Home Owner Guides
331 Mount Vernon Ave
Springfield, OH 45503
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Whatever you need, We can help!
This page will includes lots of great resources for homeowners, including tips and advice on everything from buying a home, to home maintenance and security, selling a home, even creating and managing budgets. It also covers topics such as insurance, home warranties, energy efficiency, tax deductions and more to help you understand the process of being a homeowner. Our goal is to equip home owners with the know-how to make informed decisions regarding their home and finances. We can help!
Buyer's Guide
Buying a home without a realtor can be stressful and challenging. The majority of homebuyers prefer to work with a real estate agent because of their experience and resources in the market. Your agent will work with your best interests in mind, guiding you throughout your home buying journey.
Reasons to Find Your Ideal Real Estate Agent:
More Convenience/Better Access
A real estate agent's full-time job is to act as a liaison between buyers and sellers. This gives them easy access to all properties listed by other agents.
Negotiating is Tricky
An agent can put you in a better position to negotiate and get the price you want.
Contracts Can Be Hard to Handle
Experienced real estate agents deal with contracts and conditions regularly, ensuring your protection whether you're selling or buying.
Attention to Detail
Agents are familiar with the paperwork involved in real estate transactions, providing expertise that can save you money.
Avoid Closing Problems
A real estate agent knows how to identify and handle potential issues that could derail the deal before closing.
Before You Buy:
Assess Your Financial Health
Understand your personal financial situation to determine your eligibility and readiness for purchasing a home, considering both the purchase costs and long-term maintenance expenses.
Look at Your Savings
Ensure you have sufficient emergency cash reserves to cover critical expenses and upfront costs like down payment, closing fees, and moving expenses.
Review Your Spending
Have a clear understanding of your monthly expenses to plan and budget effectively for your future home purchase.
Check Your Credit
Improve your creditworthiness by reducing your debt-to-credit ratio and addressing any credit issues that could impact your loan approval.
Know What You Want in a Home
Familiarize yourself with the different types of homes available and define your preferences to streamline your search.
Find a Home & Make Offers
Finding Your Dream Home - It's Time for Those Open Houses
Visit open houses with your real estate agent to ensure you're well-prepared and have professional guidance throughout the process.
Home Hunting Tips
Discover the hidden potential of homes within your budget and consider properties that may require minor renovations for a significant return on investment.
Make an Offer
Your agent will help you determine a suitable offer price and negotiate with the seller's agent. Be prepared for potential counteroffers.
Agreement
Once both parties reach a middle ground, a deposit is made to secure the deal, and the property enters escrow for the specified period.
Have the Home Inspected
Include a home inspection condition in the purchase contract to identify any hidden issues. Work with the seller's team to address any findings.
Negotiation Time
Schedule Your Move
Arrange for movers and any desired renovations ahead of time to ensure a smooth transition into your new home.
Closing is the Final Step
On the closing day, sign the necessary documents, disburse funds, and complete the formal transfer of property ownership. Congratulations on your new home!
Closing Expenses for Buyers Can Include:
- Home appraisal
- Title search
- Private mortgage insurance
- Mortgage paperwork
- Loan origination fees
- Title insurance
- Credit report charges
Items to Bring to Closing:
- 2 government-issued photo IDs
- Cashier's check or proof of wire transfer
- Proof of property insurance
Buying a home doesn't have to be a complicated process. We're here to help whenever you're ready!
01. Find An Agent to Buy Your Home
02. The Buying Process
03. Final Steps
Selling
01. Find An Agent to Sell Your Home
Finding a real estate agent that you trust and feel comfortable with is as hard as finding the right house to call a home. A purchase of this magnitude is a huge life decision, and you want to make sure that your real estate agent is as invested in this sale as you are. We have a great selection of agents who have over 50 combined years of experience.
Reasons to find Your Ideal Real Estate Agent:
Industry Knowledge:
Our agents have access to a wide variety of resources that are not readily available to the public. They can help you determine the best price and time to sell.
Smart Negotiating:
With our collective experience and expertise, we can help you negotiate the best price for your home.
Professional Experience:
Our agents must undergo annual training and compliance to ensure that they are up to date on any changes in legal or administrative paperwork.
