Jacksonville Residential Real Estate Attorney
Selling your biggest personal asset is stressful, particularly in the current, difficult real estate market. Your biggest worry is whether you will be able to get a fair price for your home, but there are many other concerns as well, such as whether buyers will be able to obtain a mortgage in a rough credit environment. Even if you are in a hurry, such as the need to relocate for a job, the key to ensuring a successful home sale is to follow a methodical process before putting your home on the market.
Timeