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questions about selling a home
well we're just about done with the interior of our house and have decided to sell. To much city life to last us a lifetime.
anyway I'll give you a rundown of what we've got left to do and as a few questions. We've got a place configured for a dishwasher but haven't put one in (haven't been able to afford it) thats it inside. Outside we still need to repaint the window trim/overhangs, etc. fix a few boards on the porch floor, and maybe strip and repaint the garage. Of course we've got a bit of yard work to do (nothing major just picking up junk and trimming, Maybe a days work. We're thinking were going to finish the inside, clean up the yard and put the for sale sign up. We can continue doing the outside stuff as we go along, or if it comes down to it discount the price a bit to cover it. Any other items I should consider? I figure we'll need a real estate attorney when we find a buyer, but thats $500 well spent (compared to 6-7% for a agent). I've got to get some pictures together and make a listing. I'll post it on barter board once I do. Thanks, Don |
we just sold our old house and learned a lot in the process. We repainted the trim outside and pressure washed the rest of it. Make sure to repair any trim or siding or screens or whatever and touch up the paint there. We didn't do much more than clean the yard really well. We considered mulching the flower beds but didn't. Sounds like you got it covered. Mostly just be sure to do all the little repairs that add up. We got hit with a $3600 repair bill to close the deal. That includes a whole new roof though.
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Instead of buying an inexpense dishwasher to throw into that hole, give the buyers a $150 "allowance". It has been shown that sellers who would throw in a low-end appliance just to fill up the hole would do that for naght because the buyers would replace it immediately with a higher end model. So instead of going through the trouble, just take it off the sale price.
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It sounds like you're doing everything you need to do. FWIW, when I sold my house, I had 3 dogs and 2 cats living inside. Every person who viewed the house was absolutely surprised because there was no odour or indication that we had animals. I made sure that I vaccuumed right before anyone showed up, used 'febreeze' and of course, made sure the litter boxes were freshly cleaned. :)
In a market where my style of house was hard to sell (2 storey in a 'retirement' community), it sold in 2 weeks. Good luck :) |
I'd get the trim painted before you put the for sale sign up. First appearance is *everything*, and the paint is one of the first things people will see when they drive by.
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Put in a good dishwasher. A house without a dishwasher is a house without a dishwasher. Most people want to move right in.
If you don't have flowers near the front and BACK doors, put some in, even if you just use pots. They will have the same attractive factor as fresh paint, what they call curb appeal. And, yes, paint the trim. Every week that you don't sell, add another pot of flowers. Keep a vase of fresh flowers on at least one table. You can have a "For Sale by Owner" sign made for you by a print shop. Also get one of those tube things that you can place flyers into. The flyers should have your address prominently at the top and a photo of the front of the house, so they can remember which house it was. List all pertinent information, just as an agent would: square footage, number of bedrooms and baths, foundation, type of heat, any new things or updates within the past ten years, and the school district. Advertise online. We are in the process of selling my mother's condo unit and were told that 90% of buyers look online. The other 10% go directly to an agent. Yahoo is $50, but many others are free. You'll want a photo of the front, the kitchen, living room, dining room if you got one. |
My advice would be to do anything to make it look, sound and smell inviting. Fresh paint, vanilla or cinnamon simmering on the stove, or if you know someone's coming, bread baking. No artificial smells!
Flowers are great, any landcaping outside you can do, make sure it's NEAT! Nothing worse than clutter when trying to sell. I wouldn't find the lack of a dishwasher important at all. When I look at a house, I want to see that it's spotlessly maintained. To me, clutter represents lack of caring (doesn't mean it's SO, but that's how I see it when out home shopping). A well kept home and yard inspires confidence in the buyer. Okay, I've made my point, I can't handle clutter. :p Then there's the inside of our RV... What will the buyer hear when they come see your house? You can't do much about the outside, but you might play some very soft background music, (not country, rock, etc, stick to something natural and peaceful sounding). Front door... stands out more than anything. Make it look great! Inside, have as little as possible on your counters. Make your closets organized. Pick up any toys, stacks.. anything not absolutely necessary. Make sure you use whatever lighting makes the rooms look their best. Yes... I was a broker in my past life. :p The Wandering Quilter's Life in a Box! |
I sold real estate part time for several years (with C21). All of the suggestions above are great! New paint makes a big difference and I like the suggestion about clearing out the clutter. Get plenty of air fresheners, have the yard looking immaculate.
