Maurice Gilmore - SECRETS FOR SELLING YOUR HOME ALONE

detailed disclosures. Some of these disclosures include structural or mechanical defects that the house may have developed while under the ownership of the seller. Failing to furnish the buyer with such details might make the contract invalid and in other cases lead to monetary damages. The courts do have the power to force a seller to pay monetary damages to the new owner of the house in such a case. For houses that were built before 1978, a seller is required to provide full disclosure on lead paint in particular. Failing to do so might result in legal action taken against the seller. The reason behind this is that before 1978, most houses were painted using paint that contained lead, which is poisonous. Therefore, a seller is supposed to provide full disclosure on the issue of lead paint to avoid potential health problems for the new owner. Another thing that most people forget is to make a register of everybody who has viewed the property with the intention of buying it. Although this is not a legal requirement, it is good to keep a record of the people visiting the property so that it is possible to track people in case there are instances of theft or vandalism. Giving too much information is also discouraged when you are selling your property. Though it might come off as a good way of showing potential buyers how much you have invested in the property, giving too much information might give a potential buyer the wrong message. The buyer might think there is something wrong with the property, or that you are desperate to sell it. Therefore, you should be careful not to hide important information from the buyer—while also taking care not to give away too much information that might scare the buyer away. Another mistake that people who want to sell their houses make is giving a bad price. Someone wanting to sell his house might price the house way too low or way too high. In most cases, people who

112

Powered by