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  • How to Get Your House Ready to Sell

    How to Get Your House Ready to Sell

    It is time to sell!

    Whether you think the market is right or you simply need to relocate, or you just got that amazing news that your family is growing and you need to increase your square footage, you are ready to sell your house. 

    It seems simple enough. You’ve decided to sell. You think your house should sell quickly and painlessly, but as you start combing through the lists of realtors online or in your phone book (if you’re old school), you start to wonder, “Wait a minute, how do I get my house ready to sell?”

    In this article, we’re going to cover a variety of techniques that will help you prepare your house for its sale. Please note that there is no “One size fits all” process for getting your house ready. Each home is unique and each family is unique. You’ll need to consider the age of your home, the condition it’s in, and the neighborhood you live in to help you accurately assess the steps you need to take. 

    However, when it’s all said and done, no matter whether you’d like to list your house in a week, a month, or just as soon as possible, the following steps can help you get your house in peak condition for its sale. 

    How to get your house ready to sell fast? 

    If you do a general Google search, you’ll most likely find this article by HGTV {Click Here} where they lay out a list of ten necessary steps that you need to complete before listing your home. These cover the basics from decluttering, improving your landscaping, keeping a clean house, and removing foul odors that might make potential buyers (literally) turn up their noses at your house. 

    But let’s dig a little deeper and start from the beginning. And, for simplicity’s sake, let’s assume that you’ve never sold a house before. This is all new to you and honestly, you had no idea that there were “steps needed” to get your house ready for a sale. 

    Step One – Do your research

    Make sure that you have a general understanding of where the real estate market currently stands and how fast (or slow) houses are selling in your neighborhood. 

    Step Two – Compare your property

    Be honest with yourself. How does your house compare to the other houses in the neighborhood? Do you stand far apart from the other houses – either for better or for worse? Consider this as you move forward. 

    Step Three – Declutter and then Declutter again!

    This is one of the most powerful moves you can make to speed up the sale of your house. Potential buyers want to imagine themselves in your house and seeing your furniture, knick knacks, and family pictures everywhere really makes that difficult. You can rent out a storage unit, utilize your storage spaces, etc. But getting that clutter and decor out of there will really help. 

    Step Four – Are there any projects you need to complete to improve your home? 

    Are some rooms looking a little run down? Consider painting, touching up trim, replacing burnt out lightbulbs, etc. If you have huge projects that could affect the sale of your home, a realtor will let you know. (Such as a toilet that doesn’t work, horrendously dirty and stained carpet, etc)

    Step Five – Deep Clean Your House!

    Now that your home projects are completed, it’s time to clean your house! If you have extra money and want to hire a cleaning service, this will save you time and effort. Bring them in for a one time super deep clean of your entire house. That will make it easier for you to maintain throughout the house showings and open houses. Getting rid of the cobwebs, dust bunnies, and any grease or grime will go a long way in making your home look enticing to potential buyers. 

    Step Six – Contact your realtor for a once over. 

    Consider your realtor your best resource throughout this process. They’ve (hopefully) sold a lot of houses and have a good idea of what sells a house and what isn’t necessary. Bring them in to take a look before they schedule a photographer to take pictures of your home. They’ll give you a final checklist if there’s anything else you need to complete prior to listing your home. 

    Step Seven – Listen to the feedback you get from home showings. 

    You may not always get feedback, but a lot of realtors communicate between one another. Your realtor will most likely get a courtesy follow up from the realtor who toured your home with your potential buyers. If there were complaints, they’ll let you know and you can consider whether or not that’s something you should address before another home showing. 

    Now, let’s speed up the process a bit!

    How to get your house ready to sell in 30 days!

    You’ve got 30 days to get your house ready to sell. Maybe you have to relocate within the month, you’ve got a baby who’s due any day, or you’re already under contract on another house and you need to get yours sold as quickly as possible. 

    How can we streamline the above task list and make it a little easier to accomplish in a quick fashion? Well, let’s start at the beginning again.

    Step One – Quick Research

    Take an hour or so to do some quick research, or maybe just contact your realtor to fill in any blanks about the real estate market and your neighborhood. 

    Step Two – Declutter

    Get as much as you can out of sight. You could put it in the attic or stack it in your garage, but try to remove as much as you can. 

    Step Three – Deep Clean Your House!

    You still need to thoroughly complete this task – especially if you don’t have time to give your house a full on facelift. Hire a cleaning team to come in to really save on time. You could use the time you save to finish your research, finalize documents with your realtor, etc. 

    Step Four – Contact your realtor for a once over

    They’ll be doing this anyway, so there’s no need to skip. Lean on their feedback and tackle any suggestions they make to the best of your abilities within this 30 day period. 

    Step Five – Listen to the feedback you get from home showings.

    Tackle what you can as you can based on the feedback you receive. Funny smell coming from the bathroom? Clean again and consider some tabs for the toilet, or run some vinegar and baking soda through your drain with a kettle of boiling water. Do your best to keep the house clean – even if it’s just on a superficial level. 

    How to get your house ready to sell in a week!

    You want to list your house THIS WEEK? Roll up your sleeves, crank up the music, and get ready to put in full sixteen hour days in your home!

    Step One – Declutter

    Tidy up as much as you can and pack as much as you can within that week – like you would for an Air BNB. Try to remove personalized items if nothing else and make each room look as attractive as possible. 

    Step Two – Deep Clean Your House!

    You’re probably not going to get a cleaning in here on such short notice, but you can try. If not, rely on a Google Search for a deep clean checklist, like the one Here. Sweep, mop, dust, sanitize, and vacuum. Get it all as clean as you can. 

    Step Three – Contact your realtor for a once over. 

    You won’t have time for projects, but they may give you some items to work on while you’re still showing the house. Do what you can. 

    Step Four – Listen to the feedback you get from home showings. 

    Continue to clean and declutter between home showings. If there is some huge negative item that you keep hearing about from home showings, take a day off to fully tackle that project. 

