Southern Lux Living

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Seller –

Frequently Asked Questions

With years of experience in the local market, we are experts in pricing, marketing and getting homes sold!  We take selling your home very personally, as we know every home and every situation is different.  We do not provide cookie-cutter marketing.

When is the Best Time to Sell My Home?

There really isn’t a “bad” time to sell your home and timing is greatly dependent on the local market and your personal reasons for selling. With that said, most people aren’t looking at homes leading into, during or right after the holiday season. You can also take into consideration factors such as local school schedules – most buyers with children will want to move prior to the school year starting if possible. An experienced listing agent will work with you to determine the best time to list your home within the local market to meet your required needs.

Should I Hire a Real Estate Agent to Sell My Home?

There is a reason nearly 90% of sellers use a listing agent. Selling a home takes time, knowledge of the local market and negotiating skills. Chances are you would seek out the advice of a medical professional when you don’t feel well. Why wouldn’t you do the same when selling what is likely your biggest financial asset? While eliminating an agent’s commission may sound tempting, keep in mind that your listing agent’s job is to ensure you get the highest price for your home in the shortest time possible within the local market. Many sellers that go it alone, end up making less than what they would have if they worked with an industry expert AND paid a commission. An agent’s chief task is to help set the right price to attract the most buyers. It takes a great level of local market knowledge to do so successfully. A good agent will also have the skills to market your home aggressively and negotiate offers to ensure your needs are professional and successfully represented.

How Much is My Home Worth?

In order to determine the market value of your home, your agent will need to conduct a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA). A CMA will look at similar homes that have recently sold in the local area and then compare them to your home to get an idea of what your home is likely to sell for. It is difficult to do a proper CMA without first seeing a home in person. If you’re interested in finding out what your home may be worth, contact us today!

What Should I Do to Prepare My Home for Sale?

Ensuring that your home is ready to sell is a crucial step to ensure that you successfully sell your home.  

Prior to listing your home:

  1. Clean and then clean some more – your home needs to be in show ready at all times.  A dirty home will cloud a potential buyer’s opinion and likely result in a lost sale.
  2. Eliminate smells – strong smells (both good and bad) can be a real turn off to potential buyers.
  3. Clear out the clutter – you want buyers to focus on how great the space is, not how messy it is.
  4. Stick to neutral colors – unfortunately many buyers can’t see pass bright colors or unique wall designs. Consider repainting the walls with neutral colors.
  5. Keep the decor simple – unique decorations, furniture and art can distract a buyer from being able to visualize themselves in the home.
  6. Let there be light – open up all of the windows to let in natural light and consider adding floor or table lamps in areas that are darker.  A bright room looks bigger and more inviting.
  7. Get rid of bulky furniture – the bigger the furniture, the smaller the room looks.
  8. Organize your closets – storage space is a huge selling point and a messy closet can detract from what very well may be incredible storage space.
  9. Take care of the little stuff – if there is a list of little things you’ve been meaning to do, do it now.  Fix the leaky faucet or paint over the scuffs from when you first moved in your furniture.  It’s the little things that buyers have a tendency to notice the most.
  10. Dress up the curb – the exterior of your home is the first thing that buyers will see and first impressions are everything in real estate.  Trim your shrubs, weed your flower beds, fix any peeling paint, clean the siding and make your home look inviting.

What Happens Once My Home is On the Market?

Real estate is often hurry up and wait.  Once your home is actively listed for sale, there isn’t much for you to do until you receive an offer.  The biggest thing to keep in mind is that a buyer’s agent can request a showing at any time, so keeping your home in “show ready” condition is extremely important.

How Does the Due Diligence Period Work?

North Carolina is a due diligence state, meaning that the buyer has the right to walk away from a contract during the due diligence period without losing his/her earnest money.  However, the buyer generally pays a non-refundable due diligence fee in exchange for this.  The due diligence period is a mutually agreed upon time period in which the buyer does all of his/her inspections, surveys, appraisals, etc.  As the seller, you are obligated to make your home available for the inspections.  You may also receive a repair request from the buyer after the inspections, which can then be negotiated. After the due diligence period ends, the buyer’s earnest money is non-refundable.

What Happens if the Buyer Terminates the Contract?

Depending on whether or not the due diligence period has expired, the buyer may get back his/her earnest money.  Either way, once the contract is officially terminated, you are free to put your home back on the market for sale.  It’s not the end of the world if this happens.  A good real estate agent will know how to market the house properly to avoid a terminated contract from detracting from your home’s appeal.

When Do I Need to Move Out and What About Utilities?

Per the contract, you are required to move all of your belongings upon closing unless other arrangements have been made.  It is a courtesy to the buyer to have your possessions moved no later than the day before closing to allow the buyer one last walk through of the property to ensure no damage has occurred during the move.  Utilities should be moved out of your name prior to the day of closing as well.  However, keep in mind that you are required to have the utilities on for all of the buyer’s inspections, etc.  It is also a courtesy to the buyer to transfer the utilities, rather than have to reconnect them to avoid large fees.

