Sicklerville, NJ

There's a lot of competition in the current market for Sicklerville homes for sale. If you're thinking about adding your home to the list, this checklist is for you.

#1. Set your goals. What do you expect from your sale? Do you just want to get rid of the home, or do you want the highest price possible? Will you be ready if a buyer wants to close quickly? The answers to these questions factor into how much time it takes for a house to come off the market.

#2. Decide whether to use an agent or not. Although many Sicklerville homes for sale go faster and at better prices with a real estate agent, it's still possible to get a decent price doing it yourself. If you decide to use an agent, get recommendations from family members and friends who had a good experience with their Realtor. Then interview the Realtors and talk to their past clients to make sure you feel confident in their services.

#3. Set your home price. This is tricky, because if you don't set the right price, your house can sit on the market for a long time and sell for much less than it's worth. If you hire an agent, they'll analyze comparable homes and find a good price. If you don't hire an agent, make sure you look at recent sales on comparable homes, as well as neighborhood demographics to find the right price. This is the single most important thing you will do in trying to sell your home quickly - PRICE IT RIGHT!

#4. Find the problems and get serious issues fixed. Although you aren't obligated to hire a home inspector, a professional home inspection can help head off serious issues that can delay the sale. If you can fix the serious issues, do so. If you can't, you can still sell the house "as is," as a fixer-upper. Keep records of everything you do fix.

#5. Consider staging your home. From curb appeal to inside style, home stagers can help your house look its best. Studies show that, in general, staged homes sell faster and for better prices than those that haven't been staged.

Adding your house to the list of Sicklerville homes for sale will be an exercise in patience, but following this checklist can help make the exercise a much shorter one.

If you're thinking of selling your home, please allow me to interview for the job. Call me today at 856-308-5989 or email me at kim@kimcanhelp.com for more information or to schedule an interview.

www.KimThomasHomes.com www.NJHomesNearPhilly.com www.KimCanHelp.com

Links:

1. Real estate agent

http://homebuying.about.com/od/realestateagents/tp/findagent.htm

2. Find the right price

http://realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=13108482

3. Home stagers -

http://www.iahsp.com/

If you're looking to get a good deal by buying one of the Sicklerville foreclosures, keep in mind that many of the homeowners not only didn't have money for the mortgage, they probably didn't have money for the upkeep of the house either. If you've found a home you're interested in, here's a short checklist to follow even before you decide to contact a home inspector.

Structure

For some Sicklerville foreclosures, structure is a definite issue. Pay close attention to the following, as they may indicate more severe problems:

Are the interior walls in good condition? Any cracks and stains?
Are the floors in good condition? What are they made of? Some floors are made of substandard materials, unsafe for more than casual use.
Is the roof in good repair or are there missing/curled up shingles?
Are the gutters, downspouts and flashing in good condition?
Do the doors and windows stick or glide freely? When closed, do they block out weather or is there a draft?

Water

Is there mold and mildew on the basement walls or a dark, scaly surface? This can indicate too much moisture, and can mean a leak in the foundation.
Is the ceiling bubbling, have brown spots, patches or new paint? New paint might be a sign of covering up stains from water leaks.
Are there drainpipes around the foundation? Do they lead away from the foundation? Are there cracks or a lot of weeds around the area?

Inside Hazards

Many older houses haven't been updated or may not be up to code. Here are some of the more common issues:

Is there asbestos around exposed pipes for the furnace, heating system or water heater?
Can you see any signs of vermin or insects? Mice, termites, cockroaches and bats all leave signs of habitation behind.

If everything else is good, have the house tested for radon, carbon monoxide and lead-based paint.

Although there are many other things to consider when looking to purchase Sicklerville foreclosures, these three are essential to a healthy living environment. Most importantly, make sure you're an informed buyer.

If you're looking to buy a foreclosed home, I can help. Call me today at 856-308-5989 or email me at: kim@kimcanhelp.comfor more information.

Kimberly Thomas. Realty Executives Brown & Pope; Voorhees, NJ 08043

www.NJHomesNearPhilly.com

www.KimThomasHomes.com

Links:

1. Home inspector

http://www.ashi.org/

2. Mold and mildew

http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-identify-mold-in-your-home-and-methods-to-get-rid-of-it

3. Asbestos

http://hubpages.com/hub/What-Does-Asbestos-Look-like

For Sale By Owner is just as it sounds, a homeowner trying to sell their home without the assistance of a REALTOR. Can you do this, sure! Do they actually get their house sold, sure! Is it typical? No. About 80% of FSBO's end up listing their homes with a Professional REALTOR anyway. And here's why.

