They say you can sell any home if you find the right buyer, and it’s true! Even if your home has some features or lacks some features that will make it hard to sell, you can still be successful if you find the right buyer. One-bathroom homes are notoriously a hard sell because, let’s face it, who wants to share a bathroom? Or worse, who wants to go to a different floor to access their bathroom? Here are a few tips for selling a 1 bathroom home (and they don’t include building on an additional bathroom):
Tips for Selling a 1 Bathroom Home
Older can be better
Nine times out of ten, a home with only one bathroom is an older home. Your home may have been built with just one bathroom on the first floor and none added when the second floor was finished. Or, depending on how old your home is, may not have had a bathroom at all in its original build. The existing may have been added on later when indoor plumbing became popular. Either way, the important thing for you to know is that an older home has a lot of advantages over a newer home, and you need to highlight that to your potential buyers.
Nothing can replace the charm and character of an older home. And, older homes usually have a higher build quality than new constructions. Both of these ideas factor into the value and desirability of a home. An older home with one bathroom that has been kept up and updated will be worth more than a modern home with 2 bathrooms. An older home that has the same specs (number of bedrooms, square footage, land) as a newer home minus a bathroom may actually be worth the same amount of money or more just because it is older. Be sure to make the character of your older home shine and attract buyers.
Make your price reflect the 1-bathroom
If you want to sell your home quickly, the most important thing you can do is to price it appropriately. Having only one bathroom is, unfortunately, seen as a negative thing by most buyers now, so you need to bring your price down a little to account for that. A full bathroom is worth around $3,000, depending on your area. A half bath is worth about $1,500.
Showcase other features of your home
Keep in mind that other features add to the value of your home. For example, a fireplace can add $10,000 to the value of your home, depending on the market. So if you have an older home with just one bathroom but with a fireplace, then you still have $4,000 more value than a home with 2 bathrooms and no fireplace. Draw attention to the special features of your home, which can be worth missing an additional bathroom.
Updating other areas of your home
Home buyers are willing to trade off on features in a home. They may be pleased to deal with one bathroom if they can get beautifully refinished hardwood floors in the process. The kitchen and bathrooms are ranked as the most important spaces to buyers. Since you know you have a bathroom issue, it is smart to make the kitchen more desirable. Put in new kitchen cabinets, furnish new appliances or even just install new lighting to up the wow factor. Make sure that there are no major issues to fix in the kitchen so your buyer will be more likely to accept the one bathroom.
Find your demographic
Figure out what kind of person would want to buy a one-bathroom home in your area. Maybe a young couple with small children? Or maybe a couple or single person who only needs one bathroom? Maybe an older person who only needs one bathroom but must be on the first floor to avoid steps? Or, depending on your area, a group of college students who are willing to share a bathroom. Do some research and ask a realtor what kind of people would be especially attracted to your home. Then, you can make specific changes to your home and highlight other features that would appeal to them.
Emphasize the buyer’s ability to add on
Talk with a home contractor and figure out where buyers can potentially add on a new bathroom. It is important to make it seem easy for them to do. Also, if they put in a new bathroom themselves, then they get to personalize it. Play up the fact that they can make the updates they want.
Selling a home with one bathroom can be tough, but definitely isn’t impossible. By changing your perspective and making improvements in other areas of your home, you can sell your home in no time. If you need to sell your home quickly in the Indianapolis area, we are here for you! Contact us for a personalized quote today.
