Get the best price for your home by preparing and presenting it in the most beneficial way.
A checklist for your move as well as packing tips to organize and avoid damage.
Why do you need a professional Colorado real estate agent? Answers to this and more below. Just keep scrolling…
The advantages of working with an agent when selling a property include:
One of the biggest reasons sellers choose not to use an agent is to avoid paying commissions. In reality, most FSBO transactions still end up having to pay a commission to the buyer’s agent.
And, as mentioned in the previous answer, data shows FSBO properties sell for significantly less on average.
FSBO situations sometimes make sense when the seller already has a buyer known to them. Even then, it is more beneficial to have agent representation to watch out for your best interests and make sure the transaction goes as smoothly as possible.
You will be informed before every appointment, either by a RE/MAX Northwest representative or me. If you are not home, the Realtor will be given the lock box combination and may show your home after knocking to make sure you haven’t come home after the appointment was set.
Records are kept of every appointment and showing. If a Realtor should arrive at your door wishing to tour your home without having first called our office, please ask them to go to a telephone and call for a property appointment.
We consider it a privilege to show your home and we will do all that we can to make our clients aware of its attractiveness. I will give you some hints on what can be done to put the property into its best light. It is important to let the realtor show your property. It isn’t necessary for you to leave your home, but it is helpful for you to be as unobtrusive as possible when there are buyers touring your home. Here are 20 tips on preparing your home for showings.
I will either call or email every agent and buyer that tours your home. Questions I will ask are going to be directed to finding out what we can do to get that buyer make an offer on your property. I will then notify you as to my findings and discuss the options that we should take to secure the sale.
It is human nature for any consumer to try to find the greatest value for our dollar. This fact holds true with the purchase of one’s home.
Value is in the eyes of the beholder. In order to ensure maximum value to the consumer, the property should be presented in optimal condition and priced competitively to comparable properties.
When it comes time to purchase, buyers are drawn to homes that appear to be well maintained. That could mean adding a fresh coat of paint to the outside of the house or to the inside walls and ceilings. It also could mean repairing gutters, downspouts, or replacing leaky faucets to name a few. It is important to realize when your real estate professional points out these areas of imperfections that you don’t take it personally. They are merely trying to help you to present the home in it’s best light.
The marketing of a property is nothing more than “packaging” and presenting the product to the consumer.
Ingredients of this package include location, number of bedrooms and baths, fireplaces, basements, square footage, lot size, views, conditions and updating to name a few. Another key element is what the market bears and what the market is willing to pay for the product. I do not set the market, I only interpret it based on my professional knowledge and years of experience.
When the proper balance of packaging and pricing is achieved, a successful sale will result.
Below are some, but not all, of the costs that may be incurred by a seller:
The loan that is secured by the property. There can be one or several. This loan or loans can be satisfied either by being paid off at closing or by the purchaser assuming the liability for this loan.
Additional interest assessed by the lender for early payoff of the mortgage. This penalty can be very expensive. Check with your current lender as to whether there is a pre-payment penalty involved with your current mortgage, how much, and if it can be avoided.
The seller insures the title he is conveying to the purchaser. The premium adjusts with the purchase price. If your current policy is less than two years old, it can be surrendered to the Title Insurance Company for a 50% savings on the cost of a new policy.
The amount a seller receives for a mortgage (usually a second mortgage) that they sell to a third party. This enables the seller to receive most of their money and be relieved of the possibility of the purchaser not paying. The amount received varies based on the terms and conditions of the loan.
A small cost relevant to the releasing the title from public record legal costs. In all real estate transactions, both buyers and sellers are entitled to legal counsel. When a Real Estate Broker is involved with the sale, the cost of document preparation, the deed, and the cost of closing are covered by the brokerage fee. The respective parties pay any attorney coverage beyond these responsibilities. An attorney will charge according their involvement. The more complex the involvement, the greater the cost.
This usually involves the lenders escrow for taxes. The seller is liable for their taxes from January 1st until the date of closing. Lenders historically escrow taxes from April to April. The seller usually has a shortage of funds in escrow to cover their taxes. Adjustments are then made at the time of closing for their shortages.
Most mortgages are paid in arrears. This means that if you close in July you pay interest owed for the month of June. For this reason, the seller usually owes interest on their loan at the time of closing.
Water is a perpetual lien against a property. The escrow at closing assures the property payment of the lien. Any remaining balance of the escrow is refunded to the seller.
Any fixture, refrigerator, stove, drapes, solar panels, etc. that is included in the sale of a property must be free and clear of any money owed against it, unless the buyer agrees to assume these liabilities.
The fee a licensed real estate broker earns for finding a ready, willing and able buyer. This also includes representing the best interest of the seller, marketing the property, and the closing of the sale involving the transfer of real estate.
Various insurance companies offer Warranty Services to insure repair or replacement of appliances and various vital home systems. The advantage of this extra coverage is that the seller doesn’t pay anything for this coverage until the house sells, unless they have a claim. Should there be a claim, the maximum charge is $35 for each service call. Should the house not sell, the seller pays nothing except the $35 service charge they may have previously paid. For small additional charges, the buyer may elect to cover most other items such as hot tubs, spas, and swimming pools. The benefits of this warranty could far exceed the cost of the policy. For additional information, I can furnish brochures and copies of the warranty contract for your inspection.
Discount points, or “points”, represent additional yield to a lender. One point is equal to 1% of the loan amount. Virtually every loan involves the payment of “points” Lenders do not care who is to pay the points “Points” are a negotiable item between the buyer and the seller. The majority of purchasers know this and will not hesitate to make, as a condition to the purchaser, the requirement that the seller pay part or all of these points. A seller who refuses to consider that payment of part or all of these points as part of the marketing plan, puts themselves at a decisive disadvantage to competing properties. In today’s market, prospective buyers are looking for the greatest value of their dollar. To be less than competitive in any aspect of the marketing process would result in a prolonged marketing period with ultimately less “NET” proceeds to the seller.
I'm ready to answer all of your questions about buying or selling your home.
