Make sure you do these things before selling your house in Stockton CA

January 12, 2019

If you are selling your House in Stockton it is all about time, money and the house.

The truth of the matter is that any house in Stockton will sell fast if it is offered at the right price to the right people. What really makes houses fly off the shelf is the value offered, real or perceived, and getting your product, your house, in front of the right people. That is why the national association of realtors beats their chest about offering homeowners the best chance to sell a house at at the highest price. Now here is the rest of the story.

I admit it their claim is true, but remember most houses sold in Stockton are sold with the representation of a real estate agent and its a numbers game. It is not that real estate agents are better at any one thing, because statistically only the top selling real estate agents in any market do things better and get the most money and this article will uncover the truth of how that works. What realtors never talk about, unless it is just a pure sellers market, is the amount of time it takes to sell any stockton house, what the expired listing rate is (houses that dont sell) and what it is going to cost in terms of time and money to sell your Stockton house fast and for the most money.

It is no secret that selling a house in Stockton can be one of the largest financial transactions for most homeowners. The ugly little truth is, that the houses that sell for the most amount of money are either brand new or the owners have spent thousands of dollars in repairs and updates before selling. This is NOT rocket science, but it is a gamble for the homeowner. What the association of realtors never discloses is the average cost of the updates and repairs spend as compared to the increase in sales price. Most homeowners that I have talked to, that have taken this route just take that blow on the chin. Others are happy. Mission accomplished.

If you are serious about selling your house in Stockton, before you start marketing your house and bringing the potential buyers through it… there are a few things you should do, that will help increase your chances of selling your Stockton house fast and for a better price. Even if you have little to no budget, if you follow this road map you will get more money for your house and it will sell faster. But, you must choose the right things to fix and upgrade or it could all be a big waste of time and money.

Selling Your House in Stockton Fast by “putting together a Plan”

Clean, Clean and Clean Some More:

Deep cleaning inside and out of cupboards to drawers, from stem to Stern. Clean that house so that everything sparkles. There is nothing worse for a retail buyer than walking into a house that has dirt visible in the kitchen and bathrooms. When prospective buyers are are walking through any house they need to be spoon fed the possibilities of what their life would be like in their house. They do Not need to see the reality of your life in that house.

You need to sell them the dream that they see in the pictures in magazines and that they see on HGTV. Most of all, remember that they dont want to do any of the work themselves. They want move in ready and most wives dont believe that their husband is all that handy or will ever get to fix or replace what is broken in your house. While you are cleaning ,you might as well de-clutter and that means removing things from the house that are personal.

Remove Most of Your Personal Things

I never understood why people would not remove their mot personal items, just to keep the house more anonymous. My advise, make the whole place less personal by removing family photos. Why do you want strangers looking at your family treasures. Its not like you know these people parading through your house. Get rid of the kids trophies and kids drawings adorning the refrigerator. Remember this article is about selling your house and your buyers need to be able to picture themselves in your house, not you.

Order Your Own Inspection.

Find out what you dont know about your house. Have a home inspection in advance of listing the house for sale. Sure, the buyers are going to order at least one home inspection. So if you know it, prepare for it. Yeah, it’s going to cost you between $350 to $450, but, if you would like to eliminate some surprises before the issues kill a sale, order one. Besides it is proactive and on a scale of 1 1 10 its a solid 10. It is also the best way to avoid being torpedoed during sale. Imagine being hit with an inspection report that scares off the potential buyers with some property problems that could have been sorted out and fixed before they even saw your house. Admit it… Of course you want to order one.

Selling a house is a marketing formula and it will cost money. Get used to that idea right now. If you have any aspiration to sell your house fast and for the most amount money this is the test. If I was your real estate agent I’d want you to fix everything and spend as much money as you were willing to spend. As a real estate agent there is no downside. I can only benefit as I am risking nothing. I’d insist that you have an inspection done and the key reports prepared well in advance of the buyers showing up. I’d have you ensure every single item was dealt with on that list and I would make sure that every buyer knew what “we did”. Why? Because I am not paying for it and it guarantees that I have the best product on the market and that buyers can be assured you did your best. It allows you to list your house at the highest price and I get paid the most commission. Remember its the real estate agents formula.

