In 2009, ride-sharing company Uber forever changed transportation worldwide. Our choices are no longer limited to smelly taxicabs, inconvenient public transportation, and expensive monthly car payments. We can relish the perks of having a relatively clean, private car without the responsibility of paying gas, maintenance, insurance, and finding parking spaces. You can virtually go anywhere as long as Uber services that area, and with your personal driver too!
Another breakthrough of the early 2010s is remote or freelance work. Again, this broadened our horizons immensely. An onsite corporate job was no longer the only goal or indicator of success. Working freelance seems to be the ideal now and the secret aspiration of many young professionals.
Perhaps you jumped on these trends in your 20s. You chose a house with no garage because ridesharing worked for your lifestyle, but now that you’re growing your family, it has less to recommend it.
You need to sell your Houston house without a garage. But seriously, can you sell a house without a garage? Maybe this is likely in some urban areas, but it’s rare to see a suburban house without a garage. The garage has even been called “America’s favorite room.”
Don’t let your lack of a garage unnerve you. Other homebuyers may be on a similar journey as you had years ago. Follow this guide on selling a house without a garage.
Price The Listing Competitively
Does not having a garage devalue your house? Unfortunately, yes–up to 20 percent–while an attached garage increases your resale value up to $20,000.
You and your real estate agent’s negotiating skills will be put to the test. Expect future buyers to offer a low sale price. Set a figure you’re willing to accept while still being able to sell your home at a profit.
Find Out How Common Garages Are In The Area
Oil-town Houston is a car-loving city. The metro area is spread out and planned for vehicles, and most commuters travel to work by car.
Despite being car-oriented, Houston is also one of the best Texan cities to live in without a car. People without vehicles live close to the nearest bus or light rail line. Residents also bike and take Uber, Lyft, Turo, and Zipcar.
Don’t lose hope just yet. It’s entirely possible to persuade potential buyers from car-crazy Houston to consider these options.
Highlight Other, Non-Vehicular Storage Options
You probably know that the garage is called the “Texas basement.” The majority of Texan homes, especially historic homes, don’t have a basement, and the go-to alternative storage space is the garage.
It’s a big deal and undertaking to sell your single-family home without a garage. When you talk to a homebuyer and ask, “do you need a garage?” Follow it with these non-vehicular storage choices.
Attic
The attic may be the most convincing among the alternate storage spaces. Houston has a long history of flooding, and it is inevitably in its future. An attic is possibly the safest place to keep your belongings.
The ventilation will also keep your things cool and away from mold and mildew. It is common for homeowners to store their bags, decorations, fabrics, and other accessories in the attic. Other best things to store in your attic are sports equipment, work tools, gardening tools, kitchen supplies, plastic furniture, and toys.
Closets
What if the homebuyer brings up humidity levels and fluctuating temperatures of the attic? Don’t let a hot attic be a deal-breaker. Mention that the buyer might want to keep their things near the living space and out of sight in a closet.
Off-Site Storage Facilities
The homebuyer might argue that closets are precious spaces and they cannot use them for storing things. You can recommend a climate-controlled, clutter-free self-storage unit. It comes in various sizes and is typically affordable. You can say that it’s the gold standard of all storage because it’s guaranteed to protect from severe weather like hurricanes and usually comes with security and a dehumidifier system.
Market To The Active Crowd: Bikers, Walkers, And Runners
Active Crowd: Bikers, Walkers, And Runners
Houses with garages in the open market are tough competition. It might be an effective strategy to target a specific type of homebuyer. Who would be interested in buying a house without a garage or extra storage space? Bikers, walkers, and runners are high on the list.
Houston used to be not a particularly bicycle-friendly city. But in past years, Houston slowly became America’s newest cycling scene. The Houston City Council recently approved hundreds of miles of new bike-friendly infrastructures.
Highlight Convenient Transportation Options Near Your House
The process of selling and buying a home without a garage demands a compelling real estate marketing game plan. This will include emphasizing that the homebuyer is not only limited to getting behind the wheel.
With public transportation, you need not bother with parking ever. Play the sightseer as you ride the light rail through the tourist districts or take advantage of the free Greenlink shuttle buses downtown. The Wave is also a jitney service that shuttles residents around Houston’s primary nightlife areas.
Share The Property’s Parking Options
Cars and garages are some of the embodiments of the American way of life. We cannot simply do away with it. A homebuyer may agree to an off-site storage facility, but they could press on having a parking space. Direct them to these parking options instead:
Off-Street Parking
Perhaps the homebuyer is not particular about parking next to the house. They are happy to park in a nearby free or rented parking lot or garage. Somewhere close, safe, and not on a public street parking.
Parking lots can be privately owned or managed by the government or municipality.
How about on-street parking in front of the house? Houston City Ordinance 26-93 states that a car cannot legally park on a public street for more than 24 hours. As long as the homebuyer moves his car once in a while, has a good car cover, and has considerate neighbors, they should be okay. Homebuyers will also be glad to know that on-street parking in downtown Houston is accessible from Monday to Saturday from 6 pm-7 am and all day Sunday.
Room To Build An Attached Garage
There is nothing like locked, covered parking to protect your vehicle from the elements and other threats. A homebuyer may insist on the extra storage space or not like walking through the rain and is willing to shoulder the cost to build a garage. Note reputable garage builders to the homebuyer that also do remodeling and garage conversions. Garage builders will ask the homebuyers their budget, needs, taste, size, color, and style preferences.
The price to construct a 1-car garage in Houston is between $7,500 to $14,200, a 2-car garage costs $19,600 and $28,200, and a 3-car garage ranges from $28,200 to $42,700.
Room To Build A Detached Garage
An attached garage shares one wall with your house and has direct access to the home. A homebuyer may request a detached garage instead, especially if the lot size can accommodate it.
A detached garage is not connected and stands alone from your house. The detached garage could be several yards or only a few feet away.
The con of building an attached garage is that you have to think of the square footage of the home and the legal additions that you can make to it, while a detached garage allows for more expansion and landscaping.
Carport
There is no doubt about a garage’s value to a home. But in Houston’s searing weather, a garage could unintentionally serve as an oven for your poor vehicle. A homebuyer can opt for a carport as a substitute.
Open-sided metal carports are pretty popular and come highly recommended by architects and designers.
Carports are less expensive than enclosed metal garages, protect your car from paint damage, increase property value, and reduce the need for repairs due to a well-ventilated vehicle.
One of the few cons of building a carport is that it is subject to your neighborhood’s bylaws and Houston zoning regulations.
Sell To Real Estate Investors For Quick Cash Offers
Selling a house without a garage can be a gargantuan task. Skip the chasing and convincing of buyers and hassle of open houses by selling to cash home buyers or real estate investors like Assemble Houston.
Assemble Houston will buy your garage-less house as-is with cash. You can close and move onto your next chapter as swiftly as 14 days.