Whether you’ve decided that you’re ready for a change of scenery or circumstances may be forcing you toward the decision to sell your Hawaii home, take a quick moment to familiarize yourself with these 5 ways baby boomers can sell their homes in Hawaii.
Traditional Listings
Hiring a professional real estate agent to help you is the most common way that baby boomers can sell their homes in Hawaii. Listing your home on the real estate market (MLS) with an agent will most likely mean cleaning the place up and attending to at least basic repairs on both the inside and outside. Try to keep it picture-perfect as much as possible since you may not always have a lot of notice of a buyer’s interest in seeing the home. Of course, we find that many homes in this category may not have been updated in quite some time, so it may be difficult to get true top dollar on the market if new buyers are going to feel the need to renovate from top to bottom.
FSBO
A for sale by owner (FSBO) listing is another way baby boomers can sell their homes in Hawaii. Due to the time consuming and demanding nature of this method, though, it’s important to fully understand if this is something you’re truly ready for. It’s not often as easy as it may appear to be. On the surface, it seems like a great way to save on agent commissions, but the truth is that it requires a lot of time and effort. You need to handle all of your own marketing (photography, online listings, print flyers, video, etc.), your showings, the contractual paperwork, a basic understanding of the law so you don’t violate any local or even national regulations, and how to best negotiate price and terms. Most people find out that it’s much more than they bargained for and come to us later for a direct cash offer.
Owner Financing
While many boomers purchased larger luxury homes, these aren’t typically the homes today’s buyers are seeking. In order to open your property to a larger buying pool, consider offering owner financing to sell your home in Hawaii. You can still screen your buyers for a minimum credit score and clean history while simultaneously get some good people who may just need some more time to get a traditional down payment. An attorney can easily protect your interest with a mortgage that s/he or the title company can record with the Bureau of Conveyances or Land Court. You can even charge interest on the amount you’re financing to increase your bottom line.
Here at Oahu Home Buyers, we often purchase homes from people in Hawaii using owner financing. It allows us to usually pay more — sometimes significantly more — than if we were to cash someone out entirely upfront. Everyone’s situation is different, so ask us if you’d like this option as well.
Rent to Own
Another way to open your possibilities is to consider renting the home with an option to buy after a specified period. This is another form of owner financing, however with a RTO you retain ownership (and the costs) during the lease period. While it’s not a guaranteed sale (some buyers won’t be able to follow through on the anticipated purchase), it is yet another way baby boomers can sell their homes in Hawaii. Again, this has its risks as you’ll still be the one responsible for the property and taxes, but it may help costs of an otherwise vacant property.
We’ve used this method as well to buy homes, so again, ask us about this offer in addition to a cash-out.
Direct Sale
One of the quickest ways baby boomers can sell their homes in Hawaii is through a direct sale. Quick, easy, efficient and without extra fees. Now, if you choose to list your property with a real estate agent or sell the home yourself as an FSBO, remember that the costs of advertising and getting your home ready for buyers will likely fall on you, along with many or all of the legal risks in the long run. You’ve likely you’ve been in your home for more than a short term, and you aren’t selling a brand new property. Because you’ll need to have the home appraised and inspected as well, be prepared for unexpected expenses at the buyer’s request. It’s usually advised to get an appraisal when you’ve decided to sell your home (though this can easily cost over $500). You’ll also need to consider the amount of time and costs any project could take for recommended repairs, whether you’re doing it yourself or hiring a professional. However, selling directly to a company that buys houses in Hawaii (like us!) eliminates any concerns about affording to sell or the amount of time it will take since we’ll buy your property “as is” (yes, truly as-is – don’t sweep a floor).
If you’re a baby boomer looking into ways to sell your home in Hawaii, the easiest and most convenient way to sell is by selling directly to Oahu Home Buyers – no repairs needed, no showings, and no commissions. Learn more about how we can help you by sending us a message or giving us a call at (808) 333-3677 today!