You may think that listing is the only option when it’s time to sell your house. However, more and more people are opting for a direct sale instead of hiring an agent. You have options when selling your New Orleans house. Find out what listing your house is really costing you when selling in New Orleans!
Not every house will do well on the MLS. Some properties require major investments, time, and effort in order to sell. According to studies, it costs over $15,000 to sell your house with an agent! Before hiring a New Orleans agent, make sure you’re aware of the true costs of selling your house.
Commissions
Agent commissions are typically around 6% of the final sale price. This expense can be worth it at times, but keep in mind that this amount will be deducted from the final sale price at the closing table. You’ll quickly be down a few thousand dollars.
Administrative Costs
You will often be responsible for administrative fees such as reimbursements for flyers, listings, open house catering, and more. Every agent is different. Be sure that you’re aware of everything the listing agreement covers before signing it. Agents should hold up their end of the deal as well.
Cleaning
It’s usually suggested that you have your [market_ city] house professionally cleaned before listing it. If you are not replacing the carpets, professionally clean those as well. Last-minute showings and people dropping in to see the house are common, so you will need to maintain the cleanliness of the home while it’s listed.
Staging & Storage
With so many people coming in and out of the house, many sellers choose to get a head start on packing by boxing up personal items and storing them until the house sells. With only the necessities around, your house will never appear messy or cluttered. You can also choose to professionally stage the house.
Repairs And Upgrades
Depending on your house’s condition, repairs could be small or they could set you back thousands. Sometimes one repair leads to 10 more. In addition, any potential buyer will negotiate repairs with you after having their home inspection done. You are under no obligation to make all of the repairs, however, if you want to sell the house, you might want to consider some negotiation.
If your house is outdated compared to other properties on the market, you will want to upgrade some things to make it current. Small improvements such as new flooring, painting, and fixtures can have huge impacts. As with the repairs, these costs can snowball too.
Landscaping
Consider reseeding the lawn, planting some flowers along the driveway, or having your trees professionally trimmed before listing. This improves the curb appeal and overall appearance of the house. Maintain it while it’s listed by regularly mowing, weeding, and sweeping. Depending on your neighborhood and available time, you might hire a professional landscaping company to keep things in order while the house is listed.
Monthly Responsibilities
Every day that you own the property costs you money. You don’t want to hold onto the property longer than you have to. You will have to pay monthly utilities, taxes, insurance, likely a mortgage, and costs for monthly maintenance.
As you can see, the expenses to sell a New Orleans house using an agent can add up quickly. To save time and money, you can choose to sell your New Orleans house to U.S. Direct Home Buyers. We do not require any repairs nor charge any fees. Before you call an agent, find out what we can do for you!