Three Sanity-Saving Tips For Moving-In Day
No matter how intensely you prepare for moving day, you may still face problems if you overlook three sanity-defeating challenges. Can you and your partner really think clearly when swamped by distractions, exhaustion, and disorientation?
If the ramped-up activity of moving day represents less pressure than a typical day for you, you’ll probably find your upcoming move-in day a breeze. Most people do not regularly handle logistics and problem solving on so many levels at once, and can become distracted, exhausted, and disoriented by moving day.
This deflated state sets the moving-day stage for putting your foot in your mouth, saying something you’ll regret disclosing, and blowing a fuse over a minor problem. The issue here is that the whole new neighborhood is watching — either from the sidewalk or from behind curtains — so none of this image-marring behavior goes unnoticed.
Adopt these 3 Crucial Sanity-Saving Tips for living happily beyond moving day and you’ll make settling into your new home a great success:
#1: Anticipate Distraction and Prepare to Think Ahead
Distraction is not a physical state, but a mental one. In a car, you can have both hands on the wheel, eyes on the road, cell etc off, and still be distracted while driving. The moving experience represents a huge mental distraction, so that what you say to new neighbors can get you off on the wrong foot in spite of your best intentions. With your head packed full of moving details and your brain in a state of exhaustion from moving out of your last home and preparing to set up your new home, you are not as in charge of your brain and your mouth as usual.
Acknowledge you’ll be distracted and be prepared. Just as celebrities prepare responses for paparazzi, think about what you want to say before the day arrives. If a wildfire of neighborhood curiosity engulfs you, how will you respond to:”What did you pay for the house?” or “Why did you have to move?” When asked personal questions about family and your occupation, a light-handed, but respectful response in “love to tell you more later”-style may be a friendlier response than disjointed descriptions or “not now please” rebuffs. Make politeness your goal for the day even if neighbor behavior tests your resolve.
#2 Fight Exhaustion and Prepare for Energy Plus
The sustained physical and mental stress of moving out of the old home and into the new one, even if you have lots of help, will disrupt your routines. Fast-food and junk food may seem like an easy fix, but your exhausted moving team (including you) needs more substance to be continually refreshed and recharged during the moving process. Expect this and stock up on nutritional supplements, healthy quick foods, bottled water, non-sugar drinks, and fruit, and encourage catnaps whenever feasible. Avoid sugar, caffeine, and alcohol until after the last box is safely inside and the moving truck leaves. Resolve to crash after everything is done not during a crisis.
#3 Counteract Disorientation and Prepare for the Worst
- In even the most cohesive enclaves, there are undercurrents of past grievances, real and imagined, so step carefully. You will not know what sentiments were left behind by the previous owners.
- Many of the new introductions may not stick, so prepare to re-greet. There’s no way you’ll remember who everyone is and who all the kids belong to.
- Don’t expect to have time to search solutions on your phone&emdash;if you can find it! If you’re new to the area, make a list of the phone number and address for the nearest hardware store (with key cutting), grocery store, medical clinic, pharmacy, bank/ATM, and gas station in case an emergency run is required.
- Neighbors usually only want to help, but they can be drains on attention, energy, and good humor. Decide who is doing what during the move, so one partner isn’t trapped entertaining neighbors while the other slaves in fuming silence.
- If you have very private or expensive things that you don’t want the entire neighborhood to see, box or bag these treasures them.
- Decide which typical moving-in problems would be a big deal for you and prepare for the worst, so you’ll achieve the best outcome possible.
- Parking issues regarding the moving truck and helpers’ cars represent another prepare-ahead detail.
- Engage your real estate professional to ensure you’ll receive the right keys and copies when you expect to. Also ask what happens if there is a closing delay and the keys are not available. Who will pay any costs of this delay including issues with the moving truck?
You may be on top of all the hundreds of details involved in moving your family, but a successful move hinges on preparing to head off these three sanity-defeating problems — distractions, exhaustion, and disorientation — before they “move in” on moving day.
