Frequently Asked Questions
(for our clients selling a home/property)

Your Property is About to Hit the Market

1. Q: I have someone interested in buying my property. What should I do?

A: The short answer is… yes, we would love to sell your property to that interested party. However, let’s be careful in HOW we go about doing that. A lot of people know others who might be or are interested in potentially buying their home or real estate. That’s even more prevalent today with current market conditions which offer so few properties for sale and an abundance of buyers. So it’s common for neighbors, friends, and family to express interest. It’s our strong recommendation to proceed with listing the property as planned and to give that person my phone number and let them know that I am handling it. The reasons why we recommend this strategy, after a lot of experience with different strategies over the years, are:

You’ll get a higher price and net. In almost all cases, the sale price will be considerably higher if we proceed with listing the property, and your net will be higher even when considering real estate commissions. Real estate sold without an agent/being marketed sells on average 13% less which more than makes up for 6% commission. And… the agent does all of the work! An easy thing to do is to take that 6% difference (13% less 6% commission) and put a dollar range to it and then ask yourself if you would give that interested party a check for that amount. For example, 6% on $400,000 is $24,000. Would you willingly give a check for $24,000 to the buyer? Most wouldn’t. Most of the time people assume the interested buyer presents a top dollar and easy transaction when in most cases that’s not the case.
You can still consider their offer… and even take it!
This is the only surefire way to know what your options are…what they could have sold the home for, etc. This way you can make the determination to sell the property to the interested party- once you have all the facts and options. For example, if this buyer is offering you $400,000 before we go live, what’s to say we couldn’t get $440,000 or more on the open market? Then and only then you can determine if you are willing to let go of $40,000 and give that to the buyer as a gift.
Most of the time, the interested party doesn’t end up buying. A lot of people are tire-kicking, wishful thinking, and any number of other things that ultimately lead to nowhere. Without proper vetting of that buyer, there’s no way to know where that buyer is in their journey and whether they truly are a good fit for this property. Most of the time the buyer doesn’t come through, and even when there is interest, the buyer changes their mind or backs out. This can lead to lost opportunity, disappointment, and worse.
We want to keep the momentum of your marketing and sale of your property. Sometimes our marketing and sales process is interrupted when we are waiting on a prospective buyer before we list your property and we don’t want the momentum interfered with. For example, if we did our premarketing, we have people who are on the fishing line NOW who are interested. If there are delays, there’s no telling whether that buyer will still be hot down the road. Countless other examples, including- the photographer is lined up for pictures/marketing, and then by delaying that it pushes the photographers schedule out which pushes our listing out which could affect buyer interest, timing, and be influenced by market conditions.
Let us be the bad guy! It’s our job to get you the best price and terms possible. This way, you can legitimately direct the person interested to me, and then I’ll take it from there. If their offer doesn’t get accepted for any reason, I can take the blame. I have a number of ways of pitching this including that I recommended you take the other offer. This relieves you of any tension or awkwardness.
You have the right to sell and get as much money as you can. If your buying, you’re usually paying top dollar, getting a higher interest rate, etc., than in the past, etc. due to market conditions. You have the right to squeeze out every penny on the sale of your home.
You would still likely need a professional to transact the sale and purchase. This cost to transact, although less, should be considered in the equation. In addition, we have the benefits of long-term reliable relationships with the best-of-the-best of all related vendors that pertain to your real estate transaction. Examples include title companies, lenders, inspectors, etc. This helps provide you and all parties with the best experience at the best price possible which helps ensure you have a smooth real estate transaction.
When that interested buyer calls me, I will be friendly, professional, and thorough, and will answer any questions they have honestly. But remember, I work for you. So all of my answers and management of this potential buyer will be influenced by getting you the highest price and best terms as possible and as easily as possible.

2. Q: What do I do if there’s something I want to take with me that’s a fixture (would otherwise sell with the home)?

A: See What am I permitted to remove from the home when I move out, and what am I required to leave question below under the 'Now that you’ve closed section'. It’s better to have clarity on items you’d like to reserve now so we can reserve those items and make sure any offers from buyers specifically restrict those from selling with the home.

