achieving that perfect aesthetic is a long-term project. Luckily, you can get started as soon as you walk in the door for the first time.

Here are a few things that boost a home’s curb appeal:

Gardening

Gardens are blooming with possibility — literally. Adding a garden to your yard increases curb appeal by giving your house a fresh, living component that could juxtapose wonderfully with wood, brick, vinyl or stone siding. It also makes spaces feel more dynamic — for example, gardens can make square front yards look less geometric and more like home.

Gardens also promise an element of self-sufficiency that many house-hunters are drawn to. If you can make them imagine looking out over the yard while enjoying a garden-fresh salad full of homegrown vegetables, you’ve achieved house-selling magic: getting buyers to picture themselves settling down in your home.

Patios and decks

Patios and decks, while eye-catching, are also an opportunity to get more out of your yard: more curb appeal and more home value. Adding them, however, should be a calculated decision. Going overboard can make your yard seem small and cramped, while an undersized deck or patio won’t serve much purpose for entertaining or relaxing. If you already have a patio or deck, you’re in luck—all you need is a fresh coat of paint to boost your home’s curb appeal.

Updated roofing

Your home’s roof has a big role to play when it comes to curb appeal. A worn or moss-covered roof can make even the nicest house look shabby.  Plus, savvy buyers know that roofing is a big cost, so they may not be interested in a home that could put a dent in their finances right away. That’s why Bungalo certifications are such a big deal: They guarantee that every house has had all of the big stuff, including the roof, taken care of.

Also, in the 2019 Remodeling Impact Survey, the National Association of Realtors reported that updated roofing has a big impact on sales and is highest on the list of completed projects that appeal to buyers. 33% of surveyed realtors said that an updated roof was critical in closing on a home, and the study found that roof replacements had a 107% return on project cost.

Garage door

Adding a new garage door also topped the NAR’s list of projects buyers love to see completed. Because garages can add to overall home value, increase curb appeal, it makes sense to put a new garage door at the top of your to-do list.

Long-term planning for reselling your home

Even if you’re in love with your home right now, there’s no guarantee you’ll stay in the same place forever. That’s why it’s smart to start planning high-value renovations as soon as possible, so any potential buyer might be more interested in your property, andyou get to enjoy the home upgrades until then.

What this doesn’t mean is that you need to work on every home improvement project right away. Instead, choose renovations that prospective home buyers might consider valuable, both now and in the future, and start working on those one at a time.

Thinking ahead

Today’s homebuyer won’t necessarily have the same values and priorities as tomorrow’s, and, unless you have a crystal ball, there’s no way to know for sure what the future will bring. Still, a little informed guesswork can go a long way.

Take, for example, environmental friendliness. According to the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, 40% of U.S. energy goes toward homes and commercial buildings, meaning that energy efficiency upgrades are likely to get even more popular.

Here are a few recommendations for energy efficient upgrades:

  • Install newer lightbulbs and fixtures
  • Look for the government-backed ENERGY STAR logo when buying appliances
  • Make sure existing appliances are functioning efficiently
  • Repair air leaks in windows or ductwork
  • Install solar panels to save money on energy bills

These home upgrades will likely appeal to buyers no matter when you sell your home — and, in the meantime, you’ll enjoy the benefits (and do a little good for Mother Earth along the way).

Financing home improvements

Another element of long-term home improvement planning is, of course, the finances. How do you afford larger projects or upgrades that require a contractor? Here are a few tips.

  • Budget accordingly.

Creating a solid budget for home improvement projects is an absolute must — that way, you don’t end up spending more than you’ll get back in your home’s value. It’s also smart to plan ahead and start saving or budgeting long before you actually begin your home upgrades.

  • Get bids — and then throw out anything that seems too good to be true.

According to This Old House, you should get bids from multiple contractors so you can compare prices. Costs are broken down into three categories: materials, which should represent 40% of the cost; overhead, which should be 40%; and profit margin, which is typically 20%. It’s also important, the source explains, to take bids with a grain of salt. Prices that seem too good to be true often are.

