Real Estate Tips

Preparing your home for showing:

You’ve made the decision to sell, and have signed all the necessary paperwork to be represented by HomeSmart. There are several ways to make your house more saleable, an in turn, receive a top dollar offer. Here are some basic tips for preparing your home for showing:

1. 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.
2. Make sure your front patio and door are fresh and clean looking. Sweep area and repaint front door if necessary.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Make sure the house smells fresh and clean. Open a few windows (if weather permits), clean carpeting and drapes to eliminate odors, and consider soft candles or air fresheners to give an inviting scent.
6. 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, your HomeSmart agent may share additional ideas that will help you prepare for showing.

Remember...it's a Smart Move with HomeSmart!

Is the Buyer Qualified:

Unless the buyer who makes an offer on your home has the resources to qualify for a mortgage, you may not really have a sale. As a general rule, buyer's speak with a lender before looking at property in order to determine what they can afford. When your HomeSmart agent presents an offer to you, it will most likely be accompanied by some sort of letter or pre-approval form signed by their Lender.

Should you decide to accept an offer from this buyer, and the house goes into escrow; your HomeSmart agent will speak with the lender in order to confirm that the mortgage can be obtained under the terms of the purchase contract. Here are some important questions that your HomeSmart agent will ask the Lender:

1. Does the Buyer have enough credit to qualify?
2. Does the Buyer’s debt-to-income ratio allow them to qualify for this mortgage?
3. Does the Buyer have enough money to pay for the closing costs and down payment?

Once these questions have been answered, you can move forward with the closing process, knowing that the Buyer will most likely be prepared with a mortgage at the close of escrow.

Remember...it's a Smart Move with HomeSmart!

What you’ll net at escrow:

When your HomeSmart agent receives an offer to purchase your home, they will help you to determine what you’ll net at the close of escrow. In order to do this, they will look over the terms of the contract, as well as ownership information, such as your mortgage payoff, and insurance and/or tax prorations. 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
• Escrow Fees
• Title Policy Fees
• Home Warranty
• Attorney Fees
• Survey Charge
• Septic / Well Certification
• Brokerage Commissions
• Seller Contribution

Your HomeSmart agent will review these costs with you, and determine approximately what you can expect to net at closing.

Remember...it's a Smart Move with HomeSmart!

Inspections to Expect:

When your home is under contract, the buyer has a period of time in which he or she may inspect your home. Some inspections to expect are:

• A home inspections performed by a certified home inspector
• A wood destroying organism inspection
• If applicable, a survey, septic and/or well inspection. 

Although there are many other types of inspections available to buyers, these are generally the most common.

Some of the items typically investigated during a home inspection are:

• Appliances
• Plumbing
• Electrical
• Heating and cooling systems
• Structure
• Foundation
• Roof and attic. 

If any of the following are areas of concern, the buyer may ask the inspector to address concerns regarding indoor air quality, expansive soil conditions, previous fire or fold, pests and mold.

Prior to closing, the buyer will conduct another “inspection”, usually referred toas the final walk-thorough. This is where they will confirm that any repairs agreed upon have been completed and that the home is in the same condition as when the offer was written.

Remember…it’s a Smart Move with HomeSmart!

Preparing for your move:

Preparing for your move to your new home can seem intimidating. There is always something that is forgotten, but generally with some planning, the move will go smoothly.

As you begin to pack, remember to start gathering boxes and packing materials such as markers, packing tape and twine. Label the contents of each box you pack and number them. Keep a list handy of what is in each box in case you need o find something. It is a good idea to keep toiletries, cleaning supplies, snacks and water handy throughout your packing day.

You’ll want to contact the utility companies to disconnect your current service and to establish service at the new property. Don’t forget to request that any deposits you may have provided either be refunded or transferred. Electric, Water, Gas Phone and Cable are the most frequently contacted, however, there may be additional services that you need to connect at the property.

If you have children or pets, you may want to arrange for someone you trust to watch them on the day of the move. Sometimes moving day can be stressful for them. Make sure to include your children prior to the actual move, and talk to them about where they’ll want to place all their things in their new room.

Place all of your legal, financial and insurance records in a safe place. You may want to consider taking them with you personally rather than with the movers. It is also a good idea to back up important files from your computer onto a CD or back-up drive.

Verify the date of your move with the moving company you have selected or with your friends and family if they are helping you move. You can create a list of where each box or piece of furniture should be placed so whoever is helping with the move can follow your instructions.

Moving day can be stressful, but is still exciting! At HomeSmart, we strive to provide our clients with as much information and assistance as possible to make the process easier for you.

Remember...it's a Smart Move with HomeSmart!