    Final Thoughts about your “How to Get Your House Ready to Sell” Checklist

    Each home is unique. There’s a good chance that as you’re reading this article, you already have a good idea of what projects you need to tackle before listing your house on the MLS. While it’s easy to get overwhelmed, know that you can literally accomplish anything by simply tackling one small project at a time. Knock out the smaller and quicker projects first – give yourself a win. That will give you the motivation and energy you need to keep moving forward. 

    Trust us, we know that it seems like a lot, but the more time you have to prepare your home prior to listing it, the easier time you’re going to have going under contract and closing on your home. This allows you to move, carefree, into your new home and on to your next adventure!

    Best of luck to you in your real estate journey!

  • How Long does it take to Sell Your House?

    How Long does it take to Sell Your House?

    You are ready to sell your house! Now what? 

    You’ve been weighing the pros and cons, looking around to see what types of houses fit into your new budget, and feel that now, at the beginning of 2020, is the perfect time for you to give yourself and/or your family a nice change of scenery!

    Maybe it’s time for an upgrade. Maybe your family is expanding and you need some extra room. Maybe you’re having to relocate due to new employment. Maybe you recently inherited a house that you have no desire to move into. Maybe you’re tired of being a landlord and are ready to sell that house that you’ve been renting out for the past several years. 

    There are a number of reasons you might have decided that it’s time for a change. You already know that there are some things that have to be done before you sell your house, especially if you want the process to go smoothly. If you’re a little ahead of the curve, you might already know what some of the houses in your neighborhood have sold for and how long it took them to sell, and you might even know whether you’re in a highly sought after neighborhood or not and how the current housing market is sitting in your area. You might even have a good idea of what the value of your house is – maybe you went ahead and had an evaluation just to ensure that now really is a good time for you to sell. 

    With all that in mind, you do your due diligence,  feeling pretty confident as you tidy up your home, polish out a few of the blemishes that might discourage buyers, and improve your curb appeal. Then you contact a real estate agent or two, (or three), pick one to move forward with, sign all the necessary paperwork, and get that sign posted in front of your house. You may have even already done some house hunting of your own and found the perfect house for you and/or your family to move into. All that’s left is to get the right buyer in the door and close on that house that you are so ready to be done with. But, that begs the very important question: 

    How Long Does it Take for a House to Sell? 

    According to Realtor.com, “the median home spends 65 days on the market” and that’s from the moment it’s entered onto the MLS until the moment you sign the paperwork and the chosen title company hands the keys over to the new owner. But that number is taking into account every city in every state across America. The market varies from city to city and from year to year. 

    In this article, we’re going to break down the necessary steps that every homeowner goes through when selling their home. This may give you a better idea of exactly how long it will take you to sell a house in 2020. 

    Here are the most common steps you’ll take when selling your home: 

    1. Choose a listing agent

    2. Get your home ready to sell

    3. Market your home

    4. Show your home

    5. Review offers

    6. Counter and/or Accept offer

    7. Go under contract

    8. Schedule an appraisal and home inspection

    9. Deliver seller disclosures and other paperwork

    10. Negotiate requests for repair after inspection report is filed

    11. Sign title and other documents

    12. Close

    Obviously some of those steps are going to take longer than others. Once you go under contract, a closing date is typically set anywhere from 30-60 days depending on the buyer’s preferred time frame. If you have a buyer wanting to speed up the process, that can help, but often you’ll be waiting at least 30 days for the official closing on your house. 

    Generally speaking, the longest of these steps are going to be marketing and showing your home, and then waiting for your closing date. These are steps that you don’t really have much control over. In some cases your perfect buyer is going to be the first person to walk through your front door. In other cases, it might be the twenty-fifth person, or the thirtieth. And once you find your buyer, they may need a little extra time prior to closing to get their own household in order, or they might be pushing you to move faster than you’re comfortable with. 

    If you’re wanting to sell faster than the average time it takes to sell your house, then there are a few things you can do to help speed up the sale of your house, so let’s go over those briefly, since you’re in a hurry. 

    Gather all the paperwork you think you might need for closing ahead of time. 

    You can ask your realtor and/or lender what types of paperwork you’ll need to provide them, your buyer, and the title company with and can begin working on that in advance. A quick Google search can also give you a list of the most common documentation you’ll need to provide. 

    Consider renting a storage unit so you can declutter your home and begin packing in advance

    While this will add to your monthly expenses, it’s a great way to get some of your unnecessary storage and decorations out of your home. This will visually help buyers picture your house is a more neutral setting, allowing them to imagine their own belongings in the house. In addition, it allows you to begin packing far in advance as you can box up some of the items that you can do without for a couple of months. 

    Keep a wide open schedule for house showings

    I know that this can be a real pain. But having a wider schedule for house showings makes it possible for more traffic to come through your doors. You don’t want a potential buyer to settle for another house because they weren’t able to see yours. 

    Enhance curb appeal – this will be the first and last thing potential buyers see

    This is a simple one. Keep it clean and free of cobwebs and dirt. Consider adding some plants or flowers if it’s a good season for it. You could add a fresh coat of paint to your front door, hang a pretty and welcoming wreath, or even just give it a good scrub down and keep your lawn maintained to give your potential buyers a more positive viewing experience. A very simple, but critical, step!

    Respond quickly to your realtor, filling out paperwork as it comes in instead of letting it stack up

    Again, this is a very simple step. Keep an eye on your phone and email for any communication coming in from your realtor and/or lender. They might be asking you to update some paperwork, or they might have an offer for you to review. Regardless, staying on top of correspondence and any tasks they assign you is a quick and easy way to streamline and speed up the process of selling your home!

    If you’re looking for some additional tips on decreasing the time it takes to sell your house, head over to Dave Ramsey’s website where he has a list of five ways to speed up the sale of your house. 

    So, How Long Does it Take to Sell a House?

