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Free
Market Analysis
Austin Home Finders
Guide to Making your home ready
We have over 90 ways and tips that we provide during our walk through.
We make sure that your house looks its best without spending much money. Here are is a sample of 20 things that you should do to have your house ready for sale:
1 First impressions are important! Remember, when a prospect comes to look at your house, the first thing he will see is your home's front door! Be sure that it is fresh, and clean. Be sure your lawn and landscaping is well manicured and trim looking. Be sure your yard is free of refuse and leaves. If it snowed, be certain that you've removed the ice from the walk and steps.
2 What you show is what you get! Faded walls and worn woodwork will reduce the appeal of your home. Why try to tell a prospect how your home could look....when you can show him a reasonable amount of redecoration? A quicker sale at a higher price will result. Invest in wallpaper in the kitchen or bathroom. It will pay dividends for you.
3 Let the sun shine in! Open those drapes and curtains all the way, so the prospect can see how bright and cheerful your home is.
4 Fix that leaky faucet. Dripping water discolors sinks and suggests faulty or worn-out plumbing.
5 Little things mean a lot. Take a few minutes to check to be sure that your doors don't stick or have loose knobs on them. Don't forget your windows and cabinet drawers. Get all those minor flaws fixed since they detract from your home's value.
6 Safety first and always! Keep stairways clear and clean since this will avoid injuries around your home, as well as avoid detracting by distraction.
7 From top to bottom. Display your attic, basement, and other utility space (including crawl spaces) by removing all unnecessary articles. A coat of paint can do wonders if your basement is dark and dreary.
8 Big Closets! Make them look bigger by having them neat and well organized to show that your home has ample closet space.
9 Bathrooms sell homes. Make these rooms sparkle! Check and repair any damaged or discolored caulking in the bathtubs and showers, and be sure that the towels and area rugs are bright!
10 Bedrooms shouldn't sleep! Keep these rooms bright and cheerful. Remove any excess furniture and be sure and use attractive and colorful bedspreads, and fresh curtains.
11 Shine on! Your home's illumination can be a "welcome" sign to that prospective buyer! Turn on all of your outside and inside lights when showing your home at night and she'll feel a glowing warmth as a result of your lighting!
12 Two's a couple & three's a crowd. Don't have too many people present during a home inspection, since the potential buyers will feel like an intruder and want to hurry through your house.
13 Music soothes
the savage beast but not the potential buyer. When showing your house,
turn off that blaring radio or television. Let Joseph and the buyer talk
freely and not be distracted.
14 Curb your dog! A dog is man's best friend, but not when showing your home. Keep all pets out of the way and not underfoot.
15 Silence is golden! Be courteous and friendly, but don't try to "force" conversation with a potential buyer. He's there to inspect the home.
Seller's Closing Costs:
| |
Conventional |
VA |
FHA |
Assumption |
Cash |
| Administrative
Fee |
|
250 |
250 |
|
|
| Amortization
Schedule |
|
25 |
|
|
|
| Attorney's
Fee |
125 |
275 |
125 |
75 |
75 |
| Attorney's
Fee (Release) |
60 |
60 |
60 |
|
60 |
| Commission |
Per
listing agreement |
| Discount
Points |
Negotiable |
Negotiable |
Negotiable |
|
|
| Flood
Certificate |
|
|
|
|
|
| Home
Warranty Fees |
|
|
|
|
|
| Lender
Inspection Fee |
|
100 |
|
|
|
| Messenger
Fee |
30 |
75 |
75 |
Actual |
Actual |
| Mobile
Home Processing Fee |
|
150 |
150 |
|
|
| Owner's
Title Policy |
Promulgated
by the Texas Department of Insurance (see rate card) |
| Payoff |
Principal
+ interest from 1st through funding date |
|
|
| Processing
Fee |
|
175 |
175 |
|
|
| Recording
Fee |
30 |
30 |
30 |
30 |
30 |
| Repairs |
Per
contract |
Percontract |
Per
contract |
Per
contract |
Per
contract |
| Settlement
or Closing Fee |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Tax
Certificates |
52 |
52 |
52 |
52 |
52 |
| Tax
Proration |
From
January 1st through closing |
| Tax
Service Fee |
|
150 |
150 |
|
|
| Termite
Inspection Fee |
|
75 |
|
|
|
| Transaction
Fee |
|
|
|
|
|
| Underwiring
Fee |
|
250 |
250 |
|
|
| Wire/Funding
Fee |
|
125 |
125 |
|
|
| Payoff |
|
Summary |
| Principal |
|
|
|
Sales
Price |
|
| Interest |
|
|
|
Payoff |
|
| Escrow
Shortage |
|
|
|
Closing
Costs |
|
| Penalty |
|
|
|
Approximate
Total Due Seller |
|
| Late
Fees |
|
|
|
|
|
| Release
Fee |
|
|
|
|
|
| Estimated
Total |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Signature: |
* A veteran may not pay attorney fees, escrow fees and messenger
fees if he or she is paying a 1% origination fee. The above
charges are estimates and subject to change. Please contact
the lender for actual chares.