Written by PJ Wade
Curb Appeal Problems And Easy Ways To Fix Them
Just how important is curb appeal? Real estate industry legend Barbara Corcoran has said, “Buyers decide in the first eight seconds of seeing a home if they’re interested in buying it.” What are buyers going to see in the first eight seconds after driving up to your place?
If you’ve walked around the perimeter of your house recently, you’ve probably seen at least a couple of issues that need to be addressed before you sell. And your plan probably depends on how much time you have available. If you’re listing your house today and expect immediate interest, you may have to pick from a few quick tips to get it in the best shape you can. Have a little more time? You can make a real impact in improving the curb appeal so potential buyers will drive up and want to see more.
Everything just looks a little shabby
It may be time to bite the bullet and repaint the house, or, at least, address some peeling trim. If your windows, walkways, and ornamental details are looking drab, a power washer can help transform the area easily and inexpensively. This is a relatively easy DIY task and the rental will only cost you about $40 a day from Home Depot.
Your open house is today and your yard is looking pretty boring
You may not have time to do any new plantings, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make the yard look tidy and pretty. Fresh flowers in pots placed near your front door will bring the eye up from the street to your entry and give the impression that your home (and your yard) is well cared for. Add a new welcome mat to finish the look.
Your front door is janky
If you’re looking at making a few smart updates before listing your home, don’t ignore your front door. A new door can return between 75–100 percent of your investment, and it’s a relatively low-cost project,” said Houselogic, with a “national median cost of around $2,000 installed.”
You have a last-minute showing and the landscaper hasn’t done his thing in the yard yet
Get in the car, drive to Lowe’s, and pack up the trunk with mulch. It’s one of the easiest ways to transform your yard and make it look fresh and neat. Lawn and bushes a little overgrown? Nextdoor is a great resource for finding last-minute landscape help or, in a pinch, a neighborhood kid with some developing gardening skills and a need for pocket cash.
Leaves. Everywhere
Get out the hose and spray those suckers away from sidewalks and walkways. Even if the hardscape is wet when the prospective buyers arrive, the area will look nice and clean. Now corral everyone in the house for some fire drill leave-bagging fun. An abundance of leaves in the yard can be a turnoff to those looking to buy as it may make them think the home is unkempt or that the yard is hard to take care of.
Your mailbox is…wow. How did you never notice that?
If it’s old, worn, rusty, or has just seen better days, buyers will notice. This seemingly little thing can make them question the quality of your home. Thankfully, it’s an easy fix that you can do yourself for almost no money. “It doesn’t matter if you have a regular mailbox by the road or if you have a box mounted to your house, adding a new mailbox can add curb appeal. You can find a new mailbox starting around $20,” said DIY Network. “When you install your mailbox, make sure that you are following the regulations that are set forth in the city that you live in. If you have a simple mailbox mounted on your house, this home improvement project should take less than an hour to complete. If you have a full-size mailbox at the road, plan for at least two hours or so to complete the project.”
Written by Jaymi Naciri
Your Resistance to Change When Buying or Selling Your Home
Resistance to change is common for buyers and sellers. This may seem surprising since both buying and selling mean seeking out a move with many related changes, but resistance is common none the less.
Buying and selling real estate involve many complex decisions packed full of real estate terminology, all of which are new territory for most buyers and sellers.
Add the pressure of time-sensitive decisions and the stress of dealing with huge amounts of money (much of it borrowed) and most buyers and sellers are way out of their comfort zones.
Does resistance in buyers and sellers make more sense now?
Too often, making no decision or a “no” decision may seem less stressful for buyers or sellers than agreeing to the significant changes related to entering into a real estate transaction. Fear of making the wrong decision can result in resistance and indecision which could cost thousands:
- Sellers who receive their first offer — especially very soon after the house is listed — may worry they are selling too cheaply. Resistance can lead to the seller wanting “to wait and see” if a higher offer will appear. Sellers may second guess their decision to sell. Resulting stubbornness can materialize as illogical resistance to offer price, move-in date, or to giving up light fixtures or other items a buyer includes in their offer to purchase.
