□ Provide the post office with your forwarding address two to four weeks ahead of the move. □ Notify your credit card companies, magazine subscriptions, and bank of your change of address. □ Create a list of friends, relatives, and business colleagues who need to be notified...
Owner’s manuals and warranties for appliances left in the house. Garage door opener. Extra sets of house keys. A list of local service providers — the best dry cleaner, yard service, plumber, etc. Code to the security alarm and phone number of the monitoring...
When you sell a stock, you owe taxes on your gain — the difference between what you paid for the stock and what you sold it for. The same holds true when selling a home (or a second home), but there are some special considerations. How...
Consider comparables. What have other homes in your neighborhood sold for recently? How do they compare to yours in terms of size, upkeep, and amenities? Consider competition. How many other houses are for sale in your area? Are you competing against new homes? Consider...
Unless the buyer who makes an offer on your home has the resources to qualify for a mortgage, you may not really have a sale. If possible, try to determine a buyer’s financial status before signing the contract. Ask the following: Has the buyer been...
Advertise your open house. Ideally you should advertise both the weekend before and the weekend of the open house. Check with the local paper to see when their ad closing deadlines are. Create a property summary sheet. This sheet gives prospective buyers an overview...
An open house can be a great sales tool, but it also exposes you to numerous unfamiliar people for the first time. Stay safe by practicing these guidelines. Call the local police department and ask them to have a squad care drive by during your...
□ Real estate attorney □ Appraiser □ Home inspector □ Mortgage loan officer □ Environmental specialist □ Lead paint inspector □ Radon inspector □ Tax adviser □ Sanitary systems expert □ Occupancy permit inspector □ Zoning inspector □ Survey company □ Flood plain inspector □ Termite inspector □ Title company □ Insurance consultant □ Moving company Used with permission from Kim Daugherty,...
Property disclosure form. This form requires you to reveal all known defects to your property. Check with your state government to see if there is a special form required in your state. Purchasers access to premises agreement. This agreement sets conditions for permitting the...
To put the best face on a listing and appeal to buyers who follow feng shui principles, keep these tips in mind. Pay special attention to the front door, which is considered the “mouth of chi” (chi is the “life force” of all things) and...