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Selling your home comes with associated expenses and efforts. Preparing your home for the market involves costs, tasks, and considerable work. Prior to listing, carefully consider the time, energy, and financial investment required. In some cases, having a direct buyer with an attractive offer may be preferable, avoiding the inconvenience and out-of-pocket expenses associated with the traditional listing process. Discover what it REALLY costs to sell your home.
Commissions, Staging & Yard Work, Oh My!
Cleaning
The initial step is crucial: the home must undergo a comprehensive cleaning from ceiling to floor. This includes cleaning windows both inside and outside, addressing grout and tile, cleaning baseboards and molding, and meticulously tending to often overlooked areas like window sills and ceiling fans. For pet owners, it’s especially important to focus on eliminating pet hair and odors. While cleaning on your own is an option, hiring a professional ensures precision and efficiency. Moreover, maintaining a consistently clean home for showings, open houses, and unexpected guests can demand a significant amount of time and energy.
Landscaping
Under no circumstances should you overlook your yard when selling your home. Ensuring exceptional curb appeal is crucial, and it’s essential that your yard is not overgrown or plagued by weeds. While it’s possible to handle this task on your own, be prepared for some strenuous work. Here are the key steps you’ll want to take:
- Trim back trees and bushes.
- Weed the lawn and open areas.
- Plant flowers and appropriate plants.
- Fix anything in need of repair.
- Add fresh paint to outdoor trim, mailbox, door, etc.
- Add seating and other elements of staging to make the outside areas more welcoming
Craft a backyard that exudes warmth, invites, and is impeccably manicured. Remember, the front yard serves as the initial impression—ensure it’s a positive one!
Storage & Moving
Even if you’re still residing in your home, it’s wise to begin packing and storing some of your personal items once it’s on the market, preparing for your eventual move. The presence of personal belongings throughout the home can create a sense of clutter and potentially discourage potential buyers. While your home is listed, finding a storage solution for your belongings becomes necessary, possibly requiring offsite storage. If you’re temporarily residing elsewhere until the house sells, you may find yourself paying rent in addition to your mortgage, not to mention managing two sets of utility bills.
Upon the sale of your house, there are inevitable moving expenses to account for. Will you enlist professional movers, handle all the packing yourself, or require a rented truck? These are all considerations that should be factored into your budget.
Listing Fees, Agent Fees, Administrative Fees and Notary Charges
Collaborating with an agent entails a variety of fees and charges that might catch you off guard. In addition to the commission, which we’ll discuss later, agents often transfer several fees to you for marketing, listing, and administrative tasks such as clerical work and printing. Notarization and other minor charges also contribute to the overall costs, accumulating quickly.
Commissions
Here’s the significant aspect: when you sell your home through an agent, they are entitled to a commission, typically around 6% of your sale price. While this percentage may vary, 6% is a reasonable estimate. When determining your asking price, ensure you account for commissions along with the additional charges mentioned earlier.
But here at LJE Property Solutions we believe the house selling process should be easier, faster, and more painless for Belton home sellers. If you’re serious about selling your Belton house… we’re ready to give a fair all-cash offer. Also, when we buy your house directly from you, we buy as-is. You walk away without having to do any repairs. It’s that easy and convenient.