Your Home is Now on the Market

1. Q: How are showings going to work?

A: We will let you know when we receive requests to see your home or property and then you can accept or decline it. We use a system that makes the whole process super efficient and fast. In the event your home or property is vacant, we won’t bother you with the requests to see the property and will confirm those showing requests for you. If you are going to be out of town for an extended period of time, let us know so we can confirm those showing requests for you while you are out of town. IMPORTANT: Be sure to reference the staging and showing document that I shared with you. This is a checklist of things that we recommend our clients do in preparation for a showing. This is tried, tested, and true list of valuable tips that help our clients get top dollar for their home/ property by optimizing that showing experience for the buyer at your home/ property. If you need a copy of that document, email us at eric@zudwegrealestate.com

2. Q: What if a showing request isn’t convenient for me?

A: We want to accept as many showing requests as possible, but if there’s a showing request that doesn’t work for you, you can decline it. Then the buyer will ask for a new time. We all realize you could be in the middle of making dinner, the kids may have destroyed the house, or any number of legitimate reasons why you may want to decline a showing request, but again, all we need is one buyer to fall in love with your home or property. So wherever reasonably possible, accept the showing request.

3. Q: How long do showings typically last?

A: The time slot we send you is the time requested of the buyer/agent. They could show up at any point during that time slot and use whatever remaining time is left. It can be common for an agent to reserve an hour to see a home and then only use the last 20-30 minutes, sometimes less. There can be a lot of reasons for this and it’s usually because there are other homes that the buyer is looking at and they don’t know what time exactly they will show up to yours. Most showings with a home and property of average size, etc, are in the 15-30 minutes time frame. For much larger homes or properties, it can be closer to 30-60 minutes. The longer the buyer is in your home or property, the better, because they are more likely to be very interested and write an offer.

4. Q: Should I be home for the showing?

A: No. Not under any circumstances should you be home during a showing. The reasons for this are many, but the two primary reasons are: 1) we want the buyer’s experience in the home to be optimal and normal. Anytime a seller is present it makes the buyer feel uncomfortable because it isn’t normal, and the buyer can’t freely express their love or dislike or concerns about what they are experiencing. 2) we don’t want you to be in a situation where you are answering questions that the buyer and/or their agent ask you. Agents can be clever and can ask some questions which could very much put you at a huge disadvantage in any pending or forthcoming offers and negotiations. Even innocently asked/answered questions could jeopardize the transaction. Do NOT be home for a showing. Leave the property completely.

5. Q: Is my home shown to qualified buyers?

A: Yes. To whatever extent we can, we help ensure only qualified buyers are shown your home. This means they are either preapproved for a mortgage or have the means to pay cash. We vet anyone that we show your home to and it’s commonly accepted practice for other licensed agents who are showing the home to ensure their client is qualified, also. Because our industry is paid by commission and not by the hour for our services, it’s a natural incentive for real estate agents to make sure they are spending their time with people who are qualified.

6a. Q: Are you going to do an open house?

A: Usually, no, but sometimes :) The reason we do not for some homes is that open houses rarely sell houses. According to a recent study done by the National Association of Realtors, only 3% of homebuyers attend open houses. Even less end up buying the house! There are a lot of reasons for that, but most legitimate buyers prefer a private showing with their agent so that they can freely experience, process, and talk about the home with whoever they attend with and their agent. If only 3% of homebuyers attend open houses, the actual percentage of homes that sell as a result of an open house is way less than 3%. If it’s 1%, that means that out of 100 people in your house, we might find the buyer. The average number of unique sets of visitors that attend an open house is less than 10. That means we have a one-half of a 1% chance of finding our buyer using an open house.

6b. Q: If this is the case… who attends open houses?

A: Two primary types of people: 1) nosy neighbors and 2) looky-loos. Neither have any real intention of buying a home or are qualified to purchase. Further, there’s no way for the agent conducting the open house to ensure the buyer is qualified. There’s no way to know who is in your home and what their intentions are. So we find open houses are not worth it for our client’s sake.

6c. Q: Why are open houses done then?

A: Open houses are usually done for two primary reasons. First, they are done by an agent to self-promote their business, to find new potential clients, expose their branding, etc. Second, they are done to satisfy a homeowner’s request and this helps show the homeowner that the agent is working and doing something.

7. Q: Will I have regular updates, know what’s going on, know how many interested buyers there are, what the showing feedback has been, etc.?

