The importance of doing a pre-market title search!

1) A divorced takes place and you are awarded the home; this does not prevent the X from placing a lien on the property!

2) Parents pass away and the property is left to the siblings, if any of the siblings have liens against them most title companies will require those liens be paid off out of the proceeds at closing!

Over the years these scenarios have happened to several of my past sellers and what an upsetting and sometimes costly surprise this has been! Sometimes an attorney needs to be brought into the equation to help resolve or come to an agreement on the issues between the parties.

With most sales and especially divorce and estate sales, I highly recommendation doing an advance title search, you never know what you might find, but whatever you do find by doing so in advance will give more time to resolve the issues for timely closing.

Get a home inspection before or after the sale?

My listed homes are always fully pre-inspected before they hit the market and they have been for over 20 years and from all these years of experience, the list of benefits just keeps growing, but one that stands out the most is hundreds of smooth no-surprise transactions and who does not like a smooth no-surprise transaction?
This article is a little dated but the facts still remain true!

http://www.frontdoor.com/sell/get-an-inspection-before-selling-your-home/2109

Its the little things that set apart the good from the best and only the best for my clients!

https://www.facebook.com/michaelgacekedinarealty?ref=tn_tnmn#!/photo.php?fbid=10151201749485633&set=a.394714855632.164137.206113445632&type=1&theater

What You Must Know About Home Appraisals

Understanding how appraisals work will help you achieve a quick and profitable refinance or sale!
http://members.houselogic.com/articles/what-you-must-know-home-appraisals/preview/

Thinking of installing a fence or building a shed and you are not 100% sure where your property line is, get a survey!

Even if you find your property stakes, sometimes you cannot rely that they are correct! Over time people could have moved them or they can be bumped without knowing!

Did you know you can just get 1 side of your lot surveyed; you do not have to get the whole lot surveyed.

You don’t want to build your fence or your shed or whatever partially on your neighbor’s lot, which can create big issues when you go to sell!

Consider talking with your neighbor, it is good for both parties in the end.

I have used  http://www.advsur.com/

Do you know Mold?

http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/indoorair/mold/index.html

Thinking of selling your home? More traffic = more buyers!

Here’s an interesting example of the 80/20 rule!

  On 2/25/2012 there were 66 homes for sale in zip codes 55413 & 55418 priced over $100K.

53 of the 66 homes for sale have less than the maximum 18 photos and/or lack the maximum 255 characters of descriptive text on the RMLS.

Not to mention the poor quality of many of the featured photos = 80% of the homes are NOT fully represented!

If you're a potential home seller and would like your property showcased to its' full potential, don’t take a chance and hire an agent in the 80% group. Hire me, chairperson of the 20% group!

Do your shingles look like these?

If so, replace them before you put your home on the market as they are way past their life expectancy! They will also be a red flag for a buyer, the inspector and a good chance the loan appraiser and would need to be replaced before the property can close!

Do you have pipes like these?

If so, replace them! Pipes that look like these will definitely be a red flag for a buyer and an inspector! Get them replaced before going on the market!

Thinking of cutting down a tree on your property?

Watch this first! You may want to hire a professional to do the job, you might in the end actually save money! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpJTJ5OA4HU

Do you have look like this?

If so, cut them back, trim the tree back or remove them! When they are overgrown like these, it makes it very hard or not possible to take an appealing photo of the front of your home and when they get overgrown, they can possibly even cause damage to your home!

Do you have a look like these?

Do you have a look like this? If so, repair it! First of all, it gives a potential buyer the feeling the home has been neglected, not just in the peeling/chipping/flaking paint area, but possibly neglected in other areas of the home the buyer may or may not be able to see! Then there is the FHA appraisal process, and for all properties built prior to 1/1/1978, the FHA appraiser must inspect all interior surfaces for defective paint surfaces, i.e. chipping, peeling, or flaking paint and must be remedied prior to closing.

Always best to get it done prior to putting home on market!

If the paint is cracking/peeling/chipping or flaking on any interior or exterior surface, the affected area must be scraped, sanded and washed so all defective paint is removed. You should not use a blow torch in case the paint is lead based. A ground cloth should also be used and chips should be properly disposed of. The treated surface should then be primed and painted with 2 coats of matching paint and FHA in most case will require this to be done prior to closing.  

FHA will allow escrow for exterior paint issues from November 30 to May 1^st. (Subject to weather and lender requirements)