Selling Your Home - Houseopedia, LLC

Use Your Home Equity to Lessen the Sting of Higher Interest Rates

Today’s higher mortgage interest rates have many homeowners hesitant to sell their houses and buy new ones. But the skyrocketing...

What Must You Disclose When Selling Your Home?

You must disclose certain material facts about your home that you are aware of when selling it. Not informing the...

Don’t Overlook These Moving Checklist Items

Moving is much more than packing boxes, hiring a mover or renting a truck. Here is a checklist of “must-do”...

What to Repair Before You Sell Your House

It generally isn’t financially wise to undertake major renovations just to sell your house, but repairs are another story. Most...

Does Your Homeowner’s Insurance Cover Your Vacant Home?

Your homeowner's insurance covers damages to your home from specific perils and certain expenses of visitors who get hurt at...

Are “Cash for Houses” Companies and iBuyers Legit?

While stopped at an intersection, you’ve probably seen signs advertising “we pay cash for houses.” You also may have heard...

Pros and Cons of Using a Discount Broker

When selling your home, you might consider a discount brokerage firm to save money on commissions. Using a discount firm...

How to Buy a House Before You Sell

Across the country, a shortage of houses for sale coupled with strong demand has led to homes selling mere days...

Should You Remodel Before Selling Your Home?

Home sales in many parts of the country are red hot. With houses selling so briskly, is it worth the...

Counting the Closing Costs Before you Sell

When you sell your home, you may be subtracting the amount you owe on your mortgage from the sales price...

What Does it Mean to Have Clear Title?

Having clear title to a property is a crucial part of any transaction between buyers and sellers. What does it...

Save on Taxes With a Real Estate Installment Sale

If you sell real property, you can avoid or reduce your capital gains tax by structuring the deal as an...

Deciphering the Details: What Your Listing Agreement Means

Selling a home with an agent requires you to sign a contract that includes terms that may be foreign to...

Pest Inspections in the Home Sales Process

The question of pest inspections often arises during the process of selling a house. Is a pest inspection a regular...

When a Home Buyer Wants Early Possession of the House

Sometimes in a home sale, the buyer asks to take possession of the property before closing. Most real estate agents...

Property Ownership after Divorce: Who Gets the House?

A divorcing couple that owns a home must decide what to do with it. There are several options, but all...

The Pros and Cons of “Instant Buying”

Selling a home can seem daunting. Making repairs, painting and keeping it clean for potential buyers sounds like a lot...

What You Need to Know About Real Estate Transfer Fees

Real estate transfer fees are one of several costs paid at closing. What is this fee, who pays it and...

Your Tax Responsibilities Under FIRPTA

If you buy property in the United States from a foreign owner, the Internal Revenue Service will likely require you...

Buying a Home For the Short Term: Does It Make Sense?

How long do you need to own a home before you can sell it profitably? The answer depends on your...

Key Differences in Selling a Vacation Home

The strategies and logistics of selling a second or vacation home are different from selling your primary residence. To successfully...

Selling a Home During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Showing your home to strangers can be a bit unnerving in the best of times. But when a serious disease...

When Does a Pre Listing Home Inspection Make Sense?

Once a house is under contract, the buyer typically hires an inspector to check the property’s condition. In certain situations,...

FAQs for First-Time Home Sellers

Selling a home is a complicated process, especially if you are new to it. Let’s relieve any anxiety with answers...

Should You Purchase Rental Truck Insurance?

If you’ve rented a car, you’re no doubt familiar with the “loss damage waiver” car rental companies offer to relieve...

Tackling a Big Job: Moving a Hot Tub

Sellers may want to take a hot tub with them to their next house, and buyers may want to get...

Buying or Selling a Home With Unpermitted Space

Selling or buying a home where construction was done without required building permits can be a prickly problem that is...

Important Considerations Before Selling and Downsizing

Downsizing is the byword in the soon-to-be-retired set, shedding the outsized house for smaller, more manageable living. But before you...

The Tax Benefit of Selling Your Home

The tax advantages of buying and owning a home are well known, but what happens when you sell? Read on...

Should You Buy a House Before Selling Yours?

If you’re in the market for a new home, should you buy a house before selling your current home? That’s...

Resizing May Perfectly Suit Your Needs

As couples watch their children leave the nest, they are increasingly “downsizing” to homes with less space, maintenance, and expense....

Should You Sell A Home “As Is”?

Sometimes a seller chooses to sell a home “as is.” What does that mean? When is this a good option...

Lockboxes: A Key to Selling Your House

You’ve seen them as you pass houses for sale: lockboxes hanging from the front door handle or porch railing. A...

Growing and Using Your Home Equity

The housing market continues to improve nationally through the current crisis. Industry forecasters expect pent up demand and low supply...

Public Information About You and Your Home

When you buy or sell a home, the transaction is recorded by local government offices. The basic information is open...

Home Repairs: How to Negotiate to Close a Deal

Home repair issues that show up on an inspection report are up for negotiation. It’s up to the buyers and...

Senior Choices: When Is It Time to Move On?

