It's no secret that the housing market is in a little bit of a difficult place right now. If you are one of the many people who are looking to sell their property at the moment, you might be a little disillusioned about the offers you are receiving. It may be time to look outside your backyard and start thinking internationally, when it comes to selling your house.
The international market
The U.S. dollar is not as strong as it used to be. This makes purchasing anything overseas that much more expensive for the average American, but the flip side is this: to those outside our country, everything just got more affordable, and the demand is getting higher. An individual from Spain, for instance, where the Euro is doing well, may be willing to pay for American housing that is, to him or her, a steal. To another American, it may be too expensive.
Selling your home internationally
An excellent way to market and sell your property internationally is to do it online. For one thing, many popular international real estate websites will translate your listing into the appropriate language for the potential buyer, gaining you greater exposure to non-English speaking countries. In addition to that, some of these websites will give you a unique URL that you can link to in e-mails or put on fliers. It's an excellent way to advertise and inform potential buyers of what you have to offer.
Make sure you take some good photographs of the interior and exterior of your place. Clean it up and make it look nice. Give your online prospects a good idea of what it looks like, and frame your shots to make the rooms seem as spacious and attractive as possible. Make sure to take photos of:
- The outside of the house
- The master bedroom
- The kitchen
- Any unique features that will be selling points (gardens, a patio, etc.)
There are also, of course,
real estate agents that specialize in international sales. These are individuals who have the experience and contacts to get the word out about your listing to the right people. Your agent's help is going to be invaluable in this process, so do your homework and find one who is reputable and has a track record of success.
Selling your house internationally definitely takes more effort than doing it domestically, but could be your ticket to a lucrative and successful real estate deal!