Boise Idaho Real Estate
Kelly
Abromeit
Keller Williams Realty®
Cell: (208) 841-4868
Office: (208) 672-9000
Fax: (208) 327-9907
Email: Kelly@HiKelly.net
Address:
1065 S.
Allante Pl.
Boise, ID 83709
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Seller's
Tips
Mistakes
to Avoid When Selling a Home:
- Pricing incorrectly
Don't
allow emotional ties to influence pricing rather than market
conditions. The first 2-4 weeks is when you'll see the most
action. If your home is not competitively priced, you could
miss an opportunity to sell.
- Failing to "showcase"
the home
Pet,
cigarette odors and cracking paint don't make good first impressions.
The fewer problems buyers see, the easier it is for them to
picture themselves as the new owners.
How to Polish
the Merchandise:
-
Start
with a curb-to-door cleanup. Prune shrubs and tree branches,
edge the lawn and keep it mowed and, if the season permits,
add a show of color with annual bedding plants. Paint the
front door and put out a new welcome mat.
-
Inside,
make your home look as spacious as possible. Eliminate clutter.
Organize closets, the attic and basement storage.
-
Depersonalize
your space. Reduce distractions and help would-be buyers
visualize making themselves at home. Tuck away family pictures.
A home stamped indelibly with your personality and style
can be harder to sell.
-
Remove
obvious clues to your political, religious and social sentiments.
Store away banners, bumper stickers and biased literature,
including magazines.
-
Use the Interior
and Exterior checklists to identify areas of your home that
need work before placing it on the market.
Interior
Attic
-
Check
underside of roof for leaks, stains or dampness
-
Look
around chimney for condensation or signs of water
-
Clean
and clear ventilation openings if necessary
-
Clean
out stored junk
Walls and Ceilings
Windows and Doors
-
Check
for smooth operation
-
Replace
broken or cracked panes
-
Repair
glazing
-
Check
condition of weather stripping and caulking
-
Examine
paint
-
Test
doorbell or chimes
-
Test
burglar alarms
-
Wash
windows and even woodwork, if necessary
Floors
-
Inspect
for creaking boards, loose or missing tiles, worn areas
-
Check
baseboards and moldings
-
Test
the staircases for loose handrails, posts, treads
Bathrooms
-
Check
tile joints, grouting and caulking
-
Remove
mildew
-
Repair
leaking faucets and shower heads
-
Check
the condition of painted or papered walls
-
Test
operation of toilet
Kitchen
-
Wash
all appliances
-
Clean
ventilator or exhaust fan
-
Remove
accumulation of grease or dust from tiles, walls, floors
Basement
Electrical System
-
Check
exposed wiring and outlets for signs of wear or damage
-
Repair
broken switches and outlets
-
Label
each circuit or fuse
Plumbing System
-
Check
water pressure when taps in bathroom(s) and kitchen are
turned on
-
Look
for leaks at faucets and sink traps
-
Clear
slow-running or clogged drains
-
Bleed
air off radiators if needed, and check for leaking valves
Heating and Cooling Systems
-
Change
or clean furnace and air-conditioning filters
-
Have
equipment serviced if needed
-
Clear
and clean area around heating and cooling equipment
Exterior
Roof and Gutters
-
Repair
or replace loose, damaged or blistered shingles
-
Clean
gutters and downspout strainers
-
Check
gutters for leaks and proper alignment
-
Inspect
flashings around roof stacks, vents, skylights and chimneys
-
Clear
obstructions from vents, louvers and chimneys
-
Check
fascias and soffits for decay and peeling paint
-
Inspect
chimney for any loose or missing mortar
Exterior Walls
-
Re-nail
loose siding and check for warping or decay
-
Paint
siding if necessary
-
Check
masonry walls for cracks or any other damage
-
Replace
loose or missing caulking
Driveway
Garage
-
Lubricate
hinges and other hardware on your garage door
-
Inspect
doors and windows for any peeling paint
-
Check
condition of glazing around all windows
-
Test
electrical outlets
Foundation
-
Check
walls, steps, retaining walls, walkways and patios for cracks,
heaving or crumbling
Yard
-
Mow
lawn, re-seed or sod if necessary
-
Trim
hedges, prune trees and shrubs
-
Weed
and mulch flower beds
Setting the
Price
Trust your
agent (If you can't trust your agent, get one you can!)
The first
couple months your home is on the market is the most
important! There is much interest in new
listings. If it's not priced right
the first time it may not be looked at a second time.
Your agent has the best knowledge of the current market.
To
set the right price on a home, combine an objective evaluation
of your property with a realistic assessment of market conditions.
Your
Realtor will provide you with a Competitive Marketing Analysis
to show you what other homes in your areas. You are more likely
to benefit by determining a fair value and sticking close to
it than you are by asking an unrealistic figure.
