It’s summer–the San Antonio market is hot hot hot–just like the weather! Buyers are out there and they’re ready to buy. Supply of available homes is limited in some areas and some price ranges. If you’re thinking of selling, this is the time to get off the fence!

But before you hire a realtor and put a For Sale sign in your yard, take some steps to ease the way for a smooth transaction. Besides what you’ve seen, heard, and read about de-cluttering, staging, cleaning, etc., here are some repairs that, if needed, should be done before you list your home.

1. Electrical–do you have extension cords all over the place? If your home is older and you’ve got cords here and there, you might want to have an electrician take a look at your wiring and your electrical panels. Even if your home isn’t “old”, our electrical gadgets have expanded mightily in recent years and you may need to upgrade your system, add some additional receptacles, or re-do your wiring. These are items that will be noted on a buyer’s inspection so taking care of them beforehand will give you an advantage as you can point out that the work has been done. Be sure you hire a licensed electrician to perform the upgrades.

2. Low water pressure–again, sometimes an issue in an older home with older pipes. Consider having a plumber evaluate your plumbing and make needed repairs/replacements.

3. Wall and/or ceiling stains–could be a sign of a water leak, past or present. If it’s an old leak that has been repaired, remove the stain. If it’s an active leak, have it repaired and then remove the stain.

4. Foundation cracks–may be a sign that foundation repairs are needed. Have a structural engineer evaluate your foundation and then, if repairs are needed, consider hiring a company to do the repairs. Be sure they offer a transferable warranty so that a potential buyer knows that if issues arise, they have that warranty.

I always advise sellers to consider having their own inspection done prior to listing their home. That way, any potential issues can be addressed and receipts provided to a buyer for work done. If repairs aren’t possible prior to listing, an inspection will at least give the seller an idea of what may come up with a buyer and be prepared. It will also allow you, as the seller, to price your home accordingly to take those repairs into consideration. At the very least, it will help eliminate those unpleasant surprises that no one in a real estate transaction wants to deal with!

Good luck with your sale–and if you need a realtor to help you, contact me!

Selling your home is stressful, no doubt about it.  Selling your home while you’re still living in it just adds a couple more layers to that stress!  And when children and/or pets are involved, add on a few more layers!

Now for the good news–there are ways to handle the stress and make it all work for you, your family, and your prospective buyers!  But flexibility is key!  And patience and understanding from all parties.

Rule #1–if you want to sell your house,  you have to let people in to see it!  In my 16 years as a Realtor, I’ve sold one house sight unseen to a buyer.  99.9% of buyers want to see a house before they make a decision on whether or not to consider purchasing that house.  So you, as the homeowner/seller, must be willing to let people come into your home and see it for themselves.  Is it inconvenient?  Sometimes.  Is it required?  Only if you’re serious about selling.  And, frankly, if you’re not serious, then why are you even listing your house?

Rule #2–when you let people in to see your house, let them see it without your being there.  Leave!

I have been on 4 sides of this–as a seller, as a buyer (both before becoming a realtor), as a buyer’s agent, and as a listing agent.

When I was the seller, I wish I had understood the situation from a buyer’s side better.  My realtor tried to explain, but she did not convince me very well.  I think it took longer to sell my house because I was so stubborn about leaving the house.

When I became a buyer, it all started to make sense–all the things she had told me to do that were inconvenient, annoying, and just a pain to put up with!  Now, seeing it with different eyes, I understood what a difference those little inconveniences made to a prospective buyer.  I “got” it!  Better late than never!

As a buyer’s agent, I’ve had to deal with sellers being present while I was showing, or trying to schedule a showing at all with sellers who put in lots of restrictions on showing times, access, etc.

As a listing agent, I’ve had to work with sellers who just “don’t feel like cleaning up today” and declined showings, and then get upset because they haven’t received an offer on their house.

