selling your house on your own

The Spooky Side of Selling Your House on Your Own

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Before deciding to sell your own home, it’s important to understand the potential risks involved. Discover the spooky side of selling your house on your own now, including scarce real estate knowledge, pricing challenges and more.

Legal risks.

Real estate transactions involve complex laws and regulations. When selling your home without a knowledgeable Realtor, you may be unaware of legal obligations that can lead to legal and financial liabilities.

Things you may not be aware of can include but are not limited to:

  • Information that must be disclosed to potential buyers.
  • Knowing what to ask lenders to ensure an easy escrow process.
  • The implications of buyers changing their minds and when they are entitled to their earnest money.
  • Deadline management.

Pricing.

One of the most prominent risks of selling your house on your own is the pricing challenge. Pricing is key to a successful sale, and real estate agents have experience in the local housing market. Hence a thorough understanding of current housing trends and listing prices down to the neighborhood.

Homeowners often lack this knowledge and experience, leading to overpricing or underpricing the home.

Limited exposure.

With access to professional networks, multiple listing services and other marketing tools, real estate agents can get your property maximum exposure. With For Sale by Owner, your listing may not reach a broad audience, lengthen the selling process.

Complicated negotiations.

Coordinating with the buyer, the buyer’s agent, the inspection company, the appraiser and more can become overwhelming for an individual trying to sell their home. Plus, navigating negotiations and handling contingencies and contract terms can be challenging for sellers without representation.

Working with a Realtor can keep negotiations professional, accurate and on track to seal the deal.

Summary

Were you thinking about selling your home without a real estate agent? Now that you know more about the spooky side of selling your house on your own, consider working with Realtor for a smooth selling process.

Are you looking for a Realtor in the East Alabama area? Connect with one of our trusted Realtors! For more real estate tips and industry news, continue reading our blogs.

make your open house a success

8 Ways To Make Your Open House a Success

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As a Realtor in a competitive marketplace with inventory continually increasing, are you doing all you can to make your listings stand out? Planning an open house? Here are eight ways to make your open house a success in 2024! 

Focus on the main objectives. 

Remember the three main objectives of having an open house to make your open house a success. First, an open house generates leads. Second, it’s a time to promote your brand. And the third objective is to sell the listing. 

Hence, every step you take before, during and after the open house should help achieve those goals. 

Research the area.

Before the open house, get to know the ins and outs of your listing and those of similar listings in the area. 

Go beyond online research and do a walk-through of some of the properties, and note what features each offer that your listing may not and what your listing offers that they do not. Then, you will be ready to share your local knowledge with comparable details on your listing and others in the area if a potential buyer asks. 

Schedule appropriately. 

And when it comes to scheduling, know your market. Will an afternoon or after-work open house be best? Or are weekends more flexible? Don’t forget to check the community calendar to plan your event around other popular happenings in town. 

Use your network to partner with another local business. 

Partner with one or several local businesses for cross-promotions. Whether it’s a local restaurant or bakery providing small bites and sweets or an interior designer offering a raffle item or a free consultation, create excitement with your open house.  

Promote your open house.

Use various strategies to promote your open house. Consider writing a blog about the upcoming event and feature the home on your website. If you posted a property showcase on the home, re-share it on your homepage with a new graphic and blurb about the upcoming open house.

Share the open house details on social media, including any cool cross-promotions, giveaways and more. Create print materials to reach a wider audience. Send direct mailers to target markets. Hand out fliers, hit the streets with door hangers and post unique signage. 

Make it an event.

Showcase local talent and have live music in the living room or backyard. Display the works of local artists and host an “art exhibition.” Max out your cross-promotions with raffles and giveaways.

Have a sign-in sheet.

Start by kindly letting guests know upon entering that the homeowner requests each visitor sign in for security purposes. But instead of a pen and notebook, hand them an iPad and use an app like the Open Home Pro, for example. 

Be ready to answer buyer questions.

Demonstrate your expertise by being prepared to answer common buyer questions, ranging from house background to information about the neighborhood. A few common questions include how long the sellers have lived there, why they are moving, the age of the appliances, the average monthly utility bill and how old the roof is.

Summary

Finally, make your open house a success by having informative handouts and promotional items set out. Share statistics about the home, the neighborhood, local services, the school district and other helpful information. Have water bottles with your name and contact info printed on the labels. Bring other seasonal goodies, like sunglasses or hats, with your logo to promote your brand. Keep reading our blogs for more Realtor tips and news! 

an overview of seller concessions

Real Estate Defined: An Overview of Seller Concessions

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Buying a home is a big deal. Selling a home is a big deal. There are a lot of moving parts and factors to consider on both sides, including the cost. But costs can quickly go beyond a list price. Let’s look at an overview of seller concessions as an example.

What are seller concessions?

The best way to begin an overview of seller concessions is to explain what seller concessions are exactly. To simplify, seller concessions can sweeten the deal and could help expedite the selling process.

More specifically, seller concessions cover specific costs associated with buying a house that the seller agrees to pay. Seller concessions could include certain home improvements or repairs as well as some of the closing costs.

For instance, seller concessions may include several different fees such as the inspection fees, appraisal fees and the attorney fees.

Even though seller concessions can help lower the upfront costs and attract buyers, there are pros and cons for both buyers and sellers.

Seller concessions for buyers and sellers

For buyers, the upside to seller concessions is it can save you a significant amount at the closing table, making a home more affordable. This can also allow potential buyers the chance to make a higher offer, which may have a better chance of standing out in a competitive market.

From the seller’s perspective, seller concessions may speed up the sale of your property by making it more attractive to buyers in a crowded market.

Summary

Now that you’ve read an overview of seller concessions and what they could mean for you as a buyer or seller, reach out to your local Realtor to discuss your next move within our market. You can also learn more about our local market, real estate trends and other industry news by reading our blogs!

Tips for selling your home during the holiday season

3 Tips for Selling Your Home During the Holiday Season

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Selling your home takes work, and during the holiday season, unique circumstances could come up. However, buyers during this time are often more serious, and typically there are fewer homes being listed to compete with. Check out these tips for selling your home during the holiday season.

Make your home cozy.

It is important your home feels inviting during showings; that’s why decorating is vital. Homes often look their best during the holiday season, but be careful not to overdo the seasonal decorations.

As buyers tour homes, they will want to be welcomed by an inviting environment. Add décor pieces such as candles, throw blankets, traditional holiday patterns, and even foliage when styling your home. Avoid using personalized holiday décor, such as stockings with names and personal holiday cards.

Take good listing photos. 

While these holiday decorations make buyers touring your home feel welcome, your listing photos should have a timeless feel. Make sure the photos on your listing aren’t just a snapshot of a moment in time during a holiday.

Using a holiday photo on your listing may remind buyers that your home has been sitting on the market for some time.  

Hire a dependable real estate agent.

A good real estate agent will help guide you through the process of selling your home. It is important you hire an agent who won’t disappear during Thanksgiving, Christmas, or the New Year.

Find a reliable agent by asking your friends and family if they have any recommendations. Ease your stress by doing this and utilizing other tips for selling your home during the holiday season.

Summary

Are you thinking about selling your home? Keep in mind these tips for selling your home during the holiday season. These strategies will be sure to help you prepare to list your home and get it sold as quickly as possible.

Continue reading our blogs for more real estate news and tips!

things to keep in mind when buying a home in the fall

8 Things to Keep In Mind When Buying a Home in the Fall

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Just as the seasons change, so do peak real estate times. That means now is the ideal time to share eight things to keep in mind when buying a home in the fall that may work to a buyer’s advantage!

Less competition.

Fall is typically considered the off-season in real estate. Therefore, buyers may have less competition.

What’s more, inventory more often than not tends to stay the same, which means there are still plenty of homes available.

Buyers have time to negotiate.

Less competition also means the odds of getting caught in a bidding war go down. Hence, buyers can take back a little more control.

This includes everything from negotiating the price to asking for your preferred closing date.

More available help.

In general, since it’s slower, real estate professionals and other service workers have more time on their hands. Thus, they have more time to focus on you!

Expect prompt responses from your Realtor, lenders, contractors, inspectors and more this time of year.

Sellers are motivated.

Some sellers may have come on strong in the peak spring and summer months. They may have overpriced their properties or struggled to find the right buyers.

New sellers usually have a good reason for listing their homes this time of year. In the end, all signs point to motivated sellers, which is good news for buyers!

You might enjoy better rates.

As the year winds down, mortgage lenders and bankers may be open to discussing a slightly better deal just to get the deal done.

No matter what, it’s always good to shop around and ask about savings when it comes to interest or even down payments.

First-time buyers get tax breaks.

Remember, first-time homebuyers receive property tax and mortgage deductions. This holds true even if you don’t close until December.

You’ll see the house in a different light.

Next on the things to keep in mind when buying a home in the fall is how it looks without the spring flowers and summer sun. When you shop for a house in the fall, you may get a better idea of what it’s like on a cloudy or rainy day.

You may also get a better look at the exterior without all that landscaping acting as camouflage.

Save on home décor.

Who doesn’t love shopping for their new home? If you move into your new home at the end of the year, you will hit the jackpot on year-end and holiday sales!

You will be able to bargain hunt for everything from new furniture to new appliances to new throw pillows.

Summary

Did these things to keep in mind when buying a home in the fall come as a pleasant surprise? If you think the time is right to start your home search, connect with a local Lee County Realtor today. For more industry insights and home buying-and-selling tips, keep reading our blogs.