Badger3k
We Don't Need No Stinkin Badgers
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join:2001-09-27
Franklin, OH
clubs: 
|  House selling & buying tips?
So we have a Realtor coming Sunday evening to start the process of selling our house. Luckly she is a friend/neighbor, so I know I'm in good hands. Even so, I don't want to go in blind so what questions (if any) should I ask her?
Right now I know I want her opinion on the place. Find any little/minor things that can be touched up or changed. Ask her about the current market in the area and get her opinion of what we should list it at. I'd say depending on her recommendations and the few things I know already that need to be finished, we'd be looking at actually having it on the market mid/end of August.
I've also thought about having her recommend a home inspector to give the house a look over. I'm sure anyone interested is going to do the samething, but I'd like to be able to compare incase something of question comes up. We'll obviously need an inspector for our new home purchase anyway.
I'd also like to hear other tips/opinions for things to do before putting the house on the market. I'd even like to hear what to look for when house hunting since that can't be too far down the line now. 
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tcope
Premium
join:2003-05-07
Sandy, UT
 ·Comcast
1 edit | A home inspector tells you of any problems with the house... this is why the _buyer_ hires one. I don't see why you would want to pay someone to go looking for problems. Once you know about something... you have to tell the buyer.
You need to find out from the Realtor what they are going to do to get your home sold. Do they offer staging advise? How will they advertise (craigslist, local papers, etc.). Have they sold other homes in the area... i.e. do they know the area? Is the Realtor full time, devoting all of their working time to selling homes? What is the length of the contract (you want it to be as short as possible... no more then 6 months).
Question... have _you_ looked over comps in the area? |
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Acc708
join:2008-06-28
| reply to Badger3k
Hiring a home inspector is a good idea if you don't want to be surprised once you think you have a buyer. If you can afford it, it just keeps the surprises down to a minimum.
Keep the house clean at all times so you don't have to cancel showings. Nothing worse than running around trying to clean up at the last minute. People are going to look at everything, including your closets, bathrooms, cabinets, etc... They are also going to break things, so keep that in mind when you leave things out in the open. I actually had a realtor come through with a couple that ripped the door out of the frame because they were too dumb to know how to open it and then never even made mention. They of course left the house unsecured because they couldn't close the door.
It will cause fights with your other half. It will stress you out. You will be glad only when you finally have settlement complete. |
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boaterbob
join:2005-08-01
Moncks Corner, SC
| I agree with 'tcope' - why would you pay for a home inspection? A potential buyer, if they make an offer, will ask for a home inspection as part of the contract anyway. Let the buyer's inspector find some small 'defects/problems' that you and the buyer can then negotiate on as to what gets fixed and what doesn't. If you know of any problem areas - fix then now.
Also mentioned, get staging advice!! You may need to move some of your furniture into storage to reduce the clutter - always go for the open space approach. Remove most of your personal items, especially pictures, Especially!! on the walls. Do not let potential buyers get distracted - keep them focused on seeing how they could put their stuff in the house - not how you like it.
Dust, dust, dust. Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum. Use bright lights, even changing to clear bulbs rather than frosted bulbs - you want the house to be bright! Make sure all windows have been cleaned. Then dust and vacuum!
I'm guessing you will be living in the house while it is being shown?? Have the stager (yes, pay for one to give you suggestions) rent you some small items - maybe a phony chocolate cake to put on the kitchen counter (along with serving dishes and forks), maybe a bottle of wine with wine glasses. Clean all kitchen appliances !!!! People will probably open the refrig door - so only fresh, clean looking stuff in the refrig - and do not over stuff it with items. Make the kitchen look like it has tons of storage space. Dust it good - even the baseboards.
Now do the same approach for the bathrooms - even buy new faucet handles if you need to (they are cheap and make the bathroom look new and modern). NO soap scum or scale allowed!!! Toilets - ALWAYS spotless!!