- Buyers who have seen a property which meets their wish list must-haves, may still be resistant to making an offer, especially if it’s their first offer or one of the first houses they view. Resistance leads to wanting “to see more houses” as if there’s a magic number of viewings before a dream house appears. Resistance may also materialize as stubborn refusal to increase their offered purchase price for a seemingly-ideal property a few hundred or a few thousand dollars to meet the sellers half way. Buyers have been know to walk away from deals if the appliances, lighting fixtures, or other “must haves” they ask for in the offer are denied them by the seller. Ask your real estate professional about their experience with deal-breaking battles over furnishings and details.
Resistance is common under stress, even the best stress.
Real estate professionals will do their best to help buyers and sellers face their fears and overcome their resistance. Closing or decision-making techniques can help buyers or sellers realize where true value lies for them. In the hands of trained, ethical professionals, closing techniques can be communication and decision-making aids. (Caution: Unscrupulous individuals can use these simple exercises to manipulate or mislead — care is essential!)
For instance, one closing technique involves reducing a small disputed difference in purchase price like $1500 to its cost per day over a year. In this case, $1500 is $4.11 a day. Compare that amount to common purchases like a cup of coffee to put the financial decision in perspective. Or, relating that dollar difference to the cost per month on the mortgage payment, rather than cash out of hand, may also help.
Resistance leads individuals to “I’d like to sleep on it” reactions. It’s not that they expect to win the Lottery overnight. This stress-related stall provides mental breathing room but unless issues are addressed, clear thinking does not automatically result. The problem is usually lack of confidence in decision making, not in the property.
Unfortunately, in real estate, delays can cost buyers a “dream” property or sellers a dream offer. Decisive buyers and sellers will snap up opportunities while others hesitate.
When experiencing resistance, ask yourself why you’re having this reaction to put these feelings in perspective. Often the bigger the decision or resulting change, the greater the resistance:
- What are you being asked to let go of or to release?
- What must you face in its place?
- How real are related fears?
- How real are perceived benefits of proceeding with the transaction?
Enlist the expertise of your real estate professional in assessing the true benefits and weaknesses of the decision to buy or sell a specific property. Question their responses. Ask for market statistics and analysis of area trends.
- Spend equal time and energy analyzing what is gained by not buying or selling the real estate in question. How special is this property anyway?
- How much of the hesitation is related to uncertainty in your personal life or relationship? Is this really the best time to buy or sell? Don’t just ask these questions. Get to work and decisively tease out answers.
Usually, this deep, clear thinking reveals the true value of benefits and gains in taking the plunge to buy or sell.
More than one experienced real estate professional has suggested the 51% rule can make sense when homes are involved. That is, “more sure” than “not sure,” with slight but exhilarating uncertainty regarding the adventure ahead. That’s real estate ownership.
Written by PJ Wade
Detach To Sell Your Home
Selling their home can feel like they’re cutting off their right arm for some sellers. They feel a sense of loss and go on an emotional ride that takes them plummeting into the uncertainty of a move and another new home. Even if there’s excitement building about the new place, leaving behind their home and its memories can cause some turmoil.
While having deep emotions about the home you lived in for a short or long time is normal, it can cause a lot of trouble if you unleash your emotions during the process of the marketing and sale of your home.
Telling sellers to detach to sell their home is like telling the kid whose cat has a litter to stay emotionally reserved from the kittens. Sellers are ready to take the leap into the new home, but you lived there, cared for it, and now you’re being told to detach from it. Families who have raised their children and watched many firsts happen in their home stay a little more connected. These are the sellers that often put a greater value on their home simply because they have a strong emotional attachment.
Selling a home is a business transaction. For buyers, it’s likely the largest financial commitment they will ever make. Understanding how to not get caught up in the emotional turmoil will help you keep your home as a real estate transaction, not an emotional roller coaster ride.
First, make sure you price your home based on comps of other homes sold in the area. Sounds sensible, but a lot of times emotions come into play causing sellers to overprice their home. Instead, turn to a reliable and expert real estate agent for advice and guidance. Pricing your home to sell is critical. Homes for sale usually get the most traffic in the first two weeks of being listed. If you price it too high, you’ll turn off potential buyers.
Aside from the emotional attachment they may have, the fact that they paid top dollar for it might make them want to price it too high. However, in today’s market, a home that was purchased at the peak might not fully recoup that price.