If you need a referral to a great Stockton Home Inspection Service, send me an email or give me a call at (209)481-7780 and we’d be happy to give you some names of reputable inspectors who can help you.

Price it Right

It’s amazing how most people arrive at the price that they want to sell their house. They usually back into it based on the amount of money that they owe and the equity that they need to move onto what is next. While it can be very easy to decide on what you want your home to sell for in the market, it will make more sense if you consider the industry standards when determining your homes actual market value. And just know that what you want for your house and what someone in the current market will pay for it may be two very different things.

Remember, even though many people may be looking for homes, they have become more savvy than ever and they come prepared with “research” they found online from websites like Zillow (which show general purchase trends and estimates of what a houses value is). Don’t be fooled into thinking that those prices are accurate or that is what a buyer will actually pay for them). Remember, the statistics have shown that over 90% of today’s home buyers start their search for new homes on the internet. Make sure that you’re listing price is not so much more than what they see online (or have a great back up plan to justify your higher price to potential buyers).

NOTE: If you’re looking for an accurate value to your Stockton , CA home, we can actually help you with that. We buy houses in Stockton and know the market better than anyone and I would love to give you a no obligation evaluation and offer on your house. After 10 years I know that my method of calculating a houses value is accurate as I do this for a living. Unlike real estate agents, whos errors cost them a marginal difference in commission, my errors cost me as I am actually buying houses with my money. Remember Real Estate Agents dont buy houses, they market them. My valuation will let you know what other buyers in the market may pay on the open market. Just call me at (209)481-7780 or submit your property information to us through the form through this link here >>.

Make the House as Attractive as Possible

Once you have the house listed on the Multiple Listing Service and a sign is in he front yard, it can attract attention right away. As a matter of fact, the studies have shown that over 70 percent of the potential home buyers will see the house within 3 to 6 months after its listing. Now, I understand that that is a wide time gap, but those numbers are from the real estate agents, not mine. If you still aren’t getting the the buyers that you want for your house… and you have followed the real estate agents, contractors, and your spouses advice, there are some things you can do to make your house look more attractive to potential buyers.

Things like…

Lower the price… It is the first thing that the real estate agent is going to ask for
Ask the real estate agent to hold more open houses for every weekend until the house sells
Stage the house professionally
Do the small things in your yard… ideally you can plant flowers, trim the shrubs and de-clutter the yard. Repair the fence and you can even go extra mile add mulch to the flower beds.

If you decided in the beginning not to spend a lot of money and you need to step up your game you can…

Suspend or withdraw the listing so it does not get stale. Remember buyers will wonder whats wrong with your house if it remains on the market too long.
You can decide to make the repairs and repaint the entire house especially if it’s looking a little worn. It’s is the MOST important thing you can do. Paint is your friend.

The majority of retail buyers want a house that is move in ready. While its true that they can repaint it, or they can re-do the yard after the sale, most dont want to unless the price reflects that? Remember buyers are very superficial and they dont care about your financial condition and they dont want to inherit your problems that you left them in that house. First impressions are lasting impressions… and most buyers just can’t get past that initial visual, especially if its is negative one.

If you Don’t have the money or time to do the repairs or upgrades yourself? It may take a while to sell a house that has been neglected over the years. But, local Stockton CA home buyers like Westbrook REI can buy your house fast, for cash, and you won’t have to do any of the repairs yourself. We’ll take care of it all.

If you’re interested to see what we can pay for your Stockton house, fill out the form on the next page here >> .

We’ll make you a fair cash offer quickly. No obligation. No rush.

