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FOR SALE BY OWNER TIPS TO A SEAMLESS TRANSACTION Kim Dixon

HELLO I M KIM DIXON _______________ I WANT TO HELP GIVE SELLING YOUR OWN HOME THE BEST SHOT AND IF IT DOESN T WORK OUT I HOPE TO HAVE EARNED ENOUGH RESPECT DEMONSTRATING MY KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE IN MY TRADE THAT YOU MIGHT GIVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU With the recent appreciation in home prices this might be a good time to sell your home But which is the smarter way to do it hire a real estate agent or list it yourself For someone experienced in the purchase sale and marketing of a home selling a home as a FSBO makes good financial sense On the flip side for someone who is inexperienced in marketing and real estate or who is short on time the FSBO route could cost the seller a great deal of time and money Making a mistake in pricing marketing legal compliance or paperwork can have serious repercussions both financial and legal FSBO listings are more common today than in 2007 thanks to consumer facing listing platforms such as Zillow and easier access to the Multiple Listing Service MLS for nonagents But FSBO is no walk in the park A 2017 Zillow report found that 36 of homeowners attempt to sell their homes without an agent but only 11 actually complete sales themselves In other words more than two thirds of sellers who try FSBO fail Many Real Estate Agents are protective of our top secret selling techniques but I am not your average agent In this guide I will map out how to price and prepare your home the showing process and what to expect at closing As always if you get into this and decide a real estate agent is the way you would like to go please call me anytime LET S GET STARTED

The key is to be properly prepared If you are not your home could remain on the market longer than you expect because you are not attracting and getting offers from qualified buyers This can be the point where many homeowners become frustrated and consider giving up their dream of selling their home themselves However there are sellers who successfully accomplish selling their own homes You can be one of them BE PRE PARED WITH THESE GOALS ADDRESSED YOU RE READY TO BEGIN THE SALE PROCESS ___________________________ This industry report has been especially prepared to assist homesellers such as yourself in understanding the elements involved so that you on your own can sell your home quickly and for the most amount of profit To help you prepare here are 9 inside tips that you should be aware of before making the decision to sell your home by yourself DIXONKIM COM

TIP ONE There are a couple of aspects to timing that should be understood one is that there are better times than others to put a property on the market such as seasonal variations and these will depend on the specific area the property is in Secondly there is a concept of golden time that says a property will receive bigger offers within the first week of going on the market and go down after that FSBO sales can fail when the house sits for too long on the market perhaps because the owner doesn t have a lot of time to deal with marketing or negotiations and they then receive lower offers than they should ___________________________ MARKET TIMING ___________________________ there are better times than others to put a property on the market DIXONKIM COM

TIP TWO _________________________ The price of your home is one of the most important ESTABLISHING THE LISTING PRICE factor in determining how quickly your home will sell If it is priced too high you may never sell it And if it is too _________________________ low you may lose money To be honest the biggest mistake people make when trying to sell their home without a Real Estate Agent is found in the price People over price their homes all the time and this keeps potential buyers from offering If you want to sell your house you need to price it appropriately Unfortunately what you bought your home for and what you have invested in your home does not determine the value The current market determines what the selling price should be and this means you need to consider what similar homes in your area have recently sold for If you want an idea of where to start on pricing your home give me a call At no charge and with no strings attached I can help you figure out what your current market value is based on current market conditions The Vast Majority Of Private Sellers Don t Have Accurate Data To Price A Home The condition of your home plays a big roll on the price as well If there are several minor things that need to be repaired expect lower offers If you want to maximize your selling potential address as many minor repairs as needed If there are larger repairs that could be made such as windows a leak in the roof problems with the central air or sump pump problems fix what you can Any offer you receive will more than likely be contingent on inspection and the potential buyers will more than likely ask for a price reduction or repair if it is significant Keep in mind that making some repairs might be required by the appraiser prior to closing DIXONKIM COM

