How Much Money Does It Costs To Sell A House in California?

If you’re thinking of selling your own home without the help of a real estate agent, then you are probably doing your up-front research and thinking about what expenses you might incur. In this blog post we’ll review the costs of selling your house yourself in Minnesota, Colorado or Seattle!

Selling a house. If you sell through an agent, you’ll incur costs such as commissions and fees, on top of all the regular costs, which is why some people choose not to sell their house through an agent but instead sell it themselves.

If that’s the case, it’s good to know what you will incur in terms of costs of selling your house on your own in California. This list will help you…

#1. Making those repairs

Often, the biggest costs associated with selling your house is the one you didn’t realize you’d have to pay – repairs and upgrades! You see, many homeowners want to sell their house exactly like it is. Many don’t want to buy a house like that!

Sellers try to put a lot of effort into doing the renovations on their house just so a buyer will even consider buying it! It’s a home you want to sell, and you don’t want to spend a lot of money on it, and yet many sellers are forced to spend tens of thousands and weeks or months of time on fixing it up.

#2. Campaigning!

Another cost you’ll incur is a marketing cost. This is a cost that most agents will cover themselves. But without the help of an Realtor, you’ll have to pay for marketing costs yourself.

There might not be a lot of costs, or these costs could be very high; it depends on how popular your house is to sell. You need to get the word out there so you might be paying to do so.

#3. All Those Expenses

Agents charge a a hefty commission for their services. And if you don’t sell with the help of an agent then you won’t pay those.

However, there are other fees that aren’t associated with the agent that you may have to pay – such as attorney fees, titles fees, closing fees, etc. (It depends on where you’re selling in California.

#4. The Most Valuble Asset

One of the biggest expenses of selling your home yourself in California is not monetary, it’s time. If you’re selling your home yourself, you’ll need to make your repairs, market the home, show the home, negotiate with buyers, and complete the paperwork.

This all takes effort and all that time could have a financial cost if you have to take time off of work, for example. So make sure you factor it into your consideration.

All In All

Selling your California house yourself lets you save money on commissions and fees while remaining in control of the process. However, there are still costs so make sure you’re aware of them.

If you want to work with a legitimate real estate company in California, contact us today!

Moving Out Of State From San Francisco California

Tips on selling a house while moving or relocating from San Francisco is important because things happen. Time and circumstances change all things.

It’s not always easy to know how to be successful with a real estate sale, especially when you’re selling your house when you need to relocate in San Francisco quickly. But there are some tips and suggestions that you can follow when selling your San Francisco house that will lead to a successful sale.

Let’s get into some tips to help you while moving out of state or relocating in San Francisco.

1. Help With The Bill

Think like the buyer and consider all of the costs they will have to deal with when purchasing your home. Expenses such as property taxes, clean-up costs, or moving expenses, to name a few. When you consider the other expenses outside of the price the buyer will pay for your house, you may be able to strike a deal faster with a buyer.

 

2. Be Flexible on Price

When trying to find a buyer in San Francisco, compare your home to those in your local real estate market and lower the price to be more competitive. When you don’t ask for too much, you will increase your chances of closing a deal much faster than if you asked for what you would want for your house ideally.

Remember that, if you’re needing to move fast, you cannot afford to sit and wait for your house to sell. Some homes stay on the market for years. If you have a new location that you must move to quick, you’ll have to settle for a little less return on your investment than if you had all the time in the world.

3. Become Friends with Prospects

Much of the real estate sales experience has to know with getting to know your buyer. The more you can connect to the buyer, the more likely it is that they will do business with you. In this way, the real estate business is no different than any other business. People are more likely to deal with people they like and whom they trust.

Build trust with a home buyer in your area and offer to do something for them that they cannot do for themselves; such as offering them a discount if they purchase within 30 days or offering to have someone babysit their kids while they view the house.

4. Make Your Home Beautiful

Make your house as beautiful and presentable as it can possibly be. When it looks attractive and beautiful to your potential buyers, you won’t have to work as hard at convincing them that it is a great home. When selling your house to buyers, be proud of your house and explain to the buyer why you need to sell quickly. Then they won’t think it is some other nefarious reason. Tell them that due to a job or relationship change, you need to move fast and therefore, you cannot afford to wait to sell.

Creating a sense of urgency for your house may make them more eager to purchase, as long as they know that you are being honest with them about the house.

How Can We Help You Sell?

