If you’ve inherited a property and you’re planning to sell it, make sure you read this blog post for 3 tips about how to price your inherited home for sale…
Did you inherit a property that you’re now thinking about selling? While an inherited property can be a wonderful gift from a loved one who has passed on, it can also (quite frankly) be a costly burden. So selling it makes sense and allows you to use the gifted equity for some other purpose. But selling an inherited property may not come easy to you, especially if you haven’t sold a property in a while. So here’s how to price your inherited home in for sale…
One always hears “Location, location, location” about the value of houses. While that is very true not all houses are in the same condition when it is time to go on market. Some have been updated, some while not updated are well maintained and some are not. So as one prepares an inherited house for sale, all of those factors will come into play.
So we are going to discuss your different options. Do you sell the traditional route or do you sell to an investor? Selling to an investor can be much faster but you will not get top dollar as they are in the business of making a reasonable profit for updating the house and the time it takes them to rehab and resell it. So as you decide you need to understand all your options and what that means to you in the long run.
Tip #1: Price Quick To Sell
Some people price their inherited property at an amount they think the market might pay for the house. However, there are many factors that go into this price and one of the biggest considerations is: how fast do you want to sell? Selling through an agent “on the market” can take months, and you’ll have to pay for the house and maintain the property the entire time. That can be costly and can eat into the higher price.
Many property owners quickly learn that they’re almost better off to price slightly lower for a faster sale… they might get less for the house but they also pay less on repairs, carrying costs, effort, and time, so it’s ultimately a trade-off that might turn out to be a total wash. There is a cost to selling through an agent also so the price the house sells for is not the amount you will have in your bank account.
Tip #2: Avoid Pricing Based On Fond Memories Or Emotion
One of the biggest challenges that property owners of inherited property face when trying to price their property for sale is separating the happy memories from the true value of the house. The house might be worth a certain amount on the market but you may have such fond memories of growing up in the house or of happy times in the house that you accidentally use that emotion to increase the price. (This is VERY common.)
A better approach would be to work with a real estate company and find out what they can offer you, and recognize that the price might be lower than you were expecting… not because the house isn’t worth as much but because your wonderful memories have accidentally inflated the price!
Tip #3: Build In Discounts For Repairs
If you inherited the property from a loved one who had lived in the property for many years then you might find out that the property needs some repairs. You could choose to do this work yourself and then ask for a higher price but why do that when you could save yourself the time and effort (and what you’d have to pay for equipment, supplies, or a contractor) and instead just ask for less and give a “repair discount”. That way you avoid the hassle of the work, and you still come out the same financially.
Summary
An inherited house can be a lot of work so if you’re thinking of selling it, you’re certainly not alone. But how do you price an inherited house? So it is a good idea to discuss the different options with someone who understands not only the standard selling method of using the MLS but also understands how investors will approach the house and what they are willing to offer. This information will guide you on how to price your inherited home for sale or whether to sell quickly to an investor.