TIP THREE _________________________ PROPERTY PREPARATION _________________________ Take a deep breath because you re going to need it Pricing is tough but the next part is really time consuming and a bit nerve wracking to be quite honest There are several steps that you need to take in order to prepare your property for showing The time consuming part is why I suggest that you give yourself a little stint between actually deciding to sell and putting a sign out front DIXONKIM COM

TIP THREE PROPERTY PREPARATION SQUEAKY CLEAN IS YOUR ACE IN THE HOLE I can t stress the importance of a junk free impeccably clean home when you re bringing in potential buyers No one wants to pay for something that s dirty and you certainly aren t going to get the best price if your home isn t super clean When following your deep clean checklist think of what you would want to see if you were buying a home Get rid of all cobwebs and do it first so that you don t have to re dust furniture and re vacuum rugs Vacuum and shampoo carpets Mop and polish all slick floors to a mirror finish Wash all linen including curtains bedspreads sheets etc Dust from the ceiling fans down to the baseboards Don t forget the blinds Clean all glass services including windows glass doors television screens and even china cabinet doors Polish all wooden furniture Make sure all kitchen appliances are immaculate Actually make sure your entire kitchen is immaculate Kitchens sell homes Get rid of all of the extra counter top junk the mountain on top of the refrigerator and even the message center hanging on the fridge Bathrooms are imperative in the cleanliness department Make sure everything gleams and smells fresh Clean out all closets cabinets drawers and storage spaces completely Eliminate dirty smells such as greasy food animal odor and day old trash Smell sells or if your home is stinky prevents your sell Make sure that if you smoke you begin taking your breaks outside Nonsmokers detest the scent and it can break a potential sell Don t make the mistake of thinking that a scented candle or two will trick non smokers Believe me they won t I always hate to say this but you need to erase all proof of inside pets before showing I know I know it s heartbreaking But it s also only temporary until your home is sold Before viewers show up remove doggy dishes litter boxes puppy pads you name it and take the pets somewhere safe and out of sight until the visit is over Be wary of animal smells too DIXONKIM COM

TIP THREE PROPERTY PREPARATION DE CLUTTER AND SELL FASTER De cluttering is often the most difficult task that home sellers face It s hard work but it is also well worth the effort A good majority of homes that sit on the market endlessly do so simply because the sellers refuse to get rid of their piled up junk Don t make that mistake and follow the checklist below Use the 50 guide Pack trash sell or donate at least 50 of your stuff I just ripped that band aid right off didn t I Rent a storage building a little larger than what you think you ll actually need in a well lit safe environment Eliminate furniture that is unnecessary to open up your rooms Organize everything including what isn t readily seen like the insides of those closets and cabinets you just cleaned out Coordinating baskets containers and other organizational tools all aid in a more unified neat appearance Go ahead and pack up seasonal clothes The less in your closets the better Try to get everything off of the closet floor Doing so makes them appear larger Depersonalize by removing framed photos memorabilia and other items that shout your family s personality Go for a neutral mood throughout your home Your goal is not to show just how wonderful you and your family are The goal is to present a fresh place for your home viewers to visualize their own wonderful families in DIXONKIM COM

TIP THREE PROPERTY PREPARATION FACE LIFT PROJECTS This is touch and go really but it never hurts to do a little freshening up throughout your home You have to find that happy medium of what you can afford to do what is actually going to help increase the value of your home and what isn t going to drive you insane However there are some small to medium projects that really can put you at the front of the game when you have a lot of competition around Painting is a great way to give your home a clean new feel Go for neutral tones such as beige creams and greys This is a good project to tackle too because it s relatively inexpensive and most folks can handle it themselves Floors are important but can also be costly If you can get by with a thorough cleaning you might just want to stop there However if there are very worn spots faded carpets or other unsightly damage you might consider replacement instead Hardwood is always a favorite and can add value to your home but is also expensive Don t be afraid to use linoleum vinyl floor tiles or ceramic if you need new floor coverings on a budget Any of those are preferable to flooring with holes in it Buy new hardware or refurbish your old ones Make sure all tile grout is either thoroughly cleaned and or repaired Replace anything that is incredibly outdated damaged or simply non functioning Think about thoroughly cleaning or replacing your outlet covers Lighting fixtures can really make or break a room Inexpensive types are available at all of your big chain stores such as Lowes and Home Depot Even Wal Mart and Target have them Adding a brighter nicer lighting fixture to a room can really make a world of difference Exchange all of your old light bulbs for new ones I know it sounds crazy but when you brighten up your spaces they appear cleaner bigger and more comfortable Add new blinds Old stained and broken blinds can really make a room look dreary and even dingy DIXONKIM COM