So, homesellers, please understand that when you live in a home you’re trying to sell, patience and flexibility will be required.  You will need to keep you home presentable most all the time.  You will need to be prepared to leave your home at times that may be inconvenient so that buyers can come in and see it.  And you will need to allow those buyers to come into your home at reasonable times.  If you’re willing to do that, then the right buyer will come along and you will be able to put a SOLD sign on the house!

If you’re thinking of selling your home, here are some things to look at before you put it on the market.  If anything needs to be fixed, do it now, before you list.  It will make your life much easier and make your sale transaction much smoother!

1. Exterior:  Look at siding, stucco, wood trim.  Patch cracks, replace rotted wood, paint and freshen up.

2.  Landscaping:  Remove dead plants, trim back overgrown bushes/hedges.  Remove weeds, fresh mulch in beds, mow/edge lawn.

3. Cosmetics:  Paint/neutralize strong colors; touch up paint where necessary.  Replace/update light fixtures, switches, fans, hardware.  Paint front door and replace hardware.

4.  Kitchen:  Update if necessary–hardware, backsplash, counters, appliances.

5. Bathrooms:  Caulk tubs & showers, clean tile, update fixtures, lights, mirrors if necessary

6. Flooring:  Clean or replace

7. Structural & Mechanical:  Have HVAC serviced and replace filters, have licensed professionals check plumbing, electrical, and roof.  Make repairs if needed.

Taking care of these items now will make your house more appealing to buyers.  They’ll feel confident that the home they’re considering has been maintained and is in good condition.  There will be less for an inspector to note and less to negotiate.  You’ll know you’re offering a home that is ready to go and is move-in ready.  Buyers will know they can move in and not have to deal with repairs right off the bat.  Win/win for everyone!

Are you thinking about selling your home?  If so, this is a great time to do so in San Antonio!  Inventory is low, demand is high, particularly in certain areas and/or price ranges!  The cost of a loan, i.e. interest rates, is low so that more buyers can qualify for more house and your pool of potential buyers is larger.  People are moving into and around in San Antonio so market activity is high.

If you’re a first-time home seller or if it’s been a long time since you’ve sold your home, there are some things for you to consider and decisions to be made before you take that final step of putting a sign in the yard.  These steps could make a big difference in getting your house sold quickly and letting the process drag on and out.

1. What’s your plan?  Are you living in the home?  If so, what’s your plan for vacating once you’re under contract?  What if it goes under contract within the first week?  Many homes do, sometimes even quicker than that!  For a buyer who’s financing his purchase, you’ll have about 30-60 days from contract until it closes and you have to be out.  If you’re lucky enough to have a cash buyer, closing can happen even quicker–almost right away!  Where will you go?  Do you have a plan for that?
2. If you have to sell your home and get the proceeds in order to purchase another home, better have the logistics for that figured out in advance!
3. Find a good realtor to assist you with selling your home, and possibly purchasing a new one.  Ask for referrals from friends and colleagues, check their online presence, interview, and choose someone who you feel comfortable with and who you feel confident will market your home and help you through all the ins and outs of the transaction.
4. Get your home ready for the market.  Paint, repair, declutter, clean clean clean!  Remember, once your home is on the market, it’s competing with all the other homes, including builder model homes, that are also on the market.  Make yours shine and stand out!  It’s a product on the market now, time to start letting go of the emotional connection to the home and try to view it with a buyer’s eye.
5. Position your home correctly in the market.  This is crucial!  A good realtor will help you come to a list price that will position your home so that buyers who are looking for what you have to offer will see it and consider it.
6. Make your home available for buyers to see.  Setting strict limits on showing times and availability will make it difficult for many buyers to schedule a time to see it.  Just because you really don’t feel like picking up or cleaning the kitchen or bathroom is not going to work!  Suck it up, buttercup!  That’s part of what you have to do to sell your house!
7. When you get an offer or offers, keep an open mind.  Let your realtor explain all the terms, and remember, it’s not always all about just the price a buyer is offering.  There are other things to consider as well so don’t reject an offer just because a buyer is offering less than you’re asking or wanted.
8. Once you’ve accepted an offer, cooperate with your realtor, the buyer’s realtor, and the inspections and other visits that may be necessary for the buyers to move forward.  Now is not the time to relax your vigilance on keeping the house in good condition and show ready.  If you’ve agreed to do any repairs, get them done in a timely manner and hold onto receipts so that you can pass them along to the buyer.
9. As closing day approaches, be sure you’ve contacted your utilities, cable, phone, service people, etc. to discontinue service on a certain date so that the buyer may transfer these things into their names.
10. On closing day, leave the home clean and ready for its new owner.  Empty the trash and mow the yard.  Leave the house as you would want to find it if you were moving in.  And, it goes without saying, be sure all your personal belongings are out and everything you’ve agreed to leave behind is there.  Time to say goodbye to your house and hello to the next one!

