Mortgage Loans - Articles & Advice

Before Selling Your Home

Here are some important steps you should take before you put your house on the market:

1. Home Loan Approval for your next Home

You don’t want to be signing a contract to sell your house before knowing if you are qualified to buy another. Your financial circumstances may have changed since your last purchase and you may not qualify for the loan amount you seek. You’ll get a good idea of what you can afford by getting a pre-approval before selling your house. You may then take the decision of whether or not it would be reasonable to sell your house at this point of time or maybe consider renting something after selling the house instead of readily buying another.

2. Determine Fair Market Value of your House

You’d want to get the best price off your property and in the quickest time possible. However, over-pricing your home will only limit your chances of selling fast and under-pricing may speed up the process but you lose out in the bargain. An agent or an appraisal service should be able to assist in determining the fair market value of your home. Another way is judging by how much other houses in your neighborhood sold for. Irrespective of the method, one must be used to determine the true and best value of your home to ensure it’s sold in quickest time possible.

3. Estimate Cost of Selling

• Advertising costs, if you plan to sell home yourself.
• Real estate commissions.
• Attorney, closing agent and other professional fees.
• Excise tax for the sale.
• Property taxes, home owner association fees, and fuel tank rentals.

4. Make Necessary Repairs

You don’t want to put off a buyer because of minor repairs which you haven’t attended to so far. If you’ve decided to sell your house, it’s time to finish with any pending repairs you may have felt minor and unnecessary to fix up till this point of time.

5. Get the House Ready to Show

Apart from repair work, you’ll also want to see that your house is sparkling clean and everything is organized and in it’s place when a buyer comes to see your place. A clutter-free environment is essential if you want the house to appeal to the buyer.

W. Troy Swezey is the author of “HOW TO GIVE YOUR HOME A FACE-LIFT: THE SELLERS' GUIDE TO A QUICK SELL." As a Realtor at Century 21 Paul & Associates, he has helped many individuals with their real estate needs. Visit his web site to download his free e-book, “REAL ESTATE SECRETS EXPOSED.” http://www.TroyIsMyRealtor.com or mail to: TroyC21@usa.net

Related Pages

Online Lenders - Tips on evaluating online lenders and their offerings.

Companies - Find companies online and save on your loan - Sources for mortgages - Save thousands by avoiding paying private mortgage insurance.

Terms - Information and explanations about home loan terms, mortgages, and home equity loans.

Mortgage Brokers - Shop these top lenders for comparison quotes.

Selecting The Right Mortgage - How to choose the right loan based on your lifestyle - Advice on the best mortgages for different phases of life, future income changes, and risk levels.

Down Payment Leverage - Avoid PMI with a two-loan strategy. How to grow your equity faster.

Refinance- Tips on when refinancing is the right decision - How to avoid paying points and other lender fees.

Home Loan Online - Discover the best ways to get the lowest rates - Links for checking current rates.

Loan Directory - Complete home loans directory for thousands of loan products, companies, brokers, and lenders. Search our loan directory by keyword or by category for complete listings of all things related to mortgages, home equity loans, refinance, and more.

In The News

	Web Home-Loans-Help.com