Selling a house in a state like Colorado, Utah or Dakota can be difficult. First, you will have to overcome the emotional struggles of letting go of the place you have lived in for years. You need to leave behind the comfort of your well-known neighborhood to move elsewhere.
Second, there’s the challenge of finding a buyer. After listing your home for sale, it might take months to find a serious buyer, especially if you are looking to sell to a traditional buyer. You can get rid of the home faster by selling to wholesale real estate investors in Colorado. Unlike conventional home buyers, wholesale real estate investors buy homes for reselling. Whichever your choice, you need to protect your privacy when selling your home.
Why privacy is essential when selling property
In the process of finding a buyer, you’ll likely post photos of your home on the Internet. Though this makes it easier to find a buyer, it opens your door to the world to know about you. In 2017, the property crime rate was 2701 per 100,000 people.
It is easier for thieves to burgle your home when they have information on the location, contents of the house, and how the home is set up. Make sure to share only information that would not jeopardize your security. Other potential buyers will ask to inspect the house; you shouldn’t forget that not everyone has good intentions, so make sure that your contact is genuinely interested in buying your home.
Privacy prevents manipulation
The people inspecting your home or viewing your photos online may be honest, but you should only give information that would not make you a target for fraud or theft. Ideally, the buyer’s resolutions should be based on the condition of the home; that is never the case when the buyer knows pertinent information about your finances.
If buyers realize you are in a dire financial situation and you need to sell fast, they might lower their asking price or employ manipulative tactics. Objects such as pictures and paintings in your house could be indicative of your financial state, and some buyers might use it to negotiate for a lower price. Finally, if buyers lay their eyes on critical documents such as the property valuation, you will lose your advantage in the sale negotiations.
Protecting your privacy
Vet potential buyers to gauge their seriousness and ability to buy. If you are selling the house through an agent, have the agent vet the buyers and give the serious ones a preapproval letter. That will ensure you only allow serious buyers to inspect your home.
Before taking photos of the property or allowing in buyers for inspection, remove any personal items. That includes books, family photos, paintings, magazines, and any other object that can give potential buyers clues about your personal life.
Keep confidential documents in locked drawers; it is common for buyers to open up drawers during an inspection. Don’t forget to hide your mail as it may contain critical information such as your financial statements.
You might think that selling a house might require you to open your doors to everyone, but it also requires you to be more protective of the information you share.