TIP THREE PROPERTY PREPARATION IMPROVE YOUR CURB APPEAL Curb appeal is an often overlooked area of preparing a home that can really cost you both money and time in the long run Putting it into perspective your curb and yard are the first and last things buyers see when they come by A good first and last impression is critical to you selling your home with speed Make sure your lawn is neatly trimmed Pay attention to debris even something as small as a cigarette butt Those things make your home look far less inviting Trim up all of your shrubs and trees Make certain your flower beds are weed free and colorful Dead foliage and fauna are huge turn offs Neat clean landscaping is far more preferable to out of control over the top landscaping any day Repair your walkways Not only is this safer but it also gives your home a much more comfortable feeling Perhaps add lighting or flowers to accentuate them Repair or replace anything that is broken such as porch railings outdoor lights or shutters Pay attention to your front entrance especially A solid door with a nice wood or paint finish will lend your home the look of security that home buyers crave Don t forget the less than wonderful aspects of the outside of your home like the guttering Clean them out and repair them Make sure your screens are in good shape Things like that matter Repaint or replace worn out and rusty outdoor furniture Make sure there are no pet reminders all over the yard Having a viewer step in a stinky land mine is not the way to make friends or sell homes Help your children to keep all of their outside toys picked up Parents are used to seeing five balls in the bushes a skateboard on the steps and baby dolls enjoying a day at the spa in the birdbath Buyers on the other hand aren t going to appreciate these little eccentricities so much DIXONKIM COM

TIP FIVE _________________________ Before you show your home make sure you create an inviting atmosphere Turn on all of the lights keep all of the interior doors open and open blinds or curtains Have your children at a neighbor s house friend s house or with family so they are not distracting the buyers Also make sure pets are secure and not creating a nuisance with excessive noise Some people are afraid of dogs and allergic to cats Keep this in mind when showing your home Cleanliness is of utmost importance and so is the lack of clutter The smell of your home can be very important too Make sure litter boxes are clean and the trash has been taken out Get some potpourri or a nice smelling candle Make sure it is not too strong and it is a light and pleasant scent The smell of fresh baked bread or cookies can definitely help too SHOWINGS AND OPEN HOUSES _________________________ DIXONKIM COM

Advertising your home in it s best light is crucial to a quick sale There are MANY rules regulations and laws that a homeowner has to follow when selling their home In fact there are too many to list here My suggestion would be to visit HUD gov and research fair housing It is not the most interesting read but could keep you from facing a potential lawsuit TIP FOUR ___________________________ Look into hiring a professional photographer to take photos of our home With over 93 of home buyers finding their home online you want to show your home competitively Professional photography can really make your home stand out ADVERTISING YOUR HOME ___________________________ Where should you list your home to get the most exposure Zillow and Trulia are a great place to start Be sure to get a sign in your yard Here are a few sites you can advertise your property for maximum exposure Zillow com Trulia com Facebook com YouTube com Craigstlist com FSBO com Fizber com ForSaleByOwner com DIXONKIM COM