  • Arrange payment plans.

If you budgeted ahead of time, you may have more flexibility when it comes to payment plans. Either way, make sure the contractor you choose is clear and open about their payment expectations, especially when it comes to down payments.

  • Don’t pay cash.

According to Forbes, you always want to pay contractors with checks or credit cards. Contractors asking for or insisting on cash may be trying to scam you.

Kitchen remodels that sell

Home buyers may have different priorities when touring houses, but one thing most of them can agree on is the importance of the kitchen. It’s the heart of any home — or, at least, it will be, once you’re done making a few tweaks.

Flooring

Flooring brings a space together, sure — but in the kitchen, its primary objective is to be functional. If your current kitchen flooring is doing its job, you might consider spending time and money on other home improvement projects. On the other hand, if the flooring is outdated, warped or a hazard to the home cook, it’s definitely worthwhile to swap it out. Consider choices that look good and won’t negatively impact your home’s value, but don’t feel obligated to jump straight to the most expensive option (like hardwood floors).

Stainless steel appliances

If you only have the time, money or energy for one kitchen remodel, make it this one: According to HGTV, stainless steel appliances help increase home value. Buyers like the look and functionality of a kitchen with these sleek silver accents — and you’ll enjoy how easy it is to keep your new appliances clean in the meantime.

 

DIY upgrades

If you’re not ready to go all Property Brothers on your kitchen remodel, don’t worry — there are some minor upgrades you can do as a DIYer.

  • Update the backsplash. Find an interesting pattern or attractive tile that matches your countertops. It’s easy, affordable and improves the value of your kitchen.
  • Change out the light fixtures. New or brighter fixtures can change the whole mood of your kitchen — and they might be more energy-efficient, too.
  • Paint the cabinets. If you don’t want to spend the time and money necessary to replace cabinetry, just grab a bucket of paint and a brush. Make sure to choose colors that stand out but don’t risk impacting your home’s value.

Home improvements in the bathroom

Bathrooms may not be the heart of your home, but they’re a pretty big deal — especially to buyers trying to judge the functionality of your floor plan. Here are some ways to create a bathroom oasis that you — and future buyers — will love.

Paint

According to Consumer Reports, your best bet for bathroom paint is satin or semi-gloss. Stay away from textured paints that will turn this humid part of the house into a breeding ground for mold. Plus, the source explains that flat or eggshell finishes make everyday cleaning a chore — which buyers won’t like at all.

Fixtures

Faucets, shower heads and even sinks and toilets are considered bathroom fixtures. While updating these might be more work, they are often the elements of your bathroom that draw the most attention — so start small, like choosing a new faucet for the sink, and work up from there.

Vanities

If your bathroom vanity is outdated, falling apart or just plain boring, consider replacing it with a DIY build. Dressers or cabinets from your local second-hand store or flea market make great statement pieces, especially when painted to match your bathroom’s aesthetic.

Get top dollar with Bungalo Homes

From gardens and decks to kitchens and bathrooms, home upgrades make a huge impact on your home’s value and curb appeal. When timed just right, they also provide plenty of enjoyment for you until you sell your home.

Don’t feel like grabbing a hammer to sell your house or move into a new one? Not to worry — Bungalo renovates homes for you, so whether you’re buying or selling, you won’t have to lift a finger. Start working with Bungalo today to get top dollar the easy way.

This article is meant for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed as financial, tax, legal, real estate, insurance, or investment advice. Bungalo always encourages you to reach out to an advisor regarding your own situation.

If you’ve decided to sell your house, there are a few things you should consider before putting it on the market. For example, are you hoping to sell your house more quickly or for maximum value? Does your region have housing market patterns that differ from the rest of the U.S.?

We can help guide you through the varieties within the home selling market to help you narrow down exactly when you should sell your house — whether based on season, region or month.

