It’s not always simple to assist an older relative in selling their home. When elderly people leave homes where they have so many fond memories, they typically have emotional difficulties. According to Pew Research, 27% of old Americans live alone at home. While this has positive ramifications, the negative side is that these older folks will eventually need help selling their home.
How Do You Help An Older Family Member or Friend Sell Their Home In Arkansas?
In addition to emotional ties to a home, and being independent, there are the physical constraints to selling a home and moving. All those boxes and hefty furniture are unlikely to be moved by elderly relatives. This means that either you’ll need to hire a moving company, or you’ll have to handle the work yourself.
Unfortunately, it is sometimes prohibitively expensive for your relative to remain in their comfortable old house. It can also be dangerous for them especially if there are steps or other situations that can pose potential injury to the elderly. One of the most selfless acts of love you can perform is helping an older relative in relocating to a more secure living situation. If you’re assisting an older relative in selling their home, here are five ideas to make the process go as smoothly as possible.
Be Firm, Compassionate, and Accurate In The Selling Process.
Your older relative is unlikely to want to relocate. If they have lived in the same house for decades, it may be difficult for them to relocate. They may recognize they need to move because of physical limits, or you may be pushing them to do so to avoid future problems.
As a result, the best method to help them in selling their home is to be objective while still being sympathetic. Provide a listening ear when addressing the notion of moving, the logistics of moving, and even the post-move period. Reiterate that this is the best decision they can make at this time in their lives.
Get A Home Inspection
If you plan to use a realtor for a conventional sale, you will need to disclose the condition of the home to potential buyers. This means that you will want to get a preliminary home inspection unless you are very sure you know of the problems that the home may have from years of wear and tear. You can sell traditionally as-is, but this can end up being a problem is a buyer hires his own inspector and finds problems that were not disclosed. In many states, a buyer can break a contract over this type of situation.
Assist With The Renovation And Repairs Of The House
When you live in a house for 30 years, the fashions and styles inside are likely to be outdated. Inside a property that has been occupied for years, it’s not uncommon to encounter wood paneling and other antique styles. It’s always a good idea to redecorate a relative’s house before placing it on the market while helping them sell it if you plan to get top dollar. Here are some suggestions for budget friendly updating of an older home.
If many of the properties on the market in your region are spotless, a property that requires a lot of repairs will take longer to sell. Familiarize yourself with current fashion trends and try to persuade your elderly relative that fixing up the house before selling it is the best option.
It’s important to note that this does not always imply a complete home renovation. Fresh coats of paint, for example, are affordable and may significantly increase the value of a home. Additionally, replacing appliances and the electrical panel can add some extra functional oomph to the house when it comes to selling it.
If the worst happens and you and your relatives don’t have the finances to renovate the property, you can sell it as-is. Because older people tend to have a lot of equity in their homes, this is often an attractive alternative. To find out how much a local real estate investment business would pay for the property without you needing to make any renovations, contact Little Rock Property Buyers here in Arkansas for a quick, fair, no-hassle, offer on your relative’s property.
You Will Need To Prepare Your Elderly Relative For The Home Showings To Potential Buyers
After the house is listed on the market and photos are published, your realtor will begin to schedule showings of the home. It is highly recommended that no one be at home when the potential buyers and realtor come through. This may pose a problem for some elderly folks especially if there are many showings. You could possibly avoid too many showings by just having one open house time frame.
You Can Avoid All The Difficulties Related To The Steps Above By Selling To A Professional Home Buyer Like Little Rock Property Buyers
Little Rock Property Buyers have a great reputation for being professional and fair. There is no need for repairs, inspections, renovations, showings, realtor fees. There is no worry of your relative’s home setting on the market for weeks and not selling. We can provide a cash offer in as little as 24 hours. You can then decide if you will accept it or not. If the offer is accepted, we can typically close the deal and give you the cash in as little as a week. Of course, we can give you more time as needed. You can read more about how we work by clicking here.
If this sounds like a better option for you and your elderly relative than the hassles of selling the property in a traditional way, please give us a call today to discuss the options. We would be happy to explain more and answer any questions you may have. Call us at 501-580-3035 or fill out the form on our website.
