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Selling A Home Due to Illness

Posted Monday, July 27, 2015

Selling a home is a complicated endeavor, but if you have to sell real estate due to illness, it can be even more difficult. Here are some tips on selling when you are forced to.

Don't go it alone

If you have to sell your home because of a serious illness, you may be tempted to try to do it on your own to save money, but the last thing you need on top of being sick is the stress of trying to sell a home. Though you will have to pay a real estate agent a commission, you are likely to get your home sold faster and with much less hassle than you would if you try to sell yourself.

Don't hide your plight

When you do hire a real estate agent, let that person know what the situation is. It will help him or her come up with a better plan of attack. It can also help avoid conflicts about showings and other things. For instance, if you are unavailable to show the house on certain days because of chemo treatments, the agent needs to know that. On the other hand, you do want to try to hide your plight from potential buyers. If there is medical equipment in the home you need due to your illness, try to make sure it is hidden away during showings. The presence of medical equipment can give potential buyers a negative vibe about the house, but it also can signal to people that you are selling because you have to, which may lead to low-ball offers.

Price your home right

Though you may be tempted to price your home high to get as much money as possible to help pay for your health costs, setting the price too high can mean the home lingers on the market, which can lead to stress you don't need. On the other hand, you don't want to have a fire sale on your home just because you are in a tough spot. Listen to what your agent tells you, and set your price at or near his or her recommendation. It will likely mean your home will sell quickly.

No one wants to have to sell real estate due to an illness, but doing so doesn't have to be a catastrophe. If you approach the situation in the right way and work with a real estate agent who is sympathetic to your plight, you can get your house sold with minimum stress and maximum gain.