Are you going to get an appraisal? If not, you might consider getting a broker's price opinion (BPO). They'll usually charge around $100. You might print some info on the house (heated sq ft, amenities, photos, and asking price and put it in a box or tube attached to the sign in the yard). Most houses are sold because of signs in the yard... Good luck! |
You might do a few things lenders look at when they come through. Make sure the soil around your foundation is properly graded. If you have a basement make sure you have a handrail going down to the basement and that it is firmly attached. Make sure your outlets are all grounded. Make sure your guttering is cleaned out and attached to the house with the downspouts working properly. Those are a few things I know appraisers and lenders look at when you get a contract. Easier to get them done ahead of time and not stall the sale. We have owned a couple of houses and I know these from experience! :)
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Do not sign a contract with any ANY contingencies, except the mortgage rate on the buyers loan that is pre-approved. Do not sign a contract without pre-approval of the loan for the buyers. Do NOT sign a contract with a "home inspection" as a requirement. Do NOT sign a contract with any mediation where you must abide by the results of the mediation. Be real clear you understand that part.
An appraisal for the loan is OK. Normal. You can keep working on the house because it is your house. But sell it AS IS at the time of the signing of the contract. Just my 20cents - inflation you know...... S |
looks are everything
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If you can't get all the painting done - at least make it look like you are in the process of doing it - ladder against the side and buckets around, etc..... Get the lawn cleaned up and neatly mowed. Are you trying to make a quick sale or make as much as possible on the sale? The two don't always go together. |
Curb appeal is a BIG deal in our opinion,it makes the difference between a buyer stopping and taking a look inside and simply driving by.
We have been in the (LONG)process of getting this stupid house ready to put on the market and have been doing a lot outside to make it 'look appealing'. Once the would be buyer is IN the door you have won part of the battle and they might be willing to overlook other less appealing aspects of your home. We have low(8') ceilings so we are trying our best to divert buyers attentions elsewhere... Make the faults of your home be less obvious and show up all the good elements. |
When I was a realtor, I would not do any advertising on a new listing until the house was in move in condition. My sellers knew this & did it. Pack all clutter & stack the boxes neatly in the garage - that shows the buyers you are ready to move. Why do you think there's all those shows on "staging" houses to sell??
First impressions are so important. It's the realtor's job to get a prospective buyer inside the home if he doesn't like the outside, but it still needs to be presentable & eye catching. Water & mow the lawn on fridays - this makes it neat & clean for the week end & doesn't scream - this yard takes work to maintain. Always ask yourself what is the message I am giving the prospective buyer? If you think you have "time" to do all the inside work while it's listed for sale - you aren't prepared to sell. I've had houses sell in 24 hours. I believe in part due to the preparation before hand. Put the dishwasher on a credit card. Pay it off as soon as the house sells. Attorneys do not sell real estate. If you sell it your self, make sure you know what you are doing. If it's not selling, a realtor can get it on multiple listing - Oh, all commissions are negotiable - if one company says no, go on to the next. It's called price fixing & is illegal. Contrary to what another poster stated, Some contingencies are OK. If a contract wants a home inspection, do it. If you don't, the buyer will think you have something to hide & walk away. No inspection & something "wrong" turns up, it can turn into a law suit. The inspection is also a protection for you. Anything that is found that needs to be done becomes part of the negotiations. Selling it "as is" also is a red flag to a buyer, unless of course, it's a fixer upper. It doesn't sound like yours is. Good luck. |
When we sold our last home ourselves, a realtor told us to make sure all the lights were on and all the ceiling fans were going when we were showing the house to prospective buyers.
