Seller's Resources
What an Agent Can Do for You
- Help you set the listing price
-Starting with a good price is the first step for a successful sale. The agent can help determine the asking price by looking at comparable homes in the area. - Make suggestions on repairs and renovations
-An agent knows what buyers look for when they tour a home. An agent can turn an objective eye on your home and tell you what problems stick out and what changes you should consider making. - Screen Potential Buyers
-An agent can help screen buyers to help determine which buyers are really interested. - Help qualify buyers
-You want buyers who are really looking for a home, and you also want buyers who can afford your home. An agent can financially prequalify the buyers to be sure they can afford your home. - Market the home
-An agent will add your home information to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), a computerized collection of all listed homes. Other agents use this service to find matches to their buyers. - Handle negotiations
-A good agent should be an adept negotiator and can keep the deal alive. Your agent has the resources to show the buyer the true market value of your home. - Oversee the closing process
-An agent can help you manage the final hurdles up to and including the closing. The agent can also help spot any red flags and resolve any glitches that pop up.
Should You Remodel?
- Don't get carried away
-The most cost-effective improvements are to the kitchen or bathroom. For instance, if you convert a one-bathroom home into a one-and-a-half bathroom home, you'll expand your market of possible buyers. It's better to leave the extensive remodeling to the buyer.
-Be sure to "undecorate" your home. You want the buyer to focus on the home, not on the way you've decorated it. Remember, you aren't striving for a home that looks lived in, but one that looks ready to be lived in.
Cleaning Up
- Hire professional cleaners to do the initial, thorough scrub down.
-Cleaning your home in preparation for selling it is an ongoing process. This will ensure that the home is in tip-top condition. If a home looks well-kept and clean, buyers are more apt to think it also has been well-maintained. - What repairs should you make?
-As you review the repairs on your list, first decide which ones really need to be made. If you notice, for instance, that the roof needs to be repaired, you can choose to have it repaired and pay for the new roof. Or you may note that the roof needs to be repaired and then price the home accordingly. You should submit this estimate with your disclosure statement. This way, the buyers will know that you are being up front about the problem if you acknowledge it right away instead of later when the problem turns up during inspection.
Collecting Information
(the buyer will be interested not only in how the home looks, but also in the maintenance and upkeep of the home.) Collect the following information:
- Property tax statements
- Utility bills
- Warranties
- Maintenance information
The Closing
(The closing may be held at the title company, attorney's office, escrow company, lending institution, or county courthouse, depending on local custom).
-Most of the preclosing work falls to the buyers. The buyers usually have to obtain financing, get insurance, and meet any other requirements of the lender. The buyers will also schedule a home inspection sometime before closing.
-There are a few important things that you will need to do at closing. Usually a termite inspection will be required. Most lenders will not approve the loan unless this inspection has been done.
-You may also need to have a title search done on the home. This is a search of the ownership history of the home, and will uncover any outstanding claims against the property.
-An escrow agent, title agent or attorney will need to be hired to help handle the closing. They will make sure that all documents are signed and that everything is in order for the sale to happen. Your agent will most likely be able to recommend someone to you.
Closing Forms
We have created a Closing form for Sellers. It is a easy to use check list to make sure that you have every thing that you need at the Closing table. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print these files it is available for free download at adobe.com.