When the kids are grown and retirement is just ahead, it’s time to make some tough choices. Should you stay...

Benefits of Using a Certified Senior Housing Professional

When senior adults decide to sell their homes, hiring a “Certified Senior Housing Professional” can be a huge help. What...

Transportation Alternatives for Senior Adults

As senior adults age and give up driving, the need for alternative transportation soars. Since you can’t always rely on...

Do You Need to Hire a Senior Move Manager?

For aging adults contemplating a major move, hiring a “senior move manager” might be a wise decision. A rapidly growing...

What Do You Do When Your Children Don’t Want Your Stuff?

Baby Boomers fretting over what will happen to all their belongings when they die have good reason to worry. Millennial...

What You Need to Know About Real Estate Commission Rebates

Real estate commission rebates can be a great tool to help clinch a deal. What exactly is a commission rebate?...

Four Costly Mistakes to Avoid When Moving

Selling a home and moving is expensive. No need to further add to your expenses by making costly mistakes. Here’s...

5 Things You Need to Know About Storage Units

While it rarely makes sense to store items long-term -- the rent will eventually exceed the replacement value of your...

Recording Your Home Showings: Is it a Violation of Privacy?

When you list your home for sale, do you have the right to record potential home buyers as they tour...

Don’t Let a Swing Set Sink the Sale of a Home

When you put your home up for sale, what are your options regarding the basketball hoop, swing set or playhouse...

From Contract to Closing Table: Avoiding Pitfalls

As a seller, just because you’re under contract doesn’t mean it’s time to relax. It’s a bit like reaching the...

Does Your Real Estate Agent Work for You?

When hiring a real estate agent to help buy or sell a home, you expect the agent to work in...

How to Navigate a Contingency Offer

When selling a home, an offer to purchase is certainly welcome news, but it may be wise to hold off...

How to Deal With a Low-Ball Offer

After a few days on the market, your agent calls to tell you there is an offer on the home....

How Does a Listing Agent Get Paid and By Whom?

When a home is listed for sale with a real estate company, the seller is ultimately agreeing to pay both...

Passing on a House to Family Members

It’s not uncommon for an elderly homeowner to pass along a house to heirs. Let’s examine ways to do so,...

Moving the Big, the Odd and the Delicate

Moving is stressful enough, but extra care must be paid to the safe packing and transport of special items such...

Do-It-Yourself Packing and Moving

With a little planning, the right materials and the help of some strong volunteers, packing up and moving your household...

When You Get a Better Offer on Your House

Congratulations, you’ve gotten a contract on your house! But wait, someone else makes an even better offer. Can you accept...

Should Sellers ‘Pre-Inspect’ Their Homes?

While inspections are commonplace when buying a home, should you, as the seller, consider having your home “pre-inspected” before listing...

When Is a Room Not a Room?

When selling your house, does room count matter? What defines a room? And who gets to decide? What does the...

What to Do When You Have Multiple Offers on Your Home

Most home sellers can only dream of a bidding war on their houses. But in a brisk market, sellers with...

5 Steps to Finding a Trusted Moving Company

A trustworthy moving company is your key to a less stressful moving day. But how do you go about finding...

Handy Tips to Make Your Move a Success

Moving can be an exciting time, but it’s also a lot of work. Beyond the obvious jobs like packing and...

Seller Responsibilities to Close a Home Sale

The moment a sales contract is signed, the clock begins ticking for both buyer and seller to fulfill contractual obligations....

When Is It Time to Reduce your List Price?

If your house has been up for sale for two months -- or longer -- without a nibble of interest,...

Let’s Make a Deal: Seller Strategies

When you get an offer to buy your house, take a deep breath and set aside your emotions. It’s time...

When a House Sells, What Stays and What Goes?

When a home seller and a buyer come to an agreement on a sale, more than just the house and...

Show Me the Money: Home Remodeling that Pays Off

If you’re talking about a potential home renovation project, it’s important to know if the money you put into the...

Biggest Losers: You Won’t Recoup Your Money on These Home Remodeling Projects

Before jumping into a home remodeling project, think hard about the reasons behind your proposed renovations. If an anticipated big...

Setting the Right Price with the Right Agent

When you decide to sell your home with an agent, one of the most important decisions you will make together...

Surefire Tips for Reducing Stress When Moving With Kids

Pulling up stakes and moving is stressful. Add kids to the mix, and your stress levels may be off the...

Prep Your Pets For Moving Day

Your family is moving to a new home. It’s an exciting and stressful time for everyone -- including your pets....

How Neighbors Can Help (or Hurt) Your Home’s Value

Recent home sales in your neighborhood are a good predictor of the price your home might fetch, but your neighbors...

As a Seller, What Should I Expect From My Real Estate Agent?

The complexities of selling a home can be daunting. You don’t have the time or inclination to sell it yourself...

Six Tips to Help Your Home Appraise Well

Congratulations! You have a contract on your house, at or near your asking price, and your buyer is in the...

The Home Inspector is Coming and I’m Terrified

One of the most anxiety producing aspects of selling a home is when the buyer sends the home inspector. As...