Often, when a seller has taken the time to properly prepare their home for sale, and they’ve hired the best Realtor who takes pride in presenting and marketing that home well a seller will receive offers right away.
The time a home is on the market to sell decreases its value. The longer it is listed the less interested buyers and Realtors are in the property. People will begin to wonder what is wrong with the property. Sellers are in the best position to get a good price for their home when it is new to the market. If the home does not sell buyers become suspect.
So that first early offer? Sellers tend to reject it because they felt it happened too quickly and they want to hold out. Days, weeks even months later, they find themselves settling for less. That first offer should always be taken seriously and it’s probably the best opportunity you’ll have to control your price and terms. It might not be what the seller was hoping for, a good Realtor will walk the seller through a counteroffer, and even the ability to negotiate for other details can work for the seller.
With a “for sale” sign in any yard too long, no matter the reason, it makes it more difficult to stir up interest. As the days go on, the home becomes less desirable. The market could change and take a downturn leaving the home that is priced on the comps when it was listed, now priced too high. An identical home could enter the market at a lower price.
The Bottom Line: The first three weeks are usually the most active that a property will have. If an offer is made during that time it’s worth working with that offer unless it’s ridiculously low.
The ownership of private property is one of our most cherished freedoms. Property divides power between the government and the individual and allows citizens to be rewarded for their own industry. But to fully enjoy the benefits of property ownership, knowledge and vigilance in defending and protecting those rights when they are being threatened.
In instances where either private or public actors are seeking to challenge your property rights, be prepared to defend yourself by knowing, in advance, what your rights are or by consulting an experienced real estate or eminent domain lawyer.
Following these tips will also help you better protect your interests as a property owner.
Know Your Rights
When you own real property, you have a bundle of legal rights that go along with the ownership, including:
The right of possession
The right of control
The right of exclusion
The right to derive income
The right of disposition
Property rights can also extend to:
surface rights: the right to use the surface of the land
riparian rights: the right to any water on your property
subsurface rights: the right to use what is below the surface such as oil, gas and minerals
air rights: the right to the area immediately above your property
Of course, these rights have exceptions and limitations and may also come with legal obligations (e.g, taxes). They may also be lost, voluntarily transferred or even regained after a period of time such as when you rent a portion of your property and the lease terminates.
Property rights may also vary from state to state and from community to community. They may be subject to local, state, and federal laws. Knowing your rights as a property owner makes you more aware of what you can and cannot do with your property, and how to protect it from intrusions or encroachments.
Familiarize Yourself with core title documents
There are many documents that contain vital information about a landowner’s property and the extent of their ownership rights. Among these documents, some of the most important typical ones are the following:
The Deed and other documents of title and exceptions to the title, sucah as easment
The Deed of Turst or other documents showing that the property has been mortgaged or collateralized for payment of a debt
Survey and boundary documents
Zoning maps and master plans\
Go Through the deed to the property
Property deeds are signed legal documents that transfer the ownership of the real property from one person to another. For the deed to be legally operative, it must identify both the grantor/seller and the grantee/buyer and contain an adequate description of the property, among other elements.
There are different types of deeds, each type providing different levels of protection to the grantee, as well as the obligation of the grantor. Deeds also typically include deed restrictions, which are important in understanding the extent of the owner’s use and enjoyment of the property.
Aside from establishing ownership, however, title documents also disclose liens, defects, deed restrictions, and exceptions to title that affect the property. Reading and understanding these documents will give you an insight into the limitations and exceptions that apply to your ownership of property.
Consult with a real property or eminent domain attorney
Anytime you encounter issues concerning your property rights, whether it’s a defect in title or a potential taking due to an act of eminent domain, seek the professional advice of a real estate or eminent domain attorney before taking any further steps.
Regardless of the type of property you own or property-related issues you’re faced with, these professionals can help shed light on the situation and steer you towards a more favorable outcome.
