Guide ForHome Sellers

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Home SellingThe Journey

Your story is important. Whether you’re selling due to a relocation, for personal or financial reasons, because you need more space or wanting to down-size, we know the process can be intimidating.

With the Ladston team by your side, you can confidently move forward in your home selling journey, having a solid strategy to net the most money. With access to accurate information, reliable resources and transparent communication, you’ll be empowered to make an informed selling decision.

At Ladston Premier Properties, our mission is simple. We are… doing real estate better!™.

 

Industry Trends

Interest Rates: While we’ve seen many changes with interest rates over the past 24 months, they remain relatively low in comparison to the 50-year historical trend. It’s still a great time to buy and sell!

Supply and Demand: We all know how the law of supply and demand works. When a market experiences a surplus of available inventory, it becomes a buyer’s market and the prices decrease or rise at a slower rate. The opposite is true for a seller’s market where there are more buyers than available homes for sale and prices escalate. Every market is different so it’s important to hire a Ladston Premier Properties expert who can provide you with the local average days on market, absorption rates, and other pertinent market information.

Legislation: If you are a property owner, then politics is your business. Know where your local, state, regional and national leaders stand on non-partisan issues that affect home ownership related issues. Below are examples of a few trending topics.

  • Current and future federal laws (Biggert-Waters Act) may impact the availability of the National Flood Insurance Program and drastically affect the cost of coverage.
  • A proposal to limit the gain that can be deferred under a like-kind exchange of real estate under section 1031 could eliminate the use of this widely used tool.
  • Congress is looking for ways to lower the federal deficit and changing how homeowners currently deduct mortgage interest is high on the target list.
Historical 30-year mortgage rates

Prepare to Negotiate

Terms are items in the contract that you will negotiate in addition to the purchase price. Below is a list of some terms your contract may include.

  • Closing date
  • Closing attorney/Title company
  • Earnest money/Amount/Escrow Agent
  • Contingency: Financing (timeframe)
  • Contingency: Inspections/Due Diligence/As-Is (timeframes and termination fee)
  • Contingency: Selling buyer’s existing home (timeframe and right of refusal)
  • Appliances/Personal property that conveys
  • Warranties
  • Title Search/Insurance
  • Seller occupancy after closing (timeframe and fee)
  • Buyer occupancy prior to closing (timeframe and fee)
  • Tax/HOA prorations
  • Deed stamps/Transfer/Rollback taxes
  • Survey

Know the Difference

Pre-Approval Letter

A pre-approval letter is a document stating that a lender “may” be able to lend a buyer money to purchase a home up to a certain loan amount. It is based on non-verified information provided to the lender and is not a guaranteed loan offer.

Pre-Qualification Letter

A pre-qualification letter is issued as a result of additional steps taken by the lender during the approval process. This may include reviewing the file with underwriting or verifying assets and employment. This provides a seller with the highest degree of assurance that a buyer has the ability to obtain the loan for which they’ve been approved. Offers submitted with a pre-qualification letter can reduce the stress and uncertainty during the negotiating process.

Hire a Realtor®

Not all real estate agents are REALTORS®. A REALTOR® is a member of the local, state and national REALTOR® Associations and is a true professional in the industry. In addition to abiding by state license law and advocating for Fair Housing Policies, they adhere to a strict Code of Ethics. Studies have proven that sellers who hire a REALTOR® have better success achieving their real estate goals. Real estate transactions are usually the biggest financial investments most people ever make. Hire an expert!

Selling Your HomeThe Influences

LocationApproach, and Timing

The real estate market is constantly changing! You’ve heard all of your life that location, location, location is the primary factor in the value of real estate. While it’s true that location is a constant, it’s not the only factor in determining real estate value. Location can dictate many things out of your control like the view, topography, traffic, proximity to work or school, noise, etc. Although location is very important, there are other factors that you CAN control when selling your home. Ask us about Ladston Premier Properties' unique and systematic “LAT” process including “LOCATION… APPROACH… and TIMING”. These essential factors act as a three legged stool. When any one leg is missing, the stool simply loses its value.

ConditionIs Key

You never get a second chance to make a good first impression! When potential buyers walk through the front door of your home, they immediately form an opinion about how well it’s been cared for. They strive to visualize how the floor plan will meet the needs of their lifestyle, accommodate their furniture and match their décor. Storing away unused items and a rigorous deep cleaning will go a long way to help “WOW” everyone who visits.

  • Add some pop to your front door with a fresh coat of paint, new doormat or seasonal flowers.
  • Spruce up landscaping by trimming trees and shrubs, weeding and grooming the lawn.
  • Spic and span! Polish the hardware, dust fans, clean windows, touch up paint, shine and condition cabinets and floors, shampoo carpeted areas and scrub, scrub, scrub.
  • Less is more! Show potential buyers how spacious your home is by organizing closets/cupboards, removing knickknacks, clearing items off the refrigerator/countertops and decluttering attics/garages.
  • We want you to stay safe, remain lawful, and net the most money possible when selling your home. Follow these practical tips and you’ll be well on your way!
  • Don’t defer maintenance. A simple inspection can reveal hidden, yet easy to fix problems that you may not know about. Water leaks, crawlspace moisture, rotten wood, termite damage, safety issues, etc. can impair the value of your home if discovered by a potential buyer. It’s better for you to find and fix these problems before they kill a deal.

MarketingMatters

Marketing a property in today’s world looks a lot different than it used to. Social media and the internet are great resources to disseminate information about your home and its availability to purchase. Proper syndication to the most visited websites and a systematic posting strategy is critical. High quality photographs are another necessity in this day and age where buyers often purchase homes sight unseen. A balanced, well written property description will draw the reader into your home instead of them skipping directly to the pictures and missing important information. High visibility signage is a must since many buyers still like to drive around looking for property. Don’t forget about word of mouth and tell everyone you’re selling a home!

The PriceIs Right

Price can overcome anything! Accurately pricing a property involves analyzing information from various resources and perspectives.

  • The available inventory in your market plays a major factor in pricing. Where is your competition located and how does it compare?
  • The most recent comparable sales in your market are important because they influence appraisals, which control a buyer’s ability to obtain financing.
  • Online valuation platforms are algorithms that predict the market value of a home based on certain criteria. Although imperfect, if believed to be accurate by the consumer, those values must be acknowledged.

Your Ladston Premier Properties agent is highly skilled and has access to the most up-to-date market information to provide you with a thorough analysis of the data. Together, we will create a winning strategy to sell your home for top dollar!

ShowingsReal Talk

We want you to stay safe, remain lawful, and net the most money possible when selling your home. Follow these practical tips and you’ll be well on your way!

  • Remove personal items that reveal information about you and your family.
  • If you have pets living inside, remove the evidence.
  • Remove firearms, weapons and prescription medications.
  • Don’t burn candles, use room deodorizers, burn a wood fire or cook with strong spices. Instead, bake fresh cookies to share with your potential buyers!
  • Light is good! Open the blinds and turn on the lights. Don’t forget to check your bulbs first.
  • Ensure everything for sale is accessible including attics, crawlspaces, detached buildings, garages and sheds.
  • Honor prospective buyers’ schedules and accommodate ALL showing requests.
  • Leave the home during showings and take your pets with you.
  • Don’t get offended by feedback that you don’t agree with.
  • Abide by your state surveillance laws and disclose accordingly.
 

Meet YourAgent

It’s time to meet your agent and see how LADSTON PREMIER PROPERTIES is doing real estate better!™

Speak to one of our team members now!

Ladston Premier Properties

Meet Kevin and Mandy

Selling a HomeReady, Set, Sell

We look forward to serving you!

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