    Honestly, when it all comes down to it, how long it takes to sell your house on average depends on the amount of legwork you put into the property in advance (or the current state of your house), your price point, the determination of your realtor, the current housing market, and a little bit of luck when it comes to that perfect buyer who’s just as ready to finalize the process as you are. 

    So while the average is 65-68 days depending on which website and year you’re looking at, it’s really going to vary from property to property. It might take you less time and it might take you a little longer depending on the circumstances in your area. There isn’t a single cookie cutter pattern that dictates that “this process takes x number of days and this step takes y number of days.” Yeah, it’d be really nice if that was the case. But like so many questions in life, there is no straightforward and absolute answer to how long it usually takes to sell a house. 

    You can do your best to move the process along more quickly by being open to numerous house showings a day, keeping your home clean and decluttered, responding to your realtor and any paperwork that needs to be filled out in a timely manner, and being willing to move out as quickly as your buyer would you like you to. Maintaining flexibility and a cooperative nature will not only smooth the process out and reduce a few of your stress headaches, but will also speed up your timeline to its maximum efficiency, helping you make your move into a new home!

  • How Much Does it Cost to Sell a House?

    How Much Does it Cost to Sell a House?

    Happy New Year! 

    We’ve officially entered a new decade and for many families, it’s the time to start planning for the future. Your New Year’s Resolutions might be health-related or business-related, but many of you are thinking it’s time to make the move into a new home. The only thing standing in your way is your current home. Even if you’re in a great neighborhood and you’re not concerned about the length of time your home will be on the market, you might find yourself wondering: how MUCH does it cost to sell a house?

    There are several factors to consider prior to estimating an answer to that question. And it’s important to keep in mind that not everyone will have the same experience or undergo the same expenses with the sale of their home. Just because your neighbor sold their house in less than a week or your cousin was able to sell their home without extensive home repairs or staging doesn’t mean that you will share a similar experience. Each home is unique – just like your family is unique. But by the end of this article, you will have a general estimate of what it will cost you to sell your home. 

    The six main factors that contribute to your overall out of pocket expenses that we’re going to discuss are: 

    • Preparations/Home Repairs

    • Staging

    • Monthly Carrying Costs

    • Commissions

    • Closing Fees

    • Taxes

    We’ll go over these individually and then add them all together at the end of the article – giving you the average numbers needed to calculate how much out of pocket expenses you can expect when it’s all said and done. 

    Preparations/Home Repairs

    No house is perfect. And the majority of the time we don’t expect them to be. Setting aside the arguments over whether or not you should paint neutral colors or just allow individuals to see the potential of your home during showings, let’s be honest: there are a few areas of your home that you probably want to work on prior to listing your house on the market. 

    But where should you focus your attention? What updates are really necessary to entice buyers to be interested in your home? 

    According to Realtor.com, you should be focusing on projects that will give you the most return for your investment. A few examples that have shown to often add considerable value to your home are walls and floors, your front door, your outdated roof and/or siding, and your kitchen. 

    If you’ve gone through a real estate agent to list your home, then they will have some great advice on what updates will give you the most bang for your buck. If you’ve chosen to sell your home without the aid of a realtor, then you may consider consulting a general contractor. They’ll be able to give you any problem areas that may present themselves during an inspection or final walk-through that might give potential buyers cause for concern. 

    But even if your house is in perfect condition, take a look at the areas that are going to leave a lasting impression, such as your kitchen and your front door. The door is the first and last thing people will see as they walk through your home – so upgrading to a steel door in a pleasing color is an easy win for you. Painting your walls in a neutral color (a quick Google search will tell you what the best colors of the year are) is also a way to spruce up your house without accruing too much expense. 

    Staging

    If you have already vacated the house you’re selling, then hiring a professional stager may be the right move for you. They can help your home look warm and inviting, as well as giving potential buyers an idea of what the home looks like when it is lived in. 

    However, if you are living in the home while trying to sell it, then staging is something you might consider doing on your own. Start by decluttering your home and removing as much storage as you can. You may need to rent out a storage space for this depending on how much you have. Ultimately the goal is to depersonalize your home as much as possible. You want the people who come to look at your home to be able to picture themselves living there, and that can be difficult if you have family photos hanging throughout the home. 

    Monthly Carrying Costs

    This category plays a much larger part if you have already moved out of the home you’re trying to sell. If you’re still living in your home, then you expect to continue to pay your mortgage, homeowner’s insurance, etc. The only extra might be if you’ve hired a professional stager or if you’ve had to rent out a storage unit to help declutter your home. 

    For those of you who are trying to sell a vacant home, your Carrying Costs will have a much larger weight for you, especially if your house sits on the market for an extended period of time. You’ll have to pay to keep utilities going (no one likes to walk through a dark house they can’t really see), continue to pay homeowner’s insurance (which may increase due to the house being vacant), along with your mortgage and any home association fees the property may come with. 

    If you’re in this situation, selling your home as quickly as possible will lower these costs, but you should definitely keep in mind how much extra you’re spending each month your house sits on the market. 

    Commission

    If you are not choosing the “for sale by owner” route, then you’ve signed an agreement with a real estate agent which awards them a commission: a percentage of your sale price, you could expect to see somewhere between 5% and 7%. This is subject to your negotiations with them, but you can expect to reach an agreement somewhere within that range. Depending on the final sale price of your home, this could end up being your highest cost for selling your home. 

    In addition, keep in mind that often times the seller finds themselves paying the buyer’s closing costs as well, which will include their realtor’s commission. Keeping an eye on all these numbers will ensure that you have no surprises on closing day. 

    Closing Fees

    This will vary from state to state, but typically include fees to the title company (yes, they will absolutely charge you per piece of paper they have to print), your year to date homeowner’s insurance owed, etc. For a complete list, you should speak with your realtor as they’ll be familiar with the proceedings. 

    In most states, you’ll also be required to pay for a home inspection prior to closing day so that your buyers can ensure they’re not in for any surprises upon taking possession of the property. And if that inspection turns up any signs of termite damage or other potential problems, you might be looking at additional last-minute expenses. 

    As a side note here, in very rare cases, you may find that you’re so upside down in your own home that you’d end up paying money on closing day just to sell your home. If this is the situation you find yourself in, please get in touch with us. We specialize in buying houses from people who are looking for a quick and painless sale and we will provide you with a fair cash offer within 24 hours of hearing from you. Click here to fill out the necessary information to find out if this is an option for you. 

    Taxes

    Besides your personal property tax, can you expect to pay taxes on any profit made from selling your home? As long as you made under $250,000 (or $500,000 for couples filing jointly), it should be exempt from Federal Income Tax. But that doesn’t mean that you won’t owe local taxes, which may be included in your Closing Costs. 

    For additional detailed tax information for the sale of your home, check out this article from TurboTax

    What does all of this mean? 

    Well, in April of 2019, Zillow estimated that when selling your home, you can expect to pay an average of $20,851, mostly because of your realtor commissions and state and federal taxes. 

    Does this mean that’s exactly what you can expect to pay? No, of course not. This is all based on the cost of your home, any home improvements you make prior to listing your home, or any problems that arise during an inspection and final walkthrough. I’ve seen a hot water heater break down on the day of the final walkthrough, forcing my seller to replace it prior to closing day. Bad timing for the seller, but good timing for the buyer. 

    While it’s impossible to foresee everything, by utilizing the above list of categories, average commission rates, and closing cost estimates from your realtor, you should be able to put together a number that is pretty close to what you will pay on closing day. 

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  • Accomplishing the Impossible: How to Sell Your Home in 10 Days!

    Accomplishing the Impossible: How to Sell Your Home in 10 Days!

    10 days huh? You really want to sell your home in just ten days? This is an insane idea and here’s why: based on recent statistics let’s take Colorado Springs which is one of the hottest real estate markets in the entire country even the top-selling agents average about a month and a half for a home sale.

    That’s about 45 days vs.10…Hmmm

    Now with that said, if you really need to sell your home in ten days, it’s not impossible. It’s NOT going to be easy, but with some good planning, a top-tier Realtor, as well as a lot of work, you could actually make this happen.

    After speaking with a top real estate agent we created this blueprint which lays out everything that must be done, in the proper order, to get your home ready to sell, on the market, and under contract in just ten days. Let’s take a look:

    • Find and Hire a Top Agent
    • Do Deep Research on Your Property
    • Discover Your Quick Fixes
    • Develop a Successful Marketing Plan
    • Stay Calm, Trust Your Agent and Be Flexible

    Let’s take a deeper look at each of these key points.

    1. Find and Hire a Top Real Estate Agent

    First things first, you must find and hire the best, most successful real estate agent you can find. These are the type agents with entire teams, contacts, and resources that will get your home listed and sold quickly. There are online tools like HomeLight that will help you find the agents who have sold the most homes in your region. So make some calls, and hire someone quickly.

    2. Deep Research Your Property

    Do you really know all there is to know about your house? How old is your washer and dryer? When was it painted last or when was the roof replaced if ever? What kind of shape is the foundation in?

    Tampa’s #1 single-family home seller Andrew Duncan says “Age and condition of major big ticket items are things the seller needs to know,” After having sold 742 homes last year Duncan knows a thing or two about the subject. He went on to say, “If you know those and can document as much of that as you can, that will save a lot of time for you and it also helps educate the agent on the condition for features they have to factor into pricing the home”

    3. Discover Your Quick Fixes

    Duncan goes on to explain, “Ten days isn’t enough time to get a contractor to do a whole lot. In our market, there’s a labor shortage.” Because most of the country is in one of the strongest seller’s markets ever this shortage is a reality almost everywhere. What that indicates is that any improvements for the appeal to buyers will need to be DIY.

    You have very limited choices given less than a week to the big day, that’s why its important pick the projects that will have the biggest impact. A few bags of mulch bring an old garden back to life and sodding up bare spots in the lawn will make it look great in just a few days.

    4. Develop a Successful Pricing and Marketing Plan

    The most important aspect of selling a home becomes even more vital when trying to sell quickly and that the price. A marketing and pricing strategy has got to be a vital part of your 10-day plan. For this, you will need to rely heavily on your agent to help to guide you thru this process.

    Andrew Duncan gives this advice, “Listen to your agent on pricing. It’s what agents do for a living.” Most homeowners often evaluate the home’s value in a way that doesn’t translate to the real marketplace.

    The marketing and pricing plan really show you the value of a top real estate agent. Always look for agents that are paying for premium features across multiple real estate platforms Duncan says, They know how to get your home the exposure it needs.

    5. Be Calm, Trust Your Agent and Stay Flexible

    To be quite honest even the most experienced Realtor in the world, could likely not sell a home in ten days without help. And unless you happen to be the most experienced realtor in the world you are going to need a lot of help.

    Duncan suggests “Be selective about the agent you meet with. Find somebody who has the marketing power to get it out there but also could buy it themselves potentially.”

    If you have taken the time to follow all the steps on this list you should be ready to sell really quickly. But let’s not forget the toll the stress can take during a quick sale like this. Plan out many long nights, late showings, and possibly a bidding war that way you won’t  be caught off guard. Make your plans for the worst and but keep your eyes on success!

    For an in-depth look at whether selling your home is a good strategy to solve other financial woes Click Here

    For troubleshooting tips and the biggest mistakes to avoid in selling your home, Click Here

    For an in-depth review of the pros and cons of paying cash for a new home, Click Here

  • Selling Your House Quickly for Fast Cash

    Selling Your House Quickly for Fast Cash

    Let’s face it, any time you put your house up for sale it’s very stressful. “Selling a home may, in fact, be harder on your emotions than major family issues or the passing of a relative.” was the statement made in a recent daily mail article.

