First and foremost, you need to look up the appropriate real estate laws for your area. Watch out! Depending on which state you live in, may determine what kinds of properties, or the number of properties in which you can sell even if you are the sole owner. To find out about your state's laws, do a Google search on "real estate" for sale owner, and the name of your state. i.e. "real estate" for sale owner florida. Other places you may be able to find accurate information would be at your local state real estate board regulatory or county land office.
You've done your research, now what? You have to determine if there are any specific regulations that may affect a sale such lead paint, the presence or absence of smoke detectors, asbestos, hand rails, stairs, appliances, lead pipes, and so on. In some areas electrical service must meet certain codes in order for the house to be sold. Other determinations may be whether the house has well, septic, or city water and sewer may affect the sale. Even something as simple as the grade of the yard may impede a sale. The key is to inform yourself so that there aren't any surprises. You must also check zoning to see if there are any proposed or pending changes to the zoning of the property you intend to sell. To locate these laws, contact your county zoning board, the municipal housing center, or city or county building inspectors.
Now that you have done even more research, you know the regulation and the codes, you have to check with the county and city tax offices to make sure the property's taxes are up to date and there are no unexpected special assessments. If the taxes are clear, it's back to the county recorder's office to ensure there are no existing liens that you were not expecting. Make sure that if you have any previously cleared liens, they were actually recorded properly and the county has cleared them. Sometimes these details fall by the wayside and prove to be a rude surprise at the closing table.
The codes are clear and you've made sure there are no liens. So how do you list your property? By this point, you've done a lot of legwork. If your home is located in any of the Northeast real estate areas, you may have found it easier to contact a licensed real estate agent. Unfortunately, there is still much more to consider when selling your home. If you haven't considered consulting with a real estate agent, now may be the time. Working with an agent can save you a great deal of money and certainly a lot of stress. If you still want to list your home on your own, check out television shows such as "Designed to Sell". They are geared to realtor sales, but can provide you with ideas on how to stage your house and sell your home.
Some great ways to advertise and sell your home is to use newspapers, Craigslist, web ads, flyers, or even for sale by owner (FSBO) ads on MLS service. In order to utilize FSBO contact the local MLS administrator. To find out who this is, contact a local real estate board.
If you are confused, you are certainly not alone. The process is a meticulous and tedious one. Working with professional agent may be your best bet to get you through this process. You can defiantly save a great deal of time, money, and stress. REALTORS have the tools and resources readily available in order to sell your home. Consider giving one a call, and go get a latte! |