A: Yes! I will provide you with a detailed update regularly, usually every 1-2 weeks, depending on the activity that we have. If we have a lot of activity, that update might be more often, and if we don’t have much/any activity, it might be less often. The update will include what buyers’ and agents’ feedback has been after viewing your home/property, how much activity we’re getting, how many showings we’ve had, what current marketing we’re doing and what the results of that have been so far, any other listings that we are competing against, what current market conditions are like, and anything else that apply to your listing. This intel is very important and that is the basis for any recommendations offered at that time, including but not limited to reducing price, keeping price the same, etc.

NOTE: In most cases, when a buyer passes on purchasing a property, it’s for an irremediable reason. Common examples of reasons buyers don’t pursue purchasing a home/property include: “it just didn’t work for me/us”, “we didn’t like the layout”, “we didn’t like the land”, “we have concerns with the neighboring property(ies), etc. That’s one of the reasons why it’s not necessary to share feedback from every showing. However, I ask everyone who is in your home, if they aren’t writing an offer, what’s preventing them from doing so. In some cases, there’s something that IS remediable, and I will use that opportunity to overcome the objection, provide a solution, and hopefully get them to write an offer. If someone shares something that provides you with an immediate benefit, I will let you know right away. Examples of this might include a dead mouse in the basement of a vacant home, mud on the front entry floor, a funny smell, etc.

8. Q: I have a well and/or septic system. Do I need to do anything with this right now? For example, pump out the septic tanks.

A: No. In most cases, it’s commonplace and agreed as part of the accepted offer for the seller to provide a well and septic inspection. We will let you know when we need to do this and what we need to do and will provide you with our assistance, if you’d like, regarding recommended inspectors and the scheduling and coordination of everything. However, we recommend waiting until we have an accepted offer on your property before doing anything. There are several reasons for this. Sometimes buyers purchase homes without requiring a well and/or septic inspection and this saves you not only the expense of the inspection but also spares you finding out about a problem that you would then need to fix or disclose to potential buyers. Sometimes I negotiate for the buyer to pay for the well and/or septic inspection and/or servicing as part of an offer, and the same applies.

9. Q: My home is not selling. Why?

A: Assuming there’s been an adequate amount of time on the market, properties don’t sell for one of three reasons:
1) The price is too high. This is almost always the reason. When a property is priced higher than it should be, there’s less buyer activity. When it’s priced lower than it should be, there is a frenzy of buyer activity. The important thing to balance is price and time. Oftentimes, price is a function of time, meaning if a seller needs a faster sale, they will need to price it more aggressively to attract more buyers. If you are concerned about your property not selling, it’s important to convey that concern to me so I can adjust the pricing strategy to attract more buyers.
2) The home needs repairs, updates, and/or a problem remedied. This can sometimes be the case, but most properties can be sold even with repairs and/or updates needed at the right price. By now, I will have shared with you any repairs and/or updates that are needed with the property.
3) The property is difficult for buyers to find. This is never the case anymore. That’s because when a property is listed, it must be listed on the MLS, and as a result, is also syndicated all over the internet and exposed to any potential buyer of interest, so anyone interested in your property already knows about it. They are passing on it for one of the two reasons above.

You Now Have an Accepted Offer on Your Home

Questions about inspections:

1. Q: The buyer has to get inspections on my home. What do I need to know or do?

A: Treat your home just like a regular home showing. This is important. There is a high likelihood that the buyer will attend the inspections with the inspector. The buyer may have only been in your home/property for a short amount of time before deciding to write an offer. If your home is not occupied, make sure all utilities are on because inspectors will inspect them. Most inspections are 3-4 hours, so the buyer will probably have a lot more time to fall in love with the home as they walk around, envisioning the spaces and arranging of furniture, etc. We want that inspection appointment to go as well as it can go for everyone. Please keep in mind that an inspector WILL find stuff wrong with your home/property. That’s their job. They will find the things that you know about and probably a lot of things that you didn’t know about and that’s ok, this is normal. It’s our hope that the buyer’s love for your home/property exceeds any concern related to the inspections and that they move forward with the purchase. If they do express concern regarding the inspections, you couldn’t be in better hands by working with me. I have creative ways to solve problems and remedy concerns. Of course, it’s my goal to make any problem disappear and be a non-issue for you.

2. Q: When is the buyers’ inspection of my home?

A: If the buyers have an inspection contingency and choose to do inspections, they will have to do so within the contractual inspection contingency period (usually no more than 10 days, but reference your offer for details). We will let you know when the buyers request to do their inspection and usually in the same format that we did for showing requests.

