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A Guide to Selling Your House Without A Real Estate Agent

Owning a house is the best investment you’ll have. And when it comes to selling your property, relying on a real estate agent becomes the common practice.

With the decline of real estate prices, many homeowners want to earn more profit from the sale of their house. However, that wouldn’t be possible with a real estate agent. Usually, agents get 6%-7% of the total sale, for an instance, for a $350,000 house, the agent gets $21,000, which is a hefty amount.

How to Sell House Without a Realtor in Washington DC?

In order to maintain more equity on your property, here’s a guide to selling your house without a real estate agent.

1. Set a Realistic Price for your House

Make sure you price your home accordingly before you list it at the Multiple Listing Service (MLS).Browse the internet and check on competitive and comparative selling prices to set a realistic price for your property.

Learn to find comps for your house to identify the best and fair selling price for your property.

This process is easy especially if you’ve stayed in your home for several years. Be consistent with your goal. Always set a realistic asking price.

2. Get an MLS Flat Fee Listing

Don’t forget to list your property at the Multiple Listing Service. It is a comprehensive list of houses and property for sale in the United States. Realtors and prospect buyers can access the website to research properties to buy.

You can list your property in MLS using online services for only a few dollars. Browse for “Flat Fee MLS” to check on similar services near your area. Or you can create a website exclusive for your house for sale.

3. Market Your House

Aside from listing your property on the Multiple Listing Service, start to market your house through other means. You can create a brochure, add a “for sale” signage outside your home, create online advertisements, utilize social media, and build a personalized website to promote your property.

Read: 12 Ways to Market Your House for a Quick Sale

You can avail the service of advertising agencies to design your yard signs and brochures. Although it may costs you a few bucks, it’s far away from the total commission of a realtor.

4. Prepare for an Open House

Hold an open house to advertise your property. Post signage on your neighborhood to boost awareness of your activity. Prepare some light refreshments for your visitors and hand out brochures with all the necessary information about your house.

Read: 6 Home Selling Etiquettes Every Homeowner Should Practice

5. Highlight the House Selling Point

Make sure that your brochure states all the basic information of your property including lot size, location, the number of bathrooms, bedroom, and of course the price. Don’t forget to highlight special details about your property as it can help to sell your house fast in Washington DC.

Refer to listings like Yahoo! Real Estate, Realtor, and Craiglist to have a grasp of what information both agents and sellers state in their listings. Features like oversized windows, granite counter tops, and stainless steel appliances lure buyers. Identify your home’s special areas and emphasize those on your marketing strategies.

6. Show Your House

After you’ve posted advertisements of your for-sale property, prepare your house for possible and surprised visitors. Do a general cleaning ahead of the time. Rub the floor, scrub the appliances, and shampoo the carpets. Remove displays such as icons and posters as they can be eyesores to some. Trim grass and remove your pets during the open house event.

Read: 10 Things Your Should Prepare to Sell Your House Fast

Present your property well to make the best first impression. These possible buyers love a turnkey home.

Aside from impressing them with your spotless and deep-clean house, present them their possible lifestyle if they transfer to your home.

7. Negotiate

You will receive contracts from prospect buyers. This is a formal negotiation between parties and you, as the seller, can revise the contract and send it back to the buyer. The process continues until both of you have signed and agreed on the contract.

You might receive low ball offers but don’t frustrate because there are ways to counteract the low price.

Selling your home without a real estate agent can be challenging. But just like any endeavor, it will be much easier as you go through the entire process. You can also work with a cash home buyer in Washington who can buy your house fast and in cash.

Engaging with them is a breeze and you no longer need to do the nitty-gritty’s of the transaction, including paper works and other stuff, to make a sale.

Stop by at The Home Buyers. They are the leading cash home buyer in the US with a reliable track record in the real estate market. Get a quote now!

Home Sellers See the Big Potential of Selling their House Fast This Year!

In the study conducted by Redfin, a real estate brokerage, fifty two percent of home sellers believe that 2016 is a good year to sell their house fast and fifty eight percent believes that they have more authority in the housing market this year compared to last year.

