ideal. Before you decide to sell, get pre-approved by a lender you have confidence in, and study the housing market in the area in which you want to live to get a good idea of how much it will realistically cost you to buy. Make plans in case you have to move right away.
Wasting Time on Unqualified Buyers
It is wasted effort to show your home to someone who cannot buy it. An example is the seller who spent two weeks preparing his home for an acquaintance who wanted to buy his home. The seller spent $1,000 removing an old shed and met with the prospect several times to discuss price and terms. It was well into the process when the seller found out the prospect could not qualify for a loan. Real estate agents spend considerable effort weeding out showing to non-qualified and unqualified home shoppers. It has been my experience that working with buyers who are not represented by a buyers agent rarely result in a sale.
“Hovering”
Whenever possible, don’t be home during a showing. Wait, let me re-phrase, it is best to NEVER be home during a showing. Sellers present during a showing generally make buyers feel uncomfortable and awkward. They are less likely to look the home over well and typically are less than candid with the seller. If you have a real estate agent, always leave when the house is being shown. If you are selling by owner and the buyers are not going to be accompanied by an agent, then you must be home to accompany the buyers through your home. Important to be present but do not lead them around. Lurking sellers make buyers nervous. This is awkward and unnecessary. Buyers may feel like they are intruding and then rush through your home. They may be hesitant to talk about changes to the
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