Under-pricing
can deprive you of money that’s rightfully yours. Unless you
are in a hurry, aim for full market value.
Don't get emotionally
attached, and Don't get your pride on the line.
To
you it's your home, but to a buyer it is only a house.
Don't be offended by low offers. Buyers may just be testing
the negotiating waters.
Study the Comparables
You run the
risk of either overpricing or under-pricing if you rely on less-than-solid
information. Know your competition. Learn the offering and selling
prices of similar properties. Find out how long each took to
sell.
Compare
your home to homes that are close in age, style, size, condition
and location. Timing is all-important. If offering your home
when demand is high, you should be able to increase the price.
Sales prices of homes are published in local or regional sections
of newspapers.
Get an Appraisal
Appraisal
opinions are subject to honest dispute. Generally, an appraisal
prepared by an experienced, licensed professional comes as close
to an objective evaluation as you can get.
Consider the Contract
A valid real
estate contract must be in writing and be freely offered by
the buyer and accepted by the seller. All parties to the contract
must be legally competent to do business. Money or other valuable
consideration needs to be exchanged for title to the property.
Keep in mind that if
things go wrong, the buyer could require you to sell your home
to him/her or pay damages. Be familiar with the terms of any
contract you give to a would-be purchaser.
Consider the contract
as a whole. Is it slanted in favor of the buyer? If so, consult
an attorney about making changes. Analyze the document as a
series of paragraphs or clauses, each written to benefit one
party or the other.
Key Elements of
the Contract
Price and terms
If a low offer
comes your way, remain cool until you've examined the terms.
Nothing evokes a more emotional response than a low bid. Be
realistic and objective because many properties don't bring
full price. Don't use price alone as a reason not to counter
or negotiate. A first offer may reveal what's most important
– price or terms – to this particular buyer, giving you the
key to begin bargaining.
Condition of home and inspection
The purchaser
should have your home inspected for soundness of construction
and state of repair. Include all mandatory and voluntary disclosure
statements concerning the property's condition, such as known
defects in the contract.
Be careful what you
guarantee. You cannot be sure the roof won't leak, the heating
system won't go out or any other number of such assurances.
Once the property is sold you are no longer responsible for
it.
Response deadline
You'll be
asked to respond to an offer within a specified timeframe. Try
to get as long a response time as possible. Other offers may
come up and you'll want to buy time to review them and perhaps
use one offer to increase another.
Settlement date and occupancy
If you're
selling your home because another is under contract, seek a
settlement date that will enable you to take your sales profits
to the next closing. Be realistic; the buyer of your home will
probably need at least 30 to 50 days to arrange financing and
close.
Finalizing
Everything
in the offering contract is negotiable. When everyone has agreed
to the terms, initialed the changes and signed the contracts,
you've got an agreement binding on all parties. All that remains
is removing contingency clauses, arranging financing and clearing
title.
Preparing for Closing
As the seller,
you have relatively little to do at this point. By keeping abreast
of progress on both sides, you can help avoid common glitches.
If your buyer
is having trouble getting a loan on the terms specified in the
contract, you should know it; if he/she is turned down, it could
jeopardize the whole deal, and you could end up putting the
house back on the market. A day or so before closing, make sure
all the necessary papers and documents have been gathered and
are in the hands of the right players.
Things can
go wrong. Documents can be misplaced, delayed or lost. However,
common last-minute glitches can be avoided:
- Parties
who should be present at closing need to be informed of any
change in the date, time or place. They should be reminded
a week before closing and again the day before.
- Everyone
named on the deed under which you hold title must sign the
new deed by which you grant title.
- Know when
and how you will be paid. Don't expect to walk away from the
settlement table with a check in hand.
- If you
are buying another property, consider having both closings
at the same office scheduled back-to-back. That way, the timing
of the disbursement is not a problem. You sign a paper authorizing
the title company or attorney to assign the funds from your
sale to your purchase.
The papers you'll need
- A copy
of the sales contract and documentation showing that any contingencies
have been removed or satisfied.
- All documents
needed to complete the transfer of title. This may include
certificate of title, deed, correcting affidavits, quitclaim
deeds, survey and title insurance policy or binder.
- Homeowners
insurance policy. When the buyer plans to take over the unused
portion of your hazard insurance, you'll need to make arrangements
in advance for all paperwork to be completed on time.
- Prorations
for ongoing expenses such as insurance premiums, property
taxes, accrued interest on assumed loans and utilities (if
not shut off between owners).
- Receipts
showing payment of the latest water, electric and gas bills.
- A certificate
from your lender indicating the mortgage balance and the date
to which interest has been prepaid.
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