The Steps to Selling Your Home
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Listing Your Home
Repairs, Painting, Staging
Be sure to have your home in top shape to compete in a competitive selling market. See Must-Do Improvements.
Truth In Housing/Code Compliance Inspection
A time-of-sale inspection is required in many municipalities. If any inspections are required in your area, we will discuss how it works.
Title Evidence
Your title evidence is either abstract or torrens. If you have an abstract, we would like to collect it from you when you list your home. This way, we can get the title work done as soon as your home is sold. If your title evidence is torrens, you need do nothing.
Potential Title Problems
Are there any liens, old mortgages, home equity lines, judgments, bankruptcies or ex-spouses that may have claim to your home?
Financing Options
We will discuss what financing options will work for your home - FHA, VA, conventional, contract for deed.
Exclusions, Inclusions, Concessions, Allowances
What is included in the sale? What is excluded in the sale? We will discuss these items when we list your home.
Seller's Disclosure
This is a five-page form that must be filled out prior to listing your home. It must be provided to the buyers to read prior to writing an offer. The seller's disclosure is your opportunity to disclose any defects in the home.
Updated Market Analysis
We will look at the most recent sales in your neighborhood and help you decide on a realistic price for your home.
Sign
Our RE/MAX Associates Plus sign will go up in one to five days. A temporary sign will be put up until the yard sign is delivered.
Showing Your Home
Lock Box
A lock box we will instal on your front door that contains the keys to your home. If you have a detached garage, leave a key or opener so that agents can access it. All agents will make arrangements to view your home through our office and we will confirm the showing with their office.
The Actual Showing
When an agent brings a buyer to view your home, you should not be there. Buyers are more comfortable if youre not there andl feel more free to discuss your home with their agent. If you must be home during a showing, try to go for a walk, if possible, or go downstairs when they are upstairs and vice versa. Let the agent do the showing; make sure not to give them details of the home unless they ask. If they ask about terms of the sale, refer them to us.
Getting offers on your Home
The Offer
When an agent calls us with an offer on your home, we will decide where to look at it. Offers may be faxed to my office or presented in person. It's important to look at the offer as soon as possible, and respond in a timely manner. Usually, your first offer is your best offer. The buyer will probably make the offer contingent on an inspection and there may be more negotiating after the inspection. The buyer should be pre-approved for a loan. We will look out for your best interests when an offer comes in.
Closing Your Home
Closing and Possession
We will discuss what the ideal time for closing and possession will be for you.
Current Mortgage Information
You must provide us with current loan information; we'll tell you what we need. When your home sells, we contact your lender to report you are paying to report off the loan. The loan and closing costs will come out of your net proceeds at closing.
Remaining Cash Balances
Most lenders will mail you any unused escrow amounts about two weeks after the closing. Some lenders will credit your unpaid mortgage balance with the escrow account.
