How to sell a fixer-upper fast in Milwaukee
What kind of fixer-upper house do you have?
In general, there are two kinds of fixer-upper houses, and selling your fixer-upper house depends on which kind it is. There are fixer-uppers that are livable houses and need mainly cosmetic repairs to look aesthetically pleasing, and then there are fixer-upper houses that don’t meet Minimum Property Standards. Minimum Property Standards are criteria that a house must meet for a mortgage loan to be approved by the FHA and some other lenders.
Some items that disqualify a house from meeting the Minimum Property Standards are chipping lead paint, old or unsafe wiring, an old roof, missing handrails on stairs, and houses containing asbestos. Investopedia has an extensive list of the FHA’s Minimum Property Standards.
Selling a fixer-upper house in Milwaukee that only needs cosmetic work
Selling your fixer-upper that only needs cosmetic work can be more difficult than selling an updated house, but there are many inexpensive ways to attract more buyers and hopefully allow you to sell your fixer-upper in Milwaukee for a higher price.
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Do a deep cleaning of the house. Shampoo carpets and remove stains, wipe down baseboards, polish floors, and scrub sinks, tubs, and hardware. Wash all the windows until they sparkle.
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Paint walls, ceilings, doors, and molding. Paint the front door a pretty color.
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Open the windows and air the place out. When showing the house, burn a candle with a pleasant scent—nothing too strong, though, as some people have allergies.
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Replace lightbulbs with brighter ones and turn on the lights when showing the house.
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Remove or clean window treatments. Don’t cover windows when showing.
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New switch plates and outlet covers can make a huge difference, and they’re cheap.
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Declutter and depersonalize the house. Remove family photos, knickknacks, toys, refrigerator magnets, and other similar items. This helps a potential buyer imagine living there themselves.
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Mow the yard, plant colorful flowers near the front door, and clean out the gutters. Hide your garbage bins.
When selling your fixer-upper house, talk it up!
Point out the wonderful attributes of your Milwaukee fixer-upper house—in person if you sell FSBO (for sale by owner), or via your real estate agent. Be sure to include your ideas in the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) listing.
Point out the pluses of your house, whether it be the location, character, or a large kitchen. Have you had plans for the house that you never implemented? Talk about those plans and talk up all the possibilities. “That large tree in the backyard would be a great place for a tree house.” “The basement is just waiting to be remodeled; it would make a fantastic family room.” “A deck outside this door would be amazing for entertaining in good weather.” You get the idea.
How to sell a fixer-upper that needs repairs
If you have a house that doesn’t meet the Minimum Property Standards, you’ll have to decide if you should put the money and work into it to sell the traditional way. It’s a good idea to have a pre-inspection done to determine the extent of the problems with the house. Then look up the home values for the renovated houses in your Milwaukee neighborhood. Do the math. Is it worth it to replace the HVAC system or get a new roof in order to sell your fixer-upper house? Sometimes, the upfront costs to renovate are too high. That’s when you might consider selling your house “as is” to We Buy Ugly Houses®.
How to sell your fixer-upper house fast
In the state of Wisconsin, a seller must disclose any problems with the house to a prospective buyer. According to Nolo, the Wisconsin seller has to fill out a Real Estate Condition Report and give it to the buyer within 10 days of signing the purchase offer. When you sell to We Buy Ugly Houses, you don’t have to worry about any problems with your house because we buy houses in “as is” condition and close fast.
Simply contact us to set up a free consultation with one of our friendly Milwaukee property specialists. We’ll meet at your house, answer your questions, and take a tour of your property. We may even be able to give you an offer the same day. If you accept our offer, we can sometimes close in as little as three weeks. Selling to us is stress-free and easy. Our outstanding reviews reflect our great customer service.
Contact We Buy Ugly Houses to see how we can help you sell your fixer-upper house in Milwaukee.
