Jun 30, 2017 | Home Seller Tips
When it comes to the real estate market, nothing is better than putting your home up for sale and finding a potential homebuyer who offers you the price you’re looking for. However, while the right offer is ideal, there are a lot of things that may come along with a high offer that may be less than perfect. If you’re wondering what kinds of things can hamper a good offer, you may want to watch out for the following.
What’s The Timeline?
If you’re almost packed and you’re prepared to go, there won’t necessarily be any inconvenience in dealing with a 30-day closing period. However, if you’re not quite ready to move, having to close quickly can add a lot of pressure to a stressful situation. While it may be do-able to make the arrangements to move in a short amount of time, if it’s not the way you want to leave your old house and move on, you may want to go with a more flexible offer.
The Details On Cash
The right price is indeed a good offer, but when it comes to homebuyers who can pay with cash, there’s a lot less to worry about on the back end. As a result, cash can easily trump many other offers for the convenience of not having to deal with lenders or many other factors involved in closing the purchase. While it might not seem like most people have the available cash on hand, cash purchases on real estate are becoming more common, and with less complication, they can be more enticing.
Are There Contingencies?
If you’re experiencing a bidding war with your home, it’s important to look at all the details of the offers and ascertain which one can best be relied upon. That’s why it’s important to look at any contingencies on the home sale that may have to do with the financing, appraisal or inspection. An offer may be more than a little striking at the start, but if there are a lot of strings attached, there may be a bidder with a lower offer who’s less likely to back out.
It’s easy to get snared by the highest offer when selling your home, but it’s important to be aware of your timeline and any contingencies before accepting an offer. If you’re currently preparing to put your home on the market, contact your local real estate professional for more information.
Jun 23, 2017 | Home Seller Tips
For many people, putting their home up for sale is an exciting time to determine what kind of financial boon they’ll reap. With real estate on the rise, there are plenty of opportunities to see financial gains. Unfortunately, even if you’re selling your home, there are still going to be costs involved before ownership is transferred. If you want to be prepared for what to expect, here are some costs to watch out for.
Real Estate Agent Fees
As with buying a home, there will be costs involved in selling your home with an agent who will take a percentage out of the total sale of your home. Fortunately, while this will cost money, utilizing a real estate agent will probably garner you more money than you would have been able to get by putting your home on the market yourself. If you do want a better deal, it may be worth talking to your agent and seeing if they’re willing to negotiate on their percentage.
Agreed-Upon Closing Costs
It’s not uncommon nowadays for homebuyers to request their closing costs be paid by the seller in order to secure a deal, but it’s worth understanding what these fees may consist of. While there may be fees for the home appraisal, property transfer, and title insurance, there may also be maintenance costs you’ll have to take on following the home inspection. As a result, it can be important to do any home touch-ups before you’ve set a date for the open house as these can lower the offers on your home.
Moving Costs
Even if you have a big truck and a lot of heavy lifters in your family, there’s a good chance that you’re still going to require a moving company to take care of many of your items. You may be able to minimize these costs by moving in pieces and leaving the heavier items for the movers, but if your home sale is closing quickly, this work might best be left to the professionals. It will be worth getting quotes from a handful of trusted local movers to see who comes recommended at a reasonable price.
It’s easy to get caught up in the concept of selling your home, but even along with selling come many costs you’ll want to be aware of. If you’re preparing to put your home on the market, contact your local real estate professional for more information.
Jun 22, 2017 | Around The Home, Home Buyer Tips, Home Seller Tips
It can be a stressful experience to put your home on the market and wait for offers in the hope that you’ve priced it right. However, for those who are considering selling to family members, the sale of a home can be fraught with just as much stress before and after sealing the deal. If you’re wondering if it’s a good idea to sell to a family member, here are some things to consider beforehand.
Providing A Discount
Whether you’re selling to a sibling or a child, you may be considering offering the home at a discount to help them out. Fortunately, since the discounted value will be different than the market value of the price, this may mean a taxable gain when it comes time for them to sell the property after a few years of residing in it. On the other hand, if your financial health is not the best, selling at a lower price to a family member can create an undue financial burden for you.
An Owner-Financed Sale
If you’re trying to help your child get on their feet, the option exists for an owner-financed sale where your child will be making monthly payments to you. This provides the benefit of not having to worry about a lender and avoiding interest rates on top of the payment. While this can be a great feeling as a parent to be able to help your child, it’s important to weigh the decision carefully to determine that your child will not default on the loan and it won’t be tiresome for you to act as the lender.