Give buyers space. There’s a term for parents who tend to over-parent. It’s called helicopter parenting — appropriately named because these parents hover over their children and essentially smother them. This could apply to sellers who tend to linger while buyers are viewing their home. This can make buyers uneasy and they might feel like they must cut short their visit to the home. They don’t feel comfortable talking openly about the things they like or don’t like about the home in the presence of the owners. The lesson here is don’t hover.
Consider all offers. There can be a tendency to turn away the initial offers because sellers think they might not be asking enough since the offers came in so quickly. Yes, it’s a catch-22. Sellers want to sell but when the early offers come they’re a bit uncertain. Be diligent and review all offers with your agent. You never know which one will be satisfactory until you see all of them.
Emotionally detach; remember, when you’re selling your home it’s just a product to a potential buyer. They will see the things you loved about your home, but they also will see the things they don’t love about it and they’ll share those things with their agent. They might criticize the very things you love. Here’s where you detach and let the criticism wash over you. If you need to repair something, do it. If it’s just a matter of opinion, don’t become emotionally caught up in it. This isn’t personal, it’s business. Sometimes that’s hard to remember because with real estate, the home we buy is going to be our personal sanctuary but at the time of the sale –it’s business. Keep the emotions out of it and detach to sell your home.
Written by Realty Times Staff
9 Silly Little Things That Could Be Sabotaging Your Home Sale
If your home is in pretty good shape (i.e. it’s decently updated and not in need of a total overhaul), you might think it’s ready to go on the market as is. But little things you wouldn’t expect can end up being deal breakers. And, when you’ve got competition, you need your home to stand out for all the right reasons. Give your home a good look and address the little things now before they become big problems when buyers are balking.
Cords hanging from your mounted TV
This is one of those things that tends to fade into the background in a home we live in every day. But don’t be surprised if new eyes go right to those dangling cords and wonder why you didn’t take the next step and hide them in the wall. Anything that makes a potential buyer question whether you cut corners or were lazy elsewhere could spell bad news for your home sale.
An unkempt yard
So, you had your landscapers out to clean out your flower beds, trim the bushes, plant colorful new blooms and mulch everything. And then, the night before a showing, a storm blew a whole mess of leaves into your yard. Grab that rake and make it a family affair out on the lawn at dawn. You know what they say about first impressions. Buyers likely won’t be forgiving of a messy lawn, and your house may stand out if they can see the effort made to clean it up when the neighbors’ yards are still 15-deep in leaves.
A dingy front door
Again with the first impressions. Your home may look great inside, but if the front door is chipped or faded, or the hardware is worn, your potential buyers may never get past it. This is an easy fix, and one that consistently rates high on the ROI scale.
Animals
While homebuyers in general may not mind if animals live in the home they are considering purchasing (unless there are severe allergy issues), they don’t want to see – and, especially, smell – evidence of them. You have probably gathered up and stowed away the overflowing box of toys and balls. But have you considered the smell? You might not notice it, but first-time visitors likely will.
You don’t have to rehome your pets; Use these tips from petMD to make your home smell pet-free.
Cobwebs
Even if you keep a pretty clean home, there may be areas that need attention, like ceiling fans or windowsills that are out of reach. You may not have a housekeeper on a regular basis, but doing a one-time, super deep clean before your home hits the market is a good way to make sure potential buyers don’t nitpick and find a reason to question the home’s condition.
Poor furniture arrangement
If you’re rolling your eyes at the idea that the way you have your living room laid out could make a difference in whether or not your home sells, remember back to when you saw the home for the first time. Were you picturing your own furniture in the space? That’s what real buyers do, and if they can’t picture how it will work because you have too much stuff in the space or it’s oddly configured – blocking a fireplace or doorway, for instance – you’re keeping them from doing the thing that could make them buy the home.
“Square footage is important to homebuyers, so when you’re selling a house it’s important to maximize the space to appear bigger and highlight each room’s dual functionality to enhance buyer appeal,” said U.S. News & World Report. “A home seller can do this by decluttering, lighting up the room and especially by having your furniture strategically placed to show off the square footage. The layout will determine the visual size and flow of the room.” You can learn more staging tips for arranging your furniture here.