• Home owners do not have the time to make appointments during the day or during normal business hours.
• How does the home owner know if the potential buyers can qualify to purchase their home?
• Home owners are not normally aware of the legal documentation that nees to accompany a sales contract.
• How does one pick a Title Company, and who is suppose to pay their fees?
• What recourse does the home owner have if the buyer backs out of the contract?
• Can the home owner sell their home for market price without using a REALTOR?
• What legal liability does the home owner have if the buyer sues them a year after the settlement date?
• Is it worth having a home inspection before putting the house on the market?
• Who does the home warranty really protect?
• Will the home owner really be saving the real estate commission if they try to sell their home themselves?

These are just some of the many questions that home owners need to ask themselves before they even begin to embarking on the task of selling their own home without a professional. What some home owners don't realize is that most REALTORS do care about selling their homes. After all, this is our livelihood. We want to sell your home for the highest possible price; our business depends on it and our business revenue (the commission) is based on sales price. So when we say the house is overpriced, it is; we know what we speak of. Our goal is to sell your home, not just to list it, and to have a smooth, stress-free transaction. And we want you to be happy with the outcome so the next time to have to buy or sell, or anyone asks you to recommend a REALTOR, you think of us.

But anyone can put a for sale sign in their yard and try to sell their own home, and some may actually get it sold in a reasonable amount of time without any major problems or legal issues. But as with any profession, if you decide to take on the role yourself, you are opening yourself up to potential risks.
Licensed REALTORS are just that, a licensed professional who is capable of guiding you thru the process and assessing the transaction with the least amount of risk possible. We may not be attorneys but we are required to be aware of the key regulations and leagal issues. And we will inform you when you will need to retain an attorney. We help get your home sold in the least amount of time, for the highest possible price. We also ensure that the buyers are actually qualified to purchase your home. We will walk you through the closing process step by step.

Some FSBO's think that since they have sold houses before in other states or have been led to believe that selling their own home will be a cakewalk by certain businesses catering to the For Sale By Owner market. Not so. Remember, those companies get paid up-front and they are apid regardless if your home sells or not. REALTORS only get paid when your home sells. If we can't sell it, we don't get paid. We as agents are required by law to have all of our ducks in a row before even placing the house on the market.

Here's a few things we're required to do -

• Checking the mortgage balance to see if you are even in a position to sell at the current market. There may be situations where you need to sell. We can discuss all the different options available to you.
• Verifying ownership
• Does the property have clear title & deed
• Is this a saleable property, what work needs to be completed prior to listing, if any
• What is the current market price to allow for a quick sale
  

In closing, you need to know that there are solutions for each situation. We are licensed to assist with all your real estate needs.

Terry Iwaniw
REALTOR Associate
ReSales & Investment Realty, LLC
Off: 856-795-3111 x263
Cell: 609-417-1086
http://snjrealestate.ning.com
http://www.snewjerseyhomes.com
Connect on Facebook - http://profile.to/terryiwaniw

One thing that I did not mention during the reviewing the offers portion of the series is the issue of inspections. When I am representing a seller of a short sale, I typically advise them to allow inspections, but for them to be for information purposes only for the buyer. I do not want my seller to be obligated to make any repairs whether they are at the buyers request or the lenders. This is because most of the time, my clients are already having a financial hardship, and it doesn't make sense for them to have to come up with cash to sell their home.

It is very important to make sure that all of this is discussed up front with the buyers, this will prevent most problems that may arise. Of course there is always the possibility that something serious will be uncovered, and the sale will not go through.

Joseph Cacciapaglia, MLERE
Realtor Associate®
R&I Realty
15 Potter Street
Haddonfield, NJ 08033
Office: 856.795.3111 x268
Cell: 979.218.2286
Jcacci1@gmail.com

Once you have a contract in place with your buyer, it's time to start the negotiation process with your lender. For all my clients, I suggest that they retain a local attorney who specializes in this type of negotiation. It is important to choose someone who has experience dealing with lenders and also has a system in place to make regular calls on your file. At least one call every 3-5 days is what I recommend, but some will even call more often than that. I know that there are some agents out there who will do the negotiations themselves, but I don't believe that this is in the seller's best interest, especially because it typically doesn't cost them anything to have the attorney work for them. Their fee is taken out of the settlement, which and if successfully negotiated just reduces the proceeds to the lender.

Having the right people on your team will ensure that the short sale negotiation goes as smoothly as possible. However, you should still expect the process to take 3+ months to close. During that time you should be recieving updates from both your attorney and your real estate professional on a regular basis. Often though, these updates are that we are all still just waiting on the bank. Patience is key.

Joseph Cacciapaglia, MLERE
Realtor Associate®
R&I Realty
15 Potter Street
Haddonfield, NJ 08033
Office: 856.795.3111 x268
Cell: 979.218.2286
Jcacci1@gmail.com