Sellers » Sunset Beach and Beyond Realty

5 Questions You Must Ask Your Realtor®

November 21, 2016 by admin 1 Comment

If you’re considering selling your home in Sunset Beach and surrounding towns and cities in North and South Carolina, you need not just a good agent but a GREAT agent that gets the home sold and tells you the honest truth. Here are five questions to ask a potential realtor or real estate agent before listing your home.

#1. How many homes have you actually sold?

This goes beyond how many homes he/she has listed and not sold, or sold as a Buyer’s Agent. How many homes have you actually sold within the last year that you have listed? If the answer is few to none you may want to reconsider the agent. A great agent needs to know how to price the home correctly, how to set up and stage and market that home to potential buyers.

#2. How easily can I get a hold of you?

If simply setting up the listing presentation has been a slew of emails, unanswered phone calls or texts, this is only a red flag as to what the listing process may be like. Make sure you can get a hold of your agent quickly for answers to your questions, showings, and for potential offers.

#3. Can you be honest with me about the price?

This may be a hard one for many sellers to swallow. A good agent can answer most questions but a great agent can answer the tough questions. Being realistic about the selling price without just telling sellers what they want to hear is a step in the right direction to getting the home sold. Sometimes the sellers must hear the harsh reality of what their home may be worth in order to get it sold.

#4. How well do you negotiate?

This is also another red flag. If you’re Agent is wavering on price and seems a little weak even in the listing presentation you can be sure that this type of attitude will carry over into the negotiations. A strong, firm but respectful agent can get things done quickly and efficiently on your behalf.

#5. Do you help with relocation?

Not all agents have a moving van at their disposal to offer to sellers when it comes time to move but help with relocation, in general, can speak volumes. Does your agent have suggestions on what to do if your current home doesn’t sell? What happens if you have two mortgages or rent and mortgage? Can they help with community relocation information such as utilities, phone numbers, and school districts?

As a Sunset Beach real estate agent, it is my duty not only to help you get your home sold but also to help your move be as smooth and as stress-free as possible. Give me a call today and I would be honored to discuss a listing presentation with you, marketing strategy and an advertising plan to get your home sold quickly.

Cost of Selling a House

August 26, 2016 by admin 1 Comment

How much does it really cost to sell a house these days? This is one of the first questions I get asked when discussing listing a property with a homeowner. They want to know how much this is going to cost them and although there are additional Realtor® fees when listing and selling with an agent, there are still some costs related to selling regardless of how the homeowner actually sells. Here is the cost of selling a house.

After the housing crash in 2007 and 2008, we saw a lot of sellers paying buyers closing costs, especially for first-time homebuyers. However now, in the North Carolina real estate market, having a seller pay for closing costs could mean that the buyer will have a low appraisal. In a sellers market, homeowners typically accept over asking price offers, and if the asking price is already inflated, adding closing costs to the final number could seriously affect the appraisal. The appraisal may come in too low to cover the additional costs. This is why having a buyers agent and a sellers agent working together to negotiate for the proper value is essential.

Closing costs are not mandatory for the seller to cover unless the buyer is getting a VA loan. All VA loans require the seller to pay closing costs for both the buyer and the seller. This could include lender’s fees, courier costs, escrow and title fees and any other additional fees incurred with the purchase and sale contract.

How to Attract Luxury Home Buyers

Unless you are planning on selling the home yourself, you will incur real estate agent commissions. This is typically 5% to 6% of the total home purchase after the deal finalizes. Real estate agents will usually split the commissions down the middle between the agent that brought the buyer and the agent that listed and sold the property, however, this can be the same agent and the percentages could be slightly unbalanced. For instance: the listing agent could agree to accept 2% of the commission while the buyer’s agent receives 4% of the commission.

When selling a property, the homeowner will incur a prorated share of property taxes and potentially homeowners fees when they sell. Depending on when the homeowner sells and when taxes were paid, this could be a very small amount or a large amount if the due date is close by. Some states may be charged a local transfer tax as well to transfer the title from one homeowner to another. This taxes generally 0.01% to 2% of the sales price.

Read more: How to Clear Leins When Selling

Capital gains taxes may also be incurred if you make a profit on your home more than $250,000 for singles and more than $500,000 for married couples.

Title insurance. There are several types of title insurance that are purchased during the purchase and sale contract. Buyers will purchase their own title policy if they apply for a mortgage, but this only protects the lender. The seller will purchase a separate policy for the new homeowner and this could cost anywhere from $500-$1000.

Mortgage payoff. If you still owe money on your home you will need to pay off your current mortgage when you sell. The payoff amount could be different from the actual balance listed on your statement due to interest charges. You will need to get a formal letter stating the exact payoff amount so that escrow can facilitate this when you close.

Optional costs to selling your home include a home warranty, paying for staging, home repairs and any replacements needed. These may be included as enticements to get the property sold.

