Buying FAQ's
Selling FAQ's
How will you tell me about the
newest homes available?
The Multiple Listing Service Website provides up-to-date information for every home on the market. I constantly check the New on Market list so I can be on the lookout for my clients. I will get you this information right away, the way that is most convenient for you; by phone and/or email. In addition, we are aware of many “off market” properties if one of these meets your needs I will forward to you.
How does for sale by owner (FSBO) work?
Homeowners trying to sell their home without agent representation are usually doing so in the hopes of saving the commission. If you see a FSBO and want the advantages of my services, let me contact the owner for you and make an appointment. Most times the homeowner will work with an agent, even though their home is not listed, since the agent is introducing a potential buyer to their property
How much money will I have to come up with to buy a home?
This expense depends on a number of factors, not just the cost of the house and the type of mortgage you would like. You should plan to come up with enough money to cover three costs: earnest money – the deposit you make on the home when you submit your offer (to prove to the seller that you are serious about wanting to buy the house), the down payment (a percentage of the cost of the home that you must pay when you go to settlement), and closing costs (the costs associated with processing the paperwork to buy a house.)
You will pay the closing costs at settlement. This amount averages 3-4% of the price of your home. These costs cover various fees and processing expenses. When you apply for your loan, we will give you an estimate of the closing costs, so you are not caught by surprise.
Once my offer is accepted, what should I do?
Celebrate and focus on moving into your new home! I will be with you every step of the way to ensure you are aware of deadlines. The first 17 days will be about inspections, disclosures, and figuring out mortgage related items. The last couple of weeks will be focused on moving in. You will want to schedule your move, pack items and notify businesses of your address change. I will provide you with a moving checklist to help you remember all the details. I will also give you a good faith estimate and HUD statement, which will indicate the amount you, will need to bring to closing.
Why should I list with you when another broker will discount their commission?
That’s a good question, one which may answer itself if you ask why a broker confident in their abilities and results would discount their commission in order to buy your business and still provide full service? The fact is that not all brokers/ agents are the same. You do get what you pay for in our industry and we are happy to show you in detail what that means when you work with us.. If we choose to work with each other on the sale of your property, commission will not stand in the way of getting your house sold.
How will you get my house sold?
The secret to getting a house sold is actually not a secret at all. There are three simple ingredients: Price, Exposure, and Accessibility. As your agent, we will expertly guide you on how to maximize all three ingredients for the best results when selling your home.
Why do you suggest price X when online sites like Zillow suggest it’s worth a higher (or lower) price ?
Although online real estate search sites are very user friendly and offer a great deal of interesting information, we have found that in our real world of real estate sales, their information is not always accurate. Their algorithms are indeed impressive, however, it’s only math and in our humble opinion, lacks a very important piece of the puzzle to accurately access the value of any property -the professional human hand on the pulse of the local market. As agents, we know if the properties are being sold with multiple offers, if that market is on the rise or decline, and perhaps why one neighborhood is hot and another is not. All of these factors, and more, contribute to pricing a property “right” in today’s market to achieve a profitable sale for the seller.
Is staging necessary to sell my house?
Not all properties require staging and we will advise as appropriate based on your needs and type of property sale. We will recommend staging for properties we think will benefit from the investment. Staging has proven to net the seller a higher sales price in less days on market. We have stagers who are able to offer you different pricing options that fit your investment budget when it comes to selling your home.
