How to Sell Your House Fast in the Beach Town of Panama City, FL

There’s a lot to love about Panama City, Florida (just ask the residents who love living in this beach town). But maybe you’ve decided it’s time to pack up and sell your Panama City house… fast. We spoke to top agent — and Panama City native — Carrie Routt who describes it as a  “family destination.” Here are her top local tips that will help you sell your home in a flash.

Panama City has a lot of perks for those looking to market their homes. There are amazing white sand beaches on the gulf, lots of shopping, an eclectic range of dining, and fun water sports for the whole family — all great ways to market your home to buyers seeking fun in the sun.

While Hurricane Michael was responsible for damaging 85% of homes and structures in 2018, the rebuilding process has led Panama City homes to see a 10.7% increase in listing price, making this the perfect time to sell your home!

Take advantage of your Panama City location

Location, location, location. Potential buyers in Panama City are attracted to its white sandy beaches, clear blue water, and dreamy vacation living. It’s a perfect selling point for your home and definitely one to note when listing your home.

Routt, recognized as one of Bay County’s top 1% of agents, recommends highlighting the location of your lot from an aerial perspective by having pictures taken from a drone. In her 19 years of experience, she says, “If you get the drone high enough, you can see how close it is to the Gulf of Mexico.”

Proximity to the beach — whether your backyard is sand or you’re just a few blocks away — can add significantly to your asking price. In fact, hot market conditions prompted Forbes to rank Panama City as one of the best real estate investment locations in America, giving sellers who want to move quickly a large pool of potential buyers.

Even if your place of residence isn’t quite as close, you can still market your home based on Panama City’s ample parks and golf courses, and noted attractions beloved by families, including ZooWorld Conservatory or SkyWheel.

Stage to showcase the Panama City lifestyle

With 93% of home buyers now using the internet for their next home search, you might be thinking about how best to stage your home for your listing photos. While staged homes do have the tendency to sell quicker, the professional stager you’ve been eyeing might not be your only option if you’re looking to sell fast.

“There are so many virtual staging options you can do online that are very cheap,” Routt says as opposed to hiring a professional stager. If you have a completely vacant house, Routt says these virtual options are a great way to showcase your home to potential home buyers.

For occupied homes that see families every day, here are some tips for staging your home for your “professional photos,” as Routt says, that should be uploaded to the home-selling platform you choose:

• 71% of Panama City residents have a pool in their backyard and water is almost second nature to these beach-town residents. If your home has any special amenities like a pool, fenced-in yard, or elaborate patio, make sure you include pictures of these as well.
• Remember that staging your home is not all about the inside. When it comes to the backyard and curb appeal, Routt says you should make the place seem “inviting” and cozy. “Put a fresh stain on your deck or pressure wash your moldy brick.”
• It’s especially easy for brick homes in Panama City, Florida to see mold pop up on the exterior, especially in this tropical climate where a rain storm passes through everyday. After a simple pressure wash, your home can look good as new.
• Most Panama City homes have a “beach vibe” that’s highly visible from the lawn before you step foot into the house. Gorgeous pathways to your front door with palm trees or shrubs along with a welcoming back patio are the top-selling landscape perks for Panama City homes.

Don’t skip out on your needed home inspection

With the way the market is right now, you might have seen local listings that haven’t had an inspection and are still selling. But from a buyer’s standpoint, knowing the condition of the house could make a world of difference in the final sale.

Routt says your major home inspection areas are going to be three things:

• Windows
• Wood rot
• Roofing conditions

Your roof is vitally important for a Panama City home, especially when there’s hurricanes and tropical storms that pass through. Having a home with architectural shingles is not only more visually pleasing, but they provide your home with the safety it needs to withstand winds up to 120 mph.

Even if you’re selling a newer home, which should already be up to code, home inspector Mark Hensel, recommends sellers have an inspection done to get ahead of any problems that could slow down a sale. Be sure to highlight improvements that will help protect the home from the high winds of hurricanes or tropical storms that pass through the area with a wind mitigation inspection.

When asked about any preventative care for wood rotting, Hensel said it’s best to “control the flow of water around the house — having gutter systems is great — to prevent wood rotting. And having proper landscaping helps.”

Another benefit to inspecting your home before you list is that it can give you a greater indication of where to price your home. If you’re thinking of putting your house on the market within the next month or so, Hansel says, “it’s good to start making those phone calls now.”

Set your price right in relation to the market

Speaking of prices, you may notice that the average home in Panama City sells around $215,000, which in early 2022 is up 14.6% compared to December 2020, making it an attractive time for sellers looking to cash in fast.

There’s a lot of stress that comes with setting your price, but Routt recommends you don’t set the bar too high. Here are the most important factor for Panama City home sellers some factors to consider when setting your home’s fair listing price:

• Location — does your home offer any special close proximity to the beach or local hang out? If so, the convenience could help with price. The average home price for a Panama City home is around $155,800 with the more elaborate and modern homes ranging from $250,000-$400,000.
• Condition & Newness — if your home has seen a lot of updates or is a newer home, you can likely list it at a higher price. This is especially true if your home has state-of-the-art features like an architectural shingle roof update, a modern landscape design, or new appliances.

Give your older home a fresh makeover

If the last time your home’s interior saw updates were in the ’80s (we’re looking at you, wallpaper), it might not be a bad idea to give your home a simple makeover with fresh paint colors (but nothing elaborate unless your house calls for it). Here are some updates residents in Panama City can make that could even boost home value and give a higher ROI and help with faster selling:

• Update your wall paint colors (most Panama City homes have bright colored walls for a beach feel)
• Paint your kitchen cabinets
• Install newer appliances
• Update lighting
• Put down new flooring
• Go over exterior paint

Homes that have a more modern look with updates and a makeover can make your home appear to have kept up with the times and trends. With these fresh paint colors, appliances, and flooring, your pictures with natural light will look irresistible.

List your house in the spring for a quick offer

So, your house is ready to list, but just like posting a picture on Instagram, you have to follow the housing algorithm.

We have found that the best time to list your home in Panama City is during the spring (preferably in May) which sees homes move 15.77% quicker compared to the year-round average. With it taking around 3 months to go from listing to closing, you’re looking at moving out in August.

Work with a top-rated Panama City real estate agent

Selling your home quickly is already hard enough, so why not partner with a local real estate agent who knows the market and all the fast home-selling tricks? With the current changing trends in the market and features home buyers are after, it’s important to work with an agent in every step of the process.

You could potentially have your home sold within 55 days if you work with one of the top 3% Panama City agents. HomeLight’s agent matching platform can find you the right partner, offering you a choice of top agents in the Panama City area based on your selling goals.

From there you will be able to speak directly to an agent and ask your questions to get expert knowledge on the home-selling process and how to advertise your home specifically to your local market.

With our top home selling tricks and a smart agent on your side, you could have your Panama City home sold quicker than you ever imagined.

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