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Complete the walkthrough
Before the actual closing, you’ll most likely have the opportunity to perform a walkthrough of the property and confirm that the condition of the home is as it should be, as specified in the sales contract. -
Bring enough cash
At closing, you’ll be paying for your share of the closing costs, and will be bringing the down payment, so be sure to bring a certified check or a cashier’s check. Your lender will provide a lender’s check for the remaining balance that’s due on the home. Your HUD Uniform Settlement Statement (which both you and the seller will sign) will detail the closing costs (plus all the monies involved in the transaction), as well as who is expected to pay them. -
Show id
You will also be required to show proof of your identification, such as your driver’s license or passport. -
Proof of insurance
Bring a copy of and proof of payment for your homeowner’s insurance, plus your flood insurance policy, if you have one. Your lender may want to review these before allowing you to close on the home. -
Sign on the dotted line
To transfer ownership of the home, both the buyer and seller will be required to sign several documents. You may be required to review and sign the purchase agreement, a promissory note for your loan, mortgage documents, title documents, the settlement statement and the truth in lending statement (which will outline the costs of your loan, your payment schedule and amount financed), while the seller will also sign the settlement sheet — and, importantly — the deed to the home to transfer ownership of the property to you. Copies of these documents will be filed at the county recorder’s office, but be sure to keep your own copies as well. -
Take the keys!
Once all the necessary paperwork is completed and everything is in order, you will be given keys to the home. While you will no doubt immediately change the locks upon moving in, the keys are the final sign that the home is indeed yours.
Considerations when Choosing a Contractor by Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team
Please note that this Scottsdale Real Estate Blog is for informational purposes and not intended to take the place of a licensed Scottsdale Real Estate Agent. The Szabo Group offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area in the buying and selling of Luxury homes in Arizona. Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers and best real estate agent for Luxury Homes in Scottsdale, The Szabo group delivers experience, knowledge, dedication and proven results. Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020, info@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com or visit https://scottsdalerealestateteam.com to find out more about Scottsdale Homes for Sale and Estates for Sale in Scottsdale and to search the Scottsdale MLS for Scottsdale Home Listings.
Healthy Appraisals Key in Mortgage Lending by Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team
September Paradise Valley Arizona real estate market update
Finding a Contractor when Selling your Home by Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team
There are 3 main ways to find a contractor for an upcoming home improvement or repair project:
Personal Referrals Homeowners should talk to family, friends, and co-workers about reliable companies. It’s a great way to get a personal testimonial from a trusted source. Also, keep an eye out for neighbors’ projects that seem to be going well. Advantages of personal referrals:- Referring friend or family member may have already shopped around to find the best offer in the area
- Their opinion of the contractor’s service is trustworthy
- Homeowners can view the quality of the work
- Homeowners may not need same type of work done on their house
- Friend or family member may be able to afford a higher budget
- Friend or family member may have a different style of house or be in a different neighborhood
- Homeowners can choose from companies at their own pace.
- Homeowners are able to call as many companies as they would like.
- Homeowners can review company details in advance to determine how close they are, possibly how big the company is, and what services are offered.
- Homeowners have to call each company individually, describe their requirements, and answer the same questions.
- Homeowners tend to only call one or two companies. Receiving fewer bids on a project could mean the homeowner will end up paying a higher price.
- No direct referrals from trusted friends or family members to rely upon.
- Homeowners will receive multiple bids, which allows them to get the best rate on the work.
- Homeowners only have to post their project requirements once and answer questions one time, which saves time.
- Homeowners may be able to find additional online resources, such as financing and informational articles.
- The Web site may not be a trusted resource. (Check if any complaints have been filed to the Better Business Bureau.)
- The online referral service may not have a contractor, in their network, close to the homeowner.
- No direct referrals from trusted friends or family members to rely upon.
Please note that this Scottsdale Real Estate Blog is for informational purposes and not intended to take the place of a licensed Scottsdale Real Estate Agent. The Szabo Group offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area in the buying and selling of Luxury homes in Arizona. Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers and best real estate agent for Luxury Homes in Scottsdale, The Szabo group delivers experience, knowledge, dedication and proven results. Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020, info@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com or visit https://scottsdalerealestateteam.com to find out more about Scottsdale Homes for Sale and Estates for Sale in Scottsdale and to search the Scottsdale MLS for Scottsdale Home Listings.
