Frequently Asked Questions

Of course, you want to get top dollar for your home, and that means making a great first impression on any would-be buyers. So, before we even list your home, we'll walk through it together, and I'll give you my professional assessment of what needs to be fixed, what can be improved, and other first impressions from a professional observer. 

Research shows that enhancing your curb appeal offers the best ROI, so simple improvements like front landscaping, improving lighting, painting the front door, and focusing any efforts on kitchens and bathrooms will be most attractive to potential buyers.

During the real estate transaction, the buyers will surely order a home inspection, which is a professional assessment of all of the systems and structure of your home. He or she will carefully check the important things like electrical systems, the roof, foundation, HVAC and plumbing, etc. 

The buyers will most likely request for items to be repaired based on that report, so we’ll definitely want to make sure that all of the large, important items and anything related to health or safety are up to par.

But when it comes to smaller fixes and improvements, it may or may not make sense to invest the time, work, and money before selling. You definitely want to maximize your potential to attract buyers and get higher offers, but without overspending, so I will offer my professional recommendation.

Depending on the age and condition of your home, there are some cases where pre-ordering a home inspection may be a good idea. It can also be a wise sales tactic to show potential buyers that your home already has a home inspection and a “clean bill of health," so they don't need to pay for one. But in the vast majority of cases, there’s no need for a seller to order a home inspection unless we spot serious issues when we examine the property together.

Each sale and real estate transaction is different, but the typical escrow process – from when a purchase offer is made to the closing and the sale concludes – typically takes around 30 days. That being said, your home may attract a buyer who makes an offer quickly, or it may take months. In a hot housing market, homes sometimes gain offers in only a few weeks or less, while in a normalized market, they usually sell within 60 days. Of course, a big factor in how fast your home will sell is where we price it!

The sales price of your home depends on a host of factors, including the current market, the size and condition of your house, the quality of the neighborhood, and more. Of course, homes that are in top shape and don't need major repairs sell for more, but houses that have historical value or are in sought-after older neighborhoods sometimes sell for top dollar, too. In all, my goal is to offer professional advice that will lead to the highest possible sales price and the most profit in your pocket when you list your home.

There are various fees and charges inherent in any home sale. Some of those may include appraisal fees, title and transfer taxes, title and escrow fees, and even the cost to make any repairs the buyer negotiates in the contract. But the biggest cost of selling any home is paying real estate agents to represent you in this important legal transaction. As a very general rule, your total closing costs are usually around 8-10% of the sales price, although that may change based on a variety of factors.

The typical real estate commission to sell your home is 6% of the total sale price. Half of that (give or take) will go to the agent who lists your home for sale and represents you in the negotiation, and the other 2.5% or 3% will pay for the buyer’s agent. You only pay any commissions once the sale closes, the buyer signs, and your proceeds are on the way. So, you pay nothing to list your home for sale and go through the process if it does not close. 

The list price, or listing price, is the amount you choose to offer your home for sale. That will be the official asking price for your home online and it’s MLS listing that every buyer sees. The sales price, however, is the number that your home actually sells for. The difference accounts for the fact that a buyer may offer less (or more!) than the asking price, as there is always room for negotiation.

Yes, definitely. A home sale is probably the largest financial transaction you’ll undertake in your life, so why leave that to chance? Studies show that people who try to sell their own home (For Sale By Owner or FSBO), take far longer and sell for FAR LESS MONEY than homes listed with a real estate agent. 

Just as important, remember that a home sale is a huge legal transaction, and using a real estate agent protects the homeowner from a significant amount of liability and legal implications in case a buyer sues. 

Selling with the RIGHT Realtor like me will save or earn you far more money than you think you could save by listing yourself!

While the fun part is to go house hunting or look online, the very first step to homeownership actually starts with a mortgage. Yes, talking to a mortgage broker is where the whole process starts, as they will get you pre-qualified or pre-approved for a home loan. 

With that simple step, you will know what home price you can afford and what your approximate mortgage payment will be. It’s also necessary to have a pre-approval from your mortgage lender, which we’ll submit with your purchase offer when you find a home you love.

No. There is a very clear and important reason why the first step in the home buying process is to get pre-approved for a home loan, and that only takes a few minutes once they pull your credit score and ask you a few questions about your income and more. Getting in the car, opening doors, and viewing homes without 100% knowing you are approved for a home loan wastes everyone's time - and therefore money. 