3. Q: Should I be home for the inspection?

No. Not under any circumstances should you be home during an inspection. The reasons for this are many, but the two primary reasons are: 1) we want the buyer’s experience during the inspection to be optimal and normal. Anytime a seller is present it makes the buyer feel uncomfortable because it isn’t normal, and the buyer can’t freely express their love or dislike or concerns during the inspection. 2) we don’t want you to be in a situation where you are answering questions that the buyer and/or the inspector and/or their agent ask you. Agents can be clever and can ask some questions which could very much put you at a huge disadvantage in any pending or forthcoming offers and negotiations. Even innocently asked/ answered questions could jeopardize the transaction. Do NOT be home for an inspection. Leave the property completely.

4. Q: There are inspections on my home. Who pays for them?

A: Unless we’ve agreed to otherwise, the buyer always pays for the regular home inspections on the home.

5. Q: There are inspections on my home. When will I know that the buyer has accepted the results of that inspection?

A: In most cases, we won’t know that the buyers “accepted” the results of the inspection report. What usually happens is that if there are issues large enough to warrant the buyers telling us to attempt to resolve or negotiate them, they let us know. So… no news is good news. If you don’t hear from us, it means we haven’t been told there are any concerns worthy of negotiating or becoming problematic to your sale. Keep in mind that the issues must be large enough to constitute the buyers jeopardizing the transaction (them losing the house). If they put anything in writing as required per the purchase agreement and within the allotted inspection contingency period, we have the right to terminate the transaction. If they put something in writing, they mean business. So as long as we don’t hear from them by the inspection period contingency deadline, we can assume the buyers have accepted the results of their inspection report.

Questions regarding communication with the buyer:

1. Q: I have questions about or for this buyer or real estate transaction, can I contact the buyer?

A: NO! Under no circumstances reach out to the buyer in any way. All communication including questions or concerns should be directed to us, and we will do the same with you. Part of our job as your agent is to get all of your questions and concerns answered. Having communications between the buyer and seller without the involvement of the agents can and usually does lead to misunderstandings and problems. Additionally, most of the time we see this desire to communicate directly with the buyer comes from insecurity or a lack of confidence and/or knowledge, and that’s usually during a negotiating process involved between the buyer and you. The last thing we would want, as we attempt to use our specialized knowledge and negotiating skills to your benefit, is to have that interrupted or compromised because of anything that resulted in that extra communication. At any time, let us know if you have any questions about anything.

2. Q: The buyer reached out to me (call, text, Facebook, Instagram, letter in the mail, or any other way). Is it ok if I were to respond?

A: NO! It might sound like an innocent thing for them to do or for you to respond, but our recommendation is to not respond. If it’s a friend request they are seeking, you can always be “friends” after we close. See the FAQ directly above this one for more details.

Questions about appraisals:

1. Q: When is the buyers’ appraisal?

A: If the buyers have an appraisal (required for financed purchases) this is usually done after the inspection contingency period is complete and usually within 1-2 weeks of the closing deadline referenced in your offer. There is no normal here as all lenders have their own procedures. In rare instances, the appraisal is within the first week of an accepted offer, and in other rare instances, it’s within the final week of the closing deadline. Most of the time, however, is in between these two time frames. We will let you know when the appraiser requests to do their appraisal and usually in the same format that we did for showing requests. They will usually give at least 24 hours’ notice, but not always.

2. Q: What should I do with my home/property in preparation for the buyer’s appraisal?

A: Treat your home just like a regular home showing, this is important. Although the appraiser will not be in your home/property very long (usually 15-30 minutes), we want that appraiser to have the most optimal experience possible in your home/property so that they give a generous valuation. This is most likely going to be the last time you’ll have to have your home/property in pristine showing condition.

3. Q: Should I be home for the appraisal?

A: No. Not under any circumstances should you be home during an appraisal. The primary reason is we don’t want you to be in a situation where you are answering questions that the appraisers ask because the answers could affect their appraised value. For example, appraisers commonly ask the owner or their agent what major updates have been done recently. Most homeowners have a different perspective than a real estate appraiser or agent on what that means, so when a homeowner says they just painted the home, the appraiser isn’t likely to give a lot of value to that, even if there aren’t any recent and major updates, Eric will know how to properly answer that in the best way to minimize or remove the risk to the appraised value of your home/property. Even innocently asked/answered questions could affect the appraised value and thus jeopardize the transaction. Do NOT be home for the appraisal, leave the property completely.

