What Sells Homes Fast in Wichita? Great Curb Appeal and a Sturdy Roof

You’re ready for a change and need to sell your house fast in Wichita, Kansas. Perhaps you’ve soaked up all the neighborhood friendliness of Wichita and have your sights set on a larger metro like Kansas City for your next move.

Or you’ve decided to upgrade to one of Wichita’s growing new build communities, such as Auburn Hills or Jocelyn Park.

Whatever your motivation for moving, it’s nice that you get to sell a slice of Wichita.

Local developments like the Amazon distribution center and the historical presence of multiple aviation manufacturing hubs have pushed Wichita’s population toward 390,000 and created steady housing demand for this smaller Midwest city.

Homes in Wichita stay on the market for 36 days on average, says Christy Friesen, a top local real estate agent who’s sold Wichita real estate for 14 years.

This can feel slow to a Wichita seller in a hurry; however, you can shorten your sale timeline with some strategic efforts known to draw in Wichita homebuyers — here are 7 to focus on.

1. Improve the curb appeal of your Wichita home

Friesen shares that one mistake many Wichita sellers make is neglecting their front yard.

It isn’t enough to have a yard — almost everyone in Wichita has one. So use these tips to stand out:

• Go for lush and green: If your grass has dead patches or needs reviving, get it growing with extra water, grass seed, and fertilizer. Since Wichita can have issues with Armyworms, be sure to have caterpillar bug killer spray on hand. If you don’t have a green thumb, enlist one of the many landscaping companies in Wichita to take care of your lawn.
• Care for your landscaping: Make sure your trees, shrubs, and hedges appear well-kept. Tidy up what you can with an electric hedge trimmer, or add it to the list for the professional crew to handle.
• Put in new mulch: Invest in mulch for spots that won’t grow, or freshen up dull mulch. Mulch costs just a little over $3 a bag and one bag can cover 6 square feet. For unruly plant beds, add a weed barrier underneath.
• Add color: Invest in eye-catching flowers in the spring and summer. Or, buy bright pots for the front porch or between two garage doors. If you’re selling your home during colder months, consider potting an evergreen.

2. Refresh your interior to attract Wichita buyers

Friesen also gave us advice on the interior details Wichita buyers are looking for. You can increase your chances of selling your home quickly, and potentially picking between multiple offers when you:

• Add a fresh coat of paint
• Install new flooring
• Replace dated countertops

Paint your interior a neutral shade of white, gray, or navy. This effort can instantly make your home feel newer and help it compete against new builds in the area. For some inspiration, check out Behr’s 2022 color trends of the year, like Whisper White and Cracked Pepper.

Once you’ve picked a color, plan for a white trim, another feature Friesen mentions buyers are looking for. Only 14% of homes in Wichita were built after 2000, so update your wood trim before listing, either on your own or with the help of a professional.

Buyers are also looking for updated flooring. No one walks into a home and admires linoleum or dirty carpet. According to Hoffman Home Inspections, which provides inspections for Wichita residences and the surrounding area, wood-imitation vinyl can be a cost friendly option.

Advertise hardwood floors, an open kitchen, or newer appliances in your listing if you have them. These features sell well with Wichita buyers.

3. Address home repairs that could deter buyers

Take care of the following maintenance items around your home before your home hits the market. These repairs will likely enable a faster inspection period and help to prevent closing delays.

• Unclog your air conditioner by spraying it with a garden hose. Given Wichita’s high prevalence of cotton trees, the white fuzzy seeds tend to build up if you aren’t cleaning your unit regularly.
• Check your home for rotten siding, especially if your home has 15-year composite siding that tends to rot in Wichita’s climate. You can do this on your own, or you can hire a professional.
• Enclose your front or back porch with a screen. The cost to screen in a porch is roughly $5 to $7 per square feet. This extends your living space, and the amount of time throughout a year that people can enjoy this outdoor space, including mosquito season.
• Invest in high impact shingles to pass your inspection with flying colors. Many of Wichita’s roofs need replacing due to high winds, hail storms, and tornados. Plus, high impact shingles are a selling point with buyers as they won’t need to be replaced for 30 to 50 years!