Make it spotless (even inside the ovens). Get rid of all the clutter. YES paint the trim before putting up the "For Sale" sign. |
dupe
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thank you for all the advice. It is a fixer-up.. about 95% complete though. I'm ready to get out of here, not in such a hurry I'd take a huge cut in price but fairly flexible.
I've been working on what I want to put in the listing. I've also got some questions I'll ask later (about things you guys have posted) but in a hurry right now so I'll just post what I've got so far (no pics yet, going to get the yard in order first). [address removed for privacy] $75,000 Insert pic here Year built: 1896 Square Footage: 1128 Rooms: 7 Bedrooms: 2 with optional 3rd Bath: 1 Lot size: 50 x 150 UTILITIES Electric – Gas – Water - Sewer ROOM SIZES Living Room: 13’ x 13’ Bedroom 1: 13’ x 13’ Bedroom 2: 11’ x 13’ Dining Room/3rd Bedroom: 11’ x 13’ Bath: 5’ x 8’ Kitchen: 11’9” x 15’ 5” Pantry: 3’6” x 4’2” Laundry: 6’4” x 13’3” SPECIAL FEATURES • Narrow plank oak flooring in living, dining, and bedrooms. • 7’9” x 6’ French doors with beveled glass • Fenced back yard – chain link. • Over 1000 sq ft fenced garden area. • Included in the sale are a gas range, refrigerator, chest freezer, and washer/dryer set. RECENT UPDATES • Electrical service upgraded to 200A. • New electrical wiring throughout the house. • Power to the garage. • Ceiling fans in most used rooms • Complete remodel ~95% complete. We can be reached at [number removed for privacy] for specific questions or to schedule a viewing. |
We sold a home ourselves and found that it is very nice to have an agent between you and the buyers if things get sticky. Those buyers were doing their best to get the price down after the purchase agreement was signed and it was rather unpleasant, but without an agent we had to deal directly with them. They had seemed perfectly reasonable folks at first. The last house we sold we did use an agent but one that would use all the internet sites she or I knew of - many would only post on their comapny site. Also negotiated the commission fee.
Also clear out your closets and have a garage sale - letting folks who attend know the house will be for sale might get you a prospect or two. But having your cupboards and closets cleared out helps them look bigger and people can imagine their own stuff there. Good luck and hope you have a quick offer and sale. |
I disagree about the home inspection. I would never buy a piece of property without a professional inspection, it's worth every penny. What you want is a date that the buyers must get back to you with an acceptance or counter offer. After that date, their offer is off the table. A few days. You might also want to require them to be preapproved for a loan so you aren't tied up waiting for the bank to approve them.
I did attract buyers by having a garage sale. If your community has a city wide garage sale weekend, this would be a great time to have yours as there will be more people out looking. And, if you have to rent storage space to stash all your junk, do it. |
yes a storage locker is in our future :shrug:
Is there a place online that has the documents I will need for the sale? I have no idea what to even look for. |
I think you can get the documents at an office supply store.
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I looked over what you wanted to put in your flyer. If I may suggest: A room is not considered a bedroom unless it has a closet. I would emphasize all the special features that make your home Special. Chain link is not special -a fenced yard is. Leave out chain link. No need to put in bath size.