Nothing beats the feeling of being the first person to live in a newly-built home. Everything is shiny and untouched. There are three ways to buy a spanking new home: already built on spec, semi-custom home built as part of a development where you will be able to choose from a set palette of finishes and upgrades, or a purely custom home designed and built to your specifications from start to finish. The process of buying a new construction home is a lengthy one. Here are some samples of what you should know; the pros and the cons.
Some Good News (Pros)
Personalize & Customize: For some, this is the most exciting part of new construction. You have the opportunity to choose what you want that reflects your tastes, preferences, and personality by choosing the finishes you want. This is an opportunity that doesn’t come with buying an existing home.
Energy Efficient: With modern construction and the integration of advanced technologies comes the added benefit of energy efficiency. New construction homes are built with the latest advances in construction materials and building practices, which can give new homeowners the benefit of reduced monthly utility bills
Pick Your Lot: The lot you choose for your home can impact your quality of life and the future resale value of your home. Consider the view, the location on the street, what direction the home faces at sunset & sunrise, and would future home buyers find the positioning of the home as convenient?
New Home Warranty Protection: Buying a new construction home means that everything in it often comes with a warranty. You can confidently know the builder will cover the cost of any issues during the warranty period, such as a leaky roof or broken water heater. Unlike when buying an existing home where you may not know about hidden defects or problems until after you’ve purchased the home – and you’re left with the bill.
Designed for Your Lifestyle: With several options to choose from, a new construction home lets you design a space that fits your style. The choice is yours. Pick ceramic tile, granite countertops, finished wooden cabinets, or palatable neutral wall color, your home will be finished in a way that’s tailored to your preferences.
Some Bad News (Cons)
Price: On average, it costs about 20% more to build your own home than to buy an existing one. Often, buyers walk through the builder’s model homes and want their new home to be just like that one. In reality, the model home will be much more expensive than the traditional properties in the community. It’s best to use a Realtor to help through the process.
Landscaping: When developers create new neighborhoods, they tend to tear down all of the vegetation in the area. It’s the most costly way for them to break ground and get started. Landscaping is just one part of the process of planning a custom home but is often an afterthought. The landscaping you want for your home may have an impact on the structural design of your home and where it will be situated on the property. Most new construction homes will give you a little bit of landscaping in the front to start off with but they won’t do anything in the backyard. This means that you’ll probably have to fence the backyard if that’s what you need, start from the ground up with growing trees (that take years to grow) and plants, and you may even need to lay turf or seed the lawn.
Homeowner Association Fees: Most new subdivisions and developments will have some sort of homeowner association dues that cover management and any common area maintenance. That being said, many of these new subdivisions will also have community amenities such as clubhouses, swimming pools, or playgrounds.HOA dues can range anywhere from less than $100 a year to several hundreds of dollars per month.
Commute: New construction typically happens further out from the cities. A new home usually means a longer commute to work. It also means you might have to wait for shopping, schools, libraries, firehouses and other key pieces of infrastructure to be built. Those things usually come after there are enough homes and people to support them
Noise: Unless the home that you decide to buy is the last one to be built in the neighborhood, you can count on the daily noise of the rest of the homes being built around you. This could be several months or even years depending on how long it takes to build up the community
The Bottom Line: Building a new home requires a buyer to be very involved. A custom build gives you full control, but also means managing a lot of details and making hundreds of little decisions. No matter where you decide to build a new home there will be pros and cons to new construction that must be weighed properly before making a final decision.
Whether you heat your home with a furnace, boiler, or central heating, there are ways to save money on your monthly bill. Begin now to winterize your home as the cooler temperatures are ushered in. It’s always a good idea to have your furnace inspected as well as stock up on filters. A dirty filter makes your furnace/heat pump work harder which leads to higher heating bills. Change the filters about once a month.