    Things go from tough to highly stressful when your finances require you to sell the house quickly. It’s quite easy to end up second-guessing yourself and later realizing you sold for much less than the homes true value.

    The best way to quickly turn your house for a profit and with a strong resolve is to educate yourself on the marketplace and implement a few key strategies we will reveal in this article.
    So let’s dissect some of the options you have in making a quick sale of your home.

    To Use an Agent or Not

    While its true that over 86% of real estate sellers use an agent to handle their listing, the reason is that listings done by an agent sell for a higher profit than all the other options.

    Recently a “2016 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers” report recently in the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) reveals that homes represented by agents sold for 98% of the price listed and then the average equity was $43,100. How quickly you are looking to sell your home doesn’t matter, these numbers hold up says the report.

    If selling your home in just a few months is what you are looking for you may think that using an agent’s listing is out of the question but that’s simply not true.

    “Homes that sold recently done deals in an average time of four weeks or less” states the exact same 2016 NAR report. What this means is with an agent, you can more likely find a buyer that has a mortgage lender prepared for a quick closing and be willing to negotiate for a short escrow period. This speeds up your home sale to a month or less.

    When the seller has their own agent it means you have an advocate with your best interests at heart. Your agent can help you choose which offer to accept to make sure the transaction goes quickly and make sure you avoid time-wasting missteps during escrow.

    “The bottom line is for focusing on a quick sale, cash sales are the best, but they are normally lower priced offers. Making more works when you have a buyer that gets a loan and then makes a purchase in the next 2 or 3 weeks” says real estate expert Ambreen Faruqi, the #1 agent in homes sold in the Queens, New York.

    Listing with a well-respected agent is key to getting a quick sale and maximizing your take from the deal. Another report from NAR’s reveals that over 60% of sellers located their agent via a referral so start by asking your friends and family for recommendations. 

    Take the time to check your other agent’s statistics online and see how they look against other top agents in the area. You can use HomeLight’s own agent search for this process. You’re looking for an agent with a history of successfully selling homes like yours and others in the same area.
    So for the quickest way to sell your home would it be wise to list with an agent? The truth is no.
    Selling your house to an investor or at an auction would both be the fastest but you will forfeit nearly all of your equity to make this fast sale.

    Is FSBO The Best Way to Sell My Home Fast?

    One truth needs to be addressed and it’s this: Be prepared to offer your home for less than market value or accept a lower offer from an investor.

    Looking at this fact For Sale By Owner (FSBO) seems like the logical choice. Mostly because you can avoid a real estate agent’s commission which averages five to six percent of the home’s equity.

    Because we are currently in a buyers market a buyer should not be too challenging to find. Since the buyer usually already has an agent, is it important that you have one as well?

    The fact of the matter is if you are looking to make this sale quickly, yes.

    Let’s clarify what the agent for the buyer does. The buyer’s agent always steers the sale in the best interest of the buyer. Any specifics that are not a priority for the buyer, the agent will agent will focus on their client’s needs throughout and meaning your needs for a fast sale will be ignored.

    Aside from being your representative, your agent will be using all the important keys to ensure a fast sale from start to finish.

    In recent stats, from just homes sold in 2016, only 8% were FSBO sales. Out of those, only 54% wanted a fast sale. The majority of those fast sales came because they knew the buyer in some capacity.

    If you decide this is the route for you, you MUST become knowledgeable on all the important documents needed by you and your seller to complete a successful sale. You will also need an attorney and title company to help you complete the transaction.

    It’s nearly impossible to count on the sale to go quickly and smoothly without having a closing expert making sure all the intricacies of the transaction are done properly.

    Is a Short Sale the Answer?

    First things first, the truth about short sales is the reference made to “short” doesn’t mean time it means money. The definition of selling short is that your bank gave you the okay to sell your home for less than whats owed on it.

    Normally short sales take a lot longer to happen actually than a normal one.

    Ranking in the top nine percent of over 8,000 total agents from the PA area, master short sale agent Brad Wallace says, “It’s referred to as a short sale, however, the truth is those deals are about as far away from a short sale as you can get. In two years about 4 months was the quickest short sale I had, some of them even lasted well over two years.”

    On top of that fact, a majority of sellers are not even able to short sell their current home. Truth is financially you must be in real hot water for this type offer to work. And after all of that, your lender does not have even have to agree to a short sale.

    So as you can see a using a short sale is most likely not the way to go.

    Investors Buy Anything!

    By simply typing the phrase “how to quickly sell a house” into any search engine you will see literally hundreds even thousands of links trying to hook those looking for a quick sale into an investors net.

    This investor sale offers several advantages if the selling of your home is more important than the money. 7 days is all it takes to close for some investors according to a report in Forbes. Most are also willing to offer flexible payout options—including lump sum cash and buy your home regardless of the condition or how much repair it may need.

    If you decide to deal with an investor just know that you will not get the best price. You will likely sacrifice profit for speed.

    Many “We buy any home” places often offer only dimes on the dollar.

    In most cases, if your home is in good condition an investor will offer around 50 to 60% of the current market value according to a report in The Washington Post. The next step is usually to put a small amount of money into repairs and updates that will enable them to flip it and sell it for the current market value they would not pay you.

    That being said, there are a handful of investors across the country who strive for a fair shake in their dealings with clients and are not out simply to squeeze you to your bottom dollar. To contact one such investor please visit https://www.sellmyhousequickkc.org/contact-us-1/
    Operating this way your home will sell quickly, but the reality is you will see virtually no profit from the sale. If your house is a real disaster, however, this plan can be to your advantage as you can get rid of it fast without putting any money into repairs or additions that non-investors would likely request.

    The Overlooked Option of Home Auctions

    “I say I gotta buyer for this house going once, going twice, SOLD!”

    One of the biggest myths many people believe is that auctions are for underwater owners and lending institutions that are unloading foreclosure sites. Regardless of nearly all circumstances, any homeowner can have an auction for their home, and for many, it’s a great choice if you want to sell fast.