Customer Service:
Our agents are dedicated to helping you answer any questions that arise from this process. We treat you how we would like you to treat us!
02. Establish a Price
Listing price setting a reasonable listing price is one of the most important aspects in the entire home selling process. If you list too high, you might not get any offers, and it can take you a while to sell your home. Alternatively, if you price too low, you might be missing out on a greater return on your investment.
What determines the price?
You have two options in order to price your home for sale:
1. You can engage with a third-party home appraiser, who will perform an analysis on your home and the neighborhood.
2. You can get your real estate agent to perform an analysis on other homes for sale in the area.
03. Preparing Your Home
Home staging tips:
- The way you style your home can be a make-it-or-break-it point for a potential buyer. They have to be able to picture themselves living in your space, so be mindful of what you leave visible to viewers.
- You can hire or rent professional props and decorators to help stage your home.
- Consider getting professional photos taken as these determine the first impression the potential buyer will have of your house.
Be sure to put away any personal photographs, memorabilia, and artifacts as it will look like clutter to a potential buyer. You can replace photos with wall art.
Preparing checklist:
Outside the Home:
- Take care of the landscaping (i.e., cut the grass, water the flowers, trim the trees and bushes).
- Remove weeds.
- Repaint or re-stain any porches, entryways, and doorways.
- Fill in any cracks in the driveway, sidewalks, and foundation.
- Clean out the gutters of any leaves or twigs.
- Test all lighting fixtures and motion sensors.
Inside the Home:
- Repaint the home in a neutral color (preferably white).
- Remove and replace any personal artifacts.
- Find arrangements for pets and children and remove toys and clutter from main spaces.
- Make sure that walkways are clear.
Make sure that the photos you use to market your home are bright, clear, and capture all angles. Buyers will feel more comfortable with more photos.
04. Marketing
Marketing tips:
- Do not list on one site only, be sure to list your house on several different platforms.
- Be detailed in your description.
- Keep your calendar as flexible as possible! You don’t want to miss out on any opportunities!
05. Listing
Congratulations! You have officially listed your home for sale. Our real estate agents will use their network to ensure that your listing is as visible as possible and reaches the appropriate audience. If you want, we can supply a sign for your front yard to let passersby know of your intentions to sell. Make sure your photos and descriptions are clear, attractive, and relevant. These are the first impressions of your home to a potential buyer.
06. Showings
For the first few weeks/weekends, make sure that your calendar is flexible for showings. This will help provide potential buyers a greater number of viewing options. Private viewings as well as open house viewings will be set up during the first few weeks of listing your home. You should make arrangements for pets and children during viewing times to help make the viewing experience as pleasant and distraction-free as possible.
Showing checklist:
If You Only Have Fifteen Minutes:
- Make the beds and fluff pillows.
- Throw away any garbage.
- Empty out garbage cans and take out the trash.
- Clean the countertops and put away dishes.
- Declutter the home, remove any toys.
- Turn on all indoor and outdoor lights.
If You Have More Than an Hour (Complete the Above 15-Minute List):
- Vacuum, sweep, and mop the floors.
- Wipe all major appliances, glass, and mirrors.
- Fold or hang up visible clothing nicely.
- Dust any visible or reachable areas.
07. Offers and Negotiations
At this time, you will be able to accept the offer, negotiate and make a counter-offer, or reject the offer. If you receive multiple offers, your real estate agent will help you negotiate with the buyers to find a price that you are happy with. Ensure that the process is transparent, and all information provided to the buyers is accurate and up to date.
08. Under Contract
The offer will officially become binding once the buyer and the seller both agree to the terms in the contract (which includes the price). Some things that need to occur before the closing process can commence:
1. Home inspection.
2. Title search.
3. Final walkthrough with the buyer.
09. Final Details
Be prepared for obstacles and hiccups! They happen during this phase, but that doesn’t mean the sale is over. At this time, you can start packing and moving into your new place!
10. Closing
Closing is the final step in your home selling process. During the closing phase of the sale, you can expect the following:
1. The deed to the house will be delivered to the purchaser.
2. The ownership is transferred to the purchaser.
3. Any other documents including financing, insurance, and legal documents are exchanged.
4. The negotiated purchase price is paid, and any other fees (i.e., commissions) are paid.
Congratulations! You’ve sold your home!
