Selling your home fast and for a good price is the dream of all homeowners on the market. So what would you say if there was a process to turn that dream into reality?

Most houses go through a home inspection to determine their value. These inspections can be lengthy and produce a lower than desired selling price – but not if you’re ready for it.

Having a home inspection checklist will put you ahead of the game. You’ll know what to look for and how to head off any problems.

Let’s look at a home inspection checklist that will get your house sold fast and for more money!

1. Clear Inspection Areas

An inspector will want to have access to your entire home. To make the process quick and easy, clear the areas where they will need to go.

Unlock the attic and basement, clearing out any stored items. Make sure the mechanical room has easy access to the HVAC system and water heater. Then clear at least a 4-inch perimeter around your home so the inspector can see the foundation.

Cleaning and decluttering the house will also not only give easier access during an inspection, it will show how well you take care of your home.

2. Start with Your Own Walk Through

Before a home inspection, it’s a good idea to walk through and do an inspection of your own. If you don’t feel you can look for problems objectively, enlist the help of a trusted friend or family member.

Take note of any sights or smells that could raise a red flag to the inspector. Don’t be afraid to get picky with it. Anything you notice an inspector will to, so include it all.

Look for water stains, notice signs of insects and pests, check weather stripping, and write down issues with anything an inspector will look at.

3. Test Plumbing and Look for Mold

Plumbing and water damage are big red flags during a home inspection. So during your walkthrough, pay close attention to these areas.

Test every one of your plumbing fixtures. Flush all the toilets, make sure the drains in sinks and showers empty properly and be sure there are no leaky faucets.

Look for signs of leaks around the dishwasher, washing machine, refrigerator, around showers, and under sinks.

And while you’re checking these areas, look for any sign of mold or musty smells.

4. Check All Appliances and Electrical

If any of your major appliances will be staying with the house, you want to make sure they are all working as they should.

This means to do a test run of all your appliances, including those you don’t use very often. If something needs to be repaired or replaced, do it before the inspection. If everything checks out well, unload the dishwasher and laundry units to make it easy for the inspector to access.

Then test all electrical light switches and outlets in the house, making sure each is working and covered properly. You’ll also want to test the garage door opener and any ceiling fan functions.

5. Take Security and Safety Precautions

The safety and security of your home is a big deal during a home inspection and to any potential buyers.

Ensure all the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors work. Cap chimney entry points and gas lines. And make sure there is at least one fire extinguisher on each floor of the house.

Now is the time to also test all windows and doors. Make sure they open and close easily and that the locks work.

6. Perform Routine Maintenance Tasks

If you haven’t done it already, go ahead and complete all routine maintenance tasks before a home inspection. Any tasks left undone might look neglectful to the inspector, and they’ll wonder what else you may have neglected.

This includes changing out the filters on your furnace and air conditioning units. Cleaning the garbage disposal and kitchen range hood. And re-caulking any broken seals in the kitchen or bathroom.

7. Inspect the House Exterior

What’s on the outside of your home is just as important as what’s on the inside. So don’t forget to include your home’s exterior during your walkthrough.

Inspect your roof, looking for cracked or damaged shingles. Also look at the guttering, clearing out any leaves or debris that could be clogging your system. If there are any tree limbs too close to your roofline, get those trimmed back.

On the ground level, check for peeling paint, loose siding, and ensuring downspouts are pointing away from the house. Clean up the lawn and garden. Then be on the lookout for any standing pools of water or signs of a crumbling foundation.

8. Make Small Repairs

Once you have the completed list from your walkthrough, begin making all small repairs. These are projects that will be quick and easy for you to do on your own.

It includes replacing dead lightbulbs, patching holes in the walls, clearing out clogged drains, and replacing torn window screens.

If there are bigger projects in your house you’re not afraid to tackle, go ahead and do them yourself.

But for projects outside your expertise, consider whether you want to call in a professional. You’ll need to weigh out the pros and the cons on if the repair cost is worth it when determining how much you want for your house sell.

9. Gather Documents

One thing many people don’t think about when preparing a home inspection checklist is gathering the necessary paperwork.

These documents include all the warranties, receipts, and maintenance information for the house. That way, if the inspector has a question about when the HVAC was last serviced or how much longer the warranty on the roof is valid, you have the paperwork to back up your answers.

Plus, if you kept your receipts, it proves the age of the appliances and fixtures in the home.

Having all your paperwork in order leaves no question to the home’s condition and the care you put into it.