There are simple things that add up that will help reduce your monthly bills. A few inexpensive ideas:
Turn your thermostat down. According to the Department of Energy, you can save as much as 10 percent a year on heating and cooling by simply turning your thermostat back 7-10 degrees Fahrenheit for eight hours a day. Those eight hours can be while you are away at work. They also suggest having your thermostat set to 68 degrees when you are at home and dropping that even lower when you’re sleeping.
Run your ceiling fans in reverse. Hot air rises, so run your ceiling fan at a slow speed in reverse (counter clockwise) to push the warm air back down to floor level. Most ceiling fans have switches that allow you to change the direction of the motor rotation.
Take advantage of the sunny days. Open your curtains and blinds on the south facing windows through the day,and feel how that sun heats up your home! Make sure you close them again once the sun sets to keep that heat inside. 30% of heating loss in a home happens through the windows, so the thicker the curtains and the shades – the better!
Seal up leaks. Check out your walls, windows, ceilings, doors, light fixtures, outlets and switches for any escaping air. Look for things like hole and gaps. Adding simple weather stripping around your windows and doors is the easiest and cheapest way to help keep the warm air in your home. Ducts tend to get small leaks over time which allow the heated air to escape. An easy and inexpensive fix to these leaks is using metallic tape found at any home improvement store. When you are not using your chimney, make sure the flue is shut to prevent warm air from escaping.
The Bottom Line: Bundle up! It could be an expensive winter ahead when it comes to heating your home. Check with your electric company to see if they have “even billing” where you spread your winter payments out over the whole year, paying the same amount each month. For now, the first step is to find the problems around your home and identify where you could be more energy efficient.
Over the past few years, smart technology has become more accessible and affordable. Not only can smart upgrades make your home more convenient and efficient, but they’ll also make it much more attractive to potential buyers in the future. In this healthy seller’s market, smart renovations will improve the value of the property of your home. Enhancements like your thermostat, lighting, keypad door locks, fire detectors, and security camera systems.
Smart Thermostat: The advantage is its ability to learn a household’s patterns and adjust heating and cooling according to when a home is occupied or is about to be occupied. This reduces the use of heating and cooling systems when nobody is home for significant periods of time. During the Summer, you can set your thermostat to a temp while you are away so you do not waste energy. You are able to program the thermostat to come on a few minutes before you get home. Many are able to be adjusted by your smartphone while on your way home. A thermostat might seem to be a basic feature of your home, but it can have a big impact on your energy bills. Almost half of the monthly energy costs are controlled by your thermostat.
Smart Lighting: To really impress potential homeowners, a good Realtor will showcase the smart lighting by demonstrating it throughout your home. Smart lighting gives flexibility because it can be controlled by timers, as well as by setting up schedules and monitoring bulb statuses remotely. Smart lighting eliminates the switch on the wall. The network does all the work for you, automatically, though you can still program the lights to respond as you wish. They can feature sensors with the ability to identify people and when they need light, as well as how much they may need. Smart lighting will save money on utility bills. They’re very energy efficient; allows for calibration of when each light should be on. When you travel, you won’t have to physically alter the settings of each smart light or check to see if it is off before you leave. Everything can be done remotely, from afar.
Smart Keypad Door Locks: Install a smart lock to keep your house secure. It’s as easy as using an app that you will program new access codes into the lock, even set schedules for when those codes can be used. You will be notified when it’s used, which gives you the ability to keep an eye on who is in your house and when.
Smart Fire Detectors: A smart fire detector is the one essential every home should have. Traditional alarms depend on you being around to hear them, a smart smoke alarm will alert you when something is wrong, no matter where you are. A smart smoke detector can warn you of a fire in its early stages, allowing you and your family enough time to get to safety. If there are any potential problems with smoke (or CO2) these can quickly alert you, no matter where you are in or out of the house, and even tell you what room it’s sensing trouble in.
Smart Security Camera Systems: The latest smart home security systems pair with your smartphone so you can view cameras, lock doors, arm or disarm security points, and receive instant notifications on alarm triggers wherever you are. Home security systems often lower your home insurance cost since they can reduce the likelihood of home invasion or theft.