    The quick transaction is just one of the upsides of an auction sale:

    Yes, while knowing the exact day that the sale of your home will happen because of the auction, it still may not be as fast as you require. According to a recent report in Forbes, homes that are auctioned will turn on average 40 to 65 days after the listing. 

    The risky part comes down to you your lack of any real influence over the final sale price. You will be the one that decides on the minimum price you want to accept as the seller, which normally is set at 10-15% below what the homes market value is (auction experts say this generates more buyer interest), however after that you have to sit and wait and take whatever final bid you get. You could get lucky and have competing buyers causing the price to go over the market value. Or you could end up being with no option other than taking that low-end offer set at the start.
    The NAR advises that not every property is a good fit for auctions and that sellers should use a simple self-directed test for the market, as well as the home they want to sell and finances using the Two-Thirds Rule. This rule will reveal to you if the right way to go is an auction.

    When it comes to the auction option the more equity your home is carrying the better. Experts say as much as 25% is needed for cash to be produced this way. Too much below that and you risk having your home sell for a cheaper price than required to pay off your mortgage.

    Given this selection of sell fast options, it comes down to picking the one that is the best option for you. While turning a quick sale on your home is often scary you can successfully pull it off by with the right planning and help from an expert.

    For important keys to making a fast sale specifically in Kansas City, Click Here

  • Top 10 Secrets for Getting the Most Out of Selling Your Home.

    Top 10 Secrets for Getting the Most Out of Selling Your Home.

    Top Price Selling Secret #10: The right price

    This principle is very simple: Find the fair market value of your home, then take 15 to 20 percent off that price. In no time you’ll have a heard of potential buyers with multiple bids ready to bid up the price over what it’s worth. This works in any market, believe me. Though it’s still the best strategy to sell a home in today’s market most sellers don’t have the guts to do it…do you?

    Top Price Selling Secret #9: Keep those closets half empty

    If you take half the stuff out of your closets and neatly organize what’s left you’ll give buyers something they are always looking for – storage space. Also, keep all your closets and cabinets neat and clean.

    Top Price Selling Secret #8: Let there be light

    After the location of the home, good lighting is the one thing every buyer says they want in a new home. Lose the drapes, clean the windows, get new lampshades, get higher wattage light bulbs and make sure the bushes outside are cut to let in the sunshine.

    Top Price Selling Secret #7: Play the field

    Please, take your time in choosing the right agent for your home sale. Someone who is totally informed and well versed in the market is absolutely essential. One who will constantly monitor the multiple listing services (MLS), and know the properties in your neighborhood. A real tech-savvy agent can utilize numerous avenues to get the top price for your home.

    Top Price Selling Secret #6: Lose the pets – for now

    Truth is many people do not like pets in the home and the last thing you want to do is alienate half your potential buyers with a dog or cat. Walking into a home and seeing a dog food bowl full of food, the smell of a kitty litter box or seeing pet hair stuck to their clothes after sitting down is not a good impression. Have someone take your pets during a showing and clean well.

    Top Price Selling Secret #5: Do not overdo the fix-ups

    The truth is that quick fix-ups often pay off well in home sales but the large costly makeovers rarely do. If you engage in a huge improvement project before you put your house on the market it’s unlikely you’ll ever recoup the money you spent on the project. Your much better off to do smaller updates that in the long run will help you get the top dollar for your home. Covering the walls with a fresh coat of paint or replacing the curtains with some new inexpensive ones are examples of updates that cost little but can pay out a lot in the sale of your home.

    Top Price Selling Secret #4: A generic home sells better

    De-personalizing your home is one of the real keys to selling. Buyers need to be able to picture themselves in the home and too many personal items in the home clutter up their vision. Store at least a third of the stuff you have. Take down family photos, memorabilia collections, and all personal keepsakes. Another good idea is hiring what’s called a home stager who can help maximize the look of your home. They do this by arranging furniture in a way that best showcases the layout and maximizes the space.

    Top Price Selling Secret #3: First things first – the kitchen

    Think about it this way – you are really selling the kitchen, not the home. When it comes to selling your home remodeling your kitchen is key and you’ll likely get 80% of your money back. It could cost just a couple thousand dollars to replace countertops that a potential buyer would ask to take $10,000 off the asking price if it wasn’t done. Painting and new cabinet hardware are two of the easiest and least expensive kitchen improvements. To present buyers with a blank canvas so they can envision their own style paint with neutral colors.

    Top Price Selling Secret #2: The show must go on

    Be ready at all times to show your home because the right buyer could walk through the door at any moment. Your ‘show ready’ home simply must be available at any time they want to come to see the place and it must be in top condition. No dishes in the sink, empty dishwasher, bathrooms sparkling and no dust bunnies under the couch. Sure it’s inconvenient, but this strategy will sell your home.

    Top Price Selling Secret #1: You only have one chance to make a  first impression

    By the time potential buyers have gotten inside your home, they have already judged it from the exterior view. You got one shot at a good first impression. People need to feel warm, safe and welcome walking up to the house. Sprucing up with inexpensive shrubs and brightly colored flowers can typically get a 100-percent payback on the cash put into your home’s curb appeal. Use entryways as another welcoming station with a small bench, some fresh-cut flowers in a vase or even some cookies.

  • Would selling our house and using the equity to pay off personal debt qualify as a sound financial idea or a disaster waiting to happen?

    Would selling our house and using the equity to pay off personal debt qualify as a sound financial idea or a disaster waiting to happen?

    We recently spoke with a CPA and the author of many books as well as a Q&A online column dealing with issues involving credit and finance about selling a house to use the equity to pay off current debts. Her answer might surprise you. 

    This is a regular and interesting question that has come up many times before from homeowners who want to make the best moves they can for themselves financially.

    “Currently we have over $110,000 of equity in our home. Would selling it and using the equity to get rid of our $25,000 worth of debt be a smart move financially?”