At Bungalo®, we understand the home buying process from start to finish and we work hard to make it easy for homeowners looking to buy and/or sell. We created Bungalo to help new and existing homeowners take control of the process from buying a home to figuring out when is the best month to sell a home. (For more helpful guides, explore our blog.)

The home selling market through the year

Although it can be tempting to put your house on the market the moment you’re ready to sell, that’s not usually best practice. You may luck into a particularly beneficial time during the year for the housing market, but we wouldn’t advise you to take that as a given.

One important reason to specifically choose the optimal month or season to sell your home is that the housing market ebbs and flows throughout the year. If you choose an “off-season” in which demand is low, you may end up with offers below market price or — worst-case scenario — struggle to sell at all.

However, if you do your research, you can put your home on the market at the best time for you as a home seller. This can result in offers at or above your home’s estimated value and a plethora of buyers who are all ready to commit to a new home.

So when is the best time of year to sell a home?

Many experts would say spring is arguably the best season for selling. According to The Mortgage Reports, if you sell your home in spring, you can expect to sell it 18.5 days faster than other seasons and receive 5.9% more money. Due to this, it’s also one of the most competitive times to sell a home, so you could find yourself not doing as well if your home hasn’t been updated to prepare for extra competition from other homes.

This may also not be the best time for you to choose to sell your home if your area is still rainy or snowy. If that’s the case, summer is probably the better option of the two warmer seasons.

The summer months are almost as popular a time to sell as spring, as it’s generally nice weather, longer days and a preferred time of year for moving and changing homes. After all, if it’s summer, you don’t have to worry about moving while kids are still in school or when family events may be happening. It’s also great for the seller because buyers feel pressured to purchase and move into their new homes before the start of the school year.

Fall and winter are the less popular months for selling a house. However, there are areas in which these two colder seasons are actually quite temperate, which makes them popular times for the housing market.

Regional and long-term effects on selling conditions

As you research the best season for sellers in the housing market, you’ll also discover that the competitiveness and popularity of each season depending on the region in which you’re selling your home.

Specifically, in warmer areas, such as Arizona, Florida, Southern California and Texas, fall and winter can actually be the most popular and potentially lucrative times to sell. In these regions, the weather is more temperate, so the temperature isn’t scorching hot — imagine house hunting in triple-digit heat — and buyers also aren’t in the middle of the more volatile seasons that can produce hurricanes or tornadoes.

If you’re in an area where the late fall or winter has nicer weather, this can be a great time in the housing market for you. Buyer demand may also be encouraged by the end of tax season — closing on a home before the end of the year means buyers can take advantage of tax breaks.

Look into the ins and outs of your local real estate market to help determine when to put your house up for sale. Most areas have specific location-based housing market patterns that can help you get the best price for your property. If you put it up during peak home-buying season (when buyer demand is at its highest), you’ll benefit from increased interest, which will then encourage more competitive offers.

Picking the best month to sell a house

Now that you’ve narrowed down which season you want to sell your house, you can start to break down which month will get you the best home price results.

As previously discussed, your home’s region and location will definitely impact the optimal season to sell your house, but you can also look at nationwide trends to guide your decision.

What are the best months to sell a house?

Although spring is the best season to start selling your home, the best three months include two summer months, according to LendingTree. The months, in order, are:

  1. June
  2. May
  3. July

Each of these months shows the highest number of sales, median sales prices and seller premiums out of the entire year. In fact, if you break it down by day, the best time of the year to sell your home is between mid to late June.

If you plan to list your home during these three months, your odds of getting a great deal are much higher than during the colder times of the year.

However, bear in mind that the specific best month to sell may change depending on the current housing and economic market conditions. For example, due to COVID-19, many homes continued to sell extremely well into July and into the fall seasons, even in locations that don’t ordinarily have the best conditions during those times.

What are the worst months to sell a house?