Get All Your Documents in Order

This is important, have your PG&E Statements out and ready, know the age of the roof and the furnace and just have everything organized. The sprinkler timers operating instruction book, (if you lost it find it online and print it, give them a road map to your house. Make it easy for them to say yes rather than no. Although most people dont do this, it is surprisingly important because its sets your house apart and gives the buyers more piece of mind. After all, every buyer will actually want to know everything about the house before they feel at home. Who normally does the maintenance and after how long, when were the important systems like the HVAC last maintained, etc. are some of things that the buyer will want to see.

If you are selling your house in Stockton, make your motivations match up with your financial and time frame plans. If they are not synched up then you need to temper your expectations. Unless you are willing to go all in and just spend time and money to fix and upgrade everything, your plans for a top of market highest dollar sale may be a pipe dream and you might want to rethink your approach.

People will do crazy things and spend crazy money to sell a house. I know a guy that spent $5,000 pressure washing a roof. His house sold for $25,000 less than asking price and he was convinced that spending the $5,000 was necessary. Go Figure. I thought his house was $25,000 over priced and the roof was just fine.

Selling A House In The Stockton Real Estate Market Can Be… Daunting!

It can also be exacerbating if you are not prepared to deal with the buyers expectations.

If you’re having a hard time selling your house as quickly as you want… consider doing some of the things I lay out in this article to make your house more attractive to potential buyers.

My name is Peter Westbrook and I am a local real estate Investor, a cash home buyer in Sacramento, Stockton, Manteca and Modesto, CA. and I would like to talk to you about how we do business and how we can help you. While no one can promise that they will buy your house sight unseen for whatever amount that you want, we will sit down and make a fair cash offer that will in most cases exceed what you can get if you chased the market conventionally.

Give us a call at (209)481-7780. What have you got to lose, you may just find out that selling directly to us is your best alternative. In either case you will be get a better picture of your options, understand your houses worth and be able to make more informed decision. We’d love to earn your business.

We buy Stockton, Sacramento and Modesto houses. We’ll pay cash for your house, and offer you a fair price we both agree on, and get you paid in as little as 7 days rather than having to wait months and months to sell your house the traditional way.

Get A Cash Offer On Your House – Submit Your Info Here >>

We Buy Houses Stockton, The Man Behind the Sign

I Buy Houses Stockton Introduction (209) 481-7780 We buy Houses Stockton

My name is Peter Westbrook and I am a local real estate investor and the owner of We Buy Houses Stockton and Westbrook Real Estate Investments in Stockton, California. I am NOT a Real Estate Agent or Broker and for good reason. I purchase real estate and I am NOT going to ask you to pay a commission or a fee.…I pay CASH and because I do, I can close on the day that I tell you.

For those of you that already know me or have already called me you can attest that I answer my own phone and I return all phone calls. When you call me at 209-481-7780 you are calling me on the same number that my mother and my closest friends call me at.

Get Your Fair Cash Offer: Start Below!

We WILL BUY YOUR HOUSE in ANY CONDITION! We pay CASH and you will NOT pay any commissions or fees. Fill in your information below and get an all CASH offer for your House Fast!

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What Customers Say

The City of Stockton was getting ready to tear down my old house. I was no longer able to maintain the Stockton House and after years of trying to keep up with code violations, needed repairs and vandalism, I finally called Peter

Westbrook. He came right out and told me what he could do. He contacted the city and county and even cleaned up the property before he bought it. He paid the back taxes for me and gave me an advance on the purchase of the house. Without his help I would have lost everything. I called real estate agents and other investors but no one wanted to help and no one offered to pay as much as Peter Westbrook. He completely remodeled the house and I smile every time I go by. Thank you Peter.