Updated 2002.
Definitions:
| Amortization
Schedule |
Schedule
showing principal and interest payments throughout the life
of the loan. |
| Appraisal
Fee |
Fee
for lender-required appraisal to establish property value. |
| Administrative
Fee |
Fee
charged to process the loan for approval. |
| Assumption
Fee |
Fee
assessed by lender to the buyer to assume seller's exisiting
loan. |
| Attorney's
Fee |
Charges
by independent attorney for preparation of legal documents
and acts or representation. |
| Attorney's
Fee (Release) |
Charge
for preparation of the release of lien document when seller
is paying off his existing loan. |
| Commission |
Fee
generally paid by seller to real estate agents for sale of
property. |
| Credit
Report |
Fee
assessed by lender for required credit information from credit
bureau. |
| Discount
Points |
Points
lender charges to increase the investor's yeild. May be paid
by either buyer and/or seller as negotiated per contract.
Points fluctuate with mortgage. |
| Escrow
Balance |
Buyer's
purchase of seller's existing reserve account, i.e. taxes
and insurance. |
| Flood
Certificate |
Required
by lender to obtain information designating status of subject
property regarding floodplains. |
| Home
Warranty Fee |
One
year home systems and appliance warranty. |
| Homeowner's
Association Fee |
Maintenance
fee assessed property owners within a condo or townhouse complex,
a planned unit developement or a single family residence subdivision. |
| Insurance |
Premium
paid year in advance for buyers hazard or homeowner's policy. |
| Lender
Inspection Fee |
As
required by lender to determine condition of the property.
|
| Lender
Required Reserve |
Money
required by lender, collected at closing, going into escrow
account. Insurance premiums, taxes, etc... are paid from escrow
account for borrower. |
| Messenger
Fee |
Covers
delivery charges incurred. |
| Mobile
Home Processing Fee |
Charge
by title company to process paper work with TDHCA. |
| Mortgagee's
Title Policy |
Required
by lender to insure that lender has a valid lien; does not
protect buyer. It is also usually required for second mortgages
and seller financed transactions. |
| Origination
Fee |
Fee
buyer pays to lender to originate a new loan. Normally one
percent of loan amount. |
| Owner's
Title Policy |
Insures
buyer against loss due to any defect of the title not expected
to or excluded from the policy. |
| Pay
Off |
Amount
needed to pay off existing mortgage lien on the property being
sold. |
| Processing
Fee |
Charge
to process loan for application submittal to underwriting.
|
| Recording
Fee |
Charge
by county clerk to record documents in the public records.
Charges based on per page recorded. |
| Repairs |
Any
repairs required by lender and/or warranted by inspections
and to be paid at closing. |
| Settlement
or Closing Fee |
Charge
by title company to service transaction and to escrow money
and documents. |
| Survey |
Land
survey required by lender: lot size, easements, encroachments,
locations of improvements, etc.. May be a negotiated requirement
on a cash contract. |
| Tax
Certificates |
Issued
by taxing authorities to show amount of current year's taxes
and the last date that taxes were paid. |
| Tax
Proration |
Seller
pays buyer from January 1 through the day of closing. |
| Tax
Service Fee |
Fee
required by lender for collection and disbursement of tax
escrow by a servicing company. |
| Termite
Inspection Fee |
Required
by lender showing property free of active termites. May be
negotiated requirement on cash contract. |
| Transaction
Fee |
Fee
charged by third party to assist in coordinating the transaction. |
| Underwriting
Fee |
Fee
lender charges for underwriting the loans on behalf of the
investor. |
| VA
Funding Fee |
An
administrative fee charged by the Veterans Administration. |
| Wire/Funding
Fee |
Lender's
charge for sending "good funds" to title company. |
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