The Bottom Line: Be in control. Smart technology doesn’t just stop at security. Home automation functions enable you to control various aspects of your home, too—such as adjusting your thermostat and turning on or off the lights, coffee pot, or other appliances. If you ever forget to switch your bedroom light off in the morning before heading to work, for example, you can correct your mistake, from anywhere. All you need is a smartphone, iPad, or desktop computer. Upgrading to make your home smarter by adding smart features is among the five best (and easiest) ways to increase your home’s value as well as help it to sell faster than traditional homes due to the spectrum of advantages offered.
Everyone needs title insurance. You may think you know the entire history of the house you’re purchasing, but it’s impossible to know everything. Title insurance protects your right to the property in the event that a previously unknown heir claims ownership of the property if it is later revealed that the “sellers” were not the rightful owners, or if liens against the property resurface. If you have an owner’s title insurance policy, you will not be responsible for paying any of the fees associated with protecting your right to the property, should these types of issues arise.
MYTH:New construction homes don’t need title insurance
Your home could be brand new, but the land on which the house is built isn’t. Chances are, the land had several previous owners before construction began. Buying property on such land opens you up to certain risks tied to ownership issues from previous owners.
Disputed wills, easements, and property liens are just a few of the issues common to land ownership. You could get caught in between the mess and end up losing your resources or, worse still, your new property as well. Title insurance is crucial even for a new home and should be among your list of priorities during the closing process.
MYTH:If no one challenges ownership, then the title policy is a waste
At the closing, when you purchase a title insurance policy, the closing company does the bulk of the work behind the scenes. The title company goes through many steps to make sure that everything is in place by that time, including conducting a comprehensive title search and identifying any potential issues. The team investigates the entire history of the property to ensure that you, the buyer, will be aware of any problems that will need to be addressed before closing. By the time the closing comes around, the title company has completed a great deal of research and legwork for you.
MYTH: Title insurance offers only minimal protection
When you purchase a home, you receive the “title” to the property. This title is your legal right to own it. Early in the home buying process, a title search is conducted to review the history of the property and uncover any issues that could limit your right to ownership. Even after the most meticulous search of public records, there can be hidden title defects, such as tax liens, forged signatures, claims by ex-spouses, and recording errors. These title defects can remain undiscovered for months or even years after you purchase the home.
MYTH: Title insurance is the same thing as homeowner’s insurance
Homeowners insurance protects you so you have the resources to pay for any damage that might occur to your property. Title insurance protects you from anyone else claiming your home is theirs or for some prior owner’s back taxes or encumbrances or any other real property dispute
Title First Agency: Dedicated to innovation and passionate about service, Title First Agency is your comprehensive, nationwide resource for title and real estate settlement services. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Title First has branch offices throughout the Midwest and a robust virtual partner network throughout the country. Title First got its start in 1956 as an affiliate of a local law firm and has since emerged as one of the largest independent title agencies in the nation. Proudly servicing Realtors, lenders, builders, developers, law firms, buyers and sellers, Title First is equipped to serve your residential and commercial title and settlement needs.
Homes may remain longer on the market if trying to sell during a buyer’s market. There are so many homes available thus securing a buyer is tougher and lowering the price might need to happen.
What is a Seller’s Market?
A seller’s market occurs when demand exceeds supply. In other words, there are many interested buyers, but the real estate inventory is low. Since there are fewer homes available, sellers are at an advantage.
In a seller’s market, homes sell faster, and buyers must compete with each other in order to score a property. These market conditions often make buyers willing to spend more on a home than they would otherwise. Therefore, sellers can raise their asking prices.
Due to the shortage of housing, these conditions often lead to bidding wars. During bidding wars, buyers will make competing offers and drive up the price, typically above what the seller initially asked for.