Junk drawers and crammed cabinets
Buyers who are genuinely interested in your home are likely going to open everything and look everywhere. It’s not snooping (at least, we hope it’s not snooping!) – it’s an interest in how much storage there is in the home. You may be forgiven for one “junk drawer,” but the neater and cleaner you can make everything else, the better. You want people to see the space, not your stuff.
Overfilled closets
The need to showcase the space, not the stuff, goes double for closets. “Whether it’s a hallway coat closet or a master suite walk-in, your home’s closets will have a major big impact on prospective buyers,” said Apartment Therapy. “Box up off-season apparel – or better yet, donate it – and remove extra hangers so yours looks spacious and streamlined.”
Cluttered countertops
Eliminating, or at least cutting down on, clutter in your home is key to getting it sale-ready, and this is especially important in kitchens and bathrooms. While people may be impressed by your professional mixer and juicer, they’re much more interested in knowing they have ample countertop space for their own stuff.
Written by Jaymi Naciri
May 21, 2018
Improve Your Chances of Obtaining a Home Mortgage
Securing financing to purchase a new home is one of the most important, exciting, and nerve-wracking financial steps most people will ever take.
During the housing boom, mortgage requirements were relaxed to unsustainable levels, and it seemed just about anyone could approach a lender and walk away with financing. But in an effort to recover from a record increase in foreclosures and loan defaults, lenders became more stringent; loan applicants need to meet more demanding requirements to obtain a mortgage.
Does this mean that you won’t be able to get the financing you need? In a word, no. Here are a few tips to follow for a smoother path to home ownership.
Shore up your credit!
If there is one thing you can do to increase your chance of obtaining a mortgage loan, it is to take careful stock of your credit situation and address any issues that are lowering your credit score. The first thing to do is to order a copy of your credit record from all three major credit reporting agencies: TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. Look over this information carefully to make sure that all three agencies are aligned in their rating of your credit. If you see any errors, dispute them with the company in question. If your credit is too low to obtain an attractive interest rate on a mortgage (680 or higher is considered good; 720 will put your in very good position to secure financing), take a few months to increase it. One way to do this is to take out a credit card, use it to make regular purchases, and pay off the balance monthly.
Reduce your debt.
By paying down your debt, you will not only show a lender that you are a good risk for making regular payments, you will end up with fewer outstanding payments or accounts to factor into your debt-to-income ratio. Simply put, the fewer static payments you have on your financial record, the better. While it might not be feasible for you to pay off your car or student loans quickly, you should be sure that credit card and store balances are low or nonexistent.
Don’t splurge.
If you can put off making any large purchases until after your home sale has closed, do so. This isn’t the time to run out and buy a luxury car or take a lavish vacation. The rule of the day is to be conservative with your spending – meaning more cash in hand for that down payment and reserve cash in the bank to fall back on once you need to start making your monthly mortgage payments.
Save. Save more. And then save more.
The amount of money you have in the bank is going to be important when you need to prove to a lender that you can offer up a healthy down payment. While 20% down is the conventional rule of thumb, there are mortgages available that require less cash up front. Your loan officer can point you in the right direction to take advantage of any low- or no-cost down payment programs for which you might qualify. But wherever possible, add to your savings – more money in the bank can only help you qualify for a loan.
Stability is key.
Maintaining steady employment or income is an absolute must when you apply for a mortgage. This isn’t the time to try a new career path on a lark or risk taking a new position without a lot of job security. Lenders are going to want to see that you have a proven, stable source of income, that you make regular payments on your rent or existing mortgage, and that you seem like a good risk for financing.
Obtaining a mortgage loan may seem like a challenge, but with a little diligence, a little financial restraint, and the aid of an experienced loan officer, you’ll have all the tools you need to secure the financing you need. If you can prove your commitment to the cause, you’ll be on the path to home ownership in no time.