Sell Your Home Quick by Using a Home Inspection Checklist

Take the stress out of selling your home. By using this home inspection checklist, you’ll be ready to rock that home inspection and sell your home fast!

Ready to get your home sold even faster? Contact us today! Five Boro Homes will call you back within 24 hours to get the process going.

It’s time to sell your house, but there’s a problem: It’s ugly. Embarrassingly ugly.

Do you wonder who in their right mind would buy it? It’s stressing you out because you need it sold – like yesterday.

Good news is there are ways to sell an ugly house fast. Even better news, there are people in the market for a house exactly like yours.

Ready to get started? Let’s look at how you can offload your ugly house and get money for it fast.

Focus on the Positive

Even if your home is ugly, it’s bound to have features that potential buyers would love. Focusing the attention on why they should buy the house will help them see past the why not’s.

Does it have wood floors that are in good condition? Was the roof replaced recently? Are there two bathrooms when most of the homes in the area have one?

Point out these positive features in your listing and, if possible, take good pictures of them to show off. Making a good first impression will help bring buyers through the door.

Don’t Hide the Flaws

Honesty truly is the best policy, especially when you’re trying to sell an ugly house. While it’s tempting to only talk about the good and hide the bad, that plan will likely backfire later on.

Whether it be through a tour of the home or a house inspection, the bad will eventually show itself one way or the other.

If you didn’t disclose that information in the beginning, it will make you look shifty. The buyer may then wonder what else you’re hiding and choose to walk away.

Being transparent about the house will avoid surprises and any delays resulting from it.

The Right Price

If you know your ugly house is going to be tough to sell, why would you list it for top dollar? When it comes to setting the price, think about it from the buyer’s perspective.

A buyer will likely have to sink a bunch of money into the home to give it the renovation it needs. Even if it’s the ugly house in the most desirable neighborhood, that kind of home will not sell for the same price as others in the area.

Do research on what a reasonable price will be. For an ugly house, a reasonable price will sell faster than top dollar.

Do a Deep Cleaning

An ugly house doesn’t mean it has to be a dirty house. In fact, the cleaner it is, the more appealing it will be to potential buyers.

Roll up your sleeves and start scrubbing!

Shampoo the carpets and wipe down the walls. Get rid of any smells by cleaning with bleach. Wipe out the cabinets and make the windows sparkle.

Don’t forget about the exterior! Mow the lawn and trim any shrubbery. And if needed, a good power wash is always a good idea.

Don’t want to do the work yourself? Hire professionals or bride friends to help with the promise of a pizza party.

Declutter the House

When trying to sell an ugly house fast, buyers have got to be able to picture themselves living in the home. But that’s not going to happen if they can’t see past all your stuff.

Now’s the time to declutter the house. You’re moving anyway, so consider this as a head start on the moving process.

Rent a storage unit or moving pod and start filling it with things you don’t need on a daily basis. Remove bulky furniture and all your knickknacks. Depersonalize by packing up family photos and mementos.

Then get rid of all trash, both inside and out. The cleaner and more streamlined the home is, the faster it will sell.

Know Your Audience

Many buyers are looking for a move-in ready home. That alone is going to limit your buyers’ market. So instead, target those looking for a fixer-upper to sell your home fast.

Real estate investors and house flippers are looking for a home just like yours. They’re more likely to buy the home in as-is condition. And many times they’ll buy the house with cash for an even quicker sell.

With that in mind, use the right keywords in your listing to grab their attention. Words such as “Fixer-Upper”, “Investors Wanted!”, and “Sold As-Is” will do the trick.

Make Small Upgrades

Even the smallest new details of a home can make a big difference, especially in an ugly house. The best news is, it doesn’t have to break your budget.

A fresh coat of paint is cheap and easy to do. Update the fixtures in the bathrooms and kitchen or lay down new carpet.

Even making small repairs will make the place look better. Patch up any holes in the wall. Or fix that broken backdoor.

Upgrading the outdoors is an area any potential buyer will enjoy because they could see it as something checked off the list of what they’d have to do themselves. New flowers, added bushes, or planting a new tree for shade are all considered upgrades.

Consider a Facelift

If you want to go a little bigger then small upgrades, consider giving your home a fresh facelift with new siding. While it’s not the cheapest option, it will make a great first impression.

New siding will be attractive to all home buyers, even those looking to flip the house. It’s one less thing they’d have to do and that’s always a good selling point.

Plus, it will give your home a fresher, newer appearance, which might open the door to a few more potential buyers.