For more information on selling your specific home and exactly how much it would cost contact our office today.

How to Clear Liens When Selling a Home

July 28, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

You are ready to sell your house. You’ve prepped everything, talk to a listing agent and now you need the title search but, the title company comes back with a unique and strange red flag; the title search shows a lien that you didn’t know about. What can you do?

How can you not know about a particular lien your property? Well, it has happened. Take for instance a situation where we tried to sell a property and the title search showed a lien that the owner did not remember that should have been paid off in 2013. The tough part is the original bank that lent the money to the homeowner no longer existed. This mortgage was sold several times over the years and the last known bank cannot find any trace of the lean, so how do we go about clearing the lien from the title?

Many times you might not recognize particular loans or liens on a title because it was made with a certain bank and that alone has since been sold to different banks or absorbed. The first thing you need to do is try to remember as much as you can about that particular lien or loan. Use the Internet to track as much information about the original lender as possible. If it is the same lender and the lenders out of business you may need to find all the documentation from the original loan and collect any proof that it might’ve been paid off.

Easy Tips to Making Every Room More Appealing to Buyers

June 3, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

The Buyer’s Appeal is the only thing that matters when listing and selling your home. You want your house to appeal to all the buyers, everywhere. So how can you do that in today’s market? There’s retirees, singles, families, professionals… how can you appeal to all of these at once?

Here are 5 key tricks to making every room in your home more appealing to home buyers.

#1. Start with the front entry.

This is the make or break picture for your home’s listing. This first image of the entry of your home or the front snapshot of the house itself is going to be a key image that homebuyers see on the MLS, in flyers, on social media and in print. If this image does not draw them in they will likely pass it by. Buyers can tell within the first five seconds if they want to know more about the house from this first image.

Instantly welcome them in my having a clean the front yard, a yard that matches the neighborhood and doesn’t stand out as an eyesore, clean lines, trimmed yard, bushes and flowers, neatly mulched flowerbeds, a striking front door and a focal point that draws your eye inward. Remove any additional clutter from the front porch and even in the front room. Remember, when buyers tour your home they will be with their buyers agent and usually one or two other people. You want to make sure this area is as clear and open as possible. If they feel crowded or cluttered, it’s going to give them a sense of uneasiness throughout the entire house.

#2. Make the kitchen inviting.

Kitchens are typically at the top of buyers lists. If you can win a buyer over in the kitchen, the rest of the home usually won’t be too difficult. Make sure your kitchen appliances are updated or at the very least perfectly clean and shiny. Make sure that if you have stainless steel appliances there are no fingerprints or smudges. Update the countertops if necessary, install new shelving or cabinetry if possible or at the very least install new hardware and clean the cupboards carefully. Grimy grease and sticky residue can add up quickly in the kitchen. Make sure it is bright, fresh and clean. Take everything off of the counters and then put just one or two items back such as a bowl of fresh lemons which screams fresh and bright.

#3. The living area should exude comfort.

Whether you have one living room or three, each main living area should offer comfort and appeal to buyers instantly. These rooms should look like you want to stay a while, curl up on the couch with a good book or bowl of popcorn and watch a movie. Fluffed up accent pillows, conversational areas, a cozy fireplace as a focal point all add to an ambiance and create a setting for just about any buyer will be attracted to. Remember that focal point and draw the eye inward to where you want them to go either to a center coffee table with the dramatic centerpiece, a fireplace large entertainment center.

#4. Create a master retreat for the bedroom.

The bedroom should offer serenity, comfort and peace. Warm lighting, a night table with the book and some glasses set the scene for a calm and relaxing evening. Make sure there is ample space to move around in the bedroom and then should be the focal point in this room. Make sure your bed is well-made with matching bedding, soft textures and plush pillows.

Modern house bathroom interior with simple and expensive furniture.

#5. The well appointed bathroom.

Bathrooms should also exude a sense of peace, calm and a spa-like setting. Fresh greens, potted green plants or bamboo can add a calming sense and fluffy towels, area rugs and decorative baskets complete with spa-like toiletries make a statement that this is where you relax and can feel refreshed.

All of these things add appeal to all types of buyers. It’s the story you’re telling when a buyer enters each room. Set the stage and tell that story so buyers can’t help but rush to make an offer.

How to Pick the Best Sunset Beach Realtor

May 19, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

You want the very best real estate agent that you can find, right? Surprisingly, many buyers and sellers simply go with the agents that they use the last time, a friend’s cousin or brother, or maybe just some random person they found online. The problem with this is that it may not be the best agent for your needs.

When seeking out a professional you want the very best. This is a lot of money that were talking about so having just an amateur agent, a newbie or someone that is not familiar with the area as your real estate agent could mean loss of money or money left on the table, mistakes in the purchase and sale agreement and frustration throughout the process.
As Sunset Beach real estate agents and Realtors®, which is a unique certification for real estate agents emphasizing ethical codes of conduct, we understand the buyer’s side and the seller side and because we have done this for decades, can help you purchase or sell the property quickly, efficiently and effectively.

