Tips for Selling Your Home on a Busy Street in Orange County

Even in a seller's market where prices seem to always be increasing there are concerns to selling a home. However, some concerns are truly more challenging than others.

 In Southern California, everyone knows the freeway commutes can test your level of patience whether there is traffic accident or just normal congestion. Some drivers avoid them altogether and use major streets and side streets.

Homes located on busy streets are the type of home that presents challenges and requires additional skills to sell at a good price. 

The following are some tips to sell your home in neighborhoods with lots of traffic. Most importantly of all, your home needs to be priced accordingly based on your location. Appraisers certainly value homes differently that back a major street or receive more normal amount of traffic. 

1. Have realistic expectations.
Many homeowners are thrilled when they find homes online that they believe matches theirs and begin to think they can ask for the same price. The sad fact is that, this type of research can be inaccurate — particularly if the other homes are on a quiet street and your home is on a busy street.

A realtor will have plenty of data available to figure out an accurate price of your home.  In general, homes on busy streets are likely to be priced 10% less than similar homes on a quiet street.

 2. Improve the landscaping
Like many of the upscale neighborhoods in L.A., there's a lot of tall privacy bushes in the front yard. Make the front of your home lush so the curb appeal just makes it very welcoming.

 

3. Add a barrier
Many of the new subdivisions in Orange County have their backyard or one side of the house backs busy streets like El Toro Road, Moulton & Alicia Parkway. You'll notice most have a stone wall, a wooden fence and/or shrubs to create not only for a sound barrier but also a visual barrier.

In addition, a fence or stone wall comes in very handy for those with children and/or pets as it keeps them more secure.  

4. Install noise-reducing windows.
If you have the funds available,  look into buying and installing noise reducing windows. You want to maximize your insulation against street noise. 

5. Hire a local experienced agent 
If you want to sell your home on a street with much more traffic than nearby streets,  a local agent who knows how to find buyers for a home like yours is a must.

Although areal estate agent needs to be paid a commission, which is subtracted from your profits, the agent is more likely to obtain a very favorable offer. 

While many test the waters of selling their home as a "for sale by owner" in a sellers market to save on commissions, they could still be losing!   In strong seller's markets such as Orange County,  bidding wars on homes are not unheard of. Lots of homes sell substantially more than the list price because of how competitive it is for buyers.

People are literally fighting over homes and will pay more. Instead of you dealing with all the headaches of time wasting unqualified home buyers, those that are undecided or want inspection upon inspection, your agent could have handled it and fetched you a higher price by maybe $10,000-$20,000 more.