Ten Things to Expect When Selling Your Home in Orlando, FL

You’re ready to sell your home, and you have dreams of the first family coming to see your home, walk in the front door, fall in love, make an offer for more than you’d hope for, and the sale finalized in thirty days. Sellers don’t always know what to expect after they put their home on the market, and these ten tips can help you in the process. 

 

• - Be prepared to do some painting and patching, at the very least.  If you want the best sale price, you must do your best to get that price. 
• - It’s a practical idea to have the house inspected for pests and have that report ready if/when a potential buyer asks about it. 
• - Major issues with your house should be repaired before the For-Sale sign goes in the front yard, and if it’s not possible, you’ll need to offer a credit to the buyer for repairs. 

• - Detach your emotions about the house while you’re in sell mode.  Think of it as a financial transaction, or from the excited and expectant house hunter’s view.  
• - Be clear on what does or does not stay with your home:  any kitchen appliances, washer and dryer, chandeliers, and even window treatments.   
• - If you or your agent have decided to hire a staging firm, don’t take offense if they ask to put your belongings in storage.  It’s not personal--it’s about making your home attractive to the general public and getting the best sale price for you! 
• - Be prepared for inconvenience.  You will not be getting a weekly showing schedule every Monday that’s set-in stone.  If you want to sell your house, flexibility is key when allowing potential buyers in to see it. 
• - Talk with your agent about what incentives you can offer to make your home more attractive to a buyer. 

• - Be available to your agent, whether it be via phone calls, texting or email.  They are your link to the buyer, and it’s important that you be accessible to them. 
• - As the seller, you have to be at the closing, so be prepared the day of:  zillow.com gives you the low-down on what to bring, and what you’ll be signing. 

 

Once you’re finished with the cleaning, decluttering, and replacing that one doorknob that doesn’t work, it’s time to get your home sold.  Selling it at the best price means that you have to be prepared, flexible, and practical. If you’re not sure what you need to do, ask your Realtor.  They are there for you in every step of the home-selling process. 

 

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

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Photo credit: The Nest

Selling a Loved One's Home

After the death of a loved one, having to go through the estate settlement process can be very difficult.  Not only is there plenty of new things to learn during the process, the cleaning out of the home the decedent lived in and going through their things wears on the emotions of those whose hands this job has fallen into.  These practical tips should help the process go smoothly: 

 

• - First and foremost, make sure doors and windows are secure, and any valuables are safely stored away, preferably in a safe deposit box. Valuables include anything that connects to the internet:  smartphones, tablets, and computers. 
• - Gather all key paperwork about the house and other property: a will, if there is one, insurance papers, warranty information, tax information and utility bills.  The executor will need to have all this handy.  
• - Make certain the neighbors are aware of the death, and ask them to look out for the empty home.  

• - Once the executor has been appointed, no matter what the situation, make communication with the others involved an absolute must.  Like any life situation, if there’s a communication breakdown, problems abound. 
• - After the funeral, it’s time to begin thinking about the cleaning out of the home. Go through one room at the time.  Let go of the emotional attachment, deciding what you or other family members would like to keep, and what to get rid of.   
• - Many families decide to have an in-house estate sale. Set everything up in categories, and mark prices clearly.  Price them to sell.  If there’s any speculation of something being an antique, have it appraised. 
• - Once the house is cleaned out, contact a Realtor to help you get the house ready for the market.  Updates may be necessary for the best price, so be prepared to make changes to the home. 
• - Some elderly people have lived in the same house for fifty years, and never changed so much as the carpeting.  If you decide to sell as is, your Realtor will know how to set the price; don’t let your emotional investment in the home translate to dollar value.  Not all buyers are looking for vintage decor. 

• - Once the home is sold, familiarize yourself with inheritance tax information.  The IRS has an FAQ section for inheritance sales that will guide you through that process.  

Don’t dread the process.  Many Realtors have already served a family in your situation, and can offer advice on many aspects of the sale, so ask questions when the time comes. This last job can be a labor of love if you allow it, so honor your loved one with a smooth sale and closing of their estate.  

 

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

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Photo credit: propertymarketinvestor.com

 

Ten Home-Showing Tips for Orlando, FL

Your house sells itself.  That said, there are things you can do to move the process along more smoothly.  You’ve spruced up the kitchen cabinets with paint and new hardware, moved all your family photos and personal knick-knacks to a storage unit, and replaced your heavy drapes with sheers to show off the natural light in your home. Now it’s time for your Realtor to bring in potential buyers, and you should keep these recommendations in mind: 

 

• - Make sure the house is spotless.  Your Realtor will let you know when they’re showing your home to someone, so once you’ve done the initial cleaning and purging, keeping it clean should only take a half hour or so before it’s shown. 
• - If the showing is at a time when you would normally be home, leave.  Plan to do your grocery shopping, playdate at the park, or coffee with a friend for this time slot. 
• - Take your pets with you, and put Kitty’s litter box in the garage.  If that isn’t possible, find a trusted pet sitter to take them for the hour or so that your Realtor needs. 

• - Don’t cook a meal the night before that would have a lingering unpleasant odor.  Lemon, orange or cinnamon scents appeal to the masses, so use these sparingly just before you leave the house; less is more in the case of home aroma. 
• - Your stack of bills, any medicines, as well as your valuables, should be locked away.  Potential buyers truly look at everything, and you wouldn’t want your privacy compromised. 
• - If you give the kitchen and bathrooms a quick once-over with cleaning solutions before the showing, stay away from strong cleaners like bleach and ammonia.  The smell could be too much, as well as being allergens for some. A lightly scented multi-purpose cleaner would be best. 
• - In carpeted rooms, run your vacuum over the floors in one direction, if possible, working from the farthest point of the room to the door, and don’t walk on it after you’re finished. 
• - Turn on the lights and open the blinds in any of the darker rooms or areas of your home.  This not only keeps your Realtor from having to do it, but it shows the buyers each space in its best light. 

• - Make sure the temperature in the house is comfortable.  Your family may like a cool home, but 70° is perfect for most people. 
• - Have a basket or decorative bin at the ready for paperwork, pet toys, kids’ toys and other everyday items that need to be picked up on short notice, and store it on a shelf or another out-of-sight spot.  One seller took the basket with her when she left for the showing! 

 

If you’re just walking out of the front door as the potential homeowners are arriving with your Realtor, greet them with a smile and a hello, and be on your way.  You’ve hired your Realtor for a reason, and if there are any questions buyers may have, your agent can handle these, or contact you if there’s something they can’t answer.  Remember to be flexible during this time of your life.  You want to sell your home, so be its best advocate, no matter what it takes! 

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.
Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.
You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.
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Photo credit: Hendrix Properties