What Costs To Expect When You Sell

Totaling up the various costs that sellers should expect when selling.

There are a variety of opportunities in the Central Pennsylvania real estate market for both buyers and sellers.

If you're a prospective buyer click here for a full home search, or if you're considering placing your home on the market, get a free home value report, right here.

If you are a seller, you’re probably wondering what your bottom line is when it comes to selling your property. Today we want to help you plan ahead, so let's break down some of the most likely expenses you’ll incur when selling your home. Here are the fees that a seller will typically have during a real estate transaction:

• A 2% transfer tax for Central Pennsylvania. This is typically split between the buyer and seller.
• Prepared deed to transfer to the buyer. This generally costs $150.
• The notary fee, tax certification fee, and overnight delivery wire fees are all minimal costs.
• Outstanding balance towards a homeowners association, real estate taxes, or sewer bill.
• The real estate commission is paid after settlement, and it is the largest expense. Thankfully, sellers also get money back at settlement in the form of prorated taxes.

Ask your Realtor, lender, or title company to explain the purpose of any fees you don’t understand. Call us at (717) 695-3177 or email info@joydaniels.com to discuss your options. We look forward to hearing from you.

 

What Will You Learn in My Home Selling Workshop?

Here’s what you can learn at my upcoming home selling workshop.

There are a variety of opportunities in the Central Pennsylvania real estate market for both buyers and sellers.
If you're a prospective buyer click here for a full home search, or if you're considering placing your home on the market, get a free home value report, right here.

Are you thinking of selling your home in Central Pennsylvania in the next 12 months? Or, are you curious about how homes are being shown safely these days?

If your answer is “yes,” you’re invited to my home selling workshop, “How to Get Top Dollar in Uncertain Times,” on Thursday, March 25, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. During this live video chat, I’ll answer all of your questions and share my tips for getting your home prepared for the market and selling for top dollar. 

RJ Harris of “RJ Harris in the Morning” will start things off with some trivia, and then I’ll have a lender and home inspector join me for some home selling Q&A. If you have other real estate questions, feel free to submit them in advance and I’ll try my best to answer them during the event.

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I’ll answer all of your questions and share my tips for getting your home prepared for the market and selling for top dollar.

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Here are several questions we’ll be answering:

• Is COVID-19 affecting prices?
• Are buyers motivated right now?
• Can my home be sold safely?
• Are home prices dropping?
• Is now a good time to sell?
• What mistakes should I avoid?
• How do I get rid of my stuff?
• How do I attract buyers?
• Should I pre-inspect my home?
• Can I purchase a home before selling my home?

Attendance is limited to 20 homeowners, so if you’d like to reserve your spot at this seminar, use this registration link. You can also give me a call or send an email. I look forward to having you join us from the safety of your computer, tablet, or phone. 

If you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’m here to help.

Why Is It an Ideal Time to Sell?

Here’s why it’s an ideal time to sell in our current real estate market.

There are a variety of opportunities in the Central Pennsylvania real estate market for both buyers and sellers.
If you're a prospective buyer click here for a full home search, or if you're considering placing your home on the market, get a free home value report, right here.

There are many causes for concern in our world today, but we also have reasons to be grateful. If you’re a seller, or have considered selling, one of those reasons is the current strong buyer demand in our real estate market. 

Homebuyers are out there in huge numbers with a voracious appetite to buy. Their only hindrance is our historically low inventory. Also, the national average for homes' days on market is just under 20 days. This is the lowest number of homes and the shortest selling span that has ever been recorded. 

On top of that, home mortgage rates have hit a 50-year low, but they won’t last forever. Buyers can borrow $250,000 and pay just $1,350 per month right now. These are the lowest interest rates in 50 years. It’s an ideal time to sell your house for top dollar and purchase a property that better suits your needs.

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Homebuyers are out there in huge numbers with a voracious appetite to buy.

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Selling when you have the lowest amount of competition is in your best interest, so be bold! It’s a seller’s market throughout most of Central Pennsylvania, so take advantage of these opportunities! 

Contract my team via phone or email today and we’ll make sure you benefit from these historic conditions. If you have any questions about our market or real estate in general, feel free to reach out to us as well. We’d love to help you.

What Will You Learn at Our Seller Workshop?

Here’s what you’ll learn at our virtual seller’s workshop.