But, again, it’s really quick and easy to get pre-approved for a home loan, and of course, you're free to look at houses online to your heart's content!

That's a great question and one that deserves a little more analysis and consideration for your own personal situation. 

For instance, some homeowners look to sell their house first, move into a temporary rental property, and take their time looking for a new home to buy with no time pressure. 

Others undertake the home sale AND go house hunting at the same time, which is definitely possible if we create our agreements and contracts with added time flexibility. And some people will opt to keep their first home as a rental property and tap into the equity to buy their next home. 

It all depends on your financial situation, home equity, market conditions, and more, but we do work with "move-up" buyers all the time with great success.

Yes, it’s a good idea to order a home inspection. Professional home inspectors are highly regulated and trained to find issues within a home, potentially saving you huge problems (and money) once the home is yours. 

Disrepair to the roof, foundation, structure, electrical system, plumbing and HVAC, and more can cost you thousands or tens of thousands of dollars down the road – out of your own pocket. Furthermore, based on the home inspector’s report, there may be cause to go back to the bargaining table with the sellers, asking them to fix the important items or even drop the purchase price based on the material condition of the property.

Always get a home inspection! 

Once the sale is ready to conclude, the buyer has the right to visit the property one last time to do an informal visual inspection, or a “final walk-through.” 

During this time, both the buyer and their Realtor can confirm that the property is still in the same condition as when the initial offer was made, everything looks good and seems to be functioning correctly, and repairs have been made.

It’s always a good idea to conduct a final walk-through, and it’s actually a fun event because the buyer is so much closer to actually owning the home!

An earnest money deposit is a good-faith payment that's submitted with your initial purchase offer. It is not a fee or a charge and will not be cashed or deposited if/until your offer is accepted and you are in escrow. 

Earnest money deposits are usually 1-2% of the purchase price, although the exact amount is up to the buyer. But remember that the higher the earnest money deposit, the more the seller will take your offer seriously because you have “skin in the game.” Earnest money deposits are submitted to and held by the title & escrow company, NOT the seller personally.

Once the real estate deal closes, your initial deposit will be allocated towards your total closing costs, so it is not lost or wasted money.

A down payment is the amount you pay towards the home’s price outside of any mortgage(s) you’re taking out. So, if the home price is $400,000 and your mortgage will cover 90% of that, or $360,000, you will have to come up with the remaining 10% ($40,000) as a down payment. 

The good news is that the down payment funds won’t be due until the title and escrow process concludes and you’re ready to sign mortgage documents and take over ownership.

It used to be that buyers had to put 20% of the home's price down as a deposit, and in the mid 2000s, it was easy to buy a home with no money down. But these days, buyer down payments typically range from 3.5% up to 10% or so.

Sometimes people enter a real estate purchase in good faith but then have to back out of the deal for valid reasons. When that happens, the buyer will usually forfeit only their earnest money deposit (that 1-2% they put down when making an offer) as long as they’ve reached the point of the transaction where contingencies were removed. 

But stepping away from a real estate deal is a serious step, so there’s no guarantee you will receive your earnest money deposit, so it’s best to enter the deal with the full intention and capacity to conclude the purchase.

No. It is best to commit to one real estate agent and work exclusively with them. 

There are many reasons for this, but the biggest benefit is that homebuyers want a Realtor they trust, who offers great communication, and their time and energy are at the buyer's disposal. To achieve that effective partnership, it is imperative you work with one and only one agent when buying.

An escrow company is the neutral third party that collects and holds all deposits and monies during the transaction, as well as important documents. 

Depending on your state or county, you may deal with just one entity, a title and escrow company. Their role is basically to make sure everyone lives up to the terms of the contract, as well as coordinate mortgage and real estate signings, disbursing of funds to the seller, and registering the sale as official with the county.

Look for a real estate agent who is experienced, great at communication, and has the backing of a top-notch professional firm. I also recommend you go with an established, full-time Realtor, not just a friend who dabbles in real estate sales part-time. 

You also want to put your trust in someone who lives/works in your local area, as they are invested in the same community and know the neighborhoods well. 

Thanks to many years in the industry, I have a huge network of contractors, inspectors, appraisers, HVAC professionals, home stagers, photographers, and many more. All of these hardworking professionals have proven to be reliable, offer fair prices, and have done a great job for my clients and friends in the past, so I am happy to connect you no matter what you need.