Planning on selling your house in Columbus? Great! Just make sure you do your research first so there are no surprises. Traditional sales can be expensive endeavors, but a direct sale usually won’t cost you anything. We’ll go over the potential costs and time frame when selling your house in Columbus so keep reading!

You shouldn’t rush into signing a listing agreement with any old Columbus real estate agent. Take your time to think it through first, and weigh the pros and cons. How long do you think the selling process will take? And more importantly, how much do you think it’ll cost you in the end? There are multiple ways to sell, each with their own set of strengths and weaknesses. It all comes down to what makes sense for your particular situation.

Want to run the numbers for selling your house in Columbus? Read on.

Repair Costs

Leaving home repairs until the last minute can cause additional unanticipated problems down the road. Let’s say you have a leaking pipe. You think it’ll be an easy fix, but then you realize the water damage is more widespread than you thought. This happens to many homeowners — they fix one problem, and then several others pop up. If you’re selling your house in Columbus, take care of all necessary repairs beforehand so your house looks its best on the MLS.

This means making repairs that will be noticed and preparing for even more after the inspection. Potential buyers often try to negotiate after the appraisal and inspection process, which forces the seller to spend more money. Some sellers pay for an inspection before listing, so they can know what is wrong with the property.

Preparation Costs

When you’re getting your house ready to go on the MLS in Columbus, there are a few things you can do to increase its appeal. You may want to remove personal belongings and store them elsewhere, or stage the house by adding in some pieces of furniture and decor.

Alternatively, you could bring in an actual designer to make the house look even warmer and more inviting. No matter how great your house already is, taking these extra steps will help it stand out from the competition.

Marketing Costs

There are multiple real estate agent strategies for marketing your home in Columbus. Some give you the full marketing experience, while others just throw your house on the MLS. Homeowners oftentimes find themselves footing the bill for premium listings, professional photography, and more. Knowing which route to go down can save or cost you thousands.

Holding Costs

Owning a home is expensive, and that’s not just because of your monthly mortgage payment. You should also remember your utility bills, repair costs, and regular maintenance expenses.

If you consult any real estate investor, they’ll tell you that these costs only increase the longer you hold on to a home. Selling your house directly can mean immediately ending all of these holding costs — potentially saving yourself thousands of dollars in Columbus.

Agent Commissions and Costs

Most agents’ commissions are approximately 6% of your home’s final sale price. Therefore, if your house sells for $250k, you will lose around $15k immediately upon the sale, not even counting any other fees or reimbursements owed to your agent.

Keep this large chunk of money in mind along with all of the other costs and fees associated with selling a house. You might find that selling directly is ultimately a more viable financial option for you.

Closing Costs

On average, closing costs for a selling property will be 1-3% of the total sale price. Let’s say your home is sold at $250,000. You would have to spend an additional $2,500 to $7,500. However, if you go through Offer Express] for a direct sale, we take care of all the worries and stresses regarding closing costs — and all you’ll have to worry about is a very fast move.

Before you list your home with a Columbus real estate agent or try to sell it on your own, consider all of the costs you will have to pay. Don’t just think about the final sale price. You need to take into account additional MLS fees as well.

It’s important to understand that there are benefits and drawbacks to both methods of selling a house. Ultimately, it is up to the seller to decide which option makes the most sense for their property and their situation.

Learn more about how selling your house can be easy by contacting us today! We would love to help you through the process and answer any questions you may have, as an experienced cash home buyer in Columbus, Ohio. You can reach us at (614) 820-5777.