There are a variety of opportunities in the Central Pennsylvania real estate market for both buyers and sellers.
If you're a prospective buyer click here for a full home search, or if you're considering placing your home on the market, get a free home value report, right here.

Are you thinking about selling your Central PA home in the next year, or are you curious about homes being shown in the current market? If your answer is yes to either or both questions, you’re invited to our  virtual home selling workshop on June 30 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. It’s called “How to Get Top Dollar During Uncertain Times” and we’ll answer all of your home-selling questions.

We’ll talk about how to prepare your home in today’s market, and we’ll have a lender and home inspector join us to answer all of your questions. If you have specific questions, please submit them in advance so we can try to answer them during the event. Here are some starter questions we’ll discuss:

• Is COVID-19 affecting prices?
• Are buyers motivated right now?
• Can my home be sold safely?
• Are home prices dropping?
• Is now a good time to sell? 
• What mistakes should I avoid?
• How do I get rid of my stuff?
• How do I attract homebuyers now?
• Should I pre-inspect my home?
• Can I purchase a home before selling my current one?

If you’re thinking about selling your home, reserve your spot today. Space is limited to 20 homeowners so don’t delay! If you have any questions about the event or real estate, don’t hesitate to reach out via phone or email. We look forward to hearing from you.

Why Overpricing Doesn't Work

In today’s hot seller’s market, many people are wondering if they should overprice their homes. The answer is no.

There are a variety of opportunities in the Central Pennsylvania real estate market for both buyers and sellers. If you're a prospective buyer click here for a full home search, or if you're considering placing your home on the market, get a free home value report, right here.

A question I want to address today is: “Do buyers make offers on overpriced homes?” The market is sizzling hot right now. Many of our local areas are experiencing low inventory with high demand. This means we’re absolutely in a seller’s market. With conditions like these, it can be tempting for sellers to want to list above fair market value in the hopes that buyers will make an offer anyway. However, this isn’t a good idea. Despite the lack of inventory and the high demand we’re seeing in the market, buyers simply will not make offers on an overpriced listing. Buyers, just like sellers, study the market and are often working with knowledgeable Realtors to ensure they’re making the best decisions. Not only that, but most buyers’ search criteria will fall within their pre-approved price range for their mortgage. Buyers who are approved to purchase homes up to $250,000 won’t even look at homes in the $300,000 price range. They aren’t going to waste time on homes they can’t afford. Homes that are priced correctly, however, are flying off the market.

Buyers simply will not make offers on an overpriced listing.

So what happens if your Realtor suggests you list above market value, anyway? An agent who does this may not necessarily understand the market and could simply be trying to earn your business. 

At Joy Daniels Real Estate, we list homes to sell, and listing your home to sell means doing everything right from day one. If you’re going to list to sell, you should make sure your home is in show-ready condition, you should work with the right Realtor for the right reasons, and, most importantly, you need to price your listing correctly.

As a professional real estate agent, I’ve seen a lot of overpriced homes. Typically what will happen is that they will either undergo a major price reduction after sitting for too long on the market or they’ll just expire. 

Real estate is local. What happens elsewhere won’t be the case everywhere. Pricing your home correctly for your local market will not only help it sell, but it could help you to generate multiple offers above list price. 

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

7 Tips to Reduce the Hassle of Moving

Moving is an overlooked but important part of the home buying process. Here are some tips to help make it less of a hassle.

There are a variety of opportunities in the Central Pennsylvania real estate market for both buyers and sellers. If you're a prospective buyer click here for a full home search, or if you're considering placing your home on the market, get a free home value report, right here.

Do you have a future move planned? Moving can be complicated, especially since moving season is now officially upon us. I want to share seven tips to make the moving process easier for you.

• Take advantage of move-in off days. Weekends are prime times for moving companies because most of us don’t work on the weekends. However, if you can spare a few days during the week to move, it will save you money. You can also save money by not moving on the day when leases start and end, so avoid the 1st, 15th, 30th, and 31st of the month.
• Don’t choose the cheapest quote. It can mean the cheapest service, as well. Cheap moving companies will often cost you more in the long run.
• Pack without emotion. Packing can be a quicker process if you don’t have a sentimental attachment to your items.
• Have the new place cleaned before you move in. Moving into a new home that is sparkling clean alleviates the stress of having to clean while the boxes are sitting around waiting to be unpacked.

Measure twice, move once.