Conversely, the three worst months to sell a house across the U.S. are all during the colder, fall to winter months:

  1. December
  2. October
  3. November

Besides the weather, an additional factor that makes these difficult times to sell a home is that they’re all holiday seasons. This is already a busy time for most people as they confirm travel plans or prepare for events, so it’s not usually ideal for buying and moving to a new home for buyers. However, it’s a good time for homebuyers who are looking to get a great deal on home prices, because the market is less competitive. By contrast, it’s not a great time for sellers to put their homes on the market if they’re looking for the best offers.

Selling your home for maximum value in any month

One of the main reasons home sellers should carefully consider when to put their homes on the market is because, in general, the market is out of their control. Choosing the right time to list is one of the best ways that sellers can help ensure their house sells quickly and for the best price.

Yet there are other straightforward ways to maximize your home selling experience and outcome. The key is to present your home in the best possible way, which you can do by setting the right price and investing in home repairs that add value.

Sell for the right price

When you put your home up for sale, you’ll need to set realistic price expectations. This means that home sellers should take the time to figure out the true value of their property and avoid over- or underpricing their home.

If your home price is more expensive than it should be, your property will have less buyer demand, resulting in fewer offers and longer selling times. Similarly, more home buyers are looking at houses within certain price ranges, so if yours is outside of that spectrum, it’ll be even harder for potential buyers to find your home.

When a home takes a long time to sell, it also makes buyers wary of your property listing. As your home stays on the market longer and longer, you may end up dropping the price as well, which will negatively affect your listing’s reputation. As far as prospective buyers are concerned, this may be an indication that there is something wrong with the house or the seller themself.

Make sure your home is in the best condition

Part of the home buying process includes a home inspection of the property. If any issues are highlighted, buyers may want to renegotiate their offers or even drop out of the home purchase. Avoid this possibility by inspecting your own home for potential issues in advance.

At Bungalo, all homes that we sell have been inspected and certified multiple times, from top-to-bottom by our professionals to be Bungalo Certified. This extra step ensures that the buyers are fully confident in their purchase and sellers don’t have to worry about surprise problems. Our guarantee even includes 90-day post-close protection and a 1-year home warranty — because we are confident in the homes that we sell.

This extra step will help prevent any unnecessary pauses or bumps along the home selling and buying journey.

Consider home repairs that add value

To encourage buyer demand, you want your home to appear as attractive and competitive as possible compared to other houses on the market. This means investing in home improvement projects that don’t cost more than you can afford but still add value and appeal to your home.

Consider projects such as:

  • Repainting walls
  • Updating floors
  • Repairing driveway cracks
  • Installing new kitchen appliances
  • Renovating the bathrooms
  • Adding protective additions (hurricane shutters, new gutters, etc.)

With these upgrades, your home will stand out among other real estate listings and increase your chances of buyer demand.

Streamline the home buying and selling process with Bungalo

Selling your home doesn’t have to be a complicated or stressful process. Although the housing and real estate market may be outside of your control or comfort zone, there are ways to ensure you get the best home price for your house in the most efficient time.

By researching your area’s specific trends and the best months to list your home, you can understand what buyer demand may look like throughout the year, and create a smoother transition from homeowner to home seller.

If you’re interested in learning more about Bungalo’s streamlined and efficient all-in-one home buying service, check out our how-it-works guide.

We help new and returning home buyers find their perfect match, without the fuss and hassle of traditional real estate processes. Because our platform is interactive and transparent each step of the way, our buyers can be sure that every listed home meets top-of-the-line professional standards.

This article is meant for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed as financial, tax, legal, real estate, insurance, or investment advice. Bungalo always encourages you to reach out to an advisor regarding your own situation.

What is home staging and why is it so important to you as a soon-to-be seller? Well, when you put your house on the market for a prospective home buyer, your property is taking center stage for all intents and purposes. Like the protagonist in a major motion picture or a Tony Award-winning actress on Broadway, appearances matter when your house is being judged for its overall quality. How – or to what degree – it resonates with a given home buyer or audience is largely a product of how it performs under the proverbial limelight.