Written by Chip Poli
Maximize Your Listing Price While Minimizing Your Expense
It’s almost spring and in many parts of the country the housing market is already starting to thaw. Some markets like Denver, Seattle, and Portland are red hot. According to the S & P CoreLogic Case-Shiller National Index, prices nationwide are up 5.6 percent as of November 2016. Pricing your house correctly and increasing appeal with low-cost, high-value upgrades can mean more offers.
The Price is Right
There’s generally two schools of thought in regard to listing price. One philosophy is to list at top price and lower the price progressively until it sells. Sellers who choose this strategy are usually in less of a hurry and more risk averse. A second strategy is to list slightly under expected sales price. These sellers are usually trying to sell faster and hope to bring multiple offers, boosting the final selling price. The latter is, counterintuitively, the better strategy for getting the most money for your home. Here’s how to do it:
Price Under a Typical Search Limit
If you home is worth $400,000, set your listing price at $399,000. This way, you capture everyone who might be setting their search ranges at $400,000 or less. Like how products are priced at retail stores, psychologically, a price that ends with 99 appears to be a better value. Better yet, such that it deviates from both, such as $397,400 which studies have shown also increase the perception of value.
Create Demand
It might seem risky to underprice your home — what if your home is worth $400,000, you list for $375,000, and the offers all come in at only $375,000? First, that’s your home’s actual market worth. Two, if you receive offers you don’t like, you can counteroffer or decline them. Listing your home under value creates a psychological sense of urgency. You want buyers to visit your home and become attached enough to put in an offer. If enough people do this at once, you have created a buyer frenzy and increased your chance for multiple offers and escalated prices.
Use Comprehensive Comparables
Your agent should create a comparative market analysis of recently sold homes but also those currently active, expired and off-market. What is selling is as important as what is not. According to Zillow, ensure your home is priced within 10 percent of the average home price in your area. If there are few sold comparables nearby, price your home 10 percent under any currently active or expired listings.
Home Improvements Before Listing
There are many home improvements that might enhance your home’s value, such as putting in an expensive new kitchen or bath, but stick to the lowest cost for the highest possible value. Your goal is to make a positive first impression and sell your home quickly.
Replace Tired Flooring
If your carpet is more than five years old, has unsightly stains or is starting to buckle, it’s time to replace it. You can replace carpet with carpet but today’s buyers see more value in hard floors. Buyers with kids or pets tend to prefer engineered floors, bamboo, or cork for their sustainability. One continuous floor of the same material also creates the appearance that the home is bigger, creating an impression your home is worth more.
Paint, Paint, Paint
A coat of paint can cover scuff marks and dirt and brighten a room. Did you love flamingo pink for your hallway and forest green in your kitchen? That’s great! But chances are buyers won’t have your tastes so instead opt for neutral colors such as grays and earth tones when readying your home to sell.
Revitalize Your Kitchen
Fully remodeled kitchens are a great return on investment but don’t spend the money if you are looking to sell. Instead, paint them with Annie Sloan chalk paint. Chalk paint looks so good the buyers will barely be able to tell it’s not the original finish. For about $500 you can transform your kitchen in a weekend.
Written by Realty Times Staff
Five Things You Should Know About Home Inspections
If you’re hiring someone to inspect the home you want to buy, or you’re a seller trying to find out if there are any hidden problems that need fixing before you put your home on the market, here are five things you need to know:
1. You can choose your home inspector.
Your real estate professional can recommend an inspector, or you can find one on your own. Members of the National Association of Home Inspectors, Inc. (NAHI), must complete an approved home inspector training program, demonstrate experience and competence as a home inspector, complete a written exam, and adhere to the NAHI Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics.
2. Home inspections are intended to point out adverse conditions, not cosmetic flaws.
You should attend the inspection and follow the inspector throughout the inspection so you can learn what’s important and what’s not. No house is perfect and an inspection on any home is bound to uncover faults. A home inspector will point out conditions that need repair and/or potential safety-related concerns relating to the home. They won’t comment on cosmetic items if they don’t impair the integrity of the home. They also do not do destructive testing.
3. Home inspection reports include only the basics.
A home inspector considers hundreds of items during an average inspection. The home inspection should include the home’s exterior, steps, porches, decks, chimneys, roof, windows, and doors. Inside, they will look at attics, electrical components, plumbing, central heating and air conditioning, basement/crawlspaces, and garages.