It also shows that June had the most viable and best housing market performance. And this was due to the variance between the demand for and supply of homes that dramatically increased during the past months.

The supply of homes dropped at 2.8 months, which was the lowest level recorded since 2009. This rapid change triggers for an aggressive buyer’s response that augments the average percentage of the sale-to-list price to 95.5 percent compared to last years’ 94.9 percent. From 22.2 percent last year, houses sold above the list price increased to 23.6 percent.

Home sellers gained confidence with this progress however experts still advise them not go overboard on their selling prices. Home buyers are astute and reluctant to overpay despite the inequity of the housing market.

Sascha Gummersbach, Atlanta Redfin agent says, “While we’re noticing a shift among sellers in terms of their confidence in getting their homes sold quickly and for good prices, it’s up to the agent as their advocate to keep their expectations grounded and recommend a pricing strategy that is most likely to get the best value for their home.”

While it’s easy to sell properties this year, a certain percentage of homeowners still don’t plan to move out and find a replacement home soon . Not only because they love their home but surveys show that they can’t afford a bigger property. With today’s market that sellers have the power over buyers, being able to find an affordable home is a cutthroat.

This year is a good time to sell your house fast. However, it’s also a competitive year to buy your new home. Advised by Sabrina Booth, seeking the assistance of a lender for a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) or a bridge loan can help you sell your existing property fast and buy your new house in a fair price.

See below infographics:

5 Proven Tips to Sell Your House Faster

Selling your home through a real estate agent may take months, or worst, more than a year to close the deal. You are fortunate if you have sold it within the first 3 months of your engagement with realtors but honestly, that rarely happens.

If you really want to sell your home faster, here are 5 proven tips you can do to minimize your waiting time and maximize your earning.

How to Sell Your House in 5 Days?

1. Price Your Property Right

As a home owner, you initially set a higher price quote for your treasured property in case interested buyer negotiates for a lower selling price. Yes, that may be a good idea. However, it was proven to prolong the sale than expected. Make sure you price your property right.

The lower and competitive your price is, more interested buyers will inquire, check your house, and compete to win the property. And this is an advantage for you to increase your selling price. A serious home buyer will definitely make a fair deal for your home at your desired price.

2. De-clutter Your House the Day you Made Your House For Sale

Once you placed the sale placard outside your home or post a for sale advertisement anywhere on the web, expect for visitors to come in and out your home at any time of the day.

De-clutter your house and put out of sight those unwarranted posters, photos, and icons. A de- cluttered house looks larger and tidy, which provokes a positive impression from them. Serious buyers want a turnkey home so spruce up your house the moment you made it for sale.

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3. Market their Possible Lifestyle

Prospect buyers will for sure make an ocular in your house to check if it still accommodating and does meet their home requirements. But more than highlighting your home’s design interior and assets introduced to them their possible lifestyle whenever they have decided to buy and transfer in your home.

Is the school or grocery just nearby? Are their recreation centers and parks near the place? Tell them! They will be happy to hear those unsolicited information.

4. Make Use of Your Networks

Never neglect the power of the World Wide Web. If you want to sell your property fast, take advantage of the web opportunities.

Aside from posting on major online listings, why not post it on your social media, share it with your friends, and ask them to re-share it with their friends? This is a free marketing technique that will surely help you sell your home faster.

5. Sell to Home Buyers

Home buyers buy a property of any state and kind faster than you ever thought. They usually pay in cash and assume responsibility on cosmetic fix up and refurbishing.

Home Buyers are more accessible than real estate agents as they personally reach to you after you have requested for property quotation. They don’t charge commissions, which is a big saving. They also buy your house as-is at a competitive and fair rate.

Home buyers are everywhere on the web. However, not everyone is a guaranteed buyer. Make sure you only transact with quality and reliable home buyers like The Home Buyers.

If you really need to sell your home faster due to foreclosures, structural issues, or for personal reasons, above are the 5 proven ways you can successfully sell your house.

Feel free to contact The Home Buyer to get your quote. A personal consultant will assist you throughout the process while evaluating your distressed property to give you the right and fair selling price.

5 Advantages of Selling Your House for Cash

For the past decades, the real estate market had significantly changed. Real estate agents were the real heroes of the market long until investors and cash buyers exist.

There might be chances that you have come along several sites with “We Buy Home for Cash” advertisements or even got offers from them after you posted your property for sale.

However, before you dive in the cash home buying bandwagon, it is best to know the benefits and advantages of dealing with a cash home buyer. If you don’t know yet, here are 4 ideal reasons to sell your house for cash.

Benefits of Selling a House to a Cash Buyer

1. They Offer Cash

If you want to sell your home fast in Washington DC because of job closure, divorce, or even foreclosure, seek the help of a cash home buyer. Cash home buyers have the money at hand to purchase your home. They don’t wait for a lender approval as they have enough funds to buy the property fast. And this means lesser paperwork and faster completion of the transaction.

Read: 13 Common Reasons Why Americans Sell Their Homes

With growing appraisal complaints and tightening of financial restrictions, dealing with an investor, who is willing to pay cash, is more appealing for home sellers.

2. They offer Various Payment Options

Aside from paying in cash, cash home buyers can offer you several payment options to suit your needs. These payment methods include cash pre-scheduled payments, certified funds, or they would even claim and pay your existing property mortgage.

Having these options available, opt the option that can support your financial requirements.

3. They Buy “As Is” Property

Home buyers also buy properties of different types and conditions as it is. Whether it’s a condo, duplex, townhouse, multi-family property, or an ugly house that needs full renovation, a serious home cash buyer will make a fair offer.

Read: 5 Tips to Sell Your Ugly House Fast

However, be cautious with an investor who wants to buy your house even sight unseen. This is usually the strategy of home buyer scammers. Stay vigilant and make sure that you only deal with legit home buyers.

4. They Don’t Ask for Commissions

If you are to transact with a home cash buyer, you will definitely get your money in full. These investors close the deal themselves. And the transaction only happens between both of you, without third party associations.

This means that you have no commission obligation unlike when dealing with a real estate agent.

Read: A Guide to Selling Your Home Without a Real Estate Agent

5. They Close the Deal within 7 days

Compared to dealing with a real estate agent, who can sell your house for 3 months or so, a cash home buyer can buy your house fast in your surprise. Typically, they can close a deal within 7 days after they review your information and check your property.

But how is that possible? Cash buyers don’t need an appraisal contingency and they don’t rely on approved financing. There’s no intensive inspection as they buy a home as is. Avoiding these processes minimize the hassle that expedites the sale of your house.

If you are going to sell your home, a cash home buyer is an ideal option. They are now accessible online so you can easily transact with them.

At Home Buyers, we give a fair and decent quotation for your property. After we receive your online form, we will instantly review and check your asset, and contact you as soon as possible.

We don’t haggle as we always make a fair offer. We have a flexible and friendly team to make the process easy and simple for you. Let’s close the deal in just 7 days!

6 Guaranteed Ways to Ensure that Your Homebuyer is Legit

Cash home buyers and property buying companies have been in the public eyes for decades now. And new startups still show up each and every day without us knowing where and what companies do they represent.

Although the US Federation has enacted the Financial Services Authority (FSA) on July 1, 2009, firms and companies still flout the regulation and continuous to do an unscrupulous and illegal transactions with accommodating and innocent home sellers.

Ways to Check If You Are Dealing with a Real Estate Scammer

So in order to keep away from first-time home seller mistakes, move forward, and have your property sold to the right home buyer, here are 6 ways to guarantee you that your home buyer is legitimate and trustworthy.

1. Research and Vet About your Home Buyer

Observe and analyze the way your home buyer interacts and deals with the transaction. A serious buyer will keep his promises, even the simplest ones, like showing up or calling you back.

Ask the buyer a lot of questions, especially about his purchasing process, and observe if he is just glossing the conversation to deceive you. Be careful of those home buyers who claim they are experts, but in reality, lacks experience and are just wannabe’s.

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2. Ask for the Business or Company’s Registration Number

Registered home buyers display their registration number on most of their company documentations. Validate their registration number at the Companies House to ensure that they are authentic and their information, such as company name and address, synchronize.

