Seller Information
Defining Real vs. Personal Property It’s so tempting for a seller to take something from their home when they pack up and move. Recently, one of our buyers walked in the door of their new home to find the light which was once hanging above a pool table had been removed by the sellers. I can almost see the logic; it was a billiard’s light, quite nice and definitely looked good with the pool table. Problem is, it was attached to the home and the buyer expected it to be there, not an empty spot where it once hung. What...
Price is the subject most homeowners approach with trepidation. Almost everyone I meet with wants to try to price a little high so they have room to negotiate. I can not stress enough the dangers of pricing high and holding. Price is the number one reason homes expire without selling. The longer a home is on the market, it becomes “old news” and buyers believe there must be something wrong with the home, or the seller is desperate, which results in lower offers and more seller concessions. I have written about this subject before, so won’t bore you with the...
Whether you’re the competitive type or not, competition plays a huge role in the sale of a home. I’m not sure why, but it seems when one person puts their home on the market in a neighborhood, a few more do the same. In some areas around Indianapolis, there are simply, too many homes available. There’s usually some distinguishing factors why a buyer will ultimately choose one home over another. Evaluating what other homes in the market offer compared to your home is the first place to start. There are the obvious differences: Square Footage Number of Bedrooms Location Within the Neighborhood...
This is my continuing series about selling your home after it has expired. In the Real Estate community, a home which didn’t sell during the time it was listed, is called an Expired Listing. I have been participating in a mastermind group with other Realtors around the country. The subject of our meetings is expired listings, what happens which causes a home to expire without selling and how to overcome the obstacles to prevent the frustration for home sellers whose home does not sell. In this follow up to my initial article about Indianapolis homes that didn’t sell, lets take a look at...
You have prepared your home for sale, completing every project you could think of (and afford) to get your home ready for the market. You’ve hired a real estate agent and as the sign is placed in your front yard, you have high hopes of a quick sale so you can move on with your future plans. In the first few weeks Realtors call to show your home and you’re sure, each time, this will be the one. The buyer who absolutely loves your home as much as you do! Certainly, you will soon get the call from your agent,...
What Are Your Fees? In a real estate market where home owners have less equity than ever, a reasonable question is, “How much will it cost me to sell my home?” Many times the home owner is simply asking about the real estate commission involved in selling. Sorry – you won’t get a “pat” answer from me. My answer is, if you are talking about commissions only, it depends. Apart from commission, there are several factors involved in the cost of selling a home. Tax Credit This is an important cost many sellers don’t take into consideration when they think...
What happens to your mortgage payment when the taxes change? We’ll look at my daughter’s changes over the last 18 months. In 2008 when the Indianapolis property tax C-bill came out ( the final bill for 2006), it was much less than the normal tax bill. Since taxes were behind, my daughters lender assumed her taxes had changed and sent her a check for the overage in her reserve account. Mortgage companies are only allowed to keep a maximum amount in reserves. When the next tax bill came out, the lender paid the taxes, but there wasn’t enough in her...