The main idea of a flyer is to gain people's interest, & get them inside, not to disclose all details or put in anything that may be a potential turnoff before they see the home. Pictures are good, especially something of interest, everyone usually puts in the front, but if you have a great view or something else that's special use that as a pix. I always liked floor plans. It really made me think Sold when I'd see a flyer where the buyer had drawn in their furniture. Keep it simple. If you put room sizes in, (I wouldn't) make sure they are exact as anything is a potential lawsuit. Many rooms are an inch off on one side. Let the buyer ask, then say approximately. If you live in a good school district, put that in. Close to bus stop, etc. Think: who is your prospective buyer... Good luck. |
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I just found housevalues.com. So we'll see what house of this type in this are are selling for. See if I've got it set to high or not. It's an exciting time. Just want it gone.. lol We're going to be weeding and mulching as well as pruning and tying up roses this weekend. Funny how when you're preparing to sell you seem to get all those things done that you been meaning to for years :) |
Thank you pcdreams. Sometimes I think I say too much. PM me if you wish..
Yes, it is an exciting time. |
I disagree about home inspections. The newest "home inspections" are to force the seller to do cosmetic stuff. they are not the same as an appraisal. The appraisal will insure that the water spigots work, construction is proper, no undermined foundation, all the important stuff such as the furnace works. Friends of ours across the street allowed the "home inspection" and they had to replace the furnace, NOT BECAUSE IT WAS FAULTY IN ANY WAY BUT JUST BECAUSE IT WAS OLDER THAN 5 YEARS !!!! Do yo really want this.??? The home inspectors did not like the look of the garage door, and forced them to replace it !!!!!
I also saw on HGTV a half hour segment on "home inspections" and it is recommended that you get your OWN "home inpection" first if you want to go that route, so the purchasers cannot force you to do a ton of stuff that is just not necessary. I would NEVER submit to that home inspection, because I iknow the house is in extremely good working order, and because all existing houses should be sold as is. We have a 2,000 carpet allowance on our sale price and we have a disclaimer for the dishwasher. I will NOT pick out someone elses' diswasher. S. |
Sorry folks, I am hot on this subject at the moment - I have been thru 8 months of hell showing and trying to sell this house in a neighborhood that is hot but being rapidly built up wiht new homes. Ours is a 60's model.
The stuff in and on the houses that are new and 250,000- to 400,000 is KRAP. You can hear water running under them !!!!!! The other thing about selling - we made the mistake of accepting a contract with a 100. deposit. Stupid. We had to agree to disolve the contract because the man got cold feet, we could have forced it but it would have been the nightmare of our lives. Next contract will have a minimum of 500. deposit, not refundable. These grown people - adults - need to realize and learn that a contract is a serious thing. The down payment should in all reality be the amount of the real estate representative's commission. Why this piddly amount has come about to be the popular thing is beyond me. And the home "inspection" is just another gimmick by realtors and buyers to get more for the money. S. |
sapphira: I'm sorry that you are having such trouble. Maybe you need a different realtor. (?) You know that your home is in good condition, the buyer doesn't. If I were your realtor, I'd have you replace the carpeting. If you say it'll take $2000. to recarpet, the buyer will think $5000. Put down less expensive carpeting with an upgraded pad. Neutral color. Replace the dishwasher. If your competition is new homes, yours has to look like "move in condition" to compete. Re-evaluate why it's been on the market for 8 months.
I believe you are getting some incorrect information. Appraisers do not go into homes to see what is/is not working. They are nationally certified, so you can go on-line to see what composes an appraisal. I recently sold a home & had a home inspection requested by the buyer. There was a leak in the roof that the inspector missed, and I didn't know about as the property had been vacant for a while. The buyers found it a few months after the sale closed. They wanted me to replace the whole roof!! My reply was it was Your home inspector that did not find this, you signed off on it. They eventually went away... My son bought a rental. If he had had a home inspection, the hole in the ductwork in the attic would have been found before he paid a huge air conditioning bill & the cost of having it repaired. The seller does not have to do ANYTHING that is recommended in the home inspection. What it does, is let the home owner know what is mechanically wrong with the property. Sellers choice to fix it or not. If not, the buyer has his choice to lower his offering price to cover costs of getting it fixed. Selling your home is hard. You have to detatch emotionally & become objective. |
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for instance. When my wife and I both worked full time. We had enough to pay the mortage, utilities, gas, food but that was it. |
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