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3. Create Specific Terms of Service

Make a formal and specific term of service or written code of practice to be signed by both parties. A home buyer that is reluctant to agree on these terms often plays a ploy and hides something.

Never continue an engagement to your home buyer if he doesn’t sign the agreement.

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4. Verify the Proof of Funds

Not because he claims to buy your home does mean he has enough funds.

In reality, some creative home buyers closed the transaction without any cash at hand. They also have a secret transaction with another home buyer, who, in reality, will pay for the property.

A bank statement, showing his past 30 -60 days statement account, is what you need. This document helps you validate if his name on the bank statement and contract tie up.

5. Check if He’s an Active Cash Home Buyer

A legitimate home buyer actively purchases homes and properties and has his name written on several deeds of contract. Checking on the deeds of record is now easier as they are already accessible online.

With just his name or the company name he represents, you can research and instantly pull up his records. They should be listed as grantee on the actual deeds of record.

If you have time, you can also track the purchasing record of the home buyer from your local deed record office.

6. Write Down in Paper Your Verbal Commitments

Ultimately, record every verbal agreement you have together.

Verbal negotiations should be written down and must be spelled out in the contract. And once he presented his written offer, peruse over the document and ensure that all your agreements were clearly stated.

No one, except you, can only discover if you are making a deal with a legitimate investor or just a pretentious agent.

These tips can save you from scams and other problems brought by these inexperienced and illegitimate home buyers. Make sure to only deal with an honest, trustworthy, and professional home buyers. Beware of scammers!

The Home Buyers is a US registered real estate investors. We buy houses, whether its ugly, as-is, or derailed, in cash. We hold to the values of integrity and commitment and we guarantee satisfaction to all our customers.

Contact us now and we will send you a quote!

5 Mistakes First Time Home Sellers Should Avoid

Selling your home is time-consuming and challenging especially if you’re doing the transaction yourself the first time. Prospect buyers will check your property, criticize the place, and may provide low ball offers. These are a bit frustrating, right?

If you have no experience in the real estate ground, it feels daunting and emotionally challenging. And to be frank, you will for sure make lots of mistakes.

Biggest Mistakes Home Sellers Make

Minimize or totally avoid pitfalls. And make sure to sell your house fast at a decent price without getting too overwhelmed by the nitty-gritty of the transaction.

Here are top 5 mistakes most homeowners fall into the trap.

1. Positioning Yourself as the Homeowner

If you are finally decided to sell your house, position yourself as a business person rather than the homeowner. Look at the deal from a business perspective to avoid separation anxiety from the place you’ve built so many memories.

2. Avoiding a Cash Home Buyer

Selling your home is a real challenge. Some home sellers opt to hire a real estate agent to help them with the complete transaction however it takes an average of 3 months to successfully close a deal with the perfect bidder. So much time wasted, isn’t it? Worst is 6% commission goes to the agent, which is undeniably unfair to you as the owner.

Read: 7 Hidden Charges You Need to Pay in Selling Your Home

Instead of hiring a real estate agent, why not sell your property to a reputable cash home buyer and sell your house in 7 days. It’s easier to carry out transactions with them as they know the business and always consider the owners deal without asking for a commission. Selling your home to a cash home buyer also saves you from credit and possible foreclosure.

However, beware of scammers, who portrayed themselves as would-be buyers. These warning signs can help you assess your buyers.

3. Pricing too High

Make sure you set a competitive asking price. Check the comparable market analysis or find comps for your house to identify the fair and decent amount to price your home.

Overpriced properties don’t sell. Instead, bid on the low side as it proves to generate more offers. This way, someone will definitely bid up to the home’s realistic market value just to win the bid. In fact, underpricing is a great strategy to spawn more interested parties to your listing.

Read: 8 Warning Signs that Your House is Overpriced

4. Posting Poor Photos

Real estate transactions are now done on the web. Make sure to take advantage of the free advertising by posting high-quality photos of your home’s assets.

Set listings apart from the others by posting clear and crisp actual photos of your property. Let them experience your home through your photographs. This helps you generate more interested buyers.

