Frequently Asked Questions by real estate sellers in Naples

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It's best to sell your home when there are more buyers than houses available, known as a seller's market. This encourages bidding wars on houses, and can substantially increase the selling price for your home. Some of the best indicators of a good time to sell a home include:

• When the economy is doing well and people's outlook for the future is positive
• When interest rates are low - this allows people to borrow money more cheaply
• When people are more likely to move - traditionally many more houses are sold during the spring than during the winter
• When your community is considered especially attractive - a common example of this is to sell your home during the period when schools in your area are enrolling new students

The big question. You can’t get too far selling your home if you can’t put a price on it. If you hire a full-service real estate agent, they will use “comps”, short for comparables, to help draw an accurate picture of what your home is currently worth. Agents also draw upon years of experience and local, neighborhood insight to price your home.

Look for an agent with a solid reputation, local market knowledge, and positive client reviews. Interview multiple agents to find one you feel comfortable with and who understands your needs.

There are many ways to add to your home’s value, including simply making your monthly mortgage payments!

Some of the more popular moves to make include making small upgrades to the bathroom and kitchen: change out handles and fixtures, put in low-flow toilets, and paint or stain cabinets.

Go green by adding solar panels and consider putting in a tankless water heater. A relatively cheap way to spruce up your landscaping is to revive your lawn by laying new sod. A fresh coat of paint and new flooring will also go a long way in justifying your asking price.

Some costs associated with selling your home that you will need to take into consideration are title/closing company expenses, any repairs you will need to make on the home, any seller concessions you will make to the buyer, real estate commission, etc. Before we list your home, we will give you a net sheet that outlines all of the costs and the amount you should expect to net given the potential sales price.

Contingencies are conditions that must be met for the sale to proceed. Common contingencies include financing, home inspection, and appraisal. They protect buyers by allowing them to back out of the deal or renegotiate if certain conditions aren’t met.

A home inspector examines the property for any issues or necessary repairs. The inspector provides a detailed report, which you can use to negotiate repairs or a price reduction with the seller.

The closing process involves finalizing the sale, including signing paperwork, transferring funds, and officially transferring ownership of the property. Your agent will guide you through the necessary steps to ensure a smooth closing.

Minor repairs before putting the house on the market may lead to a better sales price. Buyers often include a contingency "inspection clause" in the purchase contract which allows then to back out if numerous defects are found. Once the problems are noted, buyers can attempt to negotiate repairs or lowering the price with the seller. Any known problems that are not repaired must be revealed as a material defect. You do not have to repair the problem, only reveal it and the house should be appropriately priced for that defect.

The two most important factors are price and condition in selling a home. The first step is to price it properly. Then, go through the house to see if there are any cosmetic defects that can be repaired.

A third factor is exposure. It is also important that the home gets the exposure it deserves through open houses, broker open houses, advertising, good signage and listing on the local multiple listing service, as well as the internet.

Choose the REALTOR® who you believe will get the job done, not the one that quotes you the highest price - sometimes just to buy your listing.

Commission is NOT set by law and is always negotiable. With that being said, as the cliche goes, “you get what you pay for.” In effect, the seller is paying for the services being offered by the listing agency. If you select an agent based upon a lower commission, you’ll make a critical error toward your success of selling your home. Here are some facts to keep in mind: Unlike lawyers who get paid by the hour, or doctors who are paid by the appointment, listing agents don’t get paid unless they make a sale. For every hour an agent spends with a client, he or she will typically spend nine hours on average working on that client’s behalf doing everything from networking to finding potential buyers to filling out paperwork. And no, not all agents are created equal.

While the prospect of eliminating a real estate agent’s commission from a future sale of your home might sound very appealing, this is something prospective sellers should give a second thought to. Selling your home can be quite complex, where the services of a knowledgeable REALTOR® or professional could come in quite handy.

This process typically takes time and patience, an understanding of local trends and conditions as well as negotiating skills, just to name a few. By having these skill sets, a real estate agent can properly price your home to showcase it in any market.

If you’re attempting selling your home, there are many reasons why it’s more beneficial to have a real estate agent in your corner. A typical agent-assisted home sale sold for 11.2% more than sales where a professional wasn’t used. Some of the biggest challenges for homeowners, “for sale by owners” (FSBO), who don’t use the services of a real estate agent are: Pricing their home right, navigating the paperwork and selling within a fixed length of time.•

*2020 National Association of REALTORS® Consumer Profile

You want prospective buyers to visualize themselves in your home. Therefore, depersonalizing is usually a wise choice when selling your home. There are certain things you’ll want to refrain from communicating to homebuyers. Your real estate agent will be able to provide perspective on this as well.

As a homeowner, you should also seek to avoid selecting the wrong REALTOR®, overpricing your home, not accommodating showings and being unrealistic when the time comes to negotiate a sale.

You’ll want to include those fixtures, which are attached to the property: built-ins, window blinds, various appliances, etc. If you don’t want something included, you can specify those exclusions in the listing contract or remove the items before the showing period begins. These excluded items can and should appear on the agreement of sale when the time comes.