Scottsdale Real Estate Market Report – September 2013
Top Ten Home Improvement Myths by Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team
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Any remodeling project will add value to your home
Not true – while many remodeling projects will add value to your home, some can be seen as a negative by future buyers. For instance, combining two smaller bedrooms to create one larger bedroom may better fit your lifestyle today, but it may cause the home to lose value in the eyes of a future buyer who needs the two separate rooms. -
Buying the highest quality materials attracts more buyers
Installing the highest quality materials always seems like a wise decision, but it can backfire. For instance, using the most expensive tile in a bathroom may impress your friends, but value conscious buyers may opt for a more affordable home if you have over improved for your neighborhood. -
Adding square footage always adds value
A better way to think about this statement is to insert the word useable into the sentence. Square footage in attics and basements that are finished, and by county standards considered livable, may not be attractive to a buyer if the space is sub-standard compared to the rest of the home. -
Colors and textures – safe and simple is better
Keeping a home vanilla so that buyers can choose their own style and décor sounds like a safe bet, but it ignores the fact that most buyers just don’t have the ability to visualize the home differently. Without splashes of color and mixtures of texture, you could lose value to other sellers that have taken the time to consult with an interior designer. -
Inside improvements are better than outside improvements
Not necessarily. If a home buyer can’t get past the exterior of your home because it has been neglected or doesn’t offer good curb appeal, all of the work you have done on the inside may not net you any more dollars. To get the biggest bang for your remodeling buck, start from the outside and work your way in. -
Adding a bedroom is better than adding a bathroom
It depends on the starting point. If you only have one or two bedrooms to start with, adding a bedroom before adding a second bath is probably a wise choice since most buyers are more attracted to a three bedroom home. On the other hand, if you already have three bedrooms and only one bath, your next investment would probably be in a new bathroom. -
Paint hides a multitude of sins
Dry rot? Fungus damage? Mold problems? Carpenter ants? Termite issues? Nothing a can of paint can’t fix, right? Wrong! Not only does this practice violate disclosure laws in most states, it can set you up for liability after the sale as most buyers will want you to foot the bill for these hidden issues. -
Converting a garage to living space is a great trade off
Nope. A garage conversion is almost always viewed negatively by future home buyers unless you replace the lost garage with another space of equal size (but then what’s the point?). If you are going to do one anyway make sure that the space can be easily converted back to a garage at the time of the sale. -
Doing the work yourself will save you money
For many homeowners wiring a new lighting fixture or plumbing a new dishwasher is a no-brainer, for the rest of us it may end up costing us more later in repair costs when we have to order the work redone by a professional. Another consideration is local and state laws regarding remodeling work. In many states if you have purchased a home to remodel and resell, you must either hold a contractor’s license or hire a contractor to do the work for you. -
Pools add value to your home
This is only true if you live in areas where they are must have amenities. Be warned that this isn’t true for most areas of the country and the idea of maintaining a pool for ten months out of the year when it can’t be enjoyed won’t appeal to most buyers.
Red Flags for Online Real Estate Scams by Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team
Red Flags for Scams
Requests to wire funds via MoneyGram or Western UnionExpensive Mistakes when Selling your Home by Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team
You’ve decided to sell your home. You have advertisements paid for and buyers lined up at your door. You are ready to accept an offer and sell your home today! A piece of cake, right? Not so fast. You could end up losing the sale or even worse, get sued by an angry buyer who misunderstood what was advertised or what was said.
1. Don’t Sell Before You Get Qualified to Buy Your New Home
If you signed a contract to sell your house before you were qualified to buy another, you’re asking for trouble. Here’s why: Your financial circumstances may have changed since your last purchase, and you might not be able to qualify for a loan, or you might not be able to sell at a price that allows you to buy the type of replacement house you want. You could end up renting or buying something that was far from ideal.
Before you decide to sell the house, get pre-approved by a lender you trust and research the housing market in the area where you wish to live so that you have a good idea how much it will take to buy a replacement. Make plans in case you have to move right away.
2. Don’t Guess Your Loan Payoff
Check your mortgage payoff. Call your lender to check the payoff for your current home mortgage. Make sure there are no penalties written in your contract for early payoff. Some lenders have a pre-payment penalty for paying off your loan to soon!
3. Don’t Guess on the Sale Price of Your Home
Determine your home’s fair market value. Real estate agents will usually help you determine value as a courtesy, but you might take it a step further and order a fair market appraisal. Not an appraisal for the purpose of a full loan amount, but an appraisal for the true market value. There is a difference!
Nothing loses potential buyers faster than an overpriced home. Then, when you lower the price it makes it look like you are getting desperate to sell. On the flip side, you don’t want to lose money by selling too cheap. It might get you a fast sale, but you might miss out on several thousand dollars, too. Learn how to price your house for sale the right way.
4. Don’t Underestimate Your Closing Costs to Sell
Don’t forget to calculate the following items:
- Real estate commission, if you use an agency to sell.
- Advertising costs, signs, other fees, if you plan to sell by owner.
- Attorney, closing agent and other professional fees.
- Excise/Gains tax for the sale, if applicable.
- Prorated costs for your share of annual expenses, such as property taxes, home owner association fees, and utilities.
- Any other fees sometimes paid by the seller (appraisals, inspections, buyer’s closing costs, etc.).
Real estate agents deal with transactions every day and can give you a very close estimate of seller closing costs.