Do you know what it takes to increase your house’s curb appeal? Is your living room set up in a manner that would catch the eye of a potential homebuyer? Should furniture be included in your pictures, or is it better for each room to stand on its own and clutter-free?

These questions and more are all part of the home staging process, which, admittedly, is not exactly a one-and-done effort. If you’re selling your house but don’t want to deal with sprucing it up as a home stager, you don’t have to – you can sell directly to Bungalo®, even if your house isn’t exactly dressed to the nines. If you are thinking about doing at least some home staging or assuming the role of home stager on a temporary basis, we’ll go over some tips that can help speed things along, adding a sense of urgency for your potential buyer or buyers. But first, it’s important to understand why home staging is so important.

What is the No. 1 purpose of home staging?

There are a number of reasons why home staging makes sense, but the overarching goal – whether you hire a professional stager or tackle the task yourself – is to make it more universally attractive. Whether you’ve been at your current home for a few years or decades, you probably spent a good portion of those years “making it your own,” perhaps by buying comfortable furniture for the living room or reviving the dining room with an elegant chandelier, placed squarely above the dining room table. Home staging, on the other hand, involves the active depersonalizing of the house so it draws more attention to all comers and all tastes.

The typical house in today’s red hot real estate market sells rather quickly. According to the National Association of Realtors, the average is less than three weeks (17 days), as of July 2021. In fact, of all the properties that sold during that period, nearly 90% were up for sale for less than a month.

At the same time, the entire home buying process often takes as much as six months, according to the Home Buying Institute, if not longer. Home staging helps to give your house the legs it needs to remain attractive to a potential buyer from the first day they notice it to the day before closing. Every room of the house should receive as much attention and tender loving care as the next, be it the living room, dining room, bedroom – even the mudroom.

But another selling point on home staging is the financial element. In the National Association of Realtors’ latest Profile of Home Staging report, which interviewed real estate agent respondents, 1 in 4 buyers’ agents said home staging increased the dollar value offered on for-sale houses by between 1% and 5% compared to those who didn’t go about this process. And 15% said offers were 6% to 10% higher for staged versus non-staged homes.

What does home staging involve?

Home staging can be as minimalist or as all-inclusive as you want it to be. Much of the work that you devote to this effort is dependent on the condition of the house as it’s currently constituted. For example, if there is a gaping hole in the wall or noticeable scratches on the front door that would show up in photos, home staging may require hiring a home renovation expert to make the repairs or replacing components of the house. But work as a stager doesn’t necessarily have to be extensive, either. It could be devoted to eliminating clutter that’s accumulated, whether that’s in the living room, dining room or parts of the house that are renowned for clutter, like the attic or basement.

Decluttering may be the single most important component to successful home staging. Nearly 95% of real estate agent respondents in the aforementioned NAR survey said eliminating clutter was crucial to preparing a home for sale. The next most common response was cleaning each room (83%).

From rearranging furniture to painting the walls, home staging activities come in all shapes and sizes.

Now that you know the purpose of home staging, let’s get into a few tips and suggestions. If done right, they can lead to a quicker sale:

1. Build up curb appeal by addressing exterior issues

Before you get to each room, start by assessing how your house looks on the outside. Especially if you’re scheduling an open house, the very first thing a would-be buyer sees is its exterior. So, you want to make the best first impression you can right off the bat. Take an honest assessment of how your home looks. What can you do to make it look like new? Is it in need of a fresh coat of paint? Could the bushes around your property use some pruning to make them more symmetrical? Maybe the house has accumulated dirt that entails a water pressure treatment from a professional.

All these actions help to ratchet up your home’s curb appeal.  

2. Clean, clean and then clean some more

Put yourself in the shoes of a prospective buyer: How would you feel if the house you wanted to buy was a pigsty? It’d be a major dealbreaker, especially if the lack of cleanliness was apparent in the pictures.