If you are preparing to move to a new location and need to sell your house fast, we can help. We know the real estate business from both sides: buying and selling. We can help you figure out how to reach those eager buyers and close your deal fast so you can get on the road to your new location!

Contact us via email or phone today!

We can possibly even help pay for your U-Haul! It’s up to you. Save money today for those road trip snacks.

 

The San Francisco Home Buying Process

How to buy a house in San Francisco seems like it can be overwhelming and stressful, but it’s not. With the right knowledge and some preparation, the process can go smoothly and without any hiccups. In our latest post, we sum it all up for you with our house buying checklist. We want to help you find and purchase your first house.

Let’s Get Into The Home Buying Process in San Francisco CA

1. Get Financing For Your House

Before you start shopping, you will need to know how much house you will be able to buy. Shop around with a couple different lenders and see what is available to you. There are all sorts of programs out there, you can even find ways to get help with your down payment. Talk to friends who have recently purchased, and find out which lenders they used and how the experience was for them. Of course, every situation is different, but don’t be afraid to look around a bit at what the lenders are able to offer you.

When you work with a lender, you will need to know the down payment you are able to make. Do you have a down payment for a conventional loan? Or the FHA loan? Are you financially prepared to take on the PITI (Principle, Interest, Taxes and Insurance)? Some people might spread themselves too thin in an effort to get approved on paper. However, it is critical that you are honest with yourself here and stay within your means. Just because you are approved for a certain amount, doesn’t mean you need to spend all of it.

1. Go Searching and Shopping

Don’t just look for listed houses on the MLS, look at recently sold ones too. What can you really get for your financial decisions? People can list properties for any price they want. It doesn’t mean they are actually selling at those prices. Pay attention to the market and annual trends. Bid with intelligence & be well informed. Don’t succumb to impulsive moves that will end up costing you down the road.

Before you make an offer, find out to the capital T what is included with the houses. Is the seller including any furniture? What about the appliances? You cannot assume they are included unless you have it in writing. You wouldn’t want to find out on the day you move in that you need to go buy appliances.

You will want to make sure the seller has a houses warranty in place to cover any major repairs that are needed over the next year. You need to have the reassurance that something isn’t going to immediately go wrong right after you move in. House warranty to cover major repairs over next year.

Have an inspection done by a professional, licensed inspector. Once your inspection is done, talk to a licensed contractor about the cost of repairs. You can take this to the seller to negotiate who will pay to fix the house or work the repairs into the final sale price.

1. Buy Your Perfect House

Most lenders you will work with require an appraisal on the house before they will let the funding go through. The house needs to meet their requirements in order for you to make the purchase. Once your financier has approved, you will want to get detailed closing costs and review all associated fees.

Schedule a final walk through, checking all switches, fixtures, outlets, etc. Some small things can be a sign of bigger problems. Final walk through test all fixtures, switches, outlets. Even professional home buyers do inspections to make sure it’s a sound purchase.

Once you are happy with everything, you are ready to sign your contract and proceed to closing.

Pat yourself on the back, you have a new house!

Are you ready to buy a house in the state of San Francisco? We can help you answer all of your questions and find the house of your wildest dreams. Send us a message or give us a call today! We are the top Realtors to work with in beautiful California.

You’re trying and need to sell a California house that won’t sell?

But the news says the real estate market is a hot hot hot market! So what’s your problem in selling a house in Oklahoma, Denver or even California? The media is practically shouting again about multiple offers, high demand, and record-setting prices.

So where’s your full asking price offer?

These ideas could be just what you need to help you sell your California home.

Why won’t my house sell in California? – Use these tips to help you out!

1) Get sound advice.

Just like before, there are novice agents and investors rushing into the booming market trumpeting that they know what they’re doing.

But they don’t. They’re getting hit hard with the nuances of financing, deal structure, and evaluation. Seriously, chances are good that real estate is your biggest investment – don’t trust just anyone’s advice. If you want great results, partner with the pros.

2) Do not over repair.

Too often we see over-improved properties – those where the owners have gone too far. Even with the best of intentions, exceptional craftsmanship and true artistic talent, it’s incredibly challenging to exceed what the market is paying. Plus, most sellers want to add their own custom touches. Get rid of all the junk and think plain.

3) Stay on what is important.

Unfixed stuff scares buyers and sellers. Show that you’ve been a responsible property owner and get all the little details fixed.

Don’t leave gaps in the trim or plates off of the switches. Get it inspected by a professional home inspector, and show off the healthy home report. This goes a long way towards establishing confidence that they’re making a good purchase.