4. Price your Wichita home based on its age and location

Don’t get greedy when it comes to pricing your home. Work with a professional to create a competitive pricing strategy. Friesen mentions that homes that are priced reasonably sell quicker. Two important factors to consider when pricing are your home’s age and location.

The age of a Wichita home can be categorized by four different time periods.

• 14.4% were built after 2000
• 38.2% were built between 1970 to 1999
• 36.7% were built from 1940 to 1969
• 10.7% were built in 1939 or earlier

Newer homes in Wichita tend to sell for a higher price point. That said, homes that have been updated and well kept in trendy neighborhoods can also be extra desirable to buyers.

Here are five popular neighborhoods in Wichita, according to Neighborhood Scout, and information around their median home price.

• Lakeside Acres: This neighborhood is more expensive than 72.7% of the neighborhoods in the United States, with a median home price of $404,138. Many of the homes in Lakeside Acres have four or more bedrooms.
• Brookhaven/Park East: This neighborhood’s median home price is $317,229. You may be able to price your home at a higher price if it was built in the 2000s, which is somewhat unique to this area.
• Minneha: This neighborhood’s median home price is $211,345 and is known for having residences who are executives and professionals.
• Furley/Greenwich: The neighborhood’s median home price is $350,540. Many of the homes in this neighborhood were built in the 2000s.
• Saint Marks: The neighborhood’s median home price is $273,795. It has a mix of homes that were built in the 2000s and from 1970-1999. Your home’s age will affect the listing price of your home given the newer homes that are available.

Competitive pricing is one big reason to partner with a top real estate agent in Wichita to sell your home quickly,

To begin your pricing research, start with a preliminary price check from HomeLight’s Home Value Estimator tool. We’ll use publicly available data, recent comparable sales in Wichita, and the most recent sales price for your Wichita home to provide a ballpark range of value in under two minutes.

5. Make your Wichita home listing shine

To help your Wichita home catch the attention of online house hunters, flack your property description with details highlighting the home’s best features and location highlights.

Mention if the home is close to any of the following:

• Bike lanes
• Paved sidewalks or walking paths
• Lake or pond
• Sport courts
• Community parks or pools
• Goddard School District
• Easy access to 235
• Sedgwick County Park and Zoo

And don’t forget to include unique or valued elements, such as:

• Ornamental fireplace
• Electric space heaters
• Yard size or total acreage
• New sprinkler and / or irrigation well
• Storage shed for mowers and bikes
• New roof
• High vaulted ceilings
• Wet bar
• Smart system included
• Covered front porch
• Kitchen flourishes like a dual oven, Viking brand appliances, or stainless steel

6. Check to see if your home is in a floodplain

Many homes in Wichita are located within a floodplain, known formally as a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). This can add a few hoops to the selling process you should be aware of.

If your home is located on a floodplain, buyers will need to purchase federally mandated flood insurance (which you may be paying for currently.) In addition, a permit may be required to make changes to your home, and buyers will want to know the details of this upfront.

Depending on your home’s location and flood risk, you can look at having your flood zone classification changed. This will require “clear visual evidence that the structure is outside the SFHA”, according to the City of Wichita website, and sometimes also a letter from FEMA verifying that the information you provided was accurate.

If your home is still determined to be in an SFHA, follow HomeLight’s list of tips for selling a house in a flood zone.

7. Hire a top real estate agent in Wichita

The Wichita housing market is hopping, but a wrong move can prevent your house from selling fast.

Choose a real estate agent who knows the area, is a seasoned professional, and works in real estate full time. Don’t put your trust in an agent who could let things fall through the cracks or miss important opportunities to sell your home.

If you’re ready to start the process of selling your home, you can easily find a top Wichita real estate agent through HomeLight’s agent-matching platform. According to our internal database, there are over 430 real estate agents in Wichita.

In contrast with the average Wichita real estate agent, the top listing agents in Wichita close deals 33.64 days faster, and earn sellers an extra 14.4% on each home sale, our data shows.

Whether you’re saying your goodbyes to the Keeper of the Plains, or are headed to a new neighborhood within Wichita, it’s possible to sell your home quickly with the right strategy.

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