REAL

When the house you're about to sell is in a location that’s not entirely ideal – meaning it’s placed near main roads with heavy traffic or it’s susceptible to pollution due to proximity to factories or airports – it could negatively affect your market value. But keep in mind that all hope is not lost – here are a few ways you can sell your property.

1. Find a good real estate agent. A good and experienced real estate agent can give you sound advice on the measures you can take in order for you to sell the house with as little cost as possible. He/she could also present your house to clients in positive ways that you might have overlooked.

2. Direct potential buyers to the most attractive route to your house. Help them find the most interesting areas around your neighborhood. When you give directions, mention nearby shopping areas or parks as landmarks.

3. Boost your curb appeal. A nicely mowed lawn with lush grass and plants and a clutter-free yard will surely send out a good impression on your clients even before they get their foot on your door.

4. Spend as little as you can on home improvements. Let's face it: there’s a big chance that a buyer would ask you to lower your price, and if you splurged on unnecessary home improvements, that could lead to a big loss on your part. Here’s a list of cheap home improvements you can make to sell your house fast.

5. Find the best time of the day to schedule open houses. If your house is in the same street as a school or a string of commercial properties, don’t have your clients come to your house at a time when the traffic of people and cars are at their worst. Schedule your open houses wisely so you’d have more time to prepare.

6. Use problem areas to your (and your client’s) advantage. You can’t certainly hide the problem areas from your clients, but you can turn the tables (or you can brief your agent) by telling your clients how these could benefit them. For instance, if your house is near a school, you can tell them that this could help them keep a closer eye on their kids. Or if it’s situated in a busy streets with a lot of traffic and activity, home break-ins would be least likely to happen.

Here's a bonus tip of you really need to sell the house quick:

Give concessions. If the neighborhood is really not in top shape, some buyers would ask for compromise – they could ask you to lower your price, or to shoulder most of the closing costs. Discuss with your agent just how much concession you could grant without selling yourself short.