Information
on this web site is deemed accurate and not guaranteed and should be
independently
verified before making any purchase or investment decision. |
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| PREPARING
FOR SALE QUESTIONS
& TIPS |
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| What is
the first thing I should do to prepare my home for sale? |
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Obviously,
the first thing to do is to clean your home and make it spotless including
floors, carpeting, walls, baseboards, and ceilings. Remove any clutter and clear
up any disorganized areas of your home. You might consider bringing in a
professional cleaning service to clean your home from top to bottom. You'll save
time and they'll clean all of those areas you have missed and give your home
their professional touch and spotless look. Remember, this is an investment in
the sale of your home which will pay you back.
If you want your home
to look larger or roomier, consider storing a few of your recliners or couches
while your home is for sale…or have a garage sale. Items that are causing
a cluttered look, but that you want to keep can be boxed and stored in a portion
of the garage or an unused bedroom. This cluttered look is especially obvious
on kitchen counters and in the bathroom(s). Clean off those counters
temporarily.
Put those cute
pictures of your kids and/or grandkids away until you move. Potential buyers
like to imagine their own pictures on the mantle or hanging on the wall. | |
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| Should I
repaint my home or just give a credit to the buyer so they may choose their own
colors? |
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| Depending
on how old your home is, what condition the existing paint job is in, how long
since the last paint job, are just a few things to consider. Just remember, a
new paint job is obvious to anyone entering the home and will certainly improve
the appearance and desirability of the home to prosepctive buyers. Regarding
colors, neutral colors should always be used unless you have had a professional
decorator involved with color selection. Bright colors and primary colors on
walls will kill a potential sale quicker than you know. | |
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| My
carpeting is ok in every room but one, should I replace it? |
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| If the room
is not central to the home or part of a common area, the answer is prossibly no
and new flooring is easily seen and appreciated. Of course if it is in terrible
condition it would probably be best to replace it. Follow the color advice of
painting and stick with neutral colors or certainly a color complementing or
matching other flooring or carpeting adjacent to that room. | |
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| What is
curb appeal and how important is it? |
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| Drive down
a street in your town you have never driven down before. As you are driving,
look at the front of homes from the yard to the house and pick out 1 to 3 homes
that look the best. You've just identified curb appeal and if those homes were
for sale along with the homes next to them, you would look at those first. Now,
go back to your home and look at the other homes on the block and in the
neighborhood. Does your home have as much curb appeal as others nearby? Make
sure your front landscaping is attractive and you may consider hiring a lawn and
garden maintenance company to do a clean up prior to placing your home on the
market. Also, you may want to hire the services of a pressure washing company to
clean the front of your house as well as pressure wash and clean your driveway
and front walks. Your curb appeal will increase and assist in selling your home
quicker. | |
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| How
important is my landscaping and what can I do to improve it or should I offer a
credit to the buyer to fix it up? |
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| Landscaping
adds to curb appeal and complements and enhances the overall appearance of any
property. Call some local landscaping companies and have them come out and give
you a quote and some ideas on what you can do to improve your landscaping. You
may be surprised that with a little investment on your part, your whole
properties appearance can be enhanced and made more attractive. At the very
least, have a lawn and gardening service come out and put the finishing touches
on your landscaping which can range from trimming trees to manicuring a lawn. | |
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| SHOWING
YOUR HOME QUESTIONS
& TIPS |
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| Should I
let buyers just walk through the home on their own? |
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| You should
accompany the prospective buyers on their home tour. You can lead them to the
entrance of individual rooms and before you enter, step aside and invite them to
enter and then point out any special features of the room as they view the
space. | |
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| What is
the best time of day to schedule a showing of my home? |
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| The best
time to show your home is when buyer's want to see it. It may sound a bit
obvious but everyone has a different schedule and when buyer's are out home
shopping, it is because they have made the time to home shop. Of course,
reasonable hours should be expected and you wouldn't want to show the home late
in the evening or too early in the morning. The exception to this would be of
course, an individual you already knew. Because you are inviting a stranger into
your home, if you are a women by herself, it might be best to schedule showings
with a male friend present or make sure there is a couple present when you show
the home. If
for any reason you are uncomfortable when you initially meet the individual
coming to view your home, you can always let them know that this is a bad time
because of unforseen circumstances and reschedule for another time. Always keep
your personal safety in mind and act accordingly. | |
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| What
should I do before the potential buyer shows up to prepare my home to show? |
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| The best
way to show a home is with either all the lights on (even if it is daytime), and
with all of the drapes open. If you leave closet doors open a little bit,
buyer's won't have the urge to open the closet door as much as if it is closed.
You want a bright and clean space to show them in every area of your home. | |
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| Should I
offer the buyer any printed information on my home? |
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| You should
print out your Listing Page on FiZBOWZ.com or any of our Partner Sites your home
is listed on. Setup a special area of the house in either the Living Room or
Kitchen (A large common area.), and have all printed material prepared and ready
to hand out. It is also a good idea to have any receipts available for any major
repairs, upgrades, or additions you have made to your property to show to your
prospective buyers. If you have any warranties or guarantees you received with
any expenditures on the home, show these to the prospective buyer's also. If the
prospective buyers seem uninterested in any information you have to show them,
don't waste your time any further and just thank them for coming to look at your
home. | |
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| HOME
INSPECTION QUESTIONS
& TIPS |
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| Why is a
Home Inspection important to a home buyer? |
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| A home is
the largest purchase you will make and having the peace of mind knowing the
major systems in a home you are purchasing are operational and safe, is a must.
