Best Practices for Selling Your Car for the Highest Amount Possible

Thinking about selling your car soon and want to make sure you get the highest possible price for it? Following are five ways to help increase the selling price of your car.

Know the Vehicle's Value

The best way to know what you should charge for your car is to check out Kelley Blue Book and what price they have listed. Be sure to look it up by the correct year, make, model, and condition. The next step is to check online ads in your own community to see what used cars are selling for.

Consider having it completely detailed before listing it for sale — not only will this increase your chances of getting your asking price for it, but it may also result in a faster sale. You probably already know that your car will make a better first impression if its exterior is clean and shiny, but the interior matters as well.

Sell to a Private Party

Although it may be tempting to sell your car to a dealer just to get the sale over with as quickly as possible, you'll end up with more cash in your pocket if you sell it to a private party. This is particularly true if your vehicle is older or has significant mileage on it. Dealers are often anxious to purchase newer models with low mileage, but they typically aren't enthusiastic about their older counterparts.

Give yourself plenty of time to advertise and show your car, and don't be afraid to walk away from insultingly low offers. Those who are in a hurry to sell their car are at risk of accepting the first offer that sounds even remotely reasonable.

Have Your Paperwork in Order

You'll need a clear title, the registration, and an empty bill of sale to be filled out prior to finalizing the sale. Another helpful piece of paperwork to have on hand is a vehicle history report. This shows whether the car has been in any accidents and other valuable information that a prospective purchaser would probably like to have. Having the necessary paperwork in order will help facilitate a smooth, quick sale once the right buyer comes along.