    Selling your home to get rid of old debt is probably not your best solution, for at least three reasons:

    • The process simply costs too much
    • Buying another house will take time and money
    • The largest investment you have will take a major hit

    This example comes from a couple who had both gotten bad credit scores from the loss of job a couple of years ago. They kept afloat by leveraging other sources of debt until, eventually, they lost everything.

    Now that they have gotten back on their feet and established about $110,000 in equity in their current home and have a steady income they want to know if it would it be wise to sell their house to wipe out the $25,000 worth of debt? Also if they do that, what comes into play with their credit score and purchasing another home or would it be better to wait it out a while? 

    From the information provided, however, the expert stated that this plan of selling your home is probably not your best solution. Unless there are other reasons you want to get rid of the house, I strongly urge you to keep it.

    Why selling your home is not a cost-effective way to pay off old debt

    Selling your house will be cost-prohibitive. Have you ever seen the interest rates on a $30,000 credit card? You won’t believe your eyes when you see the costs related to selling a house. If the fair market value of your house is $400,000 once you pay the commissions to agents, the costs for the closing (some of the buyers costs are often passed along to the seller as well) and sales tax, if applicable, you can end up losing 8 to 10 percent of the sale off the top. It could easily cost you $40,000 to sell your house so you can pay off $25,000 in debt. This doesn’t include any fix-up costs for getting your house ready to sell or repairs you may be required to make after the inspection.

    Buying a new house takes a lot of time and money. It normally takes as much as 3 months and sometimes even longer to pack up, locate and purchase a new house and then get yourself situated again. A better idea would be for you to work overtime at your job or get a 2nd part-time job and with that money, you could pay down your debts. On top of all that your new house comes with, fees to originate the loan as well as other loan-related expenses, the costs for appraisal and closing costs. When you crunch the numbers you can easily spend up to 5 percent of the cost of your new home. For a $400,000 home, that would be $20,000. Now when you add in incidental expenses needed for getting into your new home, you can see that selling your house and using the equity to pay down your debts is not a cost-effective way to pay off a $25,000 debt.

    Your best investment takes a huge hit. Your best and most valuable investment is going to be your home. Once you get to retirement and beyond, it often becomes your only real investment. Pulling the equity out of your current home is a real pain in the butt and that’s a good thing because it makes it more likely you will leave it alone. Just focus on paying down the mortgage down and keep allowing the price to go up, and this single investment can take care of you when you are older.

    What about some of the other ways to pay off debt?

    So, forgetting about selling your home to fix this situation, what’s the best way to handle this debt? Taking bankruptcy, unless you are completely overwhelmed would not be a good plan long term or short term. 

    One great way to get a great start paying off your debts is to sell something of value and use the proceeds toward your debts. You could even use any larger sum proceeds to negotiate with your debtors. If you don’t know where to find something that you sell, your driveway might be the best first place to look. 

    Do you have more than one car? Are you making monthly payments on any of them? Becoming a one-car family for a while could make all the difference. Now you can begin to use what you’re saving from those monthly payments to pay more on your balances. Any questions you have about money, debt and finances, find a credit counselor in your area. 

    It’s quite likely you qualify to enter a debt management plan. Once you join, the credit counseling agency will work with you to create a plan to repay your debt and a strategy that can instantly stop collectors from calling you, helps reduce fees and you can begin to pay off your debt in a way that is manageable for you. Any agency that not for profit and affiliated with the National Foundation for Credit Counseling or the Financial Counseling Association of America is good. They will be able to explain your best options given your situation and give you a plan to solve your debt issues, and you can keep your home if you want to.

  • How to Make the Most Profit Selling Your Home

    How to Make the Most Profit Selling Your Home

    Selling a house takes money plain and simple. To attract buyers you’ve got to do all the little fix-ups (or not so little) and freshen the place up. The closing costs, as well as moving expenses, are both chunks of money that will come out of your pocket as well.

    However, the biggest lump sum is going is going to be the real estate agents commission and that normally is around 5% to 6%. According to stats from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) the average For Sale by Owner (FSBO) home sold for $185,000 last year so that equals about $11,100. 

    So that begs the question is it worth it to try and sell your home on your own to make the most profit?

    What deal is better for you, saving $5,550 or making an extra $60,000?

    The biggest investment you’ll likely ever make is your home. You are going to want to make the most of it. Putting that commission the agent would make in your own pocket seems like an easy way to do that but is it? Truth is you may be leaving more money on the table by not using an agent.

    So how much more you ask?

    Recent stats in the NAR reveal that the average sale made by an agent last year fetched $245,000. Now that is an amazing $60,000 swing!

    And that’s not all…Just because you are selling your home on your own does not guarantee there will not be an agent involved. No matter what you will still have to pay the agent that represents the buyer and if they get 3%, you can reduce that $11,100 in savings by half, which now becomes just $5,550.

    Taking a look at those stats pretty much tells the tale but let’s look a little deeper into this picture.

    The Numbers have Power

    Just as a once famous bank robber once said when asked why he robbed banks stated, “Because that’s where the money is,” when you are selling your house you need to go where the buyers are. Stats taken from a recent report in the NAR reveal that 88.9% of buyers utilized the skills of an agent in 2016 to purchase a home.

    For Sale By Owner sellers utilized a bit more simple marketing system…A yard sign.

    Now, yard signs serve a purpose but they are hardly near the top of the list for the best marketing methods in selling your home. On any given day how many people drive past your house and see that yard sign ya think? Now compare that to the pool of ready buyers that any decent agent has at hand at any time. It’s not even worth comparing. 

    The only way to instantly gain access to thousands of possible buyers is via a Real Estate agent that utilizes the Multiple Listing Service or MLS. Any good agent already has a pre-set action plan designed to expose your home to as many potential buyers as possible meanwhile they will work with you to guarantee that great first impression your home must give.