Competent, qualified, certified, and professional home inspector's can end up
saving you thousands of dollars on unknown repairs occuring within days and
months of moving in. A home is a complex structure made up of different
materials and systems and a complete home inspection can identify obvious,
unforseen by the nonprofessional, problems which need repair or replacement.
Home Inspection is one of the best investments you can make in your new home.
Remember to have the home inspection done prior to purchasing and make the
purchase contract contingent on a satisfactory home inspection accepted by you.
Any problems that are identified can be negotiated prior to the purchase of the
home. | |
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| Why is a
Home Inspection important to a home seller? |
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| What better
way to show your prospective buyer's they are making the right decision, by
showing them the results of a Home Inspection you have received and receipts for
any repairs or systems you have replaced. One thing is for sure, those
prospective home buyers will ask the sellers at the next home they look at if
they have a copy of a Home Inspection they can look at. Chances are they won't
and your home will be the first thing they think of. A Home Inspection is a
great investment which will assist you in selling your home and can make the
difference with a prospective buyer. | |
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| Is there
any guarantee provided by a Home Inspector that their inspection is complete? |
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| The answer
to this question is coming soon! | |
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| MORTGAGE
& FINANCING QUESTIONS
& TIPS |
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| What is
a LSR and why do I need it? |
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| LSR is an
abbreviation for "Loan Status Report". The LSR is provided to you by
the Mortgage Company you are working with. It will show how much you are
approved for, what the purchase price is of the home, and also other details
regarding your financing including what stage you are at in the financing
process with the Mortgage Company. The LSR should be presented with any offer
you make on a property as it shows the seller you are prepared to purchase their
home. Most sellers require a LSR with any offer presented. | |
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| Can
closing costs be included in my mortgage loan? |
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| Including
closing costs in your loan is a detail you need to work out first with your
lender and once they have approved, it must be included in any purchase contract
you make with a property seller. It is not unusual for closing costs to be
included in the purchase of a property and your Mortgage Company should be
consulted first. | |
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| How much
do I need for a down payment to purchase a home? |
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| Your
Mortgage Company will assist you in determing how much loan you are approved for
and also what if any down payment will be required for the purchase price of the
property you desire. | |
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| What is
the FICO credit score I hear so much about? |
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| FICO is an
acronym for "Fair Isaac Corporation" which is the company that
developed the "credit scoring" system used by most credit reporting
agencies. Lenders use your FICO score to determine your credit worthiness and
what amounts they will lend you, what line of credit they will extend to you,
and also what interest rate they will charge you. | |
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| Should I
wait for mortgage rates to go down before I purchase a home? |
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| Become
acquainted with a lender to discuss getting pre-approved for a loan that fits
your income. Interest rates are always fluctuating, so it's feasible that you
could be ready for retirement before rates come down enough to make waiting an
advantage. | |
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| How long
does it take for me to get PreApproved to purchase a home? |
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| Some
lenders can give you a verbal pre-approval over the phone. However, assume it
will take at least 1 or 2 days depending on the lender. | |
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| TITLE
& ESCROW QUESTIONS
& TIPS |
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| Why
should I use a title and escrow company when buying or selling Real Estate? |
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| A Title and
Escrow Company is in the business of assisting buyers and sellers in
transferring properties in a legal and binding manner. The Title and Escrow
Company make sure all documents are in order, the title is free from any
encumbrances or liens (The title is not subject to additional money's owed by
the seller not related to the mortgage.), and the Seller is legally able to
transfer title to the property and the Buyer is legally able to take title of
the property. The end result is the sale is completed and, the Title and Escrow
Company is involved in a lot more details than what we have listed. | |
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| Do I
have to purchase Title Insurance when purchasing a home? |
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| If you are
making an all cash purchase, the answer is no and you most definitely will want
Title Insurance to protect your investment. In the event a mortgage is involved
in the purchase Title Insurance is a requirement. | |
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| What is
the purpose of Escrow and do I have to use an Escrow Company? |
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| The answer
to this question is coming soon! | |
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| PEST
CONTROL QUESTIONS
& TIPS |
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| Why do I
need a Pest Control company for an inspection when I sell my home? |
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| If the
buyer is financing the home, the mortgage company will require a termite
inspection as a condition of funding the loan. If it is an all cash purchase,
the buyer may require a termite and pest inspection prior to the sale closing. | |
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| What is
the cost of a Termite Inspection and when do I have to pay? |
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| The cost of
a Termite Inspection varies from area to area and if you contact your local pest
control, they will give you the pricing. Most pest control companies have the
Termite Inspection cost billed to your escrow account once you have a buyer and
have opened escrow. The pest control company is then paid once the sale closes. | |
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| Is there
any advantage to having a pest control inspection prior to selling my home? |
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| Most
lenders have a maximum length of time that they allow for a pest inspection to
be valid. It won't hurt to have an inspection prior to selling, just be aware
that your buyers' lender might request a current inspection. | |
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| Who
should pay for any Pest Control inspection required when I sell my home? |
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| It's the
buyers responsibility to perform all inspections they feel are necessary to
assure the home is in the condition they want. (Also, lenders might require a
pest inspection.) Who pays for the inspection can be negotiated in the contract
offer. | |
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