4) Find to the right buyers.

Curb appeal is as important as the inside – so don’t neglect one part of the property to improve the other. Give buyers a cohesive impression of great style. Paint the walls, update the landscaping, and most of all – keep it immaculately clean. Consider hiring a professional designer to help tastefully stage the property.

If you need to sell a house near San Francisco, give us a call right away. We’ll list it with a flat fee even.

We list properties like yours from people who need to sell, like yesterday need to sell.

Give us a call anytime or contact by email here today!

What’s My Home Really Worth in San Francisco, California?

What are things I should look for when getting market value of a San Francisco house?

Most people have trouble figuring out what to sell their house in San Francisco for. This is probably because they feel as if it’s anybody’s guess as to what a house is worth. That’s not the case at all. Every house, in ever market has a great value estimation for what their house can sell for. Whether you’re selling a house in San Francisco, Denver or Roseburg, this blog should help you figure out the market value of your house.

Now let’s get into the real deal information of the actual tips to determine what your home’s worth in San Francisco, California.

1. Hiring An Appraiser in San Francisco

If you want it done right, simply hire a professional Appraiser. During a home sale, the bank that makes the home loan normally selects an appraiser to render an opinion about the value of real estate as of a specific date. They’ll use actual properties that have sold for the basis of their evaluation. This isn’t a “I just think it’s worth $400,000 amount because it’s got a nice kitchen” process. It’s a calculated disciplined approached with real numbers. Watch the video below to find more about “How To Hire an Appraiser” by Morris Invest:

Should I Use The Square Foot / Price Method?

This is simply dividing the price the house sold for by the total square footage of the house sold.  The reason why the price per square foot method is a poor method to determine market value is because every home is unique in San Francisco.  While homes are similar in terms of size, bedrooms, bathrooms and location location location add or subtract value as well. There are so many factors that aren’t taken into consideration when using the price per square footage way of determining market value if this is done by an amateur.

My Friend Said I Should Use Zillow, Is That Accurate?

There are many homeowners who really think that “free online home estimators” are going to be 100% correct. Sometimes they can be drastically off!  If I were to receive a dime every time I heard a San Francisco home seller say, “But I know Zillow said my home is worth more,” I’d be the next Bill Gates by now. Okay not that much but it would be a nice vacation at least.  Anyhow, one of the worst methods to determine the market value of a home is using online market value estimators like Zillow.

There are several websites that offer home value estimators just like their are tons of websites offering free credit scores. When is anything every truly free when it comes to finance services? Some of the most popular websites that homeowners visit to find out the value of their home are now household names and used daily and people are confused as to why no buyers show up to their San Francisco open house.

If you think about it for a moment, how can a website that is not located in your local area and that has never been inside your home determine the market value of your home.  It’s impossible for a homes market value to be accurate since these online websites have no clue what is currently happening in your local real estate market or what the condition of your home is.

There is currently a lawsuit going around as to whether Zillow’s home value “Zestimates” are accurate or not and are scaring off buyers.  Don’t just depend on an algorithym that’s automated to tell you the truth about your own house. You have to remember it is virtually impossible to know the exact neighborhood and condition of every house in your neighborhood just based off that.

In Conclusion

At the end of the day, use a professional such as a real estate appraiser or real estate agent to determine the value of a house. “You get what you pay for”, for a reason!

If you’d you’re a home seller curious about what your home is worth, hire a professional to guide you along the process.

-California Estates Realty in San Francisco, CA

Selling A Home In San Francisco The Best You Can

This is an article that’s all about how to sell your house in a San Francisco Real Estate Market and how to capitalize on it! It’s your turn as the seller to reap the benefits of a seller’s market. In 2011-2012 that was the best time to buy a house, now it’s the best time to sell in San Francisco.

It’s simple supply and demand in this business. You just have to know what to do when the time comes. Many real estate agents left the business in a buyer’s market because the demand for buyers was so high that they couldn’t wait it out 45+ days before earning a commission. Now you probably hear that everyone is getting into real estate because you can “make money money fast”. You see this in the stock market too.

Here’s an example of a fantastic Realtor you should choose in a San Francisco market.

We have to back up and say that just because you’re in control as a home seller, doesn’t mean you should try and take advantage of people or the situation. They are in a similar situation you were in when you were a first time home buyers. That’s going to be the majority of clients Realtors bring to see your house.

Now let’s get into the actual action steps you can take to sell your house fast, on your time frame, for the right price and to the perfect buyer for your San Francisco home.