Getting your house truly clean goes deeper than once-over vacuuming, putting your kids’ toys away and scrubbing the toilets. In other words, not the household chores you do weekly or every other week. It should involve the activities that take time and elbow grease. This may include washing the walls (like you would before painting), mopping the floors, removing accumulated cobwebs and dusting the blinds and lampshades.

In short, you want it to be so clean that you wouldn’t think twice about eating food off the floor.

3. Give the kitchen its due attention

Speaking of food, of all the rooms in the average house, the room where meals are made is the most visited. In many home setups, the kitchen is also one of the first rooms people see as they step inside. And given that so much activity occurs there, it’s the one that you should prioritize as a stager. 80% of buyers’ agents in the NAR survey pointed to the kitchen as the most common place to receive the home staging treatment. And among buyers themselves, 35% said staging the kitchen was very important to them.

Here as well, the extent of your staging efforts is up to you. But if you want to kick things up a notch by going beyond cleaning and eliminating clutter, you may want to give your cabinets a fresh coat of paint, replacing the countertops if they’re damaged or even replacing the faucet and fixtures. Even swapping out the knobs on the cabinets can go a long way.  

4. Aim for minimalism

Over the course of your tenure as a homeowner, you’ve undoubtedly collected lots of stuff, much of which may be out in the open, such as furniture or electronics. When taking photographs, you may want to remove some of these items. This accomplishes a few things. For one, it helps to further the decluttered look of your living room (assuming that’s where the furniture is located). It also makes rooms appear larger than they do with items taking up space. Finally, a minimalist look depersonalizes each space so a potential buyer can picture in their mind’s eye how they would fill the space should they decide to make an offer.

If you’re unsure of what furniture should stay put or removed, you may want to ask a professional stager for their two cents on the subject. They may recommend keeping certain furniture but repositioning them in such a way that it makes the room look more open. Other strategies that work well are hanging drapes or curtains that match the walls and ensuring that they’re in the open positions to let more light in.

5. Take lots of pictures from worthwhile locations

Open houses and personalized tours allow a potential buyer to get a better sense and feel for what your home is like, but it traditionally starts with point-and-click investigation on home listing websites and mobile apps. Photographs are as must-have as a property’s advertised price. No one is going to buy real estate that they can’t see.

With cameras built into phones, photo-taking has never been easier, so it’s worth your while to take as many pictures as you can of each room and from different angles. Ideally, you want a potential buyer to get a full account of what each room looks like so once you snap a picture from one part of the room, you may want to stand on the opposite side so you can showcase where you just came from.

However, there is such a thing as having too many photos. So rather than pointing the camera on a fixed area – like one wall – position yourself so the viewer will be able to see several walls, ideally three.

Another best practice to home staging picture-taking is to capture stills from locations as you would normally see them. Perhaps in the past you’ve liked how your house looked while standing on a chair or stepladder for painting. But it’s better to take pictures from areas that a potential buyer would normally be in were they to step into the room. That generally means from a standing or seated position.

If photography isn’t for you, hiring a professional who specializes in this kind of thing might be worthwhile.

6. Put together a home staging budget

As the old saying goes, it takes money to make money, and that adage applies to selling a home. Some of what you spend may be during closing, at the very end of the process. But depending on how much work your house needs to get looking spiffy, it could start at the very beginning.

If you need work done on the property, get quotes about what each task costs. Some you may be able to do yourself. However, bear in mind that the cost could be significant, especially if you use a professional stager. According to the aforementioned NAR report, the median amount spent for a professional stager or home staging firm is $1,500.

Home staging is important, but it’s also a hassle. If you want to skip it entirely, look to Bungalo. When you sell to Bungalo, we not only buy in cash but we eliminate the traditional selling steps, such as staging and scheduling home tours. That saves you the two most precious assets: time and money.

For more information on our no-obligation cash offers, contact us today. 

This article is meant for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed as financial, tax, legal, real estate, insurance, or investment advice. Bungalo always encourages you to reach out to an advisor regarding your own situation.