Selling a house in the current Austin, Texas real estate market can be challenging. Anything the seller can do to make the home more attractive may help it move faster. Doing things which make the house more marketable that are inexpensive or free makes sense. By investing time and effort into the little things, potential home buyers may be more interested in the Austin home. Here are 5 things a homeowner can do to sell Austin real estate faster without spending a lot of money.

Clean It

Austin homes with all of the bells and whistles will not get the proper attention from potential buyers when a house is cluttered and messy. Give it a thorough cleaning. Go room by room. Pack up or throw out anything that does not have a purpose. This includes photographs, trinkets, small appliances and paperwork. A recent market study shows that the biggest turn-off to people looking at a house is piled up laundry. Do the wash and put everything away. Do not leave out boxes full of items to be moved. When they are full, take them to a storage unit. This is a good time to go through the house and get rid of anything that has not been used in the past year. This includes clothing, pots and pans, linens and even furniture.

Identification

How easy is it to locate the Austin home for sale? Two things will help potential buyers find the house on the market. Most importantly, it should have a for sale sign. Those driving around neighborhoods looking for available homes are looking for for sale signs. When renting to tenants while the house is for sale, be sure to have someone check on the property at least once a week to be sure they have not moved or removed the sign. If they have, the realtor or property manager should make sure it does not happen again.

The second most important piece of identification is the address. The house number should be clearly marked. Whether it is stenciled onto the curb, posted on the mailbox, affixed to the house, or printed on a stylish yard sign, it should be visible. Use a combination of methods to make the house number easy to find. This will come in handy should the realty sign be moved or taken down for any reason. It also helps when there is more than one Austin home for sale in the neighborhood.

Yard

Maintain the yard. Mow the lawn. Water it if there are no drought or water usage restrictions in place. Trim the hedges. Plant some pretty, hearty flowers that need little attention. Remove bicycles and toys from sight. If they are not going to be used in the near future, put them in storage. Put up a bird feeder or bird bath and keep it full of food or water. If no one is living in the house, hire someone to maintain the yard weekly until the house has been sold and the contract closes.