Keeping It In The Family
For most people, the home they live in has sentimental value, whether they’ve lived there for a few years or it’s been in the family for generations. That’s why it can be a great comfort for many to sell to a family member who will understand the house’s history and the family traditions. If the deal is going to put a strain on relationships, though, it may not be worth the well-being of the family to keep the home among the relatives.
It can be a comfort to sell a home to a family member and secure their well-being, but there can be financial hurdles involved that can have an adverse impact on the relationship. If you’re currently considering selling to a family member, contact your local real estate professional for more information.
Jun 20, 2017 | Around The Home, Home Buyer Tips, Home Seller Tips
When investing in a home, one of the most important things is buying a place that you and your family can feel comfortable in. However, while a place you can envision yourself in is important, it’s not worth neglecting the neighborhood you’ll be moving into for the perfect home. If you’re wondering what you should be looking for in the neighborhood you choose, here are a few things to consider before making an offer on a home.
Is It Safe?
It may be common to feel bowled over by a home and want to invest immediately, but the right home in the wrong neighborhood may not be the best choice for many reasons. Part of feeling comfortable in your home is being safe among its streets, so ensure you research the neighborhood and its history, and check in on the crime rate. You may even want to consult with your agent or some local neighbors to see what information they can provide about the area’s history.
Are There Local Amenities?
If you’re used to getting in the car to run errands, it might not be a big deal to not have a grocery store or pharmacy nearby. However, if there are no amenities you use frequently close by, it can start to be a bit of a drain on your lifestyle. While you don’t necessarily need to have the trendiest restaurants or best shopping, it’s important to have a few choice places in case you run out of something and need to make a quick run to the store.
What’s Your Neighborhood Style?
It might seem like a strange thing to ask yourself, but the neighborhood you live in is going to become a big part of your life and that means you’ll have to see yourself in it. If you want neighbors you can trust and community-mindedness, you’ll want to seek out an area with these qualities. On the flip side, if you happen to prefer a busier urban atmosphere that offers more independence, this may be the way to go.
There are a lot of things that go into finding the right home, but it’s important not to forget about the neighborhood you’re living in and what it will mean for your lifestyle. If you’re currently looking into homes and are trying to determine an area that will work for you, contact your local real estate professionals for more information.
Jun 15, 2017 | Around The Home, Home Seller Tips
The season of spring may be a time for blooming flowers and warmer weather, but it’s also synonymous with the idea of spring-cleaning. Whether you clean out your house every year or you haven’t seen the back of your closets in years, here are a few springtime projects that will instantly change your home – and clean up your life!
Clearing Up The Garage
There are few things that manage to attract excess stuff like the garage, and left over junk can be an even bigger problem in a 2-car space. Fortunately, spring can be a good time to get rid of the excess and really improve the look of your home from one of its main access points. By making a ‘throw away’, ‘give away’ and ‘keep’ pile, you’ll be able to whittle down the amount of stuff in your garage and find a new place for it when you’re done tidying up. It may be a bit of work, but it will be worth the effort.
Re-Envision The Living Room
For most families, the living room is the place where they spend a lot of time, and that can mean that it easily gets covered in a lot of paper and the furniture’s a little worse for wear. Take a weekend day to clear away the excess, vacuum the floors and wash the walls, and even change the layout for an instantly updated look. If you’re really invested in a renovation, you may even want to re-upholster a couch or armchair that’s seen better days.
Tackle The Yard
The yard may not be a room in your home, but it is one of the first things that will make an impression on visitors and passerby’s so it’s important to keep it looking good. It’s a good start if your yard is already clutter free, but spring is a good time to clear away the flower boxes and pluck the weeds, as well as cutting back any overgrown hedges. If you’re feeling really ambitious, you may even want to clean out your shed or renovate your patio for an improved exterior look.
Spring-cleaning may be a dreaded term, but it can be a good opportunity to clear away some of the stuff you haven’t used and instantly improve your home’s appearance. If you’re de-cluttering your home and are preparing to sell, contact your local real estate professional for more information.
Jun 9, 2017 | Home Seller Tips, Home Selling Tips, Selling Real Estate, Selling Your Home
Check out our info graphic on 48 ways to speed a hose sale. Number 1 – Work with a Realtor:
