April 2018 - Title First Agency

First Impressions Matter When Selling Your Home

Curb appeal is everything when it comes to selling your home, so it’s paramount that you make sure the exterior is in excellent shape. There is truth to that old saying, “you never get a second chance to make a first impression” – many potential buyers drive by the home before they make the call to see it. Making sure that it is in the best shape, will get them in the front door. Be sure to call the best Realtor in town to get advice. Sometimes, as the owner, you can’t see as clearly as to what needs to be changed or updated and need a professional to help.

Title First Agency hears a lot of what buyers see and we have listed some of the exterior home improvements that can increase the resale value of your home AND help sell your home even faster.

The front door: If potential buyers have decided to see your home, the door is the first thing they will see and walk through. Just a fresh coat of paint or replacement or removal of a damaged screen or storm door will speak volumes. Polish metal knobs. Consider replacing the door it if it is worn-out or banged-up. It’s one of the investments made that can more than pay for itself with the amount of value it adds. Then, add potted plants to each side of your freshened up or new front door.

The approach to the front door: How is the driveway? Does it need to be power washed? Resealed? Is there a fence? Is it broken anywhere? Are there cracked pavers? A knowledgeable and honest Realtor will take that “approach” walk with you and help point out things you may not even notice because you have walked by it so many times.

Update your landscaping: Before the drive-by, most potential buyers search on the internet for a home. The pictures will be worth a thousand words and to have beautiful landscaping will help showcase your home and be put on the buyer’s list to see. The best Realtor will tell you that you want to make it easy for possible buyers to envision themselves coming home to your home every day. Remove any distractions (garden accessories, etc)- spruce up it up with inexpensive shrubs and brightly colored flowers. If it’s Fall or Winter, make sure your yard has been raked of leaves, sticks and other debris.

Home repairs: Make sure there isn’t any loose siding, replace loose or damaged roof shingles. Look for any wood rot – again, you may need to call an experienced Realtor to help you “see” what you have looked at every day. Is there a deck, a front porch or a patio? If your home needs a new roof, it would be in your best interest to just replace it. Buyers tend to shy away from homes that will be needing a new roof soon. And, adding the detail of “new roof” to your listing will grab even more buyers’ attention.

Windows: Fix any cracks, clean screens, and storm windows. Have you washed your windows in a while? In between the glass and the screen is a whole world of dust and fun that should be cleaned. Shine them so that from the street they look brand new.

Basically, buyers want a home that has no visible deferred maintenance. Most of the exterior home projects can be done yourself. If you aren’t sure, contact a good Realtor to help you figure out what needs to be done before you list your home. First impressions are everything. A buyer will inevitably ask questions about house maintenance, the condition of appliances, the quality of the neighborhood and schools, but you have to get them in the front door first. Take the time to put on your home’s best face.

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Marketing Your Home to Sell

The MLS will grab the largest exposure for homes on the market because it reaches other websites and the most people online. However, anyone selling their home should interview and find the most aggressive Realtor that will take advantage of all the opportunities to get the home in front of people. It is now more important than ever that the person hired to sell any home utilizes the internet and social media for promotion. 70% of American adults are online. More than 1 billion people in the entire world log in to Facebook on any given day. The potential to reach a huge number of people is exceptional.

Photographs: The very best Realtor should help stage and prepare the home for professional pictures. All rooms should be clear of any clutter. The pictures MLS displays are usually grainy and poor quality. Homebuyers more times than not, begin the search for their new home online. Take advantage of this. Stand in the doorway to rooms and snap the photo shooting into the room. There are never too many photos!

Facebook: Now those beautiful photos need to be posted and announced, showcased and marketed. A good Realtor might even host open houses via Facebook LIVE and interact with people that are watching. Another option is to make a targeted ad and pinpoint people by location, interests, behaviors, age and more.

Instagram: The worlds largest photo sharing platform is the perfect place to showcase the photos taken of the home. A good Realtor should know how to use hashtags because that is how Instagram helps users find relevant content. Spread the pictures throughout the day.

The bottom line: Everyone wants a Realtor that can be trusted and will do everything he/she can to get the most money for their home in the least amount of time. The Realtor is the homeowner’s advocate. The marketing of the home should be exceptional. Beyond using the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) there should be professional pictures to use on websites and every social media platform available.

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Title Insurance and Liens

Home buyers

When putting in an offer on a home for sale and then applying for a loan, the best thing to do is to let a title company do a property title search to make sure there aren’t any bad liens on or against the property.

A lien is a notice attached to a property that lets people know that a creditor claims money is owed. A lien is typically a public record. It is generally filed with a county records office or with a state agency, such as the secretary of state. Liens on real estate are a common way for creditors to collect what they are owed. More importantly, a lien means that the home could be foreclosed on and taken by the lien holder. Again, a title search can say whether or not there is a lien levied against the property.

Examples of bad liens on a property:

Mortgage – the current homeowner’s lender can foreclose on the property if payments are not made every month.
Property Tax – placed on a home loan when property taxes are not paid and take priority over a mortgage lien.
Judgment – a judge has placed a lien on the property after a creditor has successfully sued the current homeowner.
Child Support – if child support has not been paid by the current owner the lien is placed.
IRS -secures the government’s interest in the property when the tax debt is not paid.

A lien on a home is a legal claim against the property. It gives creditors a stake in the home and a way to collect debts owed to them. When getting a mortgage on a property, the lender will require a purchase of a lender’s title insurance policy, which protects their interests in the property should there ever be a dispute in the title. A policy of title insurance insures against defects in or liens or encumbrances on a party’s title to the property.

As a title company, much of our work can be done behind the scenes. The buyer may not even be aware that there may have been any title defects existing at all. They were simply taken care of before the closing.

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Cyber Threats in Real Estate

Buying, selling & refinancing a home requires submission of personal information to the lender which includes social security numbers, bank account numbers and credit/loan account numbers. Sadly, there are hackers out there looking for this personal information to steal.

Never trust wiring instructions sent by email, especially if there is a claim made that submitting a payment has changed and a new account is provided. The hackers are sending out sophisticated and convincing emails that look like they are coming from your Realtor. They often contain signatures, fonts, and logos that are an exact match to the original. Always confirm in person or by telephone to a verified and trusted phone number. Never wire money without double checking that the wiring instructions are correct.

How to avoid getting into this situation:

Never send wire transfer information, or any type of sensitive information, via email. This includes all types of financial information, not just wire instructions.
Never conduct business over unsecured WiFi
Make sure you learn your Realtor/Lenders email and communication practices. For instance, do they expect to be sending you sensitive information through email?
If wiring funds, first contact the recipient using a verified phone number to confirm that the wiring information is accurate. The phone number should be obtained from a reliable source.
If email is the only method available for sending information about a transaction, make sure it is encrypted.
Delete old emails regularly, as they may reveal information that hackers can use.
Change usernames and passwords on a regular basis, and make sure that they’re difficult to guess.
Make sure anti-virus technology is up to date, and that firewalls are installed and working.
Never open suspicious emails. If the email has already been opened, never click on any links in the email, open any attachments or reply to the email.

Cyber threats in real estate are too incredibly common. We all need to be vigilant and have security practices in place. One mistake acted on by a fraudulent request, could result in the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars or personal data loss.

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