Give Into Some Concessions.

Another component, other than price, is the conditions that are also placed on the sale. Think about the closing costs, inspections and appraisal fees that’ll occur. These are what the buyer might ask for in a deduction of an asking price. You as the seller can ask for things that benefit you too. Like that you’ll only sell the house in “as is” condition.

List Your House High, and Lower Later.

Remember what we said about supply and demand? You can ask a higher price because San Francisco buyers don’t have as many choices available to them when it comes to inventory. Take advantage of the seller’s market is to simply ask for more money and see what happens. Worst that can happen is lowering your price a week later.

Create A “Buyer Frenzy”.

When you only have one offer, you can get desperate to accept it. When you’re presented with multiple offers from multiple buyers, you are the one in power, and you can also negotiate from a position of strength. Generate multiple offers by getting a lot of interest and only accepting offers at a certain time. Then put all offers on the kitchen table and see which one really is “highest and best”.

In Conclusion.

That’s how to take advantage of a seller’s market in San Francisco for home selling. If you’re selling your house in San Francisco during a seller’s market, use these tips to take advantage of the situation and enjoy a higher return, the addition or removal of conditions, and multiple offers to choose from.

If you cannot handle selling with a Realtor or selling For Sale By Owner, find a private home buyer in your state, whether that’s San Francisco, Nevada, Ohio or Colorado, that can buy your house without you having to pay commissions.

Are California Realty Companies Legit?

 

Are these sell your California house in 30 days Realty companies legit?

We’ll cover the things you have to look for before choosing a real estate agency in San Francisco.

Listing and selling houses is a valid and respectable profession that can help communities and house sellers in many ways. But just like any other line of work – a minority of house buyers in any market are the ones who make the rest of us look bad.

There are people who are really great, ethical folks who improve their neighborhoods one property at a time.

And then there’s shady, dishonest people who put money ahead of the well being of their clients and who would sign a listing agreement to sell out their own parents with one hand while stabbing you in the back with the other.

We’ll help you avoid these “crummy real estate agents” so you can work with honest, ethical, and reputable Realtors who can list your house for a fair all cash offer and close on your schedule.

What Reputable California Realtors Are Doing

• Helping folks improve their lives by getting money they need. People often need to liquidate the equity in their house to cover unexpected medical expenses or to relocate to work at a new job. We can make that happen in just a few days.
• Creating local jobs. We work with plumbers, contractors, electricians, brokers, title reps, loan officers, administrators and many other folks along the way. Our listings help create real jobs for people around San Francisco California.
• Increasing the value of San Francisco areas. When we improve a house, we’re helping to increase the value of the entire community. We often repair abandoned and neglected houses, turning them into beautiful homes for families. That activity strengthens San Francisco.

That’s fueled by silly “reality” shows that amp up the drama because the reality of what we do on a daily basis is actually pretty boring. Don’t let HGTV fool you into thinking it’s all glamorous.

Making Sure You’re Working With A Real Deal Local Agency

When you talk with a local Realtor looking to represent you, ask them some of the questions below to see they’re reputable, knowledgeable, and honest.

• How do you help your clients?
• What do you do for people?
• Can you tell me more about your services?
• How long have you lived in San Francisco?

Look for shady signs of ways that those very few Realtors tend to use.

• Guarantees to Sell within 30 days or it’s free! – Nothing in life is ever that easy when it comes to money. They say this to get you to sign a listing agreement, hoping you won’t read that what they mean by “sell within 30 days” is really, “under contract” within 30 days. All it takes is one of their buddy’s to pretend they’ll buy the house but then can easily back out before their inspection is due making it look like, “Welp, you had a buyer in less than 30 days, in the contract I’m no obligation to waive my commission because I really meant under contract, not bought and sold.”
• Pressuring you into a fast Listing– When you interview a real estate agent and are nervous because of emotions, a shady Realtor may very well sense that and try and pressure into signing documents you may otherwise won’t do. They’ll use high pressure sales tactics and do everything they can so you sign on the dotted line. Only for you to wake up the next day in a 180 agreement you can’t get out of without paying a hefty fee.

Most Realtors like this are desperate for money. They are hurting for business which is why they want the quick buck.

True Realtors who run honest and ethical San Francisco house listing services, however, are building long-term businesses based on relationships and involvement in the community they grew up in. You can always sell to a local house buying company in your area. Whether that’s in Denver, San Francisco or Dallas. Make the right move!