Thinking of selling your house? Welcome to the fast-paced real estate marketplace!
While every real estate transaction is different and all are usually somewhat complicated, you can make things a lot easier on yourself by entering the real estate marketplace with a plan.
Steps to selling a house
So, what is your plan? If you’re selling, are you also buying? Where do you want to move to? Narrow down your search to a couple of neighborhoods and start attending open house events. In addition to finding the right neighborhood, select the size and style of the house you want, and go over your finances to carefully figure out what you can realistically afford.
Interview real estate agents. Ask friends, family, neighbors and colleagues for recommendations, and conduct interviews. You want someone who is knowledgeable and easy to work with. Ask about fees, preparing your home for sale, how he or she will price your home, etc. Be certain to find someone who knows your neighborhood and community as well as they know their own!
Find a lender. Do you have an existing mortgage? How much will you need to pay it off? What fees are involved in the transaction? Are you also buying a new property? If so, you’ll be taken more seriously if you get pre-approved by your lender. And be sure to work with both your Realtor and lender to determine what you can realistically afford.
In most cases, you’ll also want to sell before you buy because you’ll need the proceeds from the sale of your current home to close on your new property. Very few individuals can afford to be paying two mortgages at the same time.
Quick steps to selling a house
Know your home’s real market value. Not all three-bedroom, two-bath homes are the same!
Review your home’s overall condition, and then make repairs, clean and remove clutter before scheduling an open house.
Watch what other homes in your neighborhood are selling for, and price competitively.
Pay attention to your curb appeal and your online appeal. Poor online photos are a good way to turn off potential buyers.
Once you’ve given serious thought to creating a plan, find a Realtor who can guide you through the steps to selling a home. For more information, please contact The Olear Team today!
Anne Kader and Sally Ball Conover, licensed real estate brokers with the Olear Team at MJ Peterson, will take part in an informational session titled “Ask the Realtor” at the Cheektowaga Senior Citizen Center, 3349 Broadway, Cheektowaga, on Monday, March 26, 2018 at 10 am.
Kader and Ball Conover will provide advice and information on real estate issues relevant to older adults and their caregivers, including right-sizing and simplifying a living situation and preparing for a move.
The workshop will have two segments. The first will tackle common questions homeowners have when thinking about selling their house. The second segment will address how to prepare the home and make decisions about personal items and property before a right-sizing move.
The Olear Realty Group, Inc. is organized as a sub chapter S corporation and supports the Olear Team/MJ Peterson Corporation in the sale of residential real estate throughout Erie and Niagara County. The team has decades of experience in meeting the real estate needs of Western New York residents. Visit olear.com to learn more about the Olear Team’s work assisting senior citizens and their families.
The Olear Team at MJ Peterson Real Estate was recently named MJ Peterson’s top real estate team for 2017 at the company’s 34th annual awards ceremony. The Olear Team produced more than $25 million in sales in 2017 to win the award for a third consecutive year.
“The entire Olear Team—eight real estate agents and four administrative staff—worked together to serve our clients and earn this award once again,” said Olear. “I am proud and grateful to be part of a team so dedicated to serving the real estate needs of clients across Western New York.”
The Olear Team provides personalized, comprehensive service to home sellers and buyers, with special expertise in meeting the needs of older adults and their families. The Olear Team’s agents frequently provide free educational seminars and information sessions on senior housing options and preparing for a downsizing move.
The Olear Realty Group, Inc. is organized as a sub chapter S corporation and supports the Olear Team/MJ Peterson Corporation in the sale of residential real estate throughout Erie and Niagara County. The team has decades of experience in meeting the real estate needs of Western New York residents. Visit olear.com to learn more about the Olear Team’s work assisting senior citizens and their families.
If you ever find yourself in the role of executor or power of attorney for a dear friend or family member, there’s a very strong likelihood that you’ll be required to sort through many years of accumulation and become responsible for selling a house for someone else. While you should be applauded for taking on this task, the responsibilities can be overwhelming.
Who can help me?
If you’re in the position of selling a house for someone else, you will likely need the assistance of someone with both real estate knowledge and social work expertise. An experienced Realtor can help with the following:
Provide a well-researched estimate of real estate property value.
Decide if the property can be sold as is.
If not, determine what housing repairs, if any, will result in the best return.
If necessary, locate senior living arrangements that match your budget, location and needs.
Offer guidance finding companies that you can call for services such as moving, estate sales, legal help, cleaning out a basement, home repairs, etc.
The real estate professionals at The Olear Team are ready to offer you advice and guidance that only comes from years of experience, and help see you through this complicated process as quickly and easily as possible.
With one phone call, the caring professionals at The Olear Team can provide a simple yet complete service designed to help you develop a written step-by-step plan. The Olear Team will also manage the entire process for you for one reasonable flat fee, from expediting the sale of personal property to every aspect of preparing the house for sale.
For a free consultation, please contact The Olear Team today. And for more information, please watch our brief video below:
If you have to sell a house for someone else as executor or power of attorney and have questions or would like more information on how we can help, complete the form below and we’ll contact you at a convenient time for you.
There are many components within the home buying process, which is why it’s always in your best interest to work with a real estate professional whether you’re buying or selling. The guidance of an experienced Realtor will be a godsend as you transition from dreamer to home owner.
As you might expect, the home buying process and the home selling process is a road that’s littered with paperwork. You’ll be thankful having someone at your side every step of the way to help manage the workload. In fact, we recently came across an article compiled by a Realtor that lists 180 tasks that your real estate agent will do for you during the search for a home through the closing process. While that number may vary a little from state to state, our experience tells us that it is pretty accurate.
Most importantly, a Realtor will help you to:
Find a home in your price range that fulfills your needs and wishes.
Negotiate the terms of the sale
Determine a reasonable price for sellers, and a competitive bid for buyers.
Manage the complete process, along with the mounds of paperwork.
Hiring a Realtor who knows the market right down to your street and neighborhood is truly a blessing for both a buyer or seller. To quote a recent article in the online real estate publication Keeping Current Matters, “You wouldn’t replace the engine in your car without a trusted mechanic, so why would you make one of the most important financial decisions of your life without hiring a real estate professional?”
A good rule of thumb: Never underestimate the role of the Realtor in the home transaction process. For more information on the complex home buying process, please contact The Olear Team today!