TIP FIVE SHOWINGS AND OPEN HOUSES Buyers need to feel comfortable and free to look around From my experience as a real estate agent nothing is more uncomfortable for a buyer than a seller who won t stop talking and let them look at the property Buyers need to have time to look at the features of the home think and determine whether or not the home fits their needs They can t do that if there is a constant distraction of someone following them around and talking The buyers won t feel free to talk amongst themselves about the features pricing and so on Don t try to sell the features of the home Unlike a real estate agent you don t have the inside scoop on the buyer s likes dislikes or what their needs are so you might unintentionally try to sell them on a feature that is not important to them Let your home sell itself Just be there to open the door be inviting and answer any questions the buyer may have If they ask you to accompany them while they view your home feel free to Buyers might stay longer than expected to ask questions and to try to get additional information from you If you begin to build a good rapport with the buyers that s great Just remember don t give too much information about yourself especially when it comes to your own home buying situation You could possibly ruin your negotiating power if you share too much Savvy buyers will try to learn as much about you as possible in order to help themselves in the negotiating process They will more than likely ask why you re moving how motivated you are to sell or how willing you are to negotiate If answered incorrectly these questions can ruin your ability to negotiate price later Remember the less personal info you give them the more power you have to negotiate Be friendly but be careful in your conversations You need to protect your own interest DO NOT discuss price other than the asking price Negotiating price and terms should be done in written purchase agreements not casual conversation If they ask or bring up price simply let them know you are open to offers Keep in mind some buyers choose sellers who don t use real estate agents because they think they can manipulate the seller to a lower price due to lack of experience DIXONKIM COM

Keep emotion out of the sale of your home and the best way to do this during a showing is to remain physically in the background If a prospective buyer says something negative about your home it is better to counter balance this point of view by illustrating the positives rather that becoming defensive Many buyers won t be comfortable making comments with the homeowner present TIP SIX ___________________________ REMAIN OBJECTIVE DURING THE SHOWING OF YOUR HOME ___________________________ Don t waste your time entertaining buyers who could never afford your home It is a big time waster and the experience of showing your home to unqualified buyers can be very frustrating Research their financial steadiness with respect to job security salary debts liabilities and credit standing Prequalify buyers before you spend time showing your home to any of them TIP SEVEN ___________________________ PRE QUALIFY YOUR PROSPECTS ___________________________ DIXONKIM COM

TIP EIGHT To avoid wasting valuable marketing time only negotiate price and terms with someone who can provide you with a pre qualification letter Most lenders can pre qualify someone in a few hours If the potential buyer is serious they will be able to get this to you If you are dealing with a cash buyer they should be able to provide you with proof of funds such as a letter from their bank or bank statement _________________________ NEGOTIATING TERMS AND PRICE _________________________ Conflict between the buying and selling side are quite common in a real estate transaction especially if you decide not to use an agent The buyer obviously wants the lowest price possible and you obviously want the highest price possible for your home The information listed below should help reduce the amount of possible conflict you may experience during the sale of your home DIXONKIM COM

TIP EIGHT _________________________ NEGOTIATING TERMS AND PRICE _________________________ Once you find a potential buyer get the help of an experienced third party negotiator to negotiate the price and terms of the sale An attorney or Realtor can save you thousands of dollars and lots of stress in dealing with unnecessary conflict If you choose to handle the negotiations on your own start with features of your home that buyer seemed interested in and build on that The buyer will start with the negative parts of the house and build on that with the hopes of reducing price more than necessary Do not get offended Be patient objective and stay calm Create a temporary email address to conduct all communications regarding the deal You don t want them to have your personal email incase the deal falls apart and they decide to be belligerent Everything agreed upon should be put in writing even the little insignificant details Often times the first offer is the best offer The longer a house is on the market the lower the offers become Take your time in your decision making process but not too much time If you do not make a decision and accept the offer or provide a counter offer the buyer will move on Make sure to take note of how many days the buyer gave you to respond before the offer is invalid Contact a local title company to get title insurance Without title insurance the sale on the property will not close Not sure where to start Contact me for a referral I have a few title companies I use for my clients Have the contract and any addendums written by an attorney or real estate professional A little mistake could cost you everything Don t put all of your eggs in one basket Keep a list of other potential buyers in case the deal falls apart Up to 48 hours before you close perform a walkthrough of the property with the buyer DIXONKIM COM

