Westside Los Angeles Homes

Everything You Need to Know When Considering to Sell Your Home

5 Things to do Before Putting Your Home on the Market

Moving Check List for Sellers

Forms Youll Need to Sell Your Home

What to Have on Hand for the New Owners

Open House Safety Tips

Concurrent Closings

How to Get an Offer on Your Home

5 Things to do Before Putting Your Home on the Market

1. Have a pre-sale home inspection. Be proactive by arranging for a pre-sale home inspection. An inspector will be able to give you a good indication of the trouble areas that will stand out to potential buyers, and you’ll be able to make repairs before open houses begin.

2. Organize and clean. Pare down clutter and pack up your least-used items, such as large blenders and other kitchen tools, out-of-season clothes, toys, and exercise equipment. Store items off-site or in boxes neatly arranged in the garage or basement. Clean the windows, carpets, walls, lighting fixtures, and baseboards to make the house shine.

3. Get replacement estimates. Do you have big-ticket items that are worn our or will need to be replaced soon, such your roof or carpeting? Get estimates on how much it would cost to replace them, even if you don’t plan to do it yourself. The figures will help buyers determine if they can afford the home, and will be handy when negotiations begin.

4. Find your warranties. Gather up the warranties, guarantees, and user manuals for the furnace, washer and dryer, dishwasher, and any other items that will remain with the house.

5. Spruce up the curb appeal. Pretend you’re a buyer and stand outside of your home. As you approach the front door, what is your impression of the property? Do the lawn and bushes look neatly manicured? Is the address clearly visible? Are pretty flowers or plants framing the entrance? Is the walkway free from cracks and impediments?

Reprinted from REALTOR® magazine (REALTOR.org/realtormag) with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

Forms You’ll Need to Sell Your Home

1. Property disclosure form. This form requires you to reveal all known defects to your property. Check with your state government to see if there is a special form required in your state.

2. Purchasers access to premises agreement. This agreement sets conditions for permitting the buyer to enter your home for activities such as measuring for draperies before you move.

3. Sales contract. The agreement between you and the seller on terms and conditions of sale. Again, check with your state real estate department to see if there is a required form.

4. Sales contract contingency clauses. In addition to the contract, you may need to add one or more attachments to the contract to address special contingencies — such as the buyer’s need to sell a home before purchasing yours.

5. Pre- and post-occupancy agreements. Unless you’re planning on moving out and the buyer moving in on the day of closing, you’ll need an agreement on the terms and costs of occupancy once the sale closes.

6. Lead-based paint disclosure pamphlet. If your home was built before 1978, you must provide the pamphlet to all sellers. You must also have buyers sign a statement indicating they received the pamphlet.

Reprinted from REALTOR® magazine (REALTOR.org/realtormag) with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

Open House Safety Tips

An open house can be a great sales tool, but it also exposes you to numerous unfamiliar people for the first time. Stay safe by practicing these guidelines.

Call the local police department and ask them to have a squad care drive by during your open-house hours.
Check your cell phone’s strength and signal prior to the open house. Have emergency numbers programmed on speed dial. Carry an extra, fully charged cell phone battery.
Determine several “escape” routes that you can use in case of an emergency. Make sure all deadbolt locks are unlocked to facilitate a faster escape.
Turn on the lights and open the curtains. These are not only sound safety procedures, but also great marketing tactics.
Make sure that if you were to escape by the back door, you could escape from the backyard. Frequently, high fences surround yards that contain swimming pools or hot tubs.
When prospective buyers begin to arrive, jot down their car descriptions, license numbers and physical descriptions.
When showing the house, always walk behind the prospect. Direct them; don’t lead them. Say, for example, “The kitchen is on your left,” and gesture for them to go ahead of you.
Notify a friend or a relative that you will be calling in every hour on the hour. And if you don’t call, they are to notify the police immediately.
Inform a neighbor that you will be showing the house and ask if he or she would keep an eye and ear open for anything out of the ordinary.

Source: National Association of REALTORS® Safety Week kit

How to Get an Offer on Your Home

   1. Price it right. Set a price at the lower end of your property’s realistic price range.

   2. Prepare for visitors. Get your house market ready at least two weeks before you begin showing it.

   3. Be flexible about showings. It’s often disruptive to have a house ready to show at the spur of the moment. But the more amenable you can be about letting people see your home, the sooner you’ll find a buyer.

   4. Anticipate the offers. Decide in advance what price and terms you’ll find acceptable.

   5. Don’t refuse to drop the price. If your home has been on the market for more than 30 days without an offer, you should be prepared to at least consider lowering your asking price.

Reprinted from REALTOR® magazine (REALTOR.org/realtormag) with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

Moving Checklist for Sellers

1. Provide the post office with your forwarding address two to four weeks ahead of the move.

2. Notify your credit card companies, magazine subscriptions, and bank of your change of address.

3. Create a list of friends, relatives, and business colleagues who need to be notified about your move.

4. Arrange to disconnect utilities and have them connected at your new home.

5. Cancel the newspaper, or change the address so it will arrive at your new home.

6. Check insurance coverage for the items you’re moving. Usually movers only cover what they pack.

7. Clean out appliances and prepare them for moving, if applicable.

8. Note the weight of the goods you’ll have moved, since long-distance moves are usually billed according to weight. Watch for movers that use excessive padding to add weight.

9. Check with your condo or co-op about any restrictions on using the elevator or particular exits for moving.

10. Have a “first open” box with the things you’ll need most, such as toilet paper, soap, trash bags, scissors, hammer, screwdriver, pencils and paper, cups and plates, water, snacks, and toothpaste.

Plus, if you’re moving out of town, be sure to:

1. Get copies of medical and dental records and prescriptions for your family and your pets.

2. Get copies of children’s school records for transfer.

3. Ask friends for introductions to anyone they know in your new neighborhood.

4. Consider special car needs for pets when traveling.

5. Let a friend or relative know your route.

6. Empty your safety deposit box.

7. Put plants in boxes with holes for air circulation if you’re moving in cold weather.

Reprinted from REALTOR® magazine (REALTOR.org/realtormag) with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

What to Have on Hand for the New Owners

1. Owner’s manuals and warranties for appliances left in the house.

2. Garage door opener.

3. Extra sets of house keys.

4. A list of local service providers — the best dry cleaner, yard service, plumber, etc.

5. Code to the security alarm and phone number of the monitoring service if not discontinued.

6. As a courtesy, you could provide numbers to the local utility companies.

7. If it’s a condo, leave information on how to contact the condo board.

Reprinted from REALTOR® magazine (REALTOR.org/realtormag) with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.