Home Selling Tips Archives

How To Sell A Home With Pets

4 Tips for Selling a Home With Pets

We love our furry family members, and apparently so doesn’t the rest of the country. Recent surveys by the Humane Society of the United States show that approximately 79.7 million households in the U.S. own pets. Are you one of them? If so, it may take a few extra steps before selling your home, but the payoff will be well worth it. Your Mission: Eliminate any and all evidence that a pet lives in the home for open houses, showings and listing photos.

Start Outside

The inside of your home may be top of mind when trying to keep everything looking presentable for potential buyers, but don’t forget the outside! Dog owners — you know what we’re talking about! Be sure all evidence of the dog is gone. That means picking up all dog waste (yes, even at the very back of your property line). The last thing anyone wants is a big mess on their shoes while touring your home. Also, remember to collect any dog toys, water bowls, leashes, and even consider moving an outdoor doghouse into storage temporarily.

If You Can Smell It, You Can’t Sell It

Let’s talk pet odor. There is nothing that can kill a showing faster than the smell of a cat litter box, wet dog, or pet dander. Addressing the odors from pets is essential to selling your home in the least amount of time for the most money. Masking pet odor with an air freshener, essential oils or candles is a band-aid is typically not a great solution. It’s time to call in the professionals for a deep cleaning if the pet smell is coming from carpets or furniture. If you’re unable to find a temporary spot to keep your feline when potential buyers are visiting, clean the litter box prior to a showing and dispose of the waste in an outdoor trash receptacle to manage the odor.

Hide the Evidence

Family pets leave a trail of evidence in their wake. Eliminating pet hair and dander from furnishings, upholstery and carpets before a showing or open house is key. Run the vacuum over every single surface with pet hair. Additionally, put your pet’s belongings away. That means food bowls, beds/furniture, toys and leashes. Also consider that your pet may have done damage to the home, so fixing such items is paramount. Inspect doors for scratches and, of course, carpet stains which fall into the “odor” category above. For more tips on keeping your home clean with pets, you may also enjoy these tips from Martha Stewart. (http://www.marthastewart.com/894553/clean-house-tips-pet-owners#396448)

Relocating your pet during a showing is the ideal situation. Contact a local pet boarding facility before you put your home on the market to determine if that will be a good fit for you and your pet. Or, contact a neighbor or friend/family member to see if they can keep your pet during showings when possible. If you must keep an animal in the home while potential buyers are present, be sure it’s safely confined to an area where it cannot escape or make contact with the people coming in and out of your home. A pet crate in the garage works well, or a dog run in the backyard if it still allows for the property to be viewed completely. Whatever location you choose, try to make your pet as comfortable as possible to minimize stress and anxiety.

Insurance

It doesn’t hurt to double check your homeowner’s insurance policy and be sure there is adequate coverage in case of an accidental dog bite or injury while someone is touring your home. Believe it or not, this DOES happen from time to time.

Thinking about selling your home in the Knoxville, TN area? The expert staff at The Holli McCray Group is always available to answer questions you may have about getting your home ready to put on the market. Feel free to contact us directly or or find out what your home is worth today.

Understanding Closing Costs Involved with Buying or Selling a Home

….so what’s your bottom line?

Closing costs are big part of buying or selling a home. Each side of the transaction has its own set of costs, so it’s very important to know what they are in order to make a calculated estimate as to how much money you’re going to make from the sale of your home or how much money you need to purchase your dream home.

Buying a Home:

Aside from your down payment, closing costs are fees associated with your home purchase and home loan typically payable at or before the closing. The amount you’ll spend on closing costs can be a surprising aspect of buying a home if you aren’t prepared. They can affect your budget, so it’s a good idea to know what they are before making an offer on a home.

So just how much are closing costs? As a rule of thumb, closing costs to buy a home can run between 2 and 5 percent of the purchase price. The wide range varies depending on where you live, the price of the property you purchase and the type of loan you choose. The following is a list of common closing costs. You may not see all of them in your transaction and/or there may be additional fees not reflected below, but this list covers the vast majority of the types of fees you can expect. Always check with your lender and closing agency you’re working with prior to your closing to confirm exactly how much your closing costs will be.

Loan Application Fee
Appraisal Fee (sometimes payable prior to closing)
Attorney Fee
Escrow Fee
Courier Fee
Credit Report Fee
Escrow Deposit for Property Taxes
FHA Up-Front Mortgage Insurance Premium if you have an FHA loan
Flood Determination or Life of Loan Coverage
Home Inspection (generally payable prior to closing)
Homeowners Insurance
Lender’s Policy Title Insurance
Lead-Based Paint Inspection
Loan Discount Points
Owner’s Policy Title Insurance
Loan Origination Fee
Pest Inspection (sometimes payable prior to closing)
Prepaid Interest
Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)
Property Tax Escrow
Recording Fees
Survey Fee
Title Company Title Search Fee
Transfer Taxes
Underwriting Fee
VA Funding Fee (if you have a VA loan)
Pro-Rated Property Taxes (based on the closing date)

Selling a Home:

It’s important to have a basic understanding of the costs associated with selling your home as well. Knowing these costs will allow you to come up with an accurate estimate of how much you will actually make from the sale of your home. Here is a list of costs you may need to account for:

Mortgage Balance(s) (call your lender for the payoff)
Realtor Commission
Buyer Closing Costs Paid for by the Seller
Outstanding HOA Dues or Assessments
Pro-Rated Property Taxes (based on your closing date)
Title or Attorney Closing/Settlement Fees (contact the closing agent for this figure)
Pre-Paid Home Warranty for the Buyer
Outstanding Invoices to Contractors for Repairs
Outstanding Liens or Judgments Attached to Your Home

Our expert staff is always available to answer any questions related to closing costs from buying our selling a home. Before making a decision on whether or make or accept an offer, we can help you put together a preliminary “net sheet” that will give a solid estimate as to what your closing costs will be.

6 Landscaping Tips to Boost Curb Appeal

6 Things You Can Do To Make People Fall In Love With Your Home!

You’ve heard it before: You only have one chance to make a great first impression! This is especially important when selling your home. Put yourself in the mind of a potential buyer: How will they feel the first time they pull up to your home? Does it scream “Buy me!” or “Drive on by?” The appearance of your landscaping should not be overlooked when placing that “For Sale” sign in your yard. A well-kept lot with neat landscaping goes a long way with buyers. It shows that you care about the property and have taken good care of it. Here are a few tips to help keep your yard looking its best without breaking the bank…

1. Keep it neat!

Mow, trim, and cut should be your three buzzwords here. A little bit of yard maintenance goes a long way. If you can’t handle the maintenance yourself, consider hiring a landscaping company to avoid the perils of a scraggly and overgrown yard. On the same note, be sure that bikes, toys, trash cans, garden tools, etc. are all stashed out of sight.

2. Plant native plants.

Add some new life to your yard with native plants. They’re aesthetically pleasing, practical, and ecologically valuable for landscaping. Native plants are the hardiest plants. Learn more about plants native to the Knoxville area at: http://www.se-eppc.org/pubs/east.pdf

3. Define borders and add mulch.

Clean edges trick the eye into thinking that the entire landscape is neat and well-kept. Outlining the border of a garden bed with spray chalk, followed by the use of a mattock or pulaski to chip away any encroaching lawn will help create a well-defined area. Afterward, add a layer of mulch to refine the look! It will help keep the weeds at bay while your home is on the market, AND will even out the overall landscaping look.

4. Get rid of the dead weight.

This goes along with number our first point but deserves its own mention. Be absolutely sure to remove all dead or dying shrubs and perennials. If there was any sign of disease or infestation in your landscaping, dispose of these items in black trash bags; DO NOT compost them with other yard waste.

5. Inspect sprinklers and irrigation.

You can have the most beautiful yard on the block, but if it’s not watered correctly then what’s the point? Be sure your sprinkler system and timers are working. It’s the least you can do for your landscaping! This inspection should be one you perform each spring/summer.

6. Light it up!

Remember, buyers might do a drive-by in the evening. Consider adding some landscape lighting to boost curb appeal and add value to your home. Solar pathway lighting and accent lighting that highlights landscaping features are both relatively simple ways to step it up in the yard department.

If you’re considering selling your home and need some advice on getting it ready to put on the market, don’t hesitate to contact us for a no-obligation home evaluation. You can also visit our website to get a free online home value estimate.

8 Things To Do Before You Pack!

ways to make your move less stressful…

So your house is sold and the closing date is set. Now it’s time to coordinate your move! While this is typically a stressful part of the home selling process, the right preparation goes a long way to making your move as smooth as possible. Here are some key items to address before you even think about packing any boxes…

1. GET ORGANIZED

Create a “master list” of everything that needs to be done before, during, and after the move to make sure you don’t miss a beat.

2. FIND A MOVING COMPANY

If you’re using a moving service, get estimates from a minimum of three companies. We’ll be happy to provide you with some referrals if you don’t know any good moving companies in the area

3. DE-CLUTTER

Try to get your house organized and de-cluttered so it will be easier to pack when the times comes.

4. PURGE

Get rid of the things that no longer serve you. Take an inventory of your belongings and determine what you want to keep. Donate, sell, or trash the unwanted items. Some organizations like KARM will even come to your house and pick up any large items you want to donate.

5. NOTIFY

Notify the post office, banks, credit card companies, utility companies, past employers (for tax return purposes), subscriptions, family and friends, etc. of the address change and estimated move-out date. Schedule utilities and installation appointments at your new home BEFORE you move into your new place.

6. FIND RELOCATION RESOURCES

If you’re moving to the Knoxville area, contact us and request a relocation package. It will give you a good start towards understanding what’s available and where things are.

7. EMBRACE THE CLOUD

Moving is the perfect time to make sure all of your computer and electronic devices are properly backed-up in case anything gets lost or damaged during the move. Use a cloud-based system (i.e. Dropbox or iCloud) or a portable hard drive to backup all of your files.

8. VISUALIZE YOUR NEW HOME

When the going gets tough and the move gets tricky, remember to take a deep breath. Before you know it, you’ll be sleeping soundly in your beautiful new home!