Home Buyer and Home Seller Tips

Whether you are a homebuyer or seller there are a few tips that will help you sell or buy your next home especially in this economy. Everyone is talking about how hard it is to buy a home and to sell a home at this time; on the other hand, there are people out there buying and selling homes. Why are they able to buy a home when you cannot? Why are they able to sell their home when you cannot? You may be able to find the answers by reading more.

Home Buyer Tips

The first thing anyone interested in buying a home should do is get a pre-approval letter from a mortgage company. With this pre-approval, you will be in the driver’s seat so to speak. You will know just how much you can spend on buying a new home and home sellers will know that you are in fact a buyer, not just an individual hoping to buy a home. One thing to remember, you should also do your homework. If you know how much can afford in monthly payments, do not go over this amount. A mortgage company can give you an amount you can spend; however, you can go lower if you are afraid you can make the monthly payments for a home of that price.

If you have not contacted a real estate agent, this should be your next step. You can acquire an agent before or after you have your pre-approval letter. The main reason you should use a realtor is they can help you find a home with your specifications as well as help you throughout the entire buying process.

Now, you have the amount you can spend on a new home, the next step is to decide where you want to live. Do you want to live close to employment, close to school, or in the country?

What type of home do you desire? Do you have specific requirements such as a ranch, split level, condo, townhouse, two stories, older home that needs TLC, or a brand new home under construction?

Next are the amenities you want. How many bedrooms do you need? Do you want a formal dining area? Do you want a fireplace, Jacuzzi, garage, deck, patio, yard, acreage, or other amenities?

Are schools are priority? Do you have children or plan to have children in the near future? Do you want them to walk to school, be buses, or want them in a private school?

Once you find the home of your dreams, it is time to make an offer. Your realtor will be able to help you with this. Your offer should include certain things that you may wish to be added to the home before you purchase such as a fence around the yard, a storm shelter, or new carpet. You can ask for these items or have them taken off the price of the home. This does not mean that the seller will actually go with your first offer, but you and your realtor will be able to negotiate all the items you want to see done before closing.

Always include in your contract that a home inspection must be done and that the home must pass the inspection or you are not willing to buy. Of course, you can go over the inspectors report and make a decision if you can live with the problems he finds such as a leaking faucet. You can always fix this yourself after you own the home, whereas if the problem found is the air conditioner, you may not want the expense of fixing or replacing this item.

Home Seller Tips

The very first thing you should do if you are ready to sell your home is find a real estate agent. A real estate agent knows what other homes are selling for in your area with the amenities you have to offer as well as they know individuals that are looking to buy.

In order to sell your home, you must have your home price reasonable. If you are asking more for your home than other homes in the area, you may never sell your home. Too many home sellers attach their own personal connection to the home, which does not help sell the home. Home buyers want to make their own memories in your home and wish to see the potential in your home.

Once you know how much you want for your home, the next move is to get your home ready to sell.

Curb Appeal is the number one thing that will get potential buyers stopping and looking at your home. Go out to the curb and look at your house as a potential buyer would. What do you see? Are there weeds in the flower beds? Are the gutters full of debris? Are there toys lying around the yard? Are the windows clean and shiny?

Now, walk up to your home. Look at the roof, window frames, porches, foundation, siding, paint all everything else. Do you see things that could be improved such as a new coat of paint?

Walk in the front door. What do you notice first? Is the room full of clutter? If a potential buyer cannot envision their furniture in the room, you are already in trouble. Home buyers want to see an uncluttered room. Pack up those nick knacks and put them in the attic or garage.

Clean, clean, and clean again. You want the interior of your home to shine. Do the walls need painted? Are the base board scratched? Are their cobwebs in the corners? Are the closets so full that you cannot see just how much room is in there to store things?

If you are a smoker, you may not realize it, but those that do not smoke can smell the smoke in your home. You can purchase a product by the manufacturer ZEP that will enable you to wash down your walls, furniture, and even the drapes to rid your home of that smoke odor.

If you have pets, they should stay at a friend’s house during showings. No one wants to look around your house with a dog or cat running around his or her feet. The same goes for children. Sorry, if your children are following the potential buyers from room to room, they will not feel like they can look into all the closets and drawers to see the condition of your home or how much space they will have for their items.

The best way to sell your home is to let your real estate agent show your home once you have it ready to show. Take the kids and the pets to the park and let your realtor close the deal.