Buyer –

Frequently Asked Questions

Whether you’re are a first time home buyer or experienced real estate owner, we will be there to advise and advocate for you to ensure a successful home purchase.  We believe that buying a home shouldn’t be stressful, it should be fun!

What is the First Step in the Home Buying Process?

Unless you are planning to pay cash for the purchase of your home, you will need to get a mortgage.  In order to know how much home you can afford, you will need to speak to a lender and begin the pre-qualification process.  This is an important first step to buying a home, as it will help you determine how much house you can afford and set a firm budget.  Sellers are more inclined to take your offer seriously if they know you have the financial ability to purchase the home.  Today, most sellers require a pre-qualification letter to accompany any offer their receive.

What is the Difference Between Being Pre-Qualified and Pre-Approved for a Loan?

A pre-qualification is based on information your provide to the bank and assumes that the information is accurate and true.  It will tell you what you could potentially be approved for.  A pre-approval looks at the information you provide in addition to extensive financial background checks, credit history and score, previous tax returns and verification of employment and salary.  A pre-approval states what the bank is willing to loan to you.  Either way, a seller is likely to require one of the two prior to considering an offer.

What Does a Buyer's Agent Do and When Should I Hire One?

As your agent, we advise and advocate for you in the home buying process and work as your representative to ensure you get the best deal possible.  We pretty much do everything, from helping you search for homes, to walking you through the necessary paperwork, negotiations and inspections, to signing the closing documents.  We are there every step of the way to provide you with the tools and information you’ll need to successful buy your home.  You should hire an agent from the beginning. Real Estate agents have access to the latest market information and have the ability to search homes on a more detailed level than publicly available. Not only will this help you find your dream home quicker and more efficiently, but it will also ensure you are getting the best representation possible throughout the process.

How Long Does it Take to Buy a Home?

There are many factors that can effect how long it takes to close on a property.  Loan approval is probably the biggest factor of all.  It is important that you give yourself time to do your due diligence and ensure that all of your home inspections and repair negotiations are done.  As your agent, we’ll assess your personal situation and help you determine how much time you will likely need to close on a property.

What Should I Look for When Walking Through a Home?

First impressions are important, but also keep in mind that paint color and bathroom tile can be painted over and re-done.  By the time you see your first home, it’s likely that you will already know how many bathrooms and bedrooms you need.  You’ll probably have a list of things you would like to have.  In addition, it is important to keep in mind:

  • Does the location work for me?  Is it far from work?
  • What are the schools like in the area?
  • Are there any obvious repairs that will need to be made prior to or shortly after closing?
  • Does the floor plan work for your needs and wants?
  • Does the home have good bones?  Does the structure support what you’d ultimately like to have?
  • Will your furniture fit in the space?
  • Is the yard big enough?
  • Is the home in proximity to grocery stores, nightlife, hospitals, etc?

What Happens Once My Offer is Accepted?

Once your offer is accepted, the due diligence period begins.  During that time, your agent will assist in setting up home inspections, negotiating repairs and ensuring that you have all of the information you need to proceed to closing.  During the due diligence period, the most important thing you can do as a buyer is work closely with your lender to ensure your loan approval is moving forward as quickly and smoothly as possible.  It is also important to contact your home insurance company to ensure that there are no surprises in securing property insurance.  If you are purchasing the home with a mortgage, it is likely that your lender will require proof of insurance as a condition of loan approval.

What Are Closing Costs?

Closing costs refer tot he costs of purchasing a home.  Such fees include property tax, homeowners dues, lender fees and down payments.

Find Your New Home

Looking for your next home sweet home? Our agents are experienced with first time home buyers, those looking to relocate, downsize and grow into a larger home. Our agents are strong and fluent in negotiations. We’re happy to help you!

Sell Your Home

We have an extensive marketing plan, years of experience and a dedicated team to assist in the sale of your home. The objective is to sell quickly and keeping price in mind. Allow our seasoned agents to assist in the sale of your home!

Frequently Asked Questions

Not sure where to begin? We understand that the road to homeownership and purchasing a home is overwhelming. Here’s a list of Buyers Frequently Asked Questions for you to review. Our agents are also just a phone call or email away!

Commercial Real Estate

Is it commercial real estate that you’re in need of? Have no fear, we can help you find that perfect commercial space that you’ve been searching for. Our experienced agents can help you navigate the commercial real estate process. Send us a message and we'd love to help!

Search For Homes

Our team is extremely knowledgable about the North Carolina real estate market, has years of experience in real estate, marketing, negotiations, investing, moving and relocation.

Most of all, we care about our clients and building lasting relationships.

So if you've thought about buying, selling, or investing in real estate, give Southern Lux Living a call – or send us a message. We’d love to meet you for coffee and learn more about your real estate goals.

Let's Chat

Phone: 919-395-6186

Email: [email protected]