Determining if it’s a Seller’s Market or a Buyer’s Market
You can use supply to determine if the market favors buyers or sellers. As a general rule, a neutral market will have 6 months of housing supply. This means that if there’s less than 6 months worth of inventory, it’s a seller’s market, and if there’s more than 6 months’ worth of inventory, it’s a buyers market. When determining if it’s a buyer’s or seller’s market, you must look at housing supply on a local level, usually by neighborhood or zip code, as it’s not uncommon for areas in the same city to be in different markets.
How well a home is bought or sold is dependent upon the market the home is currently in. Just because the news says the nation is in one market doesn’t mean it is the same everywhere. Meet with a Realtor for the best information. Any strategy used to buy or sell a home is also dependent on the market it is in and the Realtor. Choose an agent wisely, stick to the strategies and homes can be bought and sold in any market.
Looking for the best real estate agent, one that is an experienced professional who listens to your concerns and knows their market? That person might not necessarily work at the largest brokerage, close the most transactions, or make the most money. Real estate professionals have a saying that 20% of the agents do 80% of the business. Your goal is to find one among that that 20% to work for you, but it’s not as challenging as you might think.
Read Reviews
Online reviews are one of your best assets when it comes to choosing a realtor. Read all of the reviews that you can find before selecting who you’ll work with, and look for an agent whose previous clients have only positive things to say about their experiences. However, if you read one with great reviews as well as c few complaints, be able to distinguish whether the complaints are about the individual realtor versus complaints about the stress of the home buying process itself.
Ask friends, families, coworkers, and anyone else whose opinion you trust if they have any local agent referrals. Previous buyers are one of your best assets for finding a great Realtor since they can speak honestly about their own experiences. Plus, you can trust that if someone you know is giving you a recommendation, chances are it’s because they enjoyed working with that agent and would work with them again.
Interview A Few Agents
Real estate pros urge buyers and sellers to interview at least three agents.
Always ask an agent for a list of recent references.
Ask each agent you’re considering how they plan to help you find the perfect home (for buyers) or market your home (for sellers)
Note how an agent responds to your inquiry. If the answer is fast, thorough, and informative, there is a good chance you will get that type of service throughout your buying or selling process.
Ask to be provided a list of their recent sales, not just a general number of sales or sales volume.
To get a listing, sadly there are Realtors out there that will bend the truth. Since they can not guarantee a sales price, the Realtor that quotes you the highest price should be able to back that up with facts and figures. If the agent does not have any good stats, that might be a red flag.
Watch for the Realtor that gives you a range of prices that depend on factors such as location, the market and any improvements you have made in your home.
Pricing a home is an art. Realtors have no control over the market, only the marketing plan. If it is priced right, you’ll get an offer. Priced to high, you might not get a single showing and end up reducing the price leaving buyers to try to figure out what is wrong with your home.
The kitchen is king. A newly renovated kitchen can help you sell your home for more money and sell your home faster. But, before you take on the work, prospective sellers should talk to the Realtors local to them and find out how they compare to the rest of the market. Find out what their home, their kitchen in this instance needs to have for the buyers out there looking for a new home. Often the kitchen can make or break a home sale. Kitchens can be the deciding factor.
Clean
The cheapest thing to do is to start with an immaculately clean kitchen. Clear counters of clutter and remove any items from the tops of cabinets and the refrigerator. This makes the kitchen appear larger and getting rid of any personal items will help potential buyers focus on seeing their own things in the area.
Paint
Fresh paint is a relatively inexpensive way of changing the entire look of a room. Opt for light, neutral colors. There is an endless amount of primers and paints available now, making it easy to really make a transformation. Sometimes just cleaning and painting is all it takes to make your kitchen look totally transformed!
Cabinets
It might not be in the budget to change out the cabinetry completely, but there are little things that can be done to create a total makeover.
Replace doorknobs and drawer pulls with classic finishes such as brushed nickel or stainless steel for a brand new look. Hardware stores carry a variety.