5. Don’t Spend Earnest Money Given to You
Don’t assume the earnest money deposit is yours until the deal has closed and recorded. Also give the buyer a receipt. There are many stories about sellers who spent the deposit money prior to closing. When the transactions didn’t take place for valid reasons — such as financing or repair issues — the buyers had to fight or sue for a refund.
Whenever possible, give the money to your broker or a neutral party who will hold the deposit for you until closing day and make sure your contract dictates what happens to the funds if the transaction doesn’t close.
6. Don’t Let Your Emotions Take Over
Keep a cool head during the entire selling process, especially during and after a home inspection. Be realistic and assume there will be issues. No home is perfect, especially older homes. It’s not unusual to have to take care of some repairs yourself. Don’t let the buyer’s demand to do a small repair kill the deal.
On the other hand, don’t commit to fixing anything in advance, unless you’re sure you can handle it emotionally and financially. Decide what type of repairs you can realistically tackle, then stick with the decision. Some repairs can get out of hand and end up costing you big money.
7. Don’t Forget to Cancel or Switch Utilities & Insurance
That sounds simple, but you’d be surprised how many people forget to tell utilities they are moving or apply for utility service at their new home. Call the utilities and your insurance company as soon as you have a contract. Find out how many days lead time they need to switch or cancel, then get back with them when you have a firm closing date.
8. Don’t Become Best Friends with the Buyer
It’s great to be friendly, but don’t get into too many long discussions with the buyers, because personality conflicts often cloud judgments.
Remember, this could be their new home. You’re no doubt excited about moving. But buyers will start second guessing–everyone does. A casual statement about “gettin’ out while the gettin’s good” might be enough innocent chatter to kill the deal.
9. Don’t Panic if the Appraisal Comes in Low
At least not at first. There are some things you (and your agent) can do to correct the problem. Study your options.
10. Don’t Go It Alone
Selling a home can be one of the most stressful things in your life. Answering calls, setting appointments, cleaning house, boxing up memories can be overwhelming for most. If you’re working with an agent, it’s the agent’s duty to track many of the day-to-day details that involve the buyers and taking phone calls. The paperwork required in a sale alone is enough to drive anyone over the edge.
11. Don’t Ignore Inspection Requirements
Know what is expected of you and take care of it. For instance, a buyer getting an FHA loan will have an FHA inspector who may require some repairs to process the loan. That’s something you may have to handle yourself if the buyer can’t manage it. Answer inspector questions and provide required paperwork as quickly as possible–selling your home depends on it.
12. Don’t Go to Closing Unprepared
Do not go to closing without your “HUD Estimate” which is provided by your title company. It will outline your costs and will give you a good idea of how much money you will be getting or will need to bring at closing. Also, make certain you speak with your agent and/or title officer to get a more exact figure and to make sure no surprises have risen. Its always a good idea to choose your own title company, and get some quotes since title insurance is a large part of closing costs.
13. Don’t Write an Offer For the Buyer
With the exception of YOUR Agent, do not write an offer for the buyer. The buyer should write the offer themselves or with the help of their agent. Hire your own agent whenever possible to protect your interests. Remember, a listing agent WORKS FOR YOU. So avoid letting your listing agent act as a limited broker who will become neutral to both sides.
14. Don’t Show Your Home Unprepared
Get everything ready in advance, especially “eye-sores” or any repairs that may scare buyers away. Get rid of any water leaks, stains, broken windows/doors, bad smells, etc. You don’t want to lose a potential buyer. I’ve often sold a home to the first buyer on the first day!
15. Don’t Follow Buyers Around When Showing
Whenever possible, don’t be home when showing. If you’re listing with a real estate agent, they’ll often ask you to leave when the house is shown. Why? Because lurking sellers make buyers nervous–they don’t feel comfortable inspecting the house when they feel they are intruding. It’s easier for buyers to visualize the home being theirs when they have a chance to critique and discuss the home among themselves. If you must be home, try to stay out of the way and answer questions only if asked.
Unless there’s a real reason for it, don’t ask your agent to be present for all showings either. That’s the kiss of death for showing activity. Other agents want privacy with their buyers and they don’t usually have time to work around your agent’s schedule.
16. Don’t Waste Your Time With Non-Qualified Buyers
Nothing wastes time worse than showing your home to someone who can’t even buy it! I had a friend who spent two weeks preparing his home for a co-worker who wanted to buy his home. He spent over $1,000 removing a storage shed and met with the guy 2-3 more times discussing the price only to find out 3 weeks later that he could not qualify for a loan!
Please note that this Scottsdale Real Estate Blog is for informational purposes and not intended to take the place of a licensed Scottsdale Real Estate Agent. The Szabo Group offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area in the buying and selling of Luxury homes in Arizona. Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers and best real estate agent for Luxury Homes in Scottsdale, The Szabo group delivers experience, knowledge, dedication and proven results. Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020, info@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com or visit https://scottsdalerealestateteam.com to find out more about Scottsdale Homes for Sale and Estates for Sale in Scottsdale and to search the Scottsdale MLS for Scottsdale Home Listings.