Plain answers, no jargon
Selling a house, explained the way a person would explain it
Real estate gets wrapped in words that are doing three jobs at once. Most of the confusion is not you. It is the vocabulary. So here is everything written the way I would say it on the phone, including the parts that do not help me sell anything.
I am Kevin. I buy houses in the Sacramento area, so I have an interest in this. Read accordingly.
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Showing 25 to 36 of 51 posts
How a sale worksWhat a contingency actually is, and why “no contingencies” is not the same as “no risk”
A contingency is a named exit door written into a purchase agreement. Here is what each common one does, and what an offer without them really…
How a sale worksEscrow and title: the two weeks where nothing seems to be happening
Once the price is agreed, an escrow holder and a title company take over and the seller mostly waits. Here is what those two weeks…
How a sale worksWhat an HOA lien actually is, and why the association gets paid before you do
A dues balance can turn into a recorded claim a title company will not close over. Here is how an association lien differs from the other…
How a sale worksWhat a lien actually is, and why the closing waits on somebody else doing their paperwork
A lien is a recorded claim on your property, and a title company will not close over one. Here is what liens are, and why clearing…
Selling as-isThe things an as-is buyer does not care about, and the money you were about to spend on them
Paint, carpet, dated cabinets and an unmowed lawn do not change what I offer. Here is what does, and where to spend money before you sell.
How a sale worksSelling a house from out of state, when you cannot be there to open the door
Distance does not change the house. It changes who does the work. Here is what a sale from another state actually asks of you, and how…
Selling as-isSelling a house that has not been lived in for years
An empty house is not automatically a damaged house. Here is what a long vacancy actually does, and which parts of it you can still fix…
Selling as-isDoes your house have to be clean to sell it as-is?
The house does not have to be clean to sell it as-is. But clutter and grime do change what you are offered, and it is worth…
Selling as-isHow to tell whether your house needs repairs before you sell
Most houses do not announce what is wrong with them. Here is how to walk your own house room by room and find what a buyer…
Selling as-isWhat “major repairs” means to a buyer versus to you
A repair is major to you when it will disrupt your life. It is major to a buyer when it stops a loan. Here is how…
Selling as-isSell it as-is or fix it up first? How to actually decide
Fixing a house up before selling is a bet, not a rule. Here is how to tell which repairs are worth doing first, and which ones…
How a sale worksDo you need a real estate agent to sell a house in California?
California does not require an agent to sell your own house. Here is what an agent actually does, and what you take on if you sell…
Want a real number for your house?
Send the address and the basics. You get the number and the arithmetic behind it, and the honest answer may be that you should list it instead.