How Much Does it Cost to Sell a House

Many people consider their home as the most valuable property they ever own. Thus, if they found themselves in need to sell their home, it is only logical that they would like to get the most money out of it. Selling one’s home can be a fulfilling experience if it was bought with the price below its market value. As a seller, it is imperative that you know the costs involved in selling so you can have the maximum return.

Real Estate Agents

If you don’t have the time or the experience needed to move your home, then real estate agent’s fee is the first thing to think through. The service fee varies from one agent to another; usually it is between 7-10 percent of your selling price. You might want to take note that if you will include the agent’s fee in your selling price, it will put your asking price well above the house’s market value. Pricing the house too high will not gain you a favorable deal.

Pick the agent who offers the lowest agent fee possible with the shortest lock-in period. Shorter lock-in period will allow you to search for another agent or choose an alternative should your initial agent failed to sell your house within the agreed time.

Title Insurance

Some states require the seller to pay for the title insurance. This will assure the buyers that the house has a clear title prior to purchasing. The title insurance is dependent of the selling price and varies from one state to another.

Marketing

When you hire an agent to sell your house, he is expected to use any means necessary to find a buyer. However, you should not limit the marketing through your agent alone. You can market the house yourself by spreading the word, giving out flyers, and advertise in local listings.

These are just some of the basic costs in selling a house. Then, there are other costs such as closing fee, fix-up costs, and taxes.

If you want to sell your house and get the most money within the shortest time possible, you can sell it to private property investors. For more details, you may get in touch with Lucas Properties.

Should I Sell My House at an Auction?

There are thousands of homes being auctioned off every month. These properties are bank owned, facing foreclosure, or distressed properties. Sometimes, home owners who want to sell the property quickly opted to sell it in an auction. Auction offers a fast and efficient way to sell but is it the right option for you?

As a home owner, when you sell your house at an auction, you will get the benefit of not having potential buyers snooping through the house for months only to find out that these potential buyers are just looking around.

In an auction, buyers are aware that they are bidding at a house that can be less than perfect. Most of the times, houses in an auction are sold as is, where it is, and in its present condition. The whole selling process can only take a few minutes with a maximum of 45 days to close.

Types of Real Estate Auction

Auction with Reserve – This type of auction allows the seller or agent to accept or reject any bid offer. For example, if the highest bid does not match with the seller’s reserve price, he has the right to decline the bid. This type of auction is sometimes a deterrent to buyers because they don’t have the assurance that they can purchase the house even if they offer the highest bid.

Minimum Bid Auction – A minimum price is predetermined by the seller and the auctioneer will only accept bids equal to or above the minimum reserve price.

Absolute Auction – In this type of auction, the house will be sold to the highest bidder regardless of the offered amount. Seller may or may not receive a fair market value offer to his property.

There are other options to sell a house quickly. One of the fastest ways is to sell to private investors. Private investors offer cash for your houses or any property, buy houses as is, and offers a fair price for your property.

Contact Lucas Properties today if you are ready to move your house.

Common Reasons Why Your House is Not Selling

Why the house has been sitting on the market for months can be attributed to several reasons. As an owner, it is wise to know the things that push buyers away so you can create actions to prevent them.

Lack of curb appeal. First impressions last – this much is true in every real estate transactions. You need to capture a buyer’s attention and make sure to leave a lasting impression otherwise, he will simply move on to the next listings. But what kind of impressions should you make? The kind that will make any buyer think that your house is what he needs.

External maintenance is as important as the house maintenance. If a buyer is turned off by a lack of exterior maintenance (bad fence, cluttered pathways, and overgrown grass) then most likely he will have a bad impression of the house itself. It is no wonder that he may not even take the time to see the house.

Unreasonable expectations. Overpricing is the most common reason why buyers stay away from your property. Although it is typical that as an owner, you will think that your house is above all the others, this is not always the case. To attract buyers, you have to think like a buyer.

• Pretend that you are shopping for a new house and compare yours to others. 
• Is your house beautifully staged?
•  Is it located in a more desirable area of the subdivision?
•  Does it have all the modern amenities?
•  Is it built by highly regarded home builders?

Does your house compare? If your answer is NO, then you have a work to do.

Lack of proper marketing. You have the most beautiful house in the area but do buyers know about it? Aggressive marketing plays an important function in getting potential buyers. Whether you are selling the house on your own or you are working with an agent, you have to make sure that your property has the maximum exposure. Make use of the social media, create a personalized website, list in multiple listings, distribute flyers, and ask for referrals.

If you need help in selling your house, contact Lucas Properties. They have been in the industry for many years and have helped many home owners who find it difficult to sell their homes.