Three Tips For Selling A Home In A Bad School District

One of the key things home buyers look at is the school district in which a house is located. You can have a gorgeous home with a new roof, great curb appeal, and lovely landscaping -- but if it's in a bad school district, you may struggle to find a buyer. Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to help attract a buyer in a timely manner.

Focus on amenities that are interesting to singles and childless couples.

The ideal buyer for your home is probably someone who is single -- or a couple who doesn't plan on having kids. These buyers won't care as much about the bad school district since it won't impact them directly. So, make sure your ads are written with them in mind. Emphasize amenities as aspects of the home such as:

  • Distance to local restaurants and bars

  • Hot tubs, master bedrooms, master baths

  • Fences and other privacy measures

  • Large garages or spaces for hobbies

You can even say in your ad, "perfect home for a single adult or couple without kids."

Emphasize private schools in the area.

If your home is on the higher end of the price range for the area, you can assume that the buyer will be decently affluent. This type of buyer may consider sending their child to a private school, so the quality of the school district will be somewhat irrelevant. To ensure potential buyers know what their options are, mention the private schools nearby in your home's ad. This will also clue buyers into the fact that, although the school district is lacking, there are other options if they really like your home.

Be open to alternative financing options.

Another way to find a buyer faster is to be open to non-traditional financing options. For example, talk to your realtor about the possibility of you holding the mortgage for the buyer. (This means you, not a bank, would technically be the lender.) You may also want to consider rent-to-own agreements. There's no saying you won't find a buyer who wants to use a traditional mortgage approach, but by being open to other financing options, you increase the number of buyers who see your home as an option.

To learn more about selling a home in a bad school district, speak to your realtor. If they have sold other homes in your neighborhood, they can let you know what approaches worked for those sellers -- and guide you in then using those same tactics. 

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