It’s not all that difficult to find amazing waterfront properties in Florida. The Sunshine State has more than 8,000 miles of coastline throughout it, which is a big part of the reason why it routinely sits near the top of lists showcasing states with the most waterfront properties in them.
With this in mind, those who own waterfront properties in Florida are sometimes surprised by how challenging it can be to sell their homes when they’re ready to move on. It’s not as easy to sell a waterfront property as you might think.
There are, however, some things that you can do to make your property stand out in the crowd in Florida. Check out 7 tips for selling your waterfront property for top dollar below.
1. Understand the Market For Waterfront Properties
One of the reasons why it can be tough to sell waterfront properties is because there is a very specific market for them.
Waterfront properties are often more expensive than properties that don’t sit on the water, which means you need to find a buyer who can afford a high-end property. Additionally, you also need to find a buyer for your property who is specifically looking for a home that sits on the water.
Before you list your home, you should make sure you have a firm grasp of who you’re going to be selling your home to. It’ll help you put together the strongest listing possible for your property.
2. Figure Out the Right Price For Your Waterfront Home
Another challenge that homeowners often face when selling a waterfront property is trying to come up with the right price for it. Figuring out the value of a home that sits on the water isn’t always as easy as figuring out the value of other homes.
If there are a lot of other waterfront properties in your area that have sold recently, it’ll make it easier for you to crunch the numbers and put a sale price on your home. But if there aren’t any comparables, it can be hard to come up with the right price.
The last thing you want to do is make your home too expensive and have it sit on the market for a year or price it too low and leave money on the table when you close on it. Your goal should be to work with a realtor and maybe even a local appraiser to figure out what price would be right.
3. Have a Home Inspection Done on Your Home Prior to Listing It
When you’re selling a home that sits next to a body of water, buyers are naturally going to be concerned about any water damage that may have been done to the home in the past. It’s likely going to be one of the first questions people ask when they show interest in your waterfront property.
You can alleviate their concerns and give yourself peace of mind by having a home inspection done on your house before you list it. This will allow you to say, “No,” and mean it when buyers ask about the possibility of past water damage. It’ll also allow you to fix any water damage issues if they do, in fact, exist.
4. Stage Your Home to Play Up the Waterfront Aspect
People who purchase waterfront properties do it because they love the idea of waking up in the morning and looking out over the water. They also love the idea of seeing the water from all angles as they move throughout their home.
Keep this in mind as you stage your home before selling it. Make sure that you put as much emphasis as you can on the “waterfront” aspect of the property.
That might mean rearranging your furniture so that it all faces the water. It might also mean swapping out your current window treatments for window treatments that will provide people with a much better view of the water.
5. Take Professional Photos of Your Home to Include in Your Property Listing
Once you have your waterfront property staged, you should hire a professional photographer to walk through it and take photos of everything inside and outside your home.
The photographer should take pictures of the kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, living areas, and, of course, the water. The more photos of the water that you can work into the listing, the better.
Many homeowners are also choosing to take videos of their homes in an effort to sell them these days. You might want to consider taking a video that shows your home at its best and makes people feel like they’re walking around inside of it.
6. Make It Easy For Buyers to Access the Water From Your Home
After checking out the inside of a waterfront property, most potential home buyers will want to make their way down to the water to see how easy it is to access it. Make it as simple as you can for them to reach the water.
Remove any overgrown brush that might impede people from walking down to the water. You want them to experience how good it feels for them to walk out of your home and be down by the water within just a few steps.
If you have a dock, you should make it easy for people to get to that as well. You should also make any necessary repairs to the dock so that people don’t have any problem envisioning themselves spending lots of time on it when they buy your home.
7. Market Your Home With Help From an Experienced Realtor
As we’ve mentioned several times now, there are some challenges you’re going to face when selling a waterfront property. You might not get as much for it as you’re expecting if you attempt to sell it on your own.
When you call on realtor who has experience selling waterfront properties, it’ll put you at an advantage. They’ll be able to help you market your home directly to those who are most interested in snatching up waterfront properties.
They’ll also be able to help you with everything from pricing your home properly to staging it so that it shows off the amazing water views your home provides.
List Your Waterfront Property For Sale Today
By using the tips found here, you can successfully list your waterfront property for sale and sell it in no time for the right price. These tips will help you avoid having your home sit on the market for an extended period of time.
Would you like to start the process of selling your property today? Contact us if you would like a hand selling a home in the Sarasota, FL area.