Just be careful not to overspend. Your home will still need a lot of renovations, even with the new siding. So you don’t want to spend more than what you could get back in the house sale.

Show Your Ugly House as a Diamond in the Rough

What you see as an ugly house, someone else sees as their future treasure. By using these tips, you can showcase your home to the right buyer and get it sold fast!

Want to get the process of selling your home started within the next 24 hours? Contact us today! Five Boro Homes will call you back to answer any of your questions and explain how we can get your house sold fast.

In 2016, 4% of home sales fell through after the sale was pending but before the sale closed.

Considering all of the work that goes into a home sale before the close, failing to close a deal is disheartening, to say the least. But there are steps you can take to help the home buyers along in the process.

Having all your paperwork in order at the time of closing will help close the deal faster. As such, you should be prepared with all the forms for selling a house before your closing meeting.

But what exactly are those closing documents? We’ll explain a bit about the more important ones below.

Residential Sales Contract With Home Buyers

Of all the paperwork in your home sale, the most important is the residential sales contract. Although this piece of paperwork is what initiates closing, it’s worth talking about.

The sales contract contains all the information related to the sale. That includes:

• the purchase price
• the date of purchase
• the down payment amount
• the date of possession
• conditions (i.e. home inspection,financing)

When your purchase offer has been accepted and both you and the home buyers sign the residential sales contract, the contract is legally binding and you’ll enter into the closing phase of your home sale. The closing date is usually 30 to 60 days after the contract has been signed.

In this phase of the sale, your home sale is considered “pending”. During this time you’ll exchange things like the home inspection report and appraisal report. Then, you’ll need to prepare your documents for the closing meeting.

Closing Documents

To finalize your home sale, there will be a closing meeting. This meeting is hosted at a neutral third-party office. Whether the meeting takes place at an escrow company, a title company, or a mortgage lender will depend on the state in which you live.

If you have a sales agent, you may not be required to attend the closing meeting. However, the buyer and the agent are required to attend. There may also be a title company representative, real estate attorney, and loan officer present.

There are five important documents involved at the closing meeting. We’ll explain each in more detail below.

Closing Statement

The seller’s closing statement summarizes the amount of money you’ll receive from the home buyers. This number assesses and itemizes taxes, closing costs, and any other transaction fees. It lists all the fees and credits and tells you exactly how much you’re owed upon closing.

This document is the responsibility of the closing agent or title company. But to speed up the process during the closing meeting, you can ask for an advanced copy. Ask your agent to obtain a copy for you both to review and ensure the information is accurate.

Most Recent Property Tax Receipts

Your tax statement or property tax receipts will help you calculate the amount of taxes owed on your home at the time of the sale. The estate tax schedule of your geographic location will determine whether taxes are owed when you sell your home.

If the tax schedule in your municipality collects tax based on the following year, and your home is sold halfway through the year, you may be entitled to a refund. On the other hand, if the tax schedule in your municipality collects taxes based on the previous year, then you may owe taxes. You have to pay the taxes owed on your home to the point of the sale.

Make sure you have your property tax receipts and a good understanding of the municipal tax schedule where you live. This will help you figure out the taxes to be credited or charged on your closing statement.

1099-S Tax Form

In some cases, you may need to complete a 1099-S Tax Form for the IRS. This tax form indicates that you don’t qualify for a capital gains tax exclusion. The form tells the IRS you owe taxes on the sale of your home when it’s time to do your annual income taxes.

Title Search

The title search confirms the legal ownership of a property. It involves an examination of public records to find out what claims, if any, are on the property. The title search has to be finished before the title on the property can be given to the home buyers.

The title search must show that the seller is the owner of the property. As such, they have the sole right to sell the property to the home buyers. If there are any legal issues, such as a house lien, those will need to be dealt with prior to closing.

The Deed

Although the two are often confused, the deed is quite different from the title. Whereas the title search is a legal concept that defines ownership and, the deed is the physical document that transfers ownership to the home buyers.

The deed will have the names and information of both the seller and the home buyers. It will also have a detailed description of the property being sold. Once the deed is transferred to the home buyers, they legally own the property.

Sell Your Home Faster (And For Cash)

The process of selling your home is a long one that involves a lot of paperwork. After you sign the sales contract with the home buyers, you should start preparing the closing documents.

The closing documents include the closing statement, the title search, as well as the deed. But you’ll also need to prepare tax documents and ensure those are credited or charged on the closing statement. Having these items ready will help you sell your house faster.

And for the fastest kind of home sale, think about selling your home for cash. Contact us to learn more about how it works.