Exclusive Homes In Orange County

Tips for Selling Your Home Smoothly

Know the Facts About Your Home

Most buyers will have questions about taxes, lot size, utility costs and other pertinent information about your property. It’s always a good idea to know the facts and to have this information ready for potential buyers. Take time to research this information and have it readily available for buyers or real estate agents.

Document Recent Repairs

Most borrowers need to know about any recent updates, repairs, or additions you’ve made to your home. For example, things like a new roof, furnace, central air, or hot water heater are all important to note. What was the cost? When was it installed? And who did the work? These are important questions that agents or buyers will ask. Any items of repair or things that were added to the home during your tenure should be listed on a separate sheet if at all possible. It’s also a good idea to furnish copies of paid receipts for items repaired or installed in order to validate these costs. Placing this information in a binder can be a good idea, and will help to promote your home to buyers and agents.

Replace Light Bulbs in the Home

Changing light bulbs to a higher wattage can help brighten the area and give a more spacious feel to your rooms. Always check the light fixture and the maximum wattage, and never add bulbs that are above the recommended usage. You can also add a drop of vanilla extract to lamp bulbs to add a fresh smell to rooms.

Remove Any Heirlooms or Keepsakes

Many times sellers will want to keep certain items that have sentimental value like a light fixture or wall mirror that has been affixed to the house. If you have any items that you plan to replace, then you should do so prior to any showings. Once buyers visit your property and begin making offers to purchase, it’s generally hard to negotiate these items off of the offer to purchase.

Clean the Gutters and Add Extensions When Needed

You never know when your property may be shown, and if it’s a day that is raining, the last thing you want is water gushing over the gutters and downspouts. Making sure the gutters are cleaned and extensions move the water away from your foundation is always a good idea for continued maintenance of your home. It also shows buyers your commitment to caring for your home and keeping it in tip-top shape.

Hire a Building Inspector

Let’s face it; you want to sell your home. It’s probably not a bad idea to have a building inspector look at your home and make a list of any repairs that need to be fixed prior to marketing your property. After all, many home buyers will get a home inspection too, so this type of pre-inspection will inform you of any potential problems that need to be taken care of. Many buyers will also get “cold feet” if the inspection shows too many needed repairs on their report. By fixing these issues in advance, you can ward off these potential problems.

Having a home inspection done prior to the buyer’s home inspection is a good way for you to ensure there aren’t any surprises later on in the home-buying process. If an inspection report turns up any serious issues, you have the chance to fix them before the buyer ever steps foot in your home.

Don’t Be Too Overbearing to Buyers

Sellers will sometimes point out too many facts or features about the home, and can sound desperate to sell quickly. This attitude can hurt you when negotiating with the buyers, and can often cost you several thousands of dollars. This is one area where a real estate agent can be invaluable when selling your home. They can take care of the negotiations, and showing of your home, so you don’t have to worry about it.

Have Your Home Professionally Appraised

It’s usually a good idea to hire an independent appraiser when you’re selling on your own. This way you’ll feel certain that you are getting top dollar for your home.

Buying a new home can be daunting so to help you in your search, we’ve gathered tips from real estate agents, and listed our top 15 things to look for when house hunting.

1. Hidden defects

First impressions are lasting ones. A seller is going to do their utmost to make a memorable impact to attract the best offer. Look for little defects that might have been disguised by a fresh coat of paint.

2. Beyond the clutter

People have different ideas about décor. Look beyond the clutter, colours, cupboards and carpets that might not be to your liking and be open to hidden potential.

3. Price right

Not too high and not too low – do your research into selling prices for the area so that you have a better chance of having your offer accepted. California leading home loan comparison service offers a range of home loan calculators to help you establish what you can afford.

4. Use a home loan comparison service

Work out what you can afford to pay on a bond and get the best deal from a bank by using a home loan comparison service. If you can get prequalified for a home loan, all the better. That way you know your credit score, and what you can realistically afford, before you put in an offer on a home.

5. Find a reputable estate agent

The right estate agent will help you find the right house in the right area at the right price for you.

6. Investigate the area

Get a feel for the neighborhood, day and night, and check on security with the local police station. If you’re buying anything but a freestanding home, high noise levels and bad views should be a deterrent.

7. It’s not inside…

Don’t forget to check the state and composition of the roof.

8. Feel it

Get a sense of the indoor temperature to work out how hot or cold the home will be, depending on the season. It could influence your electricity bill.

9. Look into everything

Don’t be afraid to open cupboards, lift loose carpets, look underneath bathroom and kitchen sinks, flush toilets, flick switches and open and close windows and doors to check the state of shelving, flooring, plumbing and general functionality.

10. Inspect it

If you’re really keen on buying a particular property insist on a report following a professional home inspection. This should highlight any physical defects such as leaks, faulty geysers or noteworthy wall cracks. A good home inspection company will also establish whether all structures on the property are legal and have been approved by the local authority.

11. Fibre-optic cable

Driven by the rising demand for higher bandwidth and faster-speed connections, fibre-optic transmission is becoming more and more common in modern homes – but it’s still worth enquiring after it when considering a new home as not all suburbs in California are yet fitted with the technology.

12. Solar panels

Solar panels are a hefty upfront investment so buying a house with them already installed is a bonus for those buyers seeking an efficient home capable of generating its own energy. If the panels are new technology, show significant savings and are aesthetically acceptable, they may very well boost the value of a property. However, be wary of getting roped into a contract for panels that comes with the sale of a house. An agreement that ties prospective owners into old technology is onerous and could well affect the value of a property in a negative way.

13. A smart security alarm

With safety top of mind for California homebuyers, a smart security system can add significantly to the attraction of a potential home. These systems allow homeowners to arm, disarm, configure and control their system from their smartphone or tablet using a simple app. They then receive email alerts, push notifications or even a text when the alarm is triggered. Many smart home alarm kits can also be extended to include additional accessories, such as a power switch to remotely turn on or off home appliances, a PIR camera to view images of the inside of your home, or a smart lock to remotely gain access to the property. It is essential to question the seller or estate agent on the security system installed in the house – a smart system is top of the security range and definitely a great add-on for prospective buyers.

14. Sensor technology

Property damage, including theft, accounts for 97% of all home insurance claims. Smart home sensors are more than just a luxury, enabling you to close the shutters without getting out of bed. They can significantly protect a home and its occupants. The sensor technologies most coveted by homebuyers include fire and carbon monoxide detectors, leak and moisture sensors, motion sensors, and a Wi-Fi connected smart garage door. Door and window sensors that let you know when people are entering and leaving your home, and can even turn lights on and off as doors are opened and closed, are also highly sought after as a first line of defence.

15. A smart thermostat

Not only are smart thermostats cool, but they’ll also help you save money by monitoring the temperature and humidity inside and outside your new home. A smart thermostat gives you control over the heating and cooling in your home – from any location. When you are in and out of your house, its temperature also changes and a smart thermostat can adjust this based on your behaviour and room usage. The best thermostats adjust the temperature on a room-by-room basis, allowing you to maintain your ideal temperature when you are in the room and default to an energy-saving mode when you leave it. Applying cognitive technology to these sensors is paving the way for a home that thinks and knows you and your temperature preferences.