5. Hiding Significant Problems

Never hide problems about your property as it will be uncovered soon during the buyer’s inspection. What you can do is to under price your property, resolve it ahead of time or place it at a normal pay rate with a credit to fix the issues.

You can also take advantage of the FHA 230 (K) Loan to fund your home improvement projects.

Fix the problem as soon as possible to avoid losing interested buyers who want a turnkey home.

Selling your home is not easy as putting a “sale” placard on your door. Avoid the above mistakes for a seamless transaction that will give you a rewarding sale and experience.

If you are serious about selling your property fast, it is best to find a reputable cash home buyer to buy your house for cash at a decent and competitive selling price. The Home Buyer is here to save you from debts, foreclosures, and taxes.

Call us today! Our friendly customer representative will answer all your questions and assist you with everything you need.

7 Warning Signs to Avoid Cash Homebuyer Scammers

Selling your home fast to a cash home buyer is possible. However, with the increase in demand and interest for home cash buyers, scammers take advantage. These scammers pose as would-be buyers and prey innocent home sellers to swindle their hard-earned money. We don’t want that to happen.

Tips to Avoid Real Estate Scammer

In order to avoid getting scammed, here are 7 warning signs to take note and observe when dealing with a home buyer.

1. Purchases the Property even Sight Unseen

After you have posted your property for listings, you received a message from someone offshore telling that he is interested in buying your house for cash, sight unseen, no interest about the neighborhood and the city, and without any question. This is a red flag!

A serious home buyer usually checks the property themselves or asks his agent to do the ocular for them. Legit buyers also ask questions a lot and pay attention to all relevant details including the community and their possible lifestyle.

2. Confidently Shares Financial Details

You will be surprised that attached in his initial email are his financial records and bank statements even you never asked for it. Who would share this confidential information with a stranger? Oh, maybe, a cash home buyer scammer.

If you are a first-time home seller and doing the business the first time, it seems that he is a legit home buyer. However, the truth is he’s not. Be wary and avoid fast cash for home scams.

3. Unable to Make In-person Phone Calls

Scammers will make you believe that they are in or from a different country, for an instance China or Canada. But because of time differences, you cannot make in-person phone calls so he requests you to call his attorney instead. But when you make the call, they sound way different from the twang of a native Canadian or Chinese.

Scammers avoid being traced that’s why you cannot make in-person conversations with them.

4. Communicates via Email only

So instead of making personal phone calls, these would-be cash home buyers prefer e-mail as your primary communication medium.

Lately, fraud usually happens through e-mail. Their initial e-mail shows their over-eagerness to buy your property. However, the e-mail has a poorly written content with lots of grammatical errors.

Take note that a serious and professional home buyer is also professional in writing his buying intention.

5. Trusts an Agent Met Online

Because he is a busy businessman, the buyer easily trusts an agent he only met online. He never has any previous transaction with the agent nor was referred by a friend. But despite these inconsistencies, he still trusts the agent to make the purchase for him and recommend an attorney for additional assistance.

Although these are possible, still be cautious. Scammers are good at making stories.

6. Haggle –Free

Haggle-free transactions are suspicious and illegitimate. Typical home buyers negotiate a purchase and clever investors usually don’t pay in full. But these buyers are rare to find.

Read: 5 Types of Home Buyers You Will Meet in Selling Your House

7. Renders Check even Unnecessary

Cash-buyer scam tends to pay in cash.

Typically, they send a cashier check with either an earnest money or cash deposit then instantly changed their minds after the deposit. Instances happen when they deposit more than the agreed amount.

Of course, they will come up with reasons for you to refund the full or portion of the deposited amount through a wire transfer.

“The average amount they are currently sending for down payment is $38,000, and the average amount they are asking for you to return is $8,000,” said Chandler

Don’t get deceived by this fraudulent strategy. Make sure you refund the cash only until it clears the bank.

Online financial scams are becoming more sophisticated than ever. Keep yourself and your finances secured from scammers by observing these warning following these ways to ensure that your home buyer is legitimate.

Only deal with a reputable cash home buyer like The Home Buyers. We are a legitimate cash home buyer and real estate professionals with extensive and honest track record in the real estate industry.