First Home Facts

Ways To Get An Edge When Your Neighbors Are Selling At The Same Time As You

As you begin to make plans to list your house for sale, something that can make your heart drop is seeing that some of your neighbors have put their homes on the market just ahead of yours. Multiple homes on the market at the same time, especially when the houses are similar, can mean that it's more challenging for you to sell — and, because supply theoretically exceeds demand in this scenario, you may have to settle for significantly less than your asking price if you want to sell quickly. Before you just put your house on the market, there are a few different ways that you can get an edge on the competition. Here's how.

Offer A More Desirable Closing Date

Speak to your real estate agent and get him or her to determine the closing dates for the similar properties for sale in your area. Then, talk to your agent about the desired closing length for your area. For example, if trends have shown that local buyers like to close the deal and move into their new home an average of 30 days after completing the sale, but your neighbors are talking about longer closing dates, there may be some wiggle room for you. If you include in your listing that you're offering buyers the chance to move in quicker, your property may instantly become more desirable.

Add Something That They Don't Have

If your house is fairly similar to the other houses for sale in your neighborhood, think about what type of project could give your listing the edge. For example, if all of the houses and yards are similar, putting some money into a professional landscaping job may help you to get more money and sell quicker. Similarly, paving your driveway if the other driveways are gravel can be desirable.

Go All Out On The Listing

Long before buyers begin visiting properties, they carefully review lots of online listings. If your neighbors' listings are fairly similar and don't offer much added value, it's time to work with your real estate agent to jazz up your listing. Many listings today have virtual walkthroughs — this is a must, especially if your neighbors don't have this feature. Additionally, you may wish to hire a service to film your house and yard with a drone. If this isn't something that your neighbors have done, buyers will spend more time checking out your listing.


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