When you decided to put your house on the market; it’s safe to say you put time and effort into getting your home market-ready.
You have the curb appeal, updated your kitchen and bathrooms, make all the necessary repairs, and applied a fresh coat of paint. But are you missing something?
How about your neighbors? Everything from their uncut grass, the excessive cars parked on the lawn, or even just their need to overshare could be cause for concern.
If you feel like your neighbors will negatively affect your home sale, here are tips on how to deal with them.
Build a Good Relationship
Obviously, you don’t have any control over how your neighbors behave or maintain their property but having a good relationship with them will go a long way. Even if you’re not planning on selling your property, it’s a good idea to maintain good rapport with your neighbors. You never know when you’ll need their help.
Building a good relationship with your neighbors will make your daily living more comfortable, and you’ll ensure their cooperation when you decide to sell your home. Issues that arise can be easily handled when you already have a good relationship.
However, if you plan to sell your home in the future, it’s better to tell your neighbors in advance. Approaching and asking for their help is easier if you’ve given them notice. Include them in the process, ask for recommendations for a repairman. These steps will go a long way when you need to ask them to tidy up before you hit the market.
If you’ve got a neighbor that has the gift of gab rather than worrying about what negative things they might say share all the updates and improvements you’ve made.
If your neighbor does know of something that could affect your sale be sure to share that information with your agent and make all proper disclosures.
Offer to Pay for Improvements
Asking your neighbors to have improvements to their home’s exterior more than a little presumptuous, especially when they have to pay for it. You’ll need a sensitive approach and offer to cover the cost of any recommend repairs.
Keep it in mind that some will be hesitant to accept the offer, even if you’re paying for it. Stop by and explain how the curb appeal of their home directly affects you and why it’s important that you’re able to sell your house. Acting rude and aggressive won’t win you any friends and will make your neighbor less inclined to assist you.
Bottomline
With the lines of communication open, a home sale will be smoother. Understand that your neighbor’s cooperation will be a significant part of your selling process. Be polite and make things easy, you’re more likely to get the price you expected.
Thinking of selling your home? Check out our 20+ step Guide to Selling Your House. Or you can contact me now to start the process immediately. Same day appointments are available on a case by case basis. I look forward to hearing from you.
About the Author
The above article was written by Abraham Walker, Your Northern Virginia Real Estate Agent, helping clients market their homes to achieve high sales with a quick closing time is my main priority. He’s the co-founder of Ask A Walker and can be found on YouTube, Facebook, and HERE on this blog.