When looking for a qualified agent to sell your property understand that if you look hard enough you will find an agent that will price your property however you wanted to be priced. This is something to be very wary of. Any agent that suggests an unreasonably high sales price or goes with your suggested price right off the bat without doing the research, only wants to try to get your business, not actually sell your home, and there is a big difference. There are agents that will list a home at a high price only to seek a lower price later but unfortunately, at this time, it we’ve missed the most critical time to sell the property and may have lost out on a potential buyer. A good real estate agent, no, the best real estate agent, will be upfront, honest and forthright about the price point in which to list your home. An agent simply looking for work will agree with anything the homeowner says.

Secondly, make sure you check the education and productivity of the agent. You’ll want to ask how many homes they have actually sold in a given year. This is different than listing the home. An agent may have listed 10 homes but really only sold three of them. This means that either the listings expired, they were fired by the homeowner or the homeowner went a different direction. If that agent listed 10 homes and sold all 10, there’s obviously something they’re doing right.

Ask about the experience in the area in which your home is listed or in the area in which you’d like to buy. The agent needs to know the area including the micro neighborhoods, unique details about a particular area or community and anything that buyers would want to know before moving into an area. This is especially true in the Sunset Beach area for buyers looking to purchase a home on the beach. Because we live here, work here and play here, our experience of oceanfront property is second to none.

Ask how the agent will advertise your property. Because we have our own real estate website as well as subscriptions to hundreds of different real estate websites across the nation, your property will not only be featured on our website but dozens of others as well. We stay up to date with the latest marketing techniques, online technology, social media marketing and other in print and in person advertising strategies.

Finally, you need to make sure that you feel comfortable and that you trust your agent. You want straightforward, reliable information and you want to be communicated with on a regular basis. Agents that simply list a property and then walk away hoping that a buyers agent will come along and sell the property, is really doing nobody any good including themselves.

If you’re looking for the best agent for your Brunswick Islands home or anywhere up and down the North and South Carolina coastline contact our office today.

How to Attract More Luxury Home Buyers

May 4, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

You have a luxury home on the beach. How are you going to attract the right type of buyer? You know the type of buyer that would love your home but how do you get that buyer into your door?

Here are three unique ways to attract more luxury home buyers to your property.

#1. Think smarter not harder.

We always say to work smarter and not harder so that we can pack more information, more work being done and more productivity into a shorter amount of time without feeling exhausted by the end of the day. This is where we need to be when considering marketing to the right luxury homebuyer. Luxury buyers are looking for smart technology and smart homes. You can have your entire kitchen or even your entire home including a sound system programmed from your smart phone. You can have a smart refrigerator that tells you when you’re out of a certain item or can adjust the temperature in the house, a particular room or on a specific appliance. These are little things that will really make a luxury homebuyer notice the details. By automating your home, you can attract a luxury buyer that’s looking for ease of lifestyle, convenience and smart technology. Thermostats, appliances, window blinds, shades, garage doors and many more items can be automated within your home all to be controlled by a device no bigger than your hand. These items really appeal to luxury homebuyers and you might be surprised at who you will attract.

#2. Add an outdoor living space or spruce up the one you already have.

Luxury home buyers are looking for an attractive and convenient outdoor living space. If you live by the beach, you need an outdoor space that emphasizes the best qualities of beach living. Have an access path out to the beach directly from your outdoor living area. Consider installing complete outdoor kitchen with fire pit, barbecue, refrigerator, shelving and counter space. Consider making an outdoor fireplace or having an entertainment area with a covered television set, comfortable chairs, outdoor pillows or even a game space. Having outdoor living area is wildly favored in the luxury home buying market. If you have some questions about what would be attractive for your area contact a real estate agent that is specialized and luxury home selling and buying.

#3. Create an unforgettable bathroom experience.

Yes the kitchen is important and yes automation is also important, but one of the biggest selling features is an opulent bathroom. Also, many luxury homebuyers today are not as concerned about the bathtub itself but prefer a more luxurious shower experience with multiple heads and large space. Custom designs, in the shower shelving and the seating, a variety of jets and private spaces all make an attractive bathroom. Consider a streaming waterfall, exposed rock face for a sauna style seating area. This can make a luxury master bathroom even that much more attractive.

Creating a space perfect for luxury homebuyers does take a little bit of ingenuity and budgeting in for the right additions. Each home is unique so speak with your real estate agent on what would be the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to appealing to luxury homebuyers. For more information contact Karen Baker with Sunset Beach and Beyond Realty.

Thank you to our guest spokesperson this week, Joe Hayden with Joe Hayden Realty in Louisville Kentucky.

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