The Timeline for Selling a St. Louis House
You may love your home now, but when it’s time to go, it’s time to go. Maybe you have a new job offer in a different city or maybe you want to downsize now that the kids are gone. No matter the reason, selling a St. Louis house can take some time, and it’s important to know just how long before you begin the process.
Here is the timeline of selling a St. Louis house.
Factors that affect selling
When you want to sell your St. Louis home, many different factors can determine how long it will take to sell the home. Some will speed up the process while others will slow it down. Some of these factors include:
- Great locations. If your home is in a fantastic neighborhood near good school districts, shops, dining and public transportation, then you will have an easier time selling. Hot markets go quickly, but if your neighborhood has higher crime rates and fewer fun things to do, then you may be waiting around for a while.
- Fair price. If your home is priced too high, buyers will notice. They’re looking at nearby comps just as often as you are, and they know when a home isn’t priced correctly. If you can’t justify that high price, then buyers will look elsewhere. Remember, higher priced homes sell slowly because there’s a much smaller pool of people that can afford that price.
- Time of the year. No one wants to move during the dead of winter, so sales tend to slow up during this time. Spring and summer are usually the best times to sell because families are eager to look for new school districts and move in before the start of the year.
- School districts. For families, great school districts make a world of difference. If your home is in a good school district and it’s big enough for families, then you’ll see more offers come in.
- Crime rate. If the crime rate is higher in your area, then fewer people are going to want to move in. There isn’t much you can do about crime, but you can install a security system if you don’t already have one.
- Walkability. Driving everywhere isn’t always ideal. Buyers like to be able to walk to shops and restaurants, especially in the city. If your home is close to buses or trains, then you’ll have an easier time selling it.
How long it all takes
Every home is different so there’s no one way to know how long it takes to sell a home. In general, you should start preparing for a sell about two months before you want to put your home on the market. Use this time to make repairs, clean and declutter your home. Clean up your yard and make sure it makes a good first impression on buyers.
Talk with your agent about how best to price your home. You two will probably look at comps in the neighborhood as well as the factors of your home and neighborhood. Together, you can come up with a price and selling strategy that will sell your home quickly. If you do it all right, then you can sell your St. Louis home in as little as a few weeks or even days after you list it.