Sellers

CURB APPEAL - FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNT!!

We make thousands of small and big decisions every day. Our senses (eyesight, smell, feeling, hearing) are constantly telling us a story about our surroundings.

When we are looking to buy a home, those INITIAL impressions from the first few seconds after we stop in front of a home may make a positive or negative emotional impression that may outlast later impressions (remember that “an image is worth a thousand words”?).

This initial impression makes a statement about your home and yourself as the owner. Whether your home is contemporary or traditional, older or newer, its architectural features and curb appeal will impact potential buyers.

Yo...

SHOWINGS AND PETS

Most of us REALTORS are animal lovers and have pets of our own, but we also share many stories about showing homes where our clients went into a sneezing fit, we got bitten by a cantankerous furry creature, or opened the front door only to helplessly see a cute kitty scoot toward the nearest busy street.


It is essential to take pets and its effects into consideration if you want to put your house on the market.

Initially, make sure that you bring a friend who does NOT have any pets to do the "sniff test" and make sure your home does not have any pet odors. Steam clean carpets and vacuum all furniture. Wash all pet bedding and toys. Make sure to shampoo and comb your ...

Feeling Stressed? Patience is a Virtue (That Helps Get Deals Done!)

Sellers deal with anxiety, especially if they are also buying a home and depending upon the sale and closing of their existing home. In addition, As a Seller, you may have to also deal with the Buyers' anxiety!

For example, you may have reached an agreement with the Buyers and signed the contract for the sale of your home. After the contract was ratified, you notice that the Buyers begin to behave strangely, getting somewhat agitated and making additional (sometimes unreasonable) demands, like asking you to include your new washer and dryer (that did not convey), or may start questioning the structural integrity of your...

Who Represents Whom?

In South Carolina, state law maintains that the REALTOR must represent at least one of the parties in the transaction (cannot be neutral). 
Consumers have the option to hire an agent (become a CLIENT with fiduciary responsibility from the agent) or remain a CUSTOMER 
(at arm’s length) and represent him/herself in the transaction.

The LISTING AGENT always represents the seller. Sometimes a buyer will purchase a home with the help of the listing agent. 
In this case, known as DUAL agency (common in new construction), the agent assists both the buyer and the seller in the transaction. However, it is also possible 
that the buyers want an agent representing their inte...

A Moving Experience

You have a ratified contract, getting ready to close escrow - the transaction is looking like it's going to happen on track and  - you realize you need to arrange the move ASAP!

We recommend you contact a few different moving companies, they each offer different service options and price ranges, whether you are moving across the country or just within the neighborhood.

 Shopping for movers is like shopping for any other service. Call several companies for estimates, and ask each company exactly how their charges are calculated and what is included. How much insurance is included in the estimate? What is the cost for additional coverage? Are there special provision...

THE REAL ESTATE CLOSING

After the buyers have finished their due diligence process, agreed repairs have been done, and the buyers have received their 
final loan approval from their lender, the buyer’s agent will normally schedule a closing with their attorney of choice.

As a seller, you have the right to be represented by a different attorney at the closing, but this will cost you more. Although the 
closing attorney represents the buyers, he/she also has to represent the lenders (discharge your existing mortgages and sign 
the new ones), and can represent the sellers.

In theory, the closing attorney will produce the closing statement (HUD-1) showing the financial balance of the t...

CLEAN HOUSE - SMOOTH SALE - LOOK AFTER THE LAST DETAIL

Most purchase agreements contain language that requires the seller to hand over a home free of trash and debris and "broom clean" at closing. 
While most times this language is not precise, the general idea is that you should convey a clean house to your buyers, one in the same condition 
that you hope to find your new home.

When the movers leave with your furniture, you may even want to consider hiring a professional cleaning service to thoroughly clean the home, 
steam clean the carpets and get rid of any odors.

It is also important to make sure the yard is looking the same as when the property was on the market. Mow the lawn one...

ADDITIONS AND REMODELING

When lenders toughen their standards and the housing market is challenging for sellers, many homeowners will choose to either add or remodel their existing home, instead of changing it for a new one to satisfy their needs. Many builders have chosen not to build any new "spec" homes and focus on remodeling and additions instead.

Many homeowners are unaware that of the zoning laws, building codes and neighborhood restrictions governing renovations and additions. Most projects will require permits and official inspections to satisfy federal/state/county/city regulations and neighborhood covenants and restrictions.  Failure to comply with due process may result in...

THE VALUE OF A HOME...

When markets shift from one cycle to another (i.e. sellers' market to Buyers' market)  it is difficult to assess the appropriate value of a home. Everyone will have a different opinion about the "market value" of your home. Your neighbor, the bank, the appraiser, you and your agent will all come up with different opinions of value. Keep in mind that it is the market what sets the price (a house is only worth what a willing and able Buyer will pay for it).

So how can a Seller arrive at the ideal list price for their home? And how can they price a home in the "sweet spot" to entice the maximum number of offers and get the highest market price?

Buyers (and appraiser...

 Negotiating skills from a seller's perspective:

Traditionally people think of a good negotiator as a person that crushes the competition and gets the last dollar out of the transaction for their clients.  However, negotiating skills and tactics need to be adjusted according to the client's long-term objectives and according to market dynamics.  

For example, in a buyers market where there are lots of listings around and all the listings are competing for very few buyers the objective of a good negotiator should be to get that first market price offer under contract and soon as possible because you know that prices are declining and the likelihood is that the next offer is going t...

Moving Up: Buy First or Sell First?

Many people are looking at real estate prices and thinking it’s a great time to buy a bigger or better home, or to move to their ideal location. And they are right. The problem is – they may need to sell their existing home first to complete their down payment (or avoid paying two mortgages), and this sometimes can be a challenge.

It is important that you sit down with your REALTOR® and explore all the options available to you. Here are some of them:

1. Buy first, sell later. 
Advantages: You can take advantage of current buying opportunities and low interest rates. Disadvantages: You may not qualify for both loans, and if you do, you may have to pay...

The Appraisal

After a nerve-wrecking negotiation process, the buyers and sellers finally had a "meeting of the minds" and agreed on price and terms for the sales contract.

Whew! All done? - Not quite!

Here comes another hurdle - most contracts with lender financing contain a "Subject to Appraisal" condition. The lender wants to make sure that the price the buyers are paying for the property is a fair market price (or below), to ensure there is sufficient collateral for their loan. 

The Appraiser looks for three "comparable" houses that have sold in the same area within the last few months, and compares their selling prices to the one that is under contract. He/she then makes adj...

WSJ Study Finds Best Listing Day

REALTORS have often debated if the day of the week that you list a home has any effect on the outcome. The Wall Street Journal published recently the results of a national study that concluded that YES! The day of the week DOES affect the outcome, albeit in a small way.

SMELLY AFFAIRS

The sense of smell is a powerful motivator. When prospective buyers walk into a house, their senses are alert to take in any visual, audio or smell stimuli to form that “first impression”.

It is well known that buyers respond more positively if they smell freshly baking oatmeal or chocolate chip cookies instead of the lingering odors of mold, cigarette smoke or a household pet. 

Because you are used to it, you may not notice odors that visitors are aware of as soon as they walk in the door. When your house is for sale, ask a friend or neighbor to give it a "sniff test". If they notice any odors, you bet potential buyers are going to notice them too! The presence of...

I received this great testimonial on my personal Facebook page from a seller client - completely unsolicited! 

Want to sell? Call us 843-900-0155.

SELLING YOUR HOME

Rivertowne, Park West, Dunes West, Hamlin Plantation
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No Showings? No Offers? What to do?

In this  (declining or "buyer's") market, sellers need to pay close attention to the response the market gives them as soon as they place their home on the market. This video explains part of the "psychology" of the market, where monitoring traffic and offers becomes an essential element to get homes sold at a top market price in a short time:

Wish to sell? Contact the home selling experts today!

This month's HOMEOWNER'S Monthly from B-Sure Home Inspections had these tips that I believe in. If Sellers heed this advice then they will find many fewer issues with repair requests coming from the Buyers.

Top 10 Repairs to Make Before a Home Inspection

1. Prune overgrown vegetation
2. Clean the gutters
3. Replace dirty furnace filters
4. Install missing covers of electrical outlets and switch junction boxes
5. Replace/check smoke alarms
6. Replace burned out light bulbs
7. Replace wax seals under leaky toilets
8. Replace loose of missing insulation in the crawl space and/or attic
9. Properly terminate all electrical splices in covered junction boxes

If you are thinking of selling your home, we offe...

White Lies Sellers Should Avoid Telling

Many states have mandatory "disclosure" laws for sellers. Some sellers may be tempted to tell a few "white lies" when they want to sell their home - after all - how will the buyers find out? Sellers may think no harm is done by omitting facts or "bending the truth". The fact is there are some issues that call for brutal honesty or they may come back to bite them later! As your real estate advisor, I always recommend my seller clients to tell nothing but the truth - it's their safest course of action! 

However, very few people will tolerate being lied to. Litigation often follows a failure to disclose a known fact about the house...

Here are a few...