Selling My Home

There are many questions we ask ourselves, when we embark upon selling our home.

Besides knowing if the time is right or not, is often up to our instincts, and the desire to want to move to a new location or just down the block. Also, consider the time of the year. Usually not a good time to sell would be summer time, many people go on vacation, and during the holiday season, people spend time with their family, and friends. Certainly we want to get the best possible selling price, and take the necessary steps to encourage buyers to visit, and make an offer.�¯�¿�½

Outlined are some suggestions, and or recommendations to make the selling of your home easier, and get the best value.

Many homeowners use a Realtor for the sale of there home. A Realtor is licensed, and a member of the National Association of Realtors. They provide a service that adheres to a code of ethics. A Realtor will charge a commission upon the sale of the home. Good idea to compare Realtors to get the lowest commission charge. Also, learn about the Realtor’s years of experience, how many houses where sold by the Realtor in the past year, and ask for references.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½

There are many advantages for using a Realtor. First, can help to investigate new place where you would like to live. Provide you with resources, to locate a lending institution for financing your next home. A Realtor can investigation, and locate any property you would be interested in purchasing. Also, negotiate a fair buying price for your new home. Investigate for you, if the new home, has the potential for future increase in resale value based upon the residential area. A Realtor can recommend how to enhance the selling price of your home, by making any repairs or cosmetic work done. Also, would list your home on a Multiple Listing Services that would be viewed by a large number of people. Also, can screen potential buyers before anyone comes to visit your home. The Realtor will ensure all the paperwork is prepared for your signing at closing.

Instead of getting a Realtor, you may consider hiring an attorney that would handle, all the necessary paper work at closing, and work on behalf of the homeowner, with the any perspective buyer. Often the fee charged by an attorney, is almost the same or less then the commission charged by a Realtor. If the homeowner manages to find a buyer for the sale of their home, then a Realtor would not be beneficial.

Determining the list price, of your home can be quite challenging. You don’t’ want to over price, and yet you don’t want to under price the value of your home. Certainly want to give the incentive to the buyer that there getting a very good deal. First step would be to make any necessary repairs, improvements, and clean up the outside, and inside of your home, to ensure the maximum value. Especially paying attention to the bathroom and kitchen. A Realtor can certainly, check what where the previous sale prices of homes in your neighborhood. Also, public records list sale prices of homes. Always a good idea to start from a high selling price, and then negotiate with the buyer a lower price. Keeping in mind, that a lower price objectively is your main goal. Any settlement above your original objective should be considered an unexpected gain. Check with your accountant, to determine if you will have any tax liabilities, upon the sale of your home or will there be no taxes to pay if you reinvest money, received from the sale, into your new residence.

There are different types of listing contracts, between the buy and Realtor. Open Listing that most real estate agents will refuse to accept, since that allows the buyer to use as many real estate agents for purpose of selling their home. The Realtor that sells your home will get the commission. One – Time Show means that the seller signs an agreement that will identify any potential buyer of the home. This prevents the Realtor from loosing any commission, if both the buyer and seller, try to negotiate a deal privately, to avoid paying any broker commission. Exclusive Agency Listing allows the seller to find a buyer for the home, regardless of any effort made by the Realtor. The Realtor may loose out of any commission, if the seller finds a buyer. Most common listing is exclusive right to sell, which means the broker provides a full service to the buyer, that includes placing the home in Multiple Listing Service, pursue any marketing to other agents, hold an open house, and earns a commission regardless who sells the home, being the seller or broker.

Often people are passing by your neighborhood. Someone may realize your house is for sale, and want further information. Placing in front of your a house a Brochure Box, that contains copies of detailed information regarding your home, and how to contact the seller. The homeowner can hand out the same information, to any perspective buyers that come to visit. This will provide any potential buyer, with information to take home, and read at their leisure.

A seller may consider having a licensed inspector review your home for any defects or problems that may need to repaired or fixed. This report may serve, as an incentive to a perspective buyer, upon seeing there is no problems associated to your home. However, this does not prevent the buyer from getting, their own licensed inspector to view your property before closing. Upon any inspection, the homeowner must be truthful to disclose any problems, according to the law. And provide full access throughout the inside, and outside of the residence. Upon review of an inspection report, the seller may have to make whatever repairs or upgrades, which is contingent upon the sale of the home, to the buyer.

Once the buyer and seller agree upon the price. Customarily, the buyer will give a deposit, which should be deposited into an escrow account, and applied later on the final sale of the home. However, if the inspection report reflects problems with the home or if the buyer cannot secure the necessary financing, then the refund would be returned to the buyer. The refund would be forfeited, if the potential buyer decides not to proceed with the sale, for any reason that is not stipulated in the contract.

Showing your home to a perspective buyer, some basic suggestions. Often a Realtor will place a locked box with a key inside, near your front door, for easy access to your home, when you are away. If you prefer to be home, always be flexible anytime for your Realtor, to bring over perspective buyers. Don’t volunteer any information, unless questions are asked, and always be truthful.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½

Your For Sale Sign should read “By Appointment Only.” Keep a log record of names of people that come to visit your home. This will be helpful, to avoid any dispute upon the sale with a real estate agent, that may claim a finders fee if that person was referred to home or was someone that you located. Turn on all indoor, and outdoor lighting. Don’t spray your home with any fragrances, since some people are allergic to certain types of aroma. While other aroma’s maybe remembered very favorably by a visitor. Pet owners should keep their pets curtailed or enclosed area, and pet odors should be sanitized before any perspective buyers come to visit. Kitchen trash or any garbage should absolutely be removed, from the house. Always good to see open spaces, and not cluttered with debris of any kind. Gives a feeling there is more open space available. There are Internet websites, which specialize in selling homes. The have digital cameras that will take pictures inside, and outside of your home. Then display them for perspective buyers to see on the Internet. Remember to hide any valuables, you have in a save place, before anyone comes to visit.