Leonard S

We inherited our parents house with one of our brothers living there . The property taxes had not been paid and it was in Tax default. We called Peter Westbrook and he found that the title was still in our parents name, so the Stockton House never went through probate. Peter also found that there was an old auto loan that had a lien on the

title and an old bankruptcy ruling to take care of that lien had never been filed with the courts. Peter handled everything including paying the back taxes, paying for the hiring a Probate Attorney and filing the probate and paying for and hiring a Bankruptcy Attorney to finalize the removal of the lien. He was patient, understanding and he took care of everything including evicting the tenants that were living in the house. We talked to real estate agents and other I buy house people. None of them had the answers for our situation. Without peter we would have lost everything. We got paid cash.

Steve H

We inherited my parents Stockton house with a mortgage. We decided to rent it out. The tenants destroyed the house. I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t have the money to fix it and the city had already issued code violations.. I called an “I Buy Houses Stockton Sign” on a telephone pole and Peter Westbrook answered. In 4 days he paid the bank and bought my house. We would have lost everything if it weren’t for Peter Westbrook.

Mike B

I inherited my mothers house with a mortgage. When my husband and I lost our jobs, we got behind in payments. Then the Bank posted a default with a auction date we didn’t know what to do.

We didn’t have the $15,000.00 and we only had two weeks to do something. We called Peter Westbrook and form the beginning he was confident he could stop the bank. Within 4 days he bought the house with cash, paid off the bank and stopped the Foreclosure. Without Peter we would have lost everything.

Brenda T

I saw a sign on a telephone pole and against my better judgement I called. The last thing I expected was a person answering the phone. I was surprised, Peter Westbrook answered the phone. I had a lot of questions and Peter had the right answers. My mother needed to get as much as possible out of the house and we had talked to several real estate agents and they all wanted to sell it cheap and wanted a 6% commission. They all told us unless we put thousands of dollars into it could not be sold for what we wanted. Not Peter. He made a fair cash offer and since then we have sold him another house. Peter and the title company handled everything. I couldn’t be happier and I would recommend Peter Westbrook to anyone.

Cathy W

I needed to sell my Stockton House. I called a phone number I saw on a sign and talked to Peter Westbrook. The City of Stockton said that they were going to take away my vacant Stockton house, knock it down and send me the

bill to do it. I did everything that I could to try to make them happy. A neighbor offered to buy the house and then Peter offered me twice as much. He did everything he said he would do and I just had to go to the Title Company and sign the papers. He did all of the work and now the City of Stockton is his problem. Thank you Peter.

Ann C

I inherited my Fathers Stockton house. The front porch was falling in, the walls had holes from being vacant and vandalized. The City of Stockton fined us, red tagged the property and forced us to put on a new roof so we had to get loans and we still couldn’t rent it out.

I called one of those “I Buy Houses” signs and Peter Westbrook came out and made a cash offer. The House closed escrow and we got our money for a house we though was worthless. Thanks Peter!”

Broderick R.

“Our Grandfather passed away and my brother, sister and I inherited his Stockton house. He was a junkman and hoarder. He was also 90 years old and had not made a repair to the house in years. He had garage sales almost every day. The house and the yard were full of junk. We tried to get everything out so we could just see the house. We had family and friends come over on the weekends but the cost and effort was consuming all of our time.The house was a mess.

I called Peter Westbrook and he made us a cash offer for the house and he said he would take care of all of the clean up. Thank God I called. The City had issued code violations and fines on the property and even before we closed escrow Peter and his crew had the house and yard cleaned (4 large Dumpsters later) . I recommend Peter Westbrook to anyone that has a problem house. They were fast and professional”

Connie J.

“I had tried to sell my Mothers Stockton house for two years. Realtor’s told me to tear it down. I didn’t have the money for that and my Brother and his family were living there. Peter Westbrook made me a cash offer and closed escrow with my brother still in the house. Peter Westbrook is my savior. I don’t have to worry about the house any more. If you have a Stockton house that has become a burden and you don’t have the money to fix it to sell it, call Peter Westbrook.”

Rosemary R.