Sell My Home in Texas: What Option is Right For Me?

Deciding to sell your home is a big choice. When it comes to selling a house in today’s marketplace, there are more innovative solutions in the real estate industry than ever before. With creative models such as buy before you sell, instant or simple sales, trade-ins, sell and buy in one simple move, buy on your timeline, and more, the ability to achieve convenience, speed, profit, and quality are more attainable than ever before.

No matter your path forward, you want to have someone advocating for you to achieve your definition of success. The right real estate agent will help guide you to understand the options available in your area so you can make the most informative decision for your future. Your agent will also factor in current market conditions so you can understand how they will impact you in today’s market. So, what options do you have to sell your house in Central Texas? Let’s take a look.

What are the different ways to sell my home in Texas?

The Traditional Home Sale

The traditional home sale is when you list your home with a trusted real estate agent on the open market. This gives your home the most exposure to buyers and generates the highest offer and sale price for your home. If you prioritize getting the most profit for the sale of your home, a traditional sale may be right for you. This route is what most people are familiar with, and it is how 89% of sellers listed their homes in 2021, according to NAR.

Pro tip: Pricing your home to sell and not to sit is key, so make sure you work with an expert! 

The Traditional Sale - Seller Only

This option might work best for you if:

• You are selling a home, and there is not a sense of urgency for which to get the equity out of the home or property to put towards a home purchase.
• Your living arrangements are suitable, and you have a tolerance for living through showings and open houses. Consider the disruption of your daily schedule if you have children and pets.
• You are willing to prepare and stage your home to get top dollar.

Traditional Seller & Buyer 

Due to innovation in the real estate industry, you no longer have to sacrifice quality for convenience or profit. If you’re selling your home and buying another one, you may want to look into power buyers. Power buyers partner with agents to increase their client's personal buying and selling power by offering services like cash offers, bridge financing, and trade-in programs.

This option might be right for you if you want to:

• Move quickly - This route gives you the ability to make a cash offer with no contingencies while you prepare your home for sale. 
• Convenience - You can buy before you sell and move into your new home while you prepare your home for sale (traditionally) and don't have to live through showings. This also eliminates the need to have the equity out of your home sale to purchase your next. 
• Quality - You’ll still have the guidance of your trusted real estate advisor to price your home to sell as quickly as possible, for as much money as possible. Additionally, your real estate agent will be there to guide you through your home purchase process (finding, negotiating, coordinating, communicating, advising, and more). 

Another power buyer option is a home swap program, which is like buying before you sell. Some of these programs work by approving you for a mortgage first, allowing you to buy a home, and then letting you sell your old one. They may offer additional perks like the ability to put down up to 30%, pre-reimbursement for repairs, and more. Your agent can help you find the program that best suits your needs.

Bonus - Concierge Services to Make Your Home Ready for Sale

It’s no secret that homes that are properly prepared and staged sell for more money.

There are also innovative solutions in the marketplace now that will prepare your home for sale by completing the agreed-upon updates and repairs upfront. The provider is then reimbursed from your proceeds at closing, allowing you to make your home ready to sell without the burden of upfront costs. Different options are available depending on your unique situation, and your real estate agent can help you find a solution that suits your needs.

The Instant Home Sale 

If the most important thing for your unique situation is to get paid and move as fast as possible, selling off the market through an instant sale might be for you. Also called iBuyers, working with these companies can allow you to get an offer for your home instantly and potentially sell within a few days.

Keep these factors in mind when considering an instant sale: 

• It might be right for you when you need to get out quickly and are willing to sacrifice some profit for the convenience and speed of the process.
• There are numerous instant buyer (iBuyer) options available today, and your real estate agent can assist you in getting bids from different sources to compare and contrast (along with the traditional sale), so you can make an informed decision for your unique situation.
• Work with a real estate agent to evaluate your options so you avoid the potential pitfalls of these solutions and ending up with a bait and switch that could be costly to your bottom line like the FTC found one iBuyer was doing to consumers.

The Instant Sale + Traditional Sale

There are now new innovative solutions where you can sell your home fast for a reduced price, and the iBuyer will work with your agent to sell your home on the open market for a higher price. This allows the seller to have an opportunity to earn additional profits. For sellers, trade-in programs are a similar route. These work by allowing you to get a written offer for your current home before you move. Then, once you find the home you want, you can make an offer with no lending or home sale contingency. When your offer is accepted, the company pays you for your home.

After you move, your real estate agent will list your old home, and if it sells for more than you were paid, some of these programs will give you the additional profit minus some fees. This allows you to get into a new home when it’s convenient for you, and then still profit based on how much your home sells for.

This might be a good option for you if speed is the highest priority and you need funds fast, but you also want to be able to benefit from higher net proceeds by selling your home on the market.

Keep in mind that market conditions drive the need and appeal for these different options. For example, instant sale options might become more appealing in a time when it takes your home longer to sell as days on the market increase, and traditional sales become more appealing when bidding wars are frequent. An agent can help interpret how the market conditions may favor one model over the other for your situation. 

Uncertainty in the housing market makes it hard to know your next steps. You deserve to move forward with confidence and with someone that knows the Central Texas area better than anyone. We offer our clients a three-step plan to achieve their goals: 

1. Connect | Work with one of our local experienced agents.
2. Prepare | Know you have the best possible plan in place.
3. Move Forward | Enjoy your bright and prosperous future!

Get started by emailing us at realtor@realtysanantonio.com or calling 210.361.6000.