So you have decided to sell your property. Before anything else, it is a good idea to sit down and clarify your motivations and draw up a basic time frame for the selling process.
Why Sell?
Why do you want to sell your property? Do you intend to simply find a larger property, or do you plan on moving to another neighborhood, school district, city or state? You might think your reasons are obvious, but it would do well to consider the implications of each option for your lifestyle, opportunities, and finances. Being clear about your intentions for selling will make it easier for us to determine the most appropriate option for your specified financial, lifestyle, and real estate goals.
When Should I Sell?
You should immediately establish your time frame for selling. If you need to sell quickly, we can speed up the process by giving you a complete market analysis and action plan to obtain all of your goals. If there is no pressing need to sell immediately, you can sit down with one of our expert real estate agents to thoroughly review the current market conditions and find the most favorable time to sell.
What Is The Market Like?
When you work with us, you can be sure that you will have our knowledge, expertise and negotiating skills at work for you to arrive at the best market prices and terms. We will keep you up-to-date on what is happening in the marketplace and the price, financing, terms and conditions of competing properties. With us, you will know exactly how to price and when to sell your property.
How Do I Optimize My Finances?
Deciding to sell your property demands a serious consideration of your current financial situation and future possibilities. With our help, you will be able to effectively assess the cumulative impact of these changes, estimate potential proceeds of selling your property, and plan effective tax savings and estate planning strategies. We will ensure that you not only take control of your finances, but use them to their fullest potential.
Preparing Your Home to List
You’ve made the decision to sell, and have completed all the necessary paperwork. There are several ways to make your house more sell-able, and in turn, receive a top dollar offer. Here are some basic tips for preparing your home for showings:
- Tidy your yard. Trimming bushes, cutting grass, clearing weeds and adding a few pots of brightly colored flowers can make your house so much more inviting.
- Make sure your front patio and door are fresh and clean looking. Sweep area and repaint front door if necessary.
- Get rid of clutter. Move unnecessary furniture into storage or into the garage and store out-of-season clothing. Clearing out spaces in rooms and closets can make your home appear larger.
- Make minor repairs that can make a bad impression. Items such as torn screens, leaky faucets and drywall cracks can scare away a potential Buyer. Also remember to replace any burnt out light bulbs.
- Make sure the house smells fresh and clean. Open a few windows, clean carpeting and drapes to eliminate odors, and consider soft candles or air fresheners to give an inviting scent.
- Keep home in exceptionally clean condition. Make sure all windows and blinds are clean, and all switch plates, doors and molding are extra clean.
We hope these tips have been helpful to you. When visiting your home, we may share additional ideas that will help you prepare for showing your home and receiving top dollar.
What will I Walk Away With
This is the most important detail in the sale of a home, but often times it can be overlooked. Much attention is focused on what it will cost you to sell your home, often times the “NET PROFIT” can be overlooked.
When you receive an offer, House Facts Realty will help you to determine what you’ll net at the close of escrow. In order to do this, we will look over the terms of the contract, as well as ownership information, such as your mortgage payoff, and insurance and/or tax proration. To find out how much money you’ll net from the sale of your house, add up your closing costs and subtract from the sale price of your house. Here is a list of closing costs that you may incur as a seller:
- Mortgage Payoff
- Prorations for Taxes
- Prorations for Association Dues / Utility Dues
- Title Policy Fees
- Home Warranty
- Septic / Well Certification
- Brokerage Fees
- Seller Contribution (if applicable)
- HOA Transfer Fees
We will review these costs with you, and determine approximately what you can expect to net at closing.