They report on the working order of items such as faucets to see if they leak, or garage doors to see if they close properly. Inspectors may point out termite damage and suggest that you get a separate pest inspection. The final written report should be concise and easy to understand.
4. Home inspectors work for the party who is paying the fee.
The NAHI Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics clearly state that members act as an unbiased third party to the real estate transaction and “will discharge the Inspector’s duties with integrity and fidelity to the client.” A reputable home inspector will not conduct a home inspection or prepare a home inspection report if his or her fee is contingent on untruthful conclusions.
The inspector should maintain client confidentiality and keep all report findings private, unless required by court order. That means it is your choice whether or not to share the report with others. If you’re a seller, you don’t have to disclose the report to buyers, but you must disclose any failure in the systems or integrity of your home.
5. Inspectors are not responsible for the condition of the home.
Inspectors don’t go behind walls or under flooring, so it’s possible that a serious problem can be overlooked. Keep in mind that inspectors are not party to the sales transaction, so if you buy a home where an expensive problem surfaces after the sale, you won’t be able to make the inspector liable or get the inspector to pay for the damage. In fact, you may not be entitled to any compensation beyond the cost of the inspection.
As a buyer, you need the home inspection to decide if the home is in condition that you can tolerate. You can use the report to show the seller the need for a certain repair or negotiate a better price. You can also take the report to a contractor and use it to make repairs or to remodel a section of the home.
One thing you should not do when buying a home is skip having the home inspected because of cost or undue pressure by the seller. A home inspection is reasonable, it can save you money in the long run, and it’s required by many lenders, particularly for FHA loans. There’s a reason why buyers should beware, and a home inspection gives you the information you need to make a sound buying decision.
Written by Blanche Evans
Wondering What Your Home Is Worth? — Let me show you.
The Importance of Seller Disclosures
State and federal laws are strict in requiring sellers to tell what they know about the condition of their homes that isn’t obvious or discernable to potential buyers. Buyers can’t see behind walls or under houses, so they rely on truthful information from the seller about the operations, appliances and systems of the home.
When you sell your home, your real estate agent will present you with a federal and/or state-mandated disclosure form called a Real Estate Disclosure Statement, Property Condition Disclosure, or Condition Report. You’re required to disclose the presence of lead paint, radon, asbestos and other toxic products if you know your home has them.
While the forms may ask you to disclose whether or not you know there is lead paint or radon present, you aren’t required to do tests to determine the presence of toxic chemicals. But your buyer’s lender can always require proof of tests and/or remediation for any problem that has been disclosed, such as fire and water damage.
It’s important to answer every question as truthfully as you can. You must answer the questions yourself – your real estate professional can not fill out the disclosure for you, but he or she can help you understand what’s being asked of you. If you’re in doubt about what to disclose, such as a repair, it’s best to err on the side of too much information than not enough.
While disclosure forms allow you to check the “I don’t know” box, you should only do so if you truly don’t know the condition of that item. If you answer that you don’t know the condition of an appliance you use daily, such as a sink or bathtub, you might raise suspicions in the buyer.
The best way to feel confident about the condition of your home is to have it inspected by a licensed professional home inspector. Your real estate professional can recommend someone or provide you with a list. For a few hundred dollars and a few hours of your time, you’ll either find that your home is market-ready, or the inspector will bring a problem to your attention that you can fix.
When you disclose a problem to the buyer that has previously been fixed, be sure to provide a copy of work orders, receipts and invoices. If the problem hasn’t been fixed, expect the buyer to either ask you to fix it, or to offer a little less for the home.
Remember, the more that’s left unrepaired, the more the buyer will discount the offer, if he makes one at all. Homes in the best condition sell the best.
The seller’s disclosure is designed to do one thing — hold you and your real estate agent harmless if you’ve disclosed the truth about your property. You don’t want to give the buyer any room for complaint or litigation after the closing.
To get an idea of the types of questions you’ll be asked in a disclosure, you can find legal forms at FindLegalForms.com.
