Selling your home can be an emotional roller coaster. You might feel sad, happy, or maybe even confused and scared. To add to the mixed feelings, some agents would have you believe that the home selling process is complex and time-consuming. Homie is here to tell you that it’s not rocket science and doesn’t have to be complicated. We believe that the process of selling your home can be simple, dare we say easy, and it shouldn’t cost more than a new car to get everything done right. Here’s a little guide to help you have a better idea of the people you’ll work with in any home selling process.
- Seller
- Listing agent
- Buyer
- Buyer’s agent
- Appraiser
- Inspector
- Title Officer
Seller
Hi there, seller! You’re moving on to your next adventure, so you’re putting your home up for sale. This is a big change, and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. You’re probably going to want to work with someone who knows the real estate market. Usually, people turn to a licensed real estate agent.
It is your choice to work with an agent or not but, but we recommend that you do. An agent can help you list your home to sell by helping pinpoint the best price and market it like a pro. The good news is, your Homies want to help you do all that for a low fee, which means you get a licensed real estate agent and a dedicated team for much less than the commission of a traditional agent.
Listing agent
A listing agent is someone who helps the seller price, list, market and negotiate with other agents to get you the highest price. Traditional listing agents take a commission based on the sale price of the home. Commissions vary but typically it’s 2.5 to 3%! Nowadays, a high commission on the sale of a home seems crazy. That’s where Homie comes in.
At Homie, we have a dedicated team of listing agents and real estate attorneys for every seller. They still provide all the things that a traditional agent does, like advising on pricing and negotiating offers, but we do it for a low fee.
Buyer
You know what a buyer is. They’re the person or family who wants to buy your home! Buyers often come in with their own ideas of what a house should have and how much they are willing to pay to buy a home. It’s likely that there will be the perfect buyer for your home who loves it as much as you do!
However, it’s important to remember that not every buyer is going to love every house, and just because they showed initial interest in a home by touring it, doesn’t mean they are going to make a sweet offer.
Buyer’s agent
The buyer’s agent is the real estate agent who represents the home buyer. Your listing agent will coordinate with the buyer agent throughout the entire process. Like your agent works in your best interest, a buyer’s agent works in the best interest of the buyer.
An agent’s ultimate goal is to negotiate a deal that works for both parties! At Homie, our listing agents communicate with Homie buyer’s agents or outside agents to get you top dollar for your home.
Inspector
Once you receive an offer, negotiate, and go under contract, the buyers will typically send an inspector out to the home to thoroughly evaluate the condition of the home, top to bottom. The inspector will report on anything that is missing or needs fixing. They’ll make sure things are in working order from plumbing to playgrounds. After the inspection and a few days before closing, the buyer is expected to come in and look around the home for the final time before closing. Some agents call this a walk through. Things aren’t ever perfect but it’s nice to know there won’t be any huge surprises after you sign on the dotted line.
Appraiser
The buyer’s lender will have an appraiser evaluate the home to determine its actual value. This gives the buyer an unbiased opinion on what the house is worth according to the market, and more importantly, confirms the value so the lender is comfortable finalizing the loan. The appraiser will also take into account any valuable upgrades you’ve made to the home. Remember that not all additions to the home will increase the value. Long story short, just because you love your fan cave with built-in memorabilia shelves and team-themed paint, doesn’t mean everyone will.
At Homie, every seller receives a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA). The CMA demonstrates how much your home is worth based on the surrounding areas. Your Homie agent will go over this with you and help advise on a listing price.
Although homes list at whatever the seller and the market dictates, you should be aware that your listing price and sale price might not be the same. It’s all about finding a middle ground when it comes to a sale! If you aren’t in a hurry, you can wait for another buyer that might fancy that sports den as much as you do.
Title Officer
A title officer, or sometimes called an escrow officer, is the person you meet with to sign over the title of your home to the new buyer. They work at a title company. One of the biggest parts of their job is to make sure that the home’s title is in condition to sell. If you have liens against your property or aren’t the person who’s on the title of the home, that will affect the sale of the home. The title officer is basically the Sherlock Holmes of title investigation.
In addition to looking into the home’s title, they also may provide escrow services. Escrow is a third party who helps manage mortgage funds. This service will help you when you’re receiving money from your buyer.
How Homie Fits
Homie wants to help you sell your home and save you thousands. That’s our end game. There’s no hidden fees, no high commissions, no kidding. The process of selling a home doesn’t have to be complicated, time-consuming, or expensive. Let your Homies guide you! Click here to start the listing process now!