sellerq

1. When is the best time to put my house on the market?

homesellerquestionslWhen are you are ready to move? That is the answer! Various circumstances in the market, including seasonal conditions, may impact the sale of a home, and that’s why Sell Fast Realty can get the job done! Our real estate experience goes back to 1998, we have sold homes in ALL markets and conditions!

Markets and seasons do change, however, if your home is priced right for the current area, your Agent can sell your home. We list many pre-foreclosure properties and short sales, so when you need to sell, call us immediately!

2. What is a Competitive Market Analysis?

For both homsellernegotiateebuyers and sellers alike, determining the fair market value of a property is a necessary step when deciding on an initial offer or asking price. Listing a home too high can lengthen the time a home sits on the market, while making an offer considerably lower than asking price can hurt a buyer’s credibility with the seller.

Your Sell Fast Realty Agent will run a Competitive Market Analysis (CMA) on your property to give you a free estimate of the fair market value. The analysis will provide information about recent sales of similarly styled houses in the immediate area, including how much they sold for and how long it took the properties to sell. The analysis will also include those comparable properties that are actively on the market.

3. Who selects the asking price for my home?

Your Sell Fast Realty Agent will review the CMA (see question 2) thoroughly will you and suggest a listing price for your home prior to putting it on the MLS (multi-listing service).

4. What can I do to make my house show better?

You do not want to incur costs for any major remodeling or make any major changes to the house prior to selling. We do not recommend incurring such costs as remodeled kitchens or patios, for example. They do add value to a home, but you really need to analyze your current and local market prior to taking any action. We will also suggest a different plan of action if your home is a straight sale versus a short sale. Following are some simple and inexpensive ways to help your home show better, HOWEVER, please speak to your Sell Fast Realty Agent prior to lifting a finger!

Curb Appeal

• Keep your front entrance well maintained, repaint the door, replace old house numbers, and check to make sure the doorbell works.

• Repaint or replace stair railings, the mailbox, and other exterior features. Repair cracked or crumbling foundation, steps, walkways, walls, and patios.

• Landscape the yard as needed, make sure garden beds are well defined and freshly mulched, the lawn cut and sufficiently watered, hedges trimmed, and trees pruned.

• Pick up and properly store garden tools, toys, newspapers, and other potential clutter.

• Sweep front walkway and clean up after your pets. Inspect exterior surfaces for peeling paint and/or loose attachments to the house and keep the windows free of spider webs and vines.

• Keep shutters in good condition, freshly painted and hung straight. Clean, align, and secure the gutters and inspect and clean the chimney, if applicable.

• Repair or replace loose or damaged roof shingles as well as loose siding and caulking.

• Prior to Realtor previews, buyer showings, and open houses, pay close attention to interior details as well.

Walk into Something Wonderful

• Thoroughly clean each room of your home, washing the windows inside and out, cleaning the carpets, and washing the walls.

• If the walls and carpet are especially dingy or brightly colored, repaint or re-carpet with a neutral shade, such as off-white or beige.

• Pick up clutter, toys, shoes, and clothing – make your house appear roomier and more welcoming.

• Repair cracks, holes or damage to plaster, wallboard, wallpaper, paint, and tiles. Replace broken or cracked windowpanes, moldings, and other woodwork.

• Inspect and repair the electrical, plumbing, heating, cooling, and alarm systems.

• Spruce up the kitchen and bathrooms, repairing dripping faucets and showerheads, re-caulking showers or tubs if necessary.

• Decorate the area with new cabinet knobs, curtains, and towels. Place dirty dishes in the dishwasher and empty wastebaskets.

• Repair any roof leaks

• Make sure every electrical outlet and light switch is in working order, replacing all light bulbs with the maximum wattage bulb permissible.

• Also, open drapes and shades. Light sells!

• Dust all fixtures and vacuum carpets and floors. Also, straighten rugs and throw pillows, and make all beds.

• Open windows slightly to freshen rooms, keeping pets out of the way and making sure the house is free of pet and other potential odors.

• Set an ambiance in your home by turning off the TV and playing soft background music, and preparing tables with flowers, place settings or coffee table books.

• When showing your home, secure jewelry, cash, prescription medications, and other valuables. Also, it’s best to leave while your house is being shown.

5. Should I be prepared to negotiate?

You are selling your home as a short sale, we have an in-house mitigation team and will handle all of the negotiations for you. However, we will discuss all of the offers with you and obtain your agreement and signature prior to submitting your offer to the lender.

If your home is a straight sale, we will discuss the offers with you and make recommendations based upon the current market value and condition. We have a specific strategy for listing properties which will be discussed with you prior to listing. You will want to expect to negotiate, as Just as sellers have a price in mind they would like to receive for their home, most buyers have a figure in mind they are willing to pay for a house. With a purchase as important as a house, most buyers leave room for negotiating when making an offer to get the best possible terms. Likewise, many sellers list their house for slightly more than they expect to receive as a sales strategy.

Whether you are looking to buy or sell a house in the near future, it helps to be prepared to be flexible. Right now we are in a buyer’s market, so recognizing that negotiation is a common element of real estate can help you remain calm and rational, and ultimately complete a transaction that otherwise might not happen. Sell Fast Realty will work han-in-hand with you to provide valuable advice based upon experience and will handle most of your negotiations.

6. Should I require the buyer to get a Home Inspection?

homeinspectionA professional home inspection protects both you and the buyer. It allows both you and the buyer the opportunity to learn about the property’s defects. A home inspection usually covers the following:

• Plumbing conditions – if there is leakage or clogging

• Roofing conditions – the extent of deterioration, if there is leakage

• Electrical conditions – if there are inadequate circuits or potential fire hazards

• Structural problems – if there are problems with the underlying foundation of your home

As a seller, the home inspection reports protect you because it establishes the actual condition of the property at the time of sale.

7. I am behind on my payments, how will this affect the selling process?

We do follow a different action plan when a home is in pre-foreclosure, it is tailored very specifically to your needs in that situation. Please click here to review Free Facts About Foreclosure that will answer your questions about short sales.

8. What other services will you provide for a seller of a home?

Please see the “Using A Realtor to Sell or Buy a Home” for all of our services, too many to list here! Your home is our #1 Priority!

9. What paperwork will your company do for me?

Your Sell Fast Realty Agent will fill out and provide you with all of the necessary paperwork to get your home listed and sold. We are with you every step of the way throughout this process. If you are choosing to do a short sale, you will need to provide some documents, but they are your personal documents such as bank statements that you would already have at home.

 

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