Don’t be afraid of the seller’s disclosure. It’s not meant to be a deal-killer, but a deal-maker. Many agents provide a copy of the disclosure to interested buyers, so they can get an idea of the home’s condition before they make an offer or have an inspection.
Written by Blanche Evans
Tips For Getting Your Home Sold In The Winter
So you’ve decided to list your home this winter. Perhaps you’ve had a job change, need to relocate out of the area, or have financial or family reasons for moving. No matter what is driving the move, you may be concerned about selling at this time of year. But just because you missed the boat on the spring selling season doesn’t mean you can’t get your home sold quickly, and for a profit. A few tips can help get it moving.
Take photos early… or late
If you can take photos before the trees become barren and the grass goes dormant, do so! The last thing you want is for your home to look blah and depressing in photos. If you can capture a snowy day (with perfectly scraped walkways, of course), that works, too. It never hurts to have your home looking like a winter wonderland.
Go easy on the holiday décor
“Deck the halls, but don’t go overboard,” said HGTV. “Homes often look their best during the holidays, but sellers should be careful not to overdo it on the decor. Adornments that are too large or too many can crowd your home and distract buyers. Also, avoid offending buyers by opting for general fall and winter decorations rather than items with religious themes.”
Always mind your curb appeal
Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you can let things slide out front. Potential buyers won’t give you a pass on chipping paint, a fence that needs repair, or a front door that’s seen better days just because it’s frigid outside.
Safety matters
Shoveling the walk from the street to your home is necessary to make it reachable, make it inviting, and also make it safe. The last thing you want is a slip and fall that could result in an injury, and a lawsuit. “Continually shovel a path through the snow, especially if snowflakes are still falling,” said the balance. “Footprints on freshly fallen snow will turn to ice if the temperature is low enough, so scrape the walk. Sprinkle a layer of sand over the sidewalk and steps to ensure your buyers’ stable footing. Remember to open a path from the street to the sidewalk so visitors aren’t forced to crawl over snowdrifts.”
Get a good indoor mat
Perhaps you never use a mat for indoors or yours is grubby or tattered from 10 straight years of winter wear. This one super easy move may not be noticed by visitors – but it sure will if it’s missing or not in good shape. Little things like a $10 mat can give buyers the impression that your whole house is well cared for, or just the opposite.
Clear the front door clutter
If you live in a climate where there is likely to be snow or rain, there are a few more steps you’ll probably have to take in order to keep your house looking great inside. How does your coat closet look? If it’s stuffed with jackets, scarves, boots, and gloves, relocating some to make room for potential buyers to put their stuff away while touring your home is a good idea – plus, a tidy coat closet gives the impression that there is plenty of storage space in the home. It goes without saying that winter wear and shoes that tend to stack up in the entry should be banished while your house is on the market.
Make sure everything is functional
Imagine you live in a climate that stays relatively temperate year-round, and then you have a cold spell. You turn on the heater for the first time the night before your first showing, and…nothing. Same for the fireplace in the living room. Your freezing cold house is probably not going to make a great impression on buyers. As soon as you decide you’re going to sell your home, go through it room by room, checking all major appliances and home functions and looking for little things that may escape notice on an everyday basis – cracked light switches, chipped baseboards, light bulbs that need to be replaced – so your home is perfect for showings.
Light it up
Shorter days with earlier sunsets limit the amount of natural light in your home. Turning on all the lights before showings is more important than ever. Think about the exterior when it comes to lights, too. If you only have a porch light, you might want to consider adding some landscaping lighting, which will help accentuate your outdoor space.
Listen to your REALTOR® when it comes to price
Will you be able to command top dollar for your home and get the same price you would have had you listed in spring or summer? That depends on so many things, including your neighborhood, the available inventory, the condition of the home, and, of course, your listing price. A trusted real estate agent will take all mitigating factors into consideration and use comparables in your area to develop a pricing strategy.
When it comes to offers, remember this tidbit from Realtor.com: “Just because your home’s on the market during the slow, chilly months doesn’t mean you have to accept a lowball offer. If you make your home attractive in all the right ways, qualified buyers will come.”
Written by Jaymi Naciri
