At the end of 2018, 33% of Millennials were reported to own homes – this is approximately 25 million Americans. With this majority of homeowners coming from this generation, it is important to prepare your home to sell to them! Below are some tips on how to target Millennials when selling your home!
PREPARING THE HOME
- Make sure the home is move-in ready. A fixer-upper is a thing of the past – although Millennials are willing to do some projects on their own, they want a home that is ready for move-in. They don’t want to find somewhere else to live while they fix up a home. Make sure the areas are livable and comfortable at the time of the sale.
- But…leave some DIY projects. Although they want it move-in ready, leaving some projects for the creative mind is recommended. Allow the Millennials to envision their concept, say in the backyard. This will give them the idea of personalizing the home without too much hassle.
- Make your home a smart home. When adding upgrades, focus on smart home features. This includes installing systems that allow homeowners to access the systems from their phones or mobile devices.
- Add eco-friendly features. Millennials are all about preserving the earth, so adding eco-friendly features will give you a competitive advantage in the market. Make sure that the upgrades are noticeable to the eye – the upgrades are for marketing as well as for going green. Some upgrades you can focus on include the HVAC system, installing double pane windows, and switching out old appliances.
- Shoot for an open concept floor plan. If you have some spare time and cash, knockdown any walls that are preventing your home from having an open concept floor plan. First determine if they are load bearing, and if not, grab your sledgehammer! Don’t spend too much time or money though. If you don’t want to knock it down yourself, just include the opportunity as a highlight in your marketing package!
- Include a home office when staging. Many Millennials are freelancers and therefore work from home. A majority are looking for homes that provide adequate space to set up an office; therefore, when staging the home be sure to include an office space, even if it is just a small desk set up in a corner.
Now that the home is ready, here is how you market it:
- Use online websites. Most Millennials will look for their future homes online so make sure that you have your home posted on all websites, including Zillow, Redfin, Trulia, MLS, to name a few.
- Use social media. When posting the home for sale, don’t forget social media posts! This includes Facebook and Instagram – make sure you use the right hashtags so you can gain access to this generation!
- Ensure the marketing material is visually appealing. Better pictures, less words – this will attract Millennials. Don’t skimp out on your marketing photos; hire a professional so you can get the best return on your home.
- Don’t overprice. Millennials are looking for a deal and they don’t want to haggle – make sure your home is marketed at list price. You are better off taking multiple offers and creating a bidding war than struggling to get one offer.
- Think “Minimalist.” Put your stuff away! Millennials are the generation of minimalism – this means they want less clutter in their lives and in their homes. If your current home has knick-knacks everywhere, consider storing them away during the sale process
Selling your home is no simple task, and the process of preparing, marketing and closing is not for everyone! If you want to sell your home quickly and hassle-free, call us. We are Gulf State Homebuyers, all-cash investors who buy homes in the Houston/Baytown market. We buy homes with a simple process:
First, call us and get the conversation started. We will set up a time to visit your home and do an evaluation. On the day of the visit we will provide you an offer! If you choose to take the offer, we cover all of the paperwork associated with the sale; we even cover all closing costs! If you want, we can close in as quickly as five days. You will not need to pay agent fees, no need to stage, and no need to do any upgrades! We buy the home as-is. To learn more or to get started, contact us today.