I’ve become a fan of Pinterest in the last few months.  I find a lot of interesting information there, have tried a bunch of new recipes I found there, and just enjoy browsing through the posts when I have some time to spare.

One of the topics I follow is, of course, real estate!  For buyers, sellers, homeowners, there’s a ton of information on Pinterest! And of all the posts there, one topic I see frequently is how to save money by selling your home by yourself, or as we say in the business, FSBO–For Sale by Owner.  There’s a whole lot of information online about how to do it, where to market, save money, etc.  But one thing that almost never gets discussed is the downside of selling your home without representation by a Realtor.  And there is definitely a downside!  Here are a few things to consider before deciding to sell your home yourself.

1. Your local market.  How well do you know your local market?  And by local, I mean not only your city, but your area, sometimes even your neighborhood.  Are values up, down, or steady?  What homes have sold recently–i.e. in the last 6 months?  For how much?  How did the final sale price compare to the list price?  What concessions, if any, did the seller give to the buyer?  What was the average days on market for those properties?  How many price changes did a home have between original listing and contract?  How many homes are on the market now in your neighborhood?  What is the absorption rate?  These are all things a Realtor will be able to tell you to help you determine where to position your home in the market.
2. Price/Market Position.  How will you determine your list price?  There are many online resources that can give you an idea, but they don’t know your area like a Realtor does.  Their estimates are based solely on stats, and do not take into consideration the particulars of your home and neighborhood. If you overprice, you will miss a segment of potential buyers.  If you underprice, you may sell quickly, but you might end up with less in your pocket than you could have with a more accurate market position.
3.  Marketing and showing your property.  Are you prepared to allow total strangers into  your home unaccompanied?  Will you allow a realtor to show your home to a potential buyer? Are you willing to pay a fee to a realtor who brings a buyer for  your home?  Are you prepared to answer questions about the property?  How will you let potential buyers know about the home?  What is your marketing strategy?  Are you prepared to be available to set up showing appoinments and be home/available when buyers come?  Do you know how to prepare your home for showing?
4.  Evaluating an offer or offers.  What are your terms for sale?  Do you know how to evaluate the pros and cons of an offer you may receive?  What about multiple offers?  How will you deal with that scenario?  How will you know if a potential buyer is qualified and able to complete the transaction?
5.  Contracts and legal stuff.  The contract form used by Texas Realtors is 9 pages and 23 paragraphs long.  It addresses most all the possibilities that could arise in a transaction and how those possibilities are to be resolved.  As an unrepresented seller, you are not allowed to use that contract form, but if a realtor brings a buyer for your home, he or she will present an offer on that form.  Do you understand all the terms of the contract and how they affect your position as well as the buyer’s?  A contract, when signed by all parties, is a legally binding document.  Are you entering into this transaction with full understanding of your position and what happens if …….?

These are all things that a Realtor who represents you in the sale of your home will handle on your behalf.  We do a lot behind the scenes to ensure that transactions proceed smoothly and close on time.  Don’t be penny wise and pound foolish!  If you’re thinking about selling your home, contact a Realtor!  We can’t eliminate all the hassles, but we can minimize them and help you through the process!