Selling your home on the Philadelphia market either on your own or with a real estate agent involves spending money out of pocket and settling up the remainder of the bill at the closing table. Adding up the numbers of a listing can be incredibly eye-opening; however, many homeowners fail to account for all the expenses that will eventually trickle their way into the transaction, like small streams coming together into a surprisingly fast-running river of costs.
Watching your profits being swept away by the costs of selling can be extremely disheartening. To help you put together a realistic picture of what lies ahead, we will discuss how to estimate the costs when selling your house in Philadelphia.
Commissions
For example, one of the highest costs when selling your house in Philadelphia is the commissions paid to real estate agents. In an attempt to save the commissions for themselves, homeowners often find themselves knee-deep in complicated paperwork, unexpected expenses, and even in legal hot water over disclosure laws.
Updates and Repairs
Prepping your home for showings high on the list of costs when selling your house in Philadelphia, often homeowners spend sleepless nights concerned about significant repairs they’re aware the home needs before listing and what other issues may lurk behind the walls or under the floor. In addition, sellers should refresh worn flooring and outdated decor with an update throughout the home. At the minimum, sellers should repair any damage visible to buyers during showings, such as water damage on walls or ceilings.
Curb Appeal
Making your home feel inviting with a fresh coat of paint and some strategic landscaping and lighting are all part of the costs when selling your house in Philadelphia. To help bring the importance of this expense into focus, if you photograph your home from the street view and compare it to a house on the cover of a real estate magazine, you’ll understand all too quickly if your home has any curb appeal.
Staging
When estimating the costs when selling your house in Philadelphia, add staging. To create a blank canvas upon which buyers can easily paint themselves into the scenery, sellers often enlist the services of a professional stager. Based on human psychology, top real estate agents understand that staging listings have proven to be well worth the trouble, given the potential to increase the final sales price.
Marketing
Don’t skip on marketing costs when selling your house in Philadelphia. So naturally, all of the monthly bills will keep pouring in; you may also have the added financial burden of a second residence if forced by circumstance to move before the sale. If your new home isn’t a convenient drive away, you may have the added cost of hiring a caretaker to watch over the home you have for sale.
Inspections and Appraisals
Hiring professional inspectors and appraisers is a necessary cost when selling your house in Philadelphia. The buyers, typically taking out a mortgage to purchase your home, must provide reports to the lender for final approval of the loan. Problems discovered during the inspection may cost you even more in additional repairs or time. In addition, should the appraisal come in under the sales price, your buyers will require additional financing because the loan doesn’t cover the cost of the property.
Concessions
When problems arise after an inspection, if your buyers don’t walk away, you may find yourself absorbing the costs when selling your house in Philadelphia. Often, sellers offer credit to the buyers towards the repairs to save the deal or complete the repairs before the closing.
Closing
The closing process adds to the costs when selling your house in Philadelphia along with title insurance, taxes, and sellers must pay document fees and the remainder of the mortgage and any loans or liens on the property at this time.
Philly Home Investor
With Philly Home Investor, there is smooth sailing; selling your house in Philadelphia directly to Philly Home Investor eliminates commissions, inspections, repairs, and all the stress. At Philly Home Investor, save time and money with our full-service team, a guaranteed closing date, and cash for your home as-is, making the process quick and easy. Call Philly Home Investor at (215) 422-3288 or send us a message to learn more.