Tips for Selling a Home in a Bad School District
Share"In a good school district" seems to be at the top of most home buyers' must-have lists—at least among those buyers who have children. Even those who don't have children often seek homes in good school districts since they know these homes will be easier to sell later on. So, what should you do if you're wanting to sell a home in a lousy school district? Are you going to be stuck with this home for decades until local test scores improve? Not if you approach selling the right way! Here are some tips for selling a home in a bad school district.
Don't mention families in your advertising copy.
Your most likely buyers are not people with families. They're young professionals who either do not want children or are not yet thinking about children. They may be older adults who have already had their children move out and are now looking for a new home. If you market your home to families, you're just going to get discouraged as they show up to look but never make offers. To do a better job of marketing to young professionals and older adults, emphasize the following things.
- That the home is in a quiet neighborhood. (Hopefully this is true!)
- Spaces like home offices and hobby rooms.
- Modern features like breakfast bars, updated cabinetry, and energy-efficient appliances.
Don't even mention the school district in your home description.
If someone who is otherwise interested in your home sees the school district listed, this may turn them off. It's better to just leave this information out of the ad entirely. Potential buyers can look it up or ask you if they want to know, but not having this information in the forefront minimizes the chance that a potential buyer will be turned off by it.
Have a list of private schools in the area ready if anyone asks.
There's a chance that someone with the intention of sending their children to a private school may be interested in your home. To capitalize on this possibility, make sure you look up a list of the best private schools in the area. Ensure your realtor does the same. This way, you're prepared to answer any buyer questions about private schools.
Selling a home in a bad school district is not always easy, but with the tips above and the guidance of a good realtor, it can be done. Make sure you take the school district into account when setting your asking price for your real estate.