4. Q: How I mitigate potential issues with appraisals, low appraisal values, etc.

A: It’s common with a hot seller market where home and real estate values increasing at such a rapid rate for appraisals to come in lower than asking price. The reason for that is appraisers can’t find the substantiation needed to support the purchase price and that’s mostly due to restrictions they have in only being able to look at past sales of similar homes. They aren’t able to take into account current prices, current market conditions, current competition (other homes like yours for sale), my marketing and negotiation skills, and many other things. There are things that I do on the front end to help mitigate this risk of a low appraisal. First, I ensure to whatever degree I can that we are working with a reputable small local lender who has a good pulse on our real estate market and has a reputation to uphold for ensuring real estate transactions close successfully. Some lenders big and small are notorious for coming in with a low appraisal. Others are notorious for never having an issue with an appraisal. I am going to do everything I can to help ensure our buyer is working with a lender who has a good reputation for hitting the appraised value that we need. Sellers can’t legally require a buyer to use a specific lender. However, I have ways to persuade buyers and agents to work with a good small local lender, for your benefit. Also, as part of my negotiation with your buyer, I may have obtained appraisal gap coverage, so in the event the appraisal comes in lower than the agreed to price, the buyer has agreed to provide that difference in cash, usually limited to a certain dollar. I also am the point of contact with the appraiser to get access to your property, so if I have an increased concern about a low appraisal, I can have a quick conversation with the appraiser, if I feel it’s beneficial and won’t draw attention to my concern, on the front end before they see your property, offering help with supporting evidence to increase that appraised value.

5. Q: The buyer is paying cash. Is there still an appraisal?

A: Usually, no. However, there’s a standard provision/contingency within the purchase agreement used in our area that allows a buyer to obtain an appraisal, even if they are paying cash. Most buyers who are paying cash do not obtain an appraisal. In fact, it’s extremely rare. For that reason, I usually don’t counter the buyer’s offer with the removal of that contingency, as I don’t want to draw attention to a) the buyers right to obtain an appraisal and b) any concern over our agreed to price, considering the chances are so low that the buyer is going to obtain an appraisal.

6. Q: What happens if the buyer’s appraisal comes in lower than our agreed to purchase price?

A: If the home doesn’t appraise for the purchase price, which is a real possibility in this market and especially with the way I market and negotiate for my clients, then the buyer has the option to a) walk away, b) renegotiate the purchase price, c) or pay the difference. In this market especially, it’s not common for a buyer to just walk away. What usually happens is the buyer pays the difference or they ask to renegotiate the difference. The possibilities here are many and depend on a variety of things (does the buyer have the money to make the difference? What type of loan does the buyer have? Does the buyer have access to a relative that can gift them money? etc. etc.). We will cross this bridge if and when it comes. If the buyer attempts to renegotiate the purchase price in this instance, I have experience with some creative alternatives. Here’s our general policy: no news is good news. If we don’t hear anything, we’re not going to let you know anything and that’s a good thing! We will only let you know if there is a concern and what our options are at that time.

7. Q: When will we know if there’s a problem with the appraisal?

A: If there’s a problem with the appraisal, it will likely happen within 1-2 weeks of the appraiser being at your home and doing the appraisal. Generally, it starts with the appraiser providing the appraisal to the lender, and the lender realizing there’s a problem with the appraisal value not at least meeting the purchase price, and then the lender notifying the agent and/or buyer, and the agent lets us know. Then, I will immediately attempt to negotiate the situation, try and see if the buyer can make up the difference, and if not, can they make up some of it, and explore other options and only once other options are explored, I will let you know and consider possible solutions. In most cases, most appraisals come for at least the purchase price and there are no concerns or problems expressed to anyone. In summary, no news is good news. If you don’t hear from us about the appraisal, that’s a good thing.

8. Q: What are the typical reasons why a real estate transaction falls through?

A: On the sale of your home, the buyer typically has a number of contingencies to their purchase. Most commonly they may include their ability to obtain financing, their approval of the results of inspections, the home appraising for high enough to meet the agreed to purchase price, the sale and/or closing of the buyer’s home, etc. Typically, the number 1 reason a home sale falls through is due to inspections. Once we’re passed that hurdle, most real estate transactions close. In this market, the next hurdle is getting passed the appraisal. Once we’re passed that hurdle, we’re passed the two largest hurdles. There may be other contingencies that apply to your real estate transaction. If you have any concerns or questions, email me at eric@zudwegrealestate.com.

9. Q: There’s a well and/or septic on the property I’m selling. What do I need to do?

A: In most cases, it’s commonplace and agreed as part of the accepted offer for the seller to provide a well and septic inspection. We will let you know when we need to do this and what we need to do and will provide you with our assistance, if you’d like, regarding recommended inspectors and the scheduling and coordination of everything. You CAN be home for a well and/or septic inspection because in almost all cases, the buyer does not attend these inspections, they are unintrusive, and the inspector does their work fairly quickly.

10. Q: I have an accepted offer AND I was planning on doing some repairs or updates to the home prior to close. I can do them, right?

A: If you’ve agreed to do repairs or updates to the home as part of our accepted offer, then yes, you need to follow through with whatever repairs or work needs to be done within whatever specified time agreed to. However, if you did not agree in the purchase agreement to do any repairs or work, then you do not need to do any repairs or work that you previously were planning on doing. The buyer has agreed, unless there’s something in the purchase agreement or any subsequent addendums at that time or after, to purchase the home in as-is condition. In fact, further, you’ve agreed to do the same. You’ve agreed not to alter the property in any way. The only obligation you have is to keep and maintain the home, so if there’s a plumbing leak, for sure fix it, but if there’s something major that you want to do with the home, paint a room, remove/replace flooring, replace appliance(s), you can’t do that unless we get the buyer’s permission in writing ahead of time.

11. Q: I have an accepted offer and I have a mortgage payment due soon. Do I pay it even though we are closing soon?

A: The short answer-YES! Always! It’s not worth jeopardizing your credit and inheriting late fees or worse. Always make your mortgage payments on time and until the day we close and you are no longer the owner of the home. Until we close on the home, you are still completely responsible for the home and your mortgage and the obligations of that mortgage including paying it on time. Keep in mind that you don’t lose the money you pay. Your bank will refund you whatever overage there is. For example, if your closing deadline is on December 3, and your mortgage payment is due December 1, if you pay your mortgage payment on time, and then we close on December 3, your mortgage company will refund you that overage and it will be almost that whole amount you paid in this case. Your bank/mortgage company is going to charge you every day you own your home and when we get to the closing, you will have provided the title company with a “payoff” from your mortgage company which includes all the money owing through the closing date, so whatever you paid above and beyond that payoff, you’ll get refunded.

12. Q: We are starting to get mail at the house addressed to the buyer. What do we do with it?

A: Please hang onto all the mail and leave it with the keys and garage door openers on the kitchen counter when you deliver possession to the buyer. Typically this is not urgent mail and if it was, the buyer would know about it and alert us to needing it, in which case, we’ll let you know.

13. Q: We got a package delivered to the house for the buyer. What do we do?

A: Let us know right away and then we’ll let the buyer know in case they’d like to swing by and pick it up. Sometimes important deliveries for things like medications can be shipped to the new house before the buyer closes and/or takes possession of the home.

Questions regarding the closing:

1. Q: When are we closing? What is the closing date?

A: In most cases, the date on our purchase agreement for the closing is a deadline to close, not an actual closing date. If the buyer is financing their purchase, the lender is going to provide us with a clear to close once all of their conditions are met and then we’ll be closing within 3-5 business days thereafter in most cases. In most cases, closings typically take about a month from the point there’s an accepted offer and usually within a few business days of the agreed to closing deadline.

2. Q: Where are we closing?

A: Within a few days of the scheduled closing, we will let you know the name and address of the title company. Our usual Title Company that we use is in Caledonia.

3. Q: How long is a closing?

A: A typical seller-side closing will take 20-30 minutes. If you’re in a hurry, it’s possible to complete it within 10-15 minutes, depending on the closer and a few other factors, but without rushing, and allowing some small talk, it’s best to plan for a half hour or even longer if you’re in a good mood and want to chit-chat through the process. After all, it’s time to celebrate, right?!

4. Q: I live or will be out of town at the time we will be closing. Can we still close and/or is there anything that can be done?

A: Yes. If you might be or are going to be out of town at the time of the closing, let us know right away. I can arrange for a remote closing where the closer will meet with you anywhere in the United States to close this for you. This can sometimes take a week or more to arrange, so please give us as much notice as you can.

5. Q: What do I need for the closing?

A: Bring your driver’s license with you for identification purposes. If you are giving the buyer possession at close, do NOT bring keys with you to the closing. Leave the garage door openers and any keys in the kitchen on the counter once you are giving up possession. We will provide the buyer with access to the lockbox and/or home once we have confirmed the buyer has closed.

6. Q: Will I get my money at the closing? If so, how?

A: In most cases, you will get your money at the end of the closing. What needs to happen for that to occur is the buyer side needs to have closed and the lender (for the buyer if applicable) needs to have time to approve the signed closing documents. To optimize the chances that you will get your money at the closing, and to spare a separate trip back to the title company later, we try to get the buyers’ side scheduled earlier in the day, and close yours late in the afternoon. If the title company can give you your money at the closing, normally that comes in the form of a paper check. Money can also be wired from the title company to you. However, we advise against that due to rampant wire fraud happening. Having a paper check is the safest way to obtain your funds and what we recommend to our clients.

7. Q: When do I move out?

A: Once we have an accepted offer, you’ll know when you have to give possession to the buyer. This is called the possession date. If you’ve agreed to give possession of your home to the buyer on the day you close, you’ll want to be ready for that as you will have to give the buyers possession that same day, after both you and the buyers have closed. If you have agreed to give possession of your home to the buyer in a month, or at any other time period, you’ll just want to use your best judgment on whether it makes sense to start or finish moving out. You don’t have to move out and give possession to the buyer until that possession date. In fact, we recommend that you close on the sale before moving completely out of your home. This protects you in the unlikely event that your sale falls through. Also, homes sell quicker and for more money in most cases when the home is occupied compared to when it’s empty. The most important thing you can do here is to let us know if you’re itching to start packing and moving before that possession date and to ask us how things are looking on the closing side of things. We can then share our confidence level based on how things are going and you can decide if the timing is right to move out of your home prior to that possession date.

8. Q: When should I turn off utilities?

A: You should have the utilities taken out of your name or turned off a few days after you deliver possession to the buyer. This is etiquette so the buyer has time to get the utilities in their name without the risk of having utilities turned off while they are moving.

You are Now Closed on the Sale of Your Home

1. Q: Is there anything else we need to do?

A: Be sure and contact your insurance agent to talk about the possibility of canceling your insurance.

2. Q: When do I move out?

3. Q: What am I permitted to remove from the home when I move out, and what am I required to leave?

A: Typically, whatever is not permanently affixed or secured to the home is considered a furnishing and is yours to keep, remove from the home, and move with you; whatever is affixed or secured to the home is considered a fixture and remains with the home. There may be exceptions to this and they would be outlined in the purchase agreement. There are more complicated items like window coverings, TV mounts, and shelving. The simplest answer to what to do is to determine if it’s a fixture, affixed to the home (bolts, wires, etc.) and if it is, it stays with the home. For example, window coverings (blinds and curtain rods) are affixed to the home and as a fixture, go with the home to the buyer., but curtains or drapes are usually not affixed to the home and then would remain the seller’s property when they move out. TV mounts are usually mounted to the wall and considered a fixture and would remain with the home, while the tv clips to the TV mount and would be considered a furnishing and would remain the seller’s property. Again, there are exceptions to the general rules here and that’s why you want to reference your purchase agreement. If at any point you have a question about a specific item, please just let us know and we’ll help. It’s always better to have clarity and understanding before moving and giving possession to a buyer than to have a misunderstanding and hard feelings after.

Please leave the keys and garage door openers on the kitchen counters when you give up possession of your home. You can also leave any mail that came for the buyers and be sure to let us know when you are planning on leaving so we can communicate this to the buyers.

4. Q: When should I turn off utilities?

If you have any questions that aren’t answered here or you need clarification on anything, feel free to email me at eric@zudwegrealestate.com. It’s very important to me that my clients feel informed, comfortable, and confident throughout their purchase process.

Frequently Asked Questions (for our clients selling a home/property)

Your Property is About to Hit the Market

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Your Home is Now on the Market

You Now Have an Accepted Offer on Your Home

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You are Now Closed on the Sale of Your Home

Frequently Asked Questions
(for our clients selling a home/property)