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Sellers

TIPS FOR HOME SELLER

Now let’s walk through a typical sale from beginning to end…

  • Prepare your home to be listed, please maintain your home as polished as possible while it is being shown.
  • Your real estate agent will list your home to the general market.
  • Get ready for an open house and home to be shown, and keep it clutter free.
  • Please make sure home is available to be shown when requested, and if possible, leave premises. This can be short notice, but a missed showing is a missed potential sale!
  • Receive offer(s)! This may be one or multiple, your real estate agent will present you with every offer that comes in, and is able to advise, but it is up to you which is the most acceptable and best offer.
  • Once you accept an offer, then it will be submitted to a Real Estate attorney of your choosing. This means it will become Attorney Review in Progress (ARIP), this can take a couple of hours to a couple of days before going Under Contract (UC), at which point the listing will also be pulled from public Real Estate sites and searches.
  • Within 10 days, the buyer will conduct a home inspection, and the home needs to be available and ready. This may lead to repair requests, or a credit may be offered in its place.
  • If repairs are to be made, please keep all receipts as proof. This will be requested by the attorneys.
  • A bank appraisal of the property will also be conducted. This is a requirement from the buyer’s mortgage lender to approve the loan.
  • At this stage, you should also apply for a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) with your municipality.
  • Also make sure to call your mortgage lender for your payoff amount, if any.
  • Request final reading for all your utilities and give them a move-out/transfer date.
  • The buyer is also entitled to a final walk through of the home prior to closing to ensure the home is in the expected condition and all repairs, if any, are completed accordingly.
  • Make sure you are scheduled to move out prior to the walk through, which is typically done on the day of closing, and the house is left in broom swept condition.
  • Now it’s closing time! You will exchange your keys for a check after signatures are captured.

PREPPING YOUR HOME TO SELL

  • Curb appeal is key! Look at your home from the street, how does it present? Is it an invitation to come see what is inside?
    • Mow the lawn.
    • Trim hedges, weed lawns and flowerbeds, and prune trees if needed.
    • Check the foundation, steps, walkways, walls and patios for cracks and crumbling.
    • Inspect doors and windows for peeling paint, and apply a fresh coat.
    • Clean windows.
    • Replace mailbox and house number if needed.
    • Clean and align gutters.
    • Reseal an asphalt driveway.
    • Keep your garage doorS closed.

  • A polished home appeals to more buyers and will sell faster and for a higher price. Buyers are usually more comfortable purchasing a house that presents well, is clean, and maintained. Most people have a hard time seeing beyond what is in front of them.
    • Give the home a thorough cleaning and decluttering, from basement to attic. You can do this yourself, or hire a professional to help. It will also make your house appear bigger and brighter!
    • Don’t forget the closets, pantries, and bathroom cabinets! Buyers will open everything to see the size, how it looks and if everything is in working order.
    • Keep countertops and surface areas cleared, including personal items such as pictures and books. Prospective buyers often get distracted by these items and removing these helps them visualize themselves and their own possessions/style in the home.
    • If possible, repaint any dingy, soiled or strongly colored walls with a neutral shade of paint.
    • Check for cracks, leaks and signs of dampness in the attic and basement.
    • Repair cracks, holes or damage to walls and tiles.
    • Replace broken or cracked window panes, moldings, and other woodwork. Inspect and repair the plumbing, heating, cooling, and alarm systems.
    • Repair dripping faucets and showerheads.
    • Spruce up a kitchen or bath in need of more major remodeling by investing in new cabinet knobs, and new curtains.
    • Check lighting throughout the home, especially dark areas. Replace all burned out light bulbs, and add a higher wattage to basements and attics.
    • Open all drapes and window blinds to let as much natural light in as possible.
    • Clean or replace dirty or worn carpets.
    • Be mindful of scents.

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