    Experience Trumps Everything

    Ok, it’s time to stop playing around and get to the real point. Selling your home holds another unfortunate guarantee: mistakes will be made. You can take your chances that they will be small ones but the truth is some could cost you…a lot. But that doesn’t have to happen!
    Paperwork, listing price and general preparation for the sale have been tagged as the main problems FSBO sellers have as reflected in research taken from the NAR. One of the real values of a real estate agent is they will advise you on all these issues based on experience, not emotion.

    Some keys an agent can help with are:    

    • Selecting which if any home repairs or updates are needed
    • Using the latest market data to price your home
    • Bringing active potential buyers in touch with your home
    • Scheduling home showings with potential buyers
    • Using proven negotiating tactics to get the best price for you
    • Dealing with all the required paperwork to ensure no mistakes

    Here’s the best way to think about this: A solid real estate agent has sold more homes in the last week than you’ll sell in your lifetime. This is what they do – period. Doesn’t it just make sense that they can help you get the very best results for your the sale of your home?

    Only a Fool Gives Away a Ransom to Save Some Pocket Change

    Sure you can save money by selling your home on your own. And in the end, you could lose out on what you are trying to accomplish – making the most on the sale of your home. You might win the battle but lose the war. Finding a high-performance pro who knows what it takes to get top dollar for your home in the shortest time possible is really the only way to go.

    For a group of investors and agents who will work to get you the best deal the fastest please visit https://www.sellmyhousequickkc.org/contact-us-1/

  • Your Top 10 Super Cheap Fixes to Instantly Boost the Value of Your Home

    Your Top 10 Super Cheap Fixes to Instantly Boost the Value of Your Home

    If you are looking for ways to spruce up your home but you are on a limited budget we’ve got 10 good strategies that you should try.

    These winning techniques will work whether you’re wanting to sell your place or just inexpensively improve things for your families enjoyment.

    Depending on your home’s market value and current condition the payback on these fixers will vary, but they all will have value for you.

    If you want to tap your home equity to make improvements to your home? Find the lowest rates at www.Bankrate.com.

    Here’s the very simple upgrades can easily boost the value of your home by thousands of dollars:

    1. It’s getting hot in the kitchen.

    As you likely know the kitchen is normally considered the heart and soul of the home and potential buyers will flock to this room right away to make sure it is clean and up to date.

    You can easily replace the faucets, door handles on the cabinets and brighten up lighting fixtures with more energy-efficient ones for just a few hundred dollars.

    You can even order your own replacement cabinet doors and fronts from places like Lowe’s or The Home Depot and install them yourself.

    2. Give that kitchen a facelift.

    If your kitchen appliances don’t match, order new doors or panels to make them all match. Here’s a big secret about dishwashers: Many front panels for dishwashers are white on one side and black on the other.

    All you have to do is take out 2 screws and flip it over to reverse the color. It’s that simple.

    A more uniform-looking kitchen will make a big difference in the mind of potential buyers and in the bottom line of the sale price.

    3. Bathroom moves that work.

    Bathrooms are next in importance to the kitchen and it doesn’t take a lot of cash to improve then either. Really simple things like a new toilet seat or pedestal sink will make a big difference in the overall look of the bathroom.

    Replacing an old, discolored bathroom floor with easy-to-apply vinyl tiles can make a dramatic difference very cheaply. In many cases, you may just be able to lay the new tile over the old and get the job done quickly.

    An overall re-grouting of the tile as well as replacing old chipped tiles can also make a huge visual difference. You can use one of those prefabricated tubs and shower surrounds if you want a complete cover-up instead.

    4. Big storage = Big Dollars.

    Some houses, often older ones, have very little extra closet space. Adding do-it-yourself wire and laminate to closet systems in bedrooms, pantries and entry closets can expand the storage in ways that appeal to everyone.

    You can also measure and redesign your closets online if you like. Then you can get design details and parts for these systems most large home-improvement stores.

    If you can make your closets more functional while you are still living in the house this will make the home look more customized to potential buyers if you decide to sell.

    5. Add a room in a week or less.

    If you add a closet to a den you have instantly added another bedroom to your home. The perceived value of another bedroom over a den can be dramatic in the eyes of most potential buyers. Adding a custom closet system and drywall can easily be done for under $1,500.

    6. Important mechanic issues.

    It would be wise to hire a top electrician and plumber to come to look over your entire electrical system, take care of loose wires, check for bad outlets, as well as fix potential water leaks. These are the issues that will really affect the price you can get for the home overall.

    7. Cover your carpet.

    Another detail that can make a home look fresher is a new swath of carpet. Even just having a professional carpet cleaning is a very small investment that could make a dramatic difference if your rugs are in good shape but just dirty.

    You can also cover places of wear in your carpet with inexpensive, properly placed area rugs. It’s not really necessary to replace the carpet wall to wall as new homeowners often want to choose their own.

    8. Let the light shine in.

    From boring recessed lights in your dining room to dim overhead lights in the bedroom consider replacing these with higher wattage but energy saving bulbs or even go all out and add an eye-catching chandelier. You can find a wide range of inexpensive, but nice-looking, ceiling fixtures at most home improvement stores. For ceiling fan lights consider buying replacement fan blades to update the fixture’s look.

    9. Welcome to the entryway.

    Believe it or not but a nice big shiny doorknob that is firmly attached can make a huge first impression. Also, a wood front door has a calming, welcoming effect on most new buyers. If you’re stuck with a basic steel front door, try painting it or using a faux-finish for more eye appeal.

    You can use a burgundy base paint to give a nice cherry feel. After it dries, brush over the base coat with a cherry wood stain. That will make the door look amazing.

    10. It starts at the curb.

    The first impression is something you never get a second chance to make so simple things like a mowed lawn and well-trimmed hedges can make or break potential buyers before they even enter the home.

    Consider hiring a landscaper to design a viewer-friendly set up by installing some new sod, planting a few shrubs and organize the greenery in an eye-catching way. If you want to instantly change a potential buyers view of your home these simple changes can make a huge difference for very little out of pocket money.