A title search of the property will be completed to determine the seller is the true owner and no encumbrances or liens exist on the property Once the title appears clear the closing process continues Preparation of title insurance This protects the buyer from fraud forgeries unapparent encumbrances and liens In addition if the seller is not the only owner requiring the approval of the sale from other parties the buyer is protected The escrow agent will receive the final loan documents from the lender An appointment will be made for the buyer to sign all closing documents This includes the final mortgage documents and the HUD 1 Settlement Statement Then the buyer pays all remaining closing costs after the down payment s credit to the escrow agent An appointment will be made for the seller you to sign all closing documents Once all parties have signed and the loan has funded the deed will be recorded at the County Recorder s Office The seller and all other appropriate parties real estate brokers attorneys etc get paid by the escrow agent Finally once the deed transfer is confirmed the keys to the home are delivered to the buyer who takes possession of the property TIP NINE ___________________________ CLOSING PROCESS ___________________________ DIXONKIM COM

My home hasn t sold yet now what Ready to hire a professional While doing the work yourself can save you the significant commission rates many real estate agents command for many flying solo may not be the way to go and could end up being more costly than a realtor s commission in the long run Buying or selling a home is a major financial and emotional undertaking 1 Better Access More Convenience A real estate agent s full time job is to act as a liaison between buyers and sellers This means that he or she will have easy access to all other properties listed by other agents Both the buyer s and seller s agent work full time as real estate agents and they know what needs to be done to get a deal together 2 Negotiating Is Tricky Business Many people don t like the idea of doing a real estate deal through an agent and feel that direct negotiation between buyers and sellers is more transparent and allows the parties to better look after their own best interests This is probably true assuming that both the buyer and seller in a given transaction are reasonable people who are able to get along Unfortunately this isn t always an easy relationship 3 Contracts Can Be Hard To Handle If you decide to buy or sell a home the offer to purchase contract is there to protect you and ensure that you are able to back out of the deal if certain conditions aren t met DIXONKIM COM

FAQ Frequently Asked Questions Is an appraisal necessary Yes an appraisal is required if your buyer is obtaining a loan The bank will require it before funding on the loan An appraisal is not required if your buyer is a cash buyer However the cash buyer will probably want one to confirm the property s value Who pays for the appraisal It is typically the buyer s responsibility to pay for the appraisal Occasionally the buyer might negotiate for the seller to pay in the way of seller paid closing costs What type of home inspections will I need A few of the most common inspections include a general inspection which covers things from the foundation to the general construction of the home roof inspection and termite inspection If applicable a well and septic inspections are also common Should I offer a buyer s agent commission It is not required however I would suggest that you do Most buyers are represented by a Realtor to protect their best interest so it s recommended that you offer the buyer s agent a commission to incentivize agents to bring you buyers and help sell your home faster Do I have any legal obligations that I should be made aware of Yes you need to be aware of various legal requirements Providing the legally required disclosures and following the proper procedures will not only help your transaction proceed smoothly but also help avoid potential legal liability to the buyer following the sale DIXONKIM COM

Kim Dixon Realtor Kim is a great broker She helped us out so much Kim went above and beyond to help us get our first home We are so grateful for her service CGarza Kim is a phenomenal real agent She has a lot patience to work with me as a Deaf individual Her congeniality was quite impressive JaniceW She s very knowledge and caring about what we needed D D Kim Dixon Broker 01890811 Kim RealtyWelcomeHome com www RealtyWelcomeHome com www DixonKim com 559 797 1919 My family and I have used Kim for both selling and buying homes and would highly recommend her to everyone I know She is very professional and goes that extra mile to make sure her clients are satisfied She is very quick to respond always available for showings and can always answer any question Our most recent home buying experience went so smooth and Kim was with us eery step of the way S B Kim Dixon has been amazing from the Get Go with searching and finally closing on a property I m a first time homebuyer and she has been truly a blessing every step of the way She s patient understanding and extremely prompt with all communiation and required documentation I highly recomment her to anyone in search of a home JudyL