Painting cabinets always make an instant upgrade. Ask a knowledgeable Realtor what color is the most popular. Add a pop of color by simply painting the inside of the cabinets.
Backsplash
Have some fun with this update. Make a bold statement or blend it into the background. If it is outdated, it’s fairly simple to replace it DIY. This is a way to help make a kitchen stand out from the others on the market. Realtors often select subway tile and while white is the most popular, a color can be used to coordinate with the countertops.
Flooring
Refinish wood floors or replace broken ceramic tiles. For scratched, torn, or faded linoleum, it might be time for a complete redo. Most Realtors will confirm that hardwood flooring is the biggest preference closely followed by tile. Consult with a good Realtor on which is the best seller in the neighborhood.
Countertops
A bigger job but can make an incredible difference in the kitchen. If changing the countertops and living in the home for a time before selling it, install what is enjoyable to live with but will also add value. If changing countertops to sell a home, upgrade to the standards of the neighborhood.
Lights
Replace old and outdated light fixtures with pendant lights. Spray paint any brass fixtures. Upgrading lighting fixtures can help improve potential buyers’ first impressions. Buyers all know they will spend most of their time in the kitchen and proper lighting is a good purchase. Proper lighting can make the difference between a dull room and a rich first impression.
Stage
Potential buyers want to envision themselves and their “things” in the kitchen. Again, have a Realtor that will speak the truth of what should be done.
For eat-in kitchens, use a smaller table and chairs to make the area appear larger. Place a throw rug under the table to define the separate space.
A few well-placed plants bring life and warmth.
Add gourmet touches to your now cleared counters such as a bowl of polished fruit, a full bottle of herbed olive oil, or a small wine rack.
Polish fixtures, replace light bulbs, and dust every corner.
Remove magnets from the refrigerator to help depersonalize.
Window treatments should be light or neutral colored.
Stow cleaning products under the sink.
The Botton Line:First impressions really matter in Real Estate. Within seconds, we all decide whether we like something or not. The house might be in the best neighborhood, but if the first impression isn’t up to par, it will be tough to sell. And, again, the kitchen is still king when selling a home and a “modern, updated kitchen” tops the list every time in surveys.
Price: An unrealistic price tag is the top of the list. Most of the time when a home isn’t selling it is because it is overpriced. No matter if the market is a “buyers” or a “sellers”, no one will overpay for a home. A Realtor with experience especially one that knows your neighborhood will help you to evaluate and set the right price. Search the internet to find a Realtor.
Landscaping: The very first thing buyers see when they pull up to your home for sale is your yard – the lawn, the plants, flowerbeds. You don’t have to spend a lot of money. Mow your lawn, remove sticks and leaves, trim your bushes, add some mulch in flower beds and trim trees if needed. Clean the gutters, patch up the driveway and the concrete walkways. If you have a fence, look for where it might need repairs. Add some potted plants.
Exterior: Not only will buyers notice the landscaping, but the outside of your physical home will speak volumes about what the inside looks like. There have been times that buyers cancel going into the home just by judging the outside. Consider updating projects that will make a big impact on the look of the home. Repairs like, roofing, siding and replacing windows. Or simple projects like painting the front door & adding new hardware to it. Rent a pressure washer for the exterior to get rid of dust, grime, and mildew.
Depersonalize: Take the “home” out of your house. Spend time gathering personal items like family photos, memorabilia, personal keepsakes and anything political. You want future buyers to be able to picture themselves in your home. Most of the items in your bathrooms are probably personal, makeup, toothbrushes, bathrobe, etc. The best rule of thumb is to remove everything from your bathroom counters and in bathtubs and showers first. Then put back only a few decorative items like a hand towel, bath salts or candle but no personal care products.
The Bottom Line: Everyone is limited right now on where they can go. The safest place to be is at home. So, if you are planning to put your home on the market there are many things you can do while you are in “lock-down”. If you really think about it, there has never been a better time than now to get projects done at home.
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