• Measure twice, move once. If a piece of furniture doesn’t fit in the new home, consider tossing, selling, or donating it. There is no point in paying to move it if it doesn’t fit.
• Pack smart. If you end up packing yourself, find friends to help you. Consider having a packing party and supply pizza and beer in exchange for their help.
• Make sure you know if your city requires a moving permit. Most cities that do require you to get a permit also require you to get it ahead of your move. Some major metros that require it include San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C.

If you have any questions about this topic or are looking to buy or sell a home, give us a call. We’d be happy to help!

All the Parties Involved in a Home Sale

Selling a home is one of the biggest transactions you’ll ever be involved in, and there are many different people involved.

There are a variety of opportunities in the Central Pennsylvania real estate market for both buyers and sellers. If you're a prospective buyer click here for a full home search, or if you're considering placing your home on the market, get a free home value report, right here.

There are a lot of different people involved in the sale of your home. Most people involved are very familiar, with the Realtor being the most common face of the transaction. As a seller’s agent, for example, I offer specialized knowledge in research, negotiations, and marketing to help homeowners meet their selling goals. A seller’s agent needs to establish a fair asking price and marketing plan for maximum exposure along with advising the seller on how to present their home to maximize its appeal to buyers. A seller’s agent will also screen all written offers, check buyers’ mortgage qualifications, and assist in making counteroffers. After an offer has been accepted, the seller’s agent will follow with a home inspection, appraisals, and troubleshoot any problems that arise before closing.

A seller’s agent provides specialized knowledge in marketing, negotiation, and research.

The mortgage company provides the necessary capital for the homebuyer. The title company ensures all aspects of the transaction is completed and a clear title passes from the seller to the buyer. An appraisal is done to make sure the value of the home matches the purchase price by providing an unbiased estimate of what a buyer might expect to pay or what the homeowner will receive for a piece of property. Most people will turn to a licensed, professional appraiser for this step. A home must appraise at or above the sale price or a lender won’t give the buyer a loan.

Hopefully this gives you a picture of all the important pieces of a real estate transaction. If you have any questions or you’re thinking of buying or selling a home in the Harrisburg area, give me a call or send me an email. I’d be glad to help!

Have You Heard of Budget Blinds?

There are a variety of opportunities in the Central Pennsylvania real estate market for both buyers and sellers. If you're a prospective buyer click here for a full home search, or if you're considering placing your home on the market this spring, get a free home value report, right here. Is it time to refinance? Click here!

When you hire Budget Blinds to outfit your windows, you are hiring excellent customer service, thoughtful design, and professional installation.

Their expert staff will show you a full line of beautiful window coverings, from faux wood blinds, to roller and solar shades, to custom draperies, and so much more.

Budget Blinds is owned and operated by Mark and Beth Toto and their showroom is magnificent. They feature great, quality brands like The Enlightened Style, Signature Series, and Hunter Douglas. One thing that they can do is motorize your blinds and draperies for you, whether it’s a necessity, or for convenience’s sake.

You will quickly see that the Totos are committed to bringing the best products and services into their business. They will provide you with a great shopping experience that will fit your style, time, and budget. They offer expert installation as well.

If you have any questions for Mark or Beth, give them a call at (717)-657-6110 to schedule a consultation. Also, head over to their Facebook page, and give it a like! If you have any real estate questions for us, we are always here to chat as well!

How Can We Help You Sell Your Harrisburg Home?

There are a variety of opportunities in the Central Pennsylvania real estate market for both buyers and sellers. If you're a prospective buyer click here for a full home search, or if you're considering placing your home on the market this spring, get a free home value report, right here. Is it time to refinance? Click here!

Today we're visiting Touch of Color Flooring here in Harrisburg. This is a vendor that we recommend to a lot of our sellers, and if you're trying to list your home this spring,  we recommend that you start preparing now.

If you're thinking of selling soon, one of the most important things that you can do before you sell is to put yourself in the right mindset. View your home from the perspective of a buyer. How would you view your property? What things would you notice about it?

The truth is that a lot of repairs that you make right before a sale will not actually net you any more money when you sell your home. Small things like fresh paint and new flooring can often have the most dramatic effect on your final sale price.

Be sure to work with a qualified real estate agent when you're selling your home if you want a smoother transaction. The right real estate agent can make all the difference in a sale.

If you're looking to buy or sell in Harrisburg this year, please don't hesitate to contact me. I'm always here to help!