Turn on the lights before the RE agent and potential buyers arrive. Keep the AC comfortable. NO pets in the house (and a minimum of kids 
Go check out new development 'Model' homes - the ones the developers set up for show to try to get you to buy. These folks are pros (some are anyway). See what they are doing to make their model homes look sharp.
Dust, vacuum AND mow the grass and trim the bushes. Add new mulch!! Has the driveway been pressure washed? Got a large city trash container outside that you roll to the curb each week? Make sure it is washed and clean (the outside of the container) - you want your house to sparkle.
Have you cleaned the rain gutters? They often get black streaks from the shingles. Get up on a ladder and use bleach water on them. See if you can park your car at a neighbors for an hour when people will be coming to view your house - that way they will see you newly cleaned driveway and say "This person really takes care of their house!".
So, call a stager to give you hints, move out some furniture to temp storage, dust, vacuum, clean and polish, use bright lights and turn them on for viewings, mow the grass, etc.
Yeah, it's a pain, but, if you want to sell in today's market where there are plenty of other houses for sale ...
And price it to sell! The rush of potential buys will come to a new listing. If no offers are received in 3 months, just lowering the price will not generate the large number of lookers as during the first few months.
Call the stager today - well worth the fee.
Pack much of the stuff you will be moving TODAY and then store it. You will need to do this anyway when moving day comes along- so get a head start on the chore - and make your house look roomier to potential buyers.
If possible, hire a 'buyers' agent as your realtor as opposed to a sellers agent or transaction agent. A buyers agent will always try to work the best deal for you.
Now go dust, vacuum, mow, clean, move furniture to storage!
As to buying - buy where you want (location) and buy what you like. Try for a place with NO covenant and restrictions!!! Then negotiate and negotiate for best price plus have them pay for most of the things that YOU think need fixing (these can be in addition to what YOUR inspector finds).
One technique in buying is to offer WAY low and let the seller come back with "That price is too low. The very lowest I will go is $xxxx". Don't try this if there are others making offers on the house your wife 'just loves' - just pay whatever it takes to get her that house.
Good luck |
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avd706
insert annoying animated gif here
Premium
join:2003-02-06
Union, NJ | In this market don't give an exclusive to the agent, go straight to Multiple Listings. |
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boaterbob
join:2005-08-01
Moncks Corner, SC
| reply to boaterbob
Also, do you have a termite bond (up to date service contract that can be transferred?). If not, most good realtors can get you a free CLL100 (is that what it is called?) where a termite inspector will check your house for termites and provide you with a 'clean' bill of health. These are not your best termite check ups, but will provide the buyer's lending company with paperwork saying you do not have termites currently.
How about your garage - is it neat and tidy? Move some of the stuff stored in there to your temp storage facility too!
Did you wash your mailbox? Gotta make it look neat! Is your grass looking yellow - spray it with a liquid iron (buy it by the gallon container at Home Depot)or use a fertilizer with 2% IRON - water it in good. While at Home Depot, buy some potted plants/flowers for outside the front AND back of the house to add curb appeal (keep them watered!)
DO NOT have any smell gadgets in the house - what smells good to you may not to others (and they will think you are trying to mask the mold or stink smell!).
Did you wash the windows as I asked?
Did you buy the bright lights for the house AND the garage? Buy some under counter lights if needed in the kitchen - they just plug in to the kitchen wall plugs.
All hinges, even the garage door,are squeak free - right?
Dust the TV screen - and its case.
How about a NEW front door welcome mat. |
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natedj
Elected
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join:2001-06-06
Columbia, SC
·Earthlink Cable Mo..
4 edits | reply to Badger3k
Having a friend/neighbor list your home can be sort of a double edged sword. If anything goes wrong it can ruin the friendship. I would first let your friend know that she/he needs to be completely honest about your house, what needs to be done and what you can really get for it in terms of price. Sometimes in a effort not to make you uncomfortable or to seem judgmental, friends might be a little reluctant to let you know what they really think about your house and you'll only end up with a house on the market for months and months. Now this may not be your case here but I thought that I was worth mentioning.
Boaterbob did a stellar job telling you the critical areas you need to pay attention to. Great job Boaterbob !!!!
The one main reason a house doesn't sell is "price" even if its a messy abode, if it is priced right, someone will buy it. Get good comparisons and price it right.
Give your yard a shot in the arm. Curb appeal is very important ... it's the bait, it is the catalyst to get them out of their vehicle and into your house.
You will get just one chance to make the first impression so when they turn that knob on the front door you do not want any bad odors or over-powering air-fresheners like you're trying to mask something as Boaterbob said. Take a drop of vanilla and put in a warm oven and on light bulbs to give a pleasant aroma ... heck, bake some cookies if you want to go all out.
Remove all pets. Even if your closet is neat and tidy you'll want to remove half the clothes from in it to give the illusion of more space.
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Good judgement comes with experience...Experience comes after bad judgements |
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wave_sailor
join:2001-04-23
Bloomingdale, NJ
clubs:
1 edit | reply to Badger3k
I've heard, rent a Mercedes and park it in on the driveway.
Paint walls / ceiling / trim.
You know, regarding the house inspector, I think you might be able to make up a check list yourself. If you have the original report from the house that's probably a good place to start. Here's what I came with:
a) flush toilets, do you notice anything unusual, or water leaking into bowl (put a couple drops of colored die in the tank and see if they end up in the bowl) or around the base? Look in basement or ceilings (brown spots or even dripping water) if possible.
b) run the faucets, is it a slow drain? is there any water leaking underneath? how does age of faucet / sink look? consider replacing if needed.
c) heating / cooling. turn each on, does it maintain temperature? does it feel cold / hot? There's a specific temp they look for coming out of registers, probably searching on google you could find it. Is there any room that feels hot or cold when it shouldn't be (maybe a leaking window)? Investigate why.
d) basement / crawl space. look for bugs etc.. such as dirt mounds (terminates), overall humidity level, does it smell?, white chalking on foundation (moisture problems?). Check plumbing for any leaks in this area. Look at electrical if any (see F).
d) exterior, age of siding / windows / roof. inspect attic, look for dark spots underneath roof (indicates leak?). look at insulation, is it what's recommended (go to insulation manufacturer like owen's corning website that tells you what R value you should have). Check gutters and downspouts. Does there appear to be any drainage issues? how is the grading of soil - away from or towards the house? Are there any underground tanks or septic systems? What age, when last checked / cleaned? Are there any bugs outside such as ants, bees? Turn over rocks, wood etc.. Carry a philips head screwdriver or something like it and poke any wood that is painted that may appear to be peeling. If your screwdriver goes into the wood, then you have roted wood that needs replacing. Checking any hand railings, are they secure? For decks, does the floor feel spongy (not good)?
e) kitchen, check operation of stove / range / cooktop / oven. Do any burners not work? What is their age? Do they need replacing? Check sink as above in b. Check dish washer. Check cabinets / floor. Any issues?
f) check electrical. I don't know this too well, but maybe someone else has tips.
I think the inspection is mostly trying things out, careful observation and noting any issues. |
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wave_sailor
join:2001-04-23
Bloomingdale, NJ
clubs: | o yea, in the bathrooms, tap the tiles on the shower wall with back of screwdriver. Should be a solid sound, not "deadening" or muffled. |
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horsemouth
Please Clarify My CSP
Premium
join:2002-03-13
canada | reply to Badger3k
My hat is off to Boaterbob. One more thing that I will add is give your friends and family the heads up, you don't want them knocking on your door during a showing. |
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natedj
Elected
Premium
join:2001-06-06
Columbia, SC
·Earthlink Cable Mo..
| reply to Badger3k
I agree with you on hiring a home inspector as a preemptive measure to ensure a smooth transaction.
It will cost you a couple hundred buck which is a small price to pay for the kind of transaction you're about to make.
You would much rather a forensic expert working for you and on your terms than to be caught flat-footed when the buyer finds out and wants the defects fixed on their terms or even worse, giving the buyer a avenue to get out of the contract.
So you hire a home inspector up-front and lets say he finds something major .... you can have that information up front and decide if you want to fix it or not. If you don't fix it, you can simply price the house accordingly so you'll know what to expect. The last thing you want to do is have a price in your head and then the buyers are then asking you to discount you price due to some defect in the house you had no knowledge of. By getting the home inspector up-front is a little insurance on a smoother closing and/or surprisal repair cost.
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Good judgement comes with experience...Experience comes after bad judgements |
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wave_sailor
join:2001-04-23
Bloomingdale, NJ
clubs:
| reply to Badger3k
I came across various tips »www.home-inspect.com/itatips/
What home inspectors do:
»www.nachi.org/sop.htm
»www.homeinspector.org/standards/default.aspx |
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tcope
Premium
join:2003-05-07
Sandy, UT
·Comcast
| reply to natedj
said by natedj  :I agree with you on hiring a home inspector as a preemptive measure to ensure a smooth transaction. I still fail to see why a seller would want to _pay $300_ to find problems with the home. This does not work on so many levels.... 1) You never know how the buyer will want to address these "problems". They might not care about some of them, they might want to reduce the selling price of the home, etc. 2) Different inspectors might have different opinions as to what are issues and what are not 3) The seller would then either have to correct _everything_ the inspector mentions and/or turn over the report to the buyer (ouch!) as any known issues are required to be disclosed by law and lastly 4) Why would the seller want to waste $300 when the buyer is going to provide the exact same information on their own dime? |
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bkjohnson
Premium
join:2002-05-22
Birmingham, AL
| reply to Badger3k
When you get an offer, be sure that you get enough earnest money from the buyers to make it financially painful for them to back out of the deal. I've known of a few cases where buyers tied up a house and then backed out after finding one they liked better. Because they had only put down a small amount of earnest money, they just forfeited it, leaving the sellers in a bad situation. |
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natedj
Elected
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join:2001-06-06
Columbia, SC
·Earthlink Cable Mo..
2 edits | reply to tcope
I agree with your reasoning,you're correct, you do not know how the buyer will want to address the problem, that's why I mentioned to price the house accordingly. If there is a problem, and the seller choose not to fix it, the price of the home should be where the seller is willing to take the repair cost off the price of the house (if the buyer wants it fixed) if the buyer doesn't care, then that is a plus to the seller.
Different inspectors will have different opinions, but with any substantial repairs a good inspector will find it. The nit-picky finds are not expensive to fix.
The seller does NOT have to fix everything, but they will have to disclose any structural, hazardous or unsafe issues with the house. Why would you want to sell someone a house like that anyway? If anything, it would give the buyer more confidence in the house and the seller seeing that these were either corrected or disclosed early and on the sellers dime which would make a easier closing. In an ideal situation (and this has happened before) the buyer will forego getting their own inspector and save the hassle of a dual opinions.
I can see that we have vary views on this and I can clearly see the logic of your argument, but I too have heard some real life horror stories, so a few hundred bucks is nothing for this peace of mind.
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Good judgement comes with experience...Experience comes after bad judgements |
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icp1
Premium
join:2000-10-13
Saint Louis, MO
clubs:
 ·AT&T DSL Service
| reply to Badger3k
Lots of opinions from people...let me summarize
1) CLEAN EVERYTHING x 10000
2) Spruce up front
3) price price price...
whatever you do to the house if your house is priced wrong it will not sell...and even then it still might not sell in this market, believe me I've been trying to sell off and on for 2 years, priced BELOW pri/sq ft of any other house that has sold on my street...
GOOD LUCK! |
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bigunk
Gort, Klattu Birada Nikto
join:2001-02-10
Santa Clarita, CA
·AT&T Yahoo
| reply to bkjohnson
All this talk. I'm gonna take a different approach. Let's say I really want to move. My thinking is a lot of people buy a house, and then start to remake it in their own image. Sooooooooooo.... I would leave my house as it is. Dings and dents. Sell it as a house you're gonna change anyway, and give you a little off the top to make it attractive financially. Motivated seller, realistic buyer. The house is not a "fixer". Just needs some cosmetic TLC. Mechanically sound and technically up to date. All systems maintained or upgraded.
What say y'all?
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There is not a man in the country that can't make a living for himself and family. But he can't make a living for them AND his government, the way his government is living. What the government has got to do is live as cheap as the people.
- Will Rogers |
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BronsCon
join:2003-10-24
Cleveland, OH
·Cox HSI
| reply to Badger3k
One thing I suggest is staging.
Staging is basically having someone came into your house, looking for anything that would turn a potential buyer off and turning those things into turn-ons.
A typical staging costs anywhere from $150-450, depending on the work involved. The average staged home, however, sells for about $6300 more than the average unstaged home. That's without mentioning that staged homes typically sell in less than 1/8 the time of unstaged homes.
It's all about making your house the best deal on the market; and that doesn't have to mean lowering your asking price to compensate.
Seeing that you're in Ohio, I can suggest Staged Makeovers. I'm not sure that they service Fairborn, but it would be worthwhile to call and ask. I've dealt with the owner, Sharon, before and she's simply delightful. Her number is (330) 472 - 6607 and I'm sure she'd be glad to hear from you.
If you'd like more information before you call, you can check otu the Staged Makeovers website at »www.stagedmakeovers.com |
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tcope
Premium
join:2003-05-07
Sandy, UT
·Comcast
| reply to bigunk
said by bigunk :All this talk. I'm gonna take a different approach. Let's say I really want to move. My thinking is a lot of people buy a house, and then start to remake it in their own image. Sooooooooooo.... I would leave my house as it is. Dings and dents. Sell it as a house you're gonna change anyway, and give you a little off the top to make it attractive financially. Motivated seller, realistic buyer. The house is not a "fixer". Just needs some cosmetic TLC. Mechanically sound and technically up to date. All systems maintained or upgraded. Really depends on what those "dings and dents" were. First impressions (curb appeal, etc) mean a lot. If the home looks in disrepair it may not matter what the price is, many people will automatically rule it out. For example, I'd not leave dead plants and bushes around, even though the buyer could plant what they want... it leaves an over-all bad impression. Also, if the house has many dings and dents, it looks like the seller did not take very good care of the property. Personally, I'd move on. Granted, I'd also not spend tons of money doing things that might appeal only to certain people. But if my walls were pink, I might even consider painting them white so that people could see past this. If there were holes in the drywall, I'd not "discount' the price of the house, I'd repair them.
I did not know were were giving staging advise either but I'll add my input... I'm amazed as the number of sellers that leave their home looking crappy. I have seen sinks full of dirty dishes when I've looked at homes! Granted, I'm not buying them but it really _helps_ to turn people off and it's so easy for the seller to correct!
Remember, your SELLING the home... not _allowing_ someone to buy it! |
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Badger3k
We Don't Need No Stinkin Badgers
Premium
join:2001-09-27
Franklin, OH
clubs:
| reply to Badger3k
Wow, great tips everyone! I'm still going through some of the posts, but this is all great info!!
Luckly most of the items in the house have recently been updated/redone. There is only one room that hasn't been touched and thats my sons room. That is also on the list to get a fresh coat of paint.
I like the points about the home inspector. I was just afraid I'd get railroaded into something major, but I guess that is something I'll have to deal with if it comes up. I'll be sure to ask about the staging as well.
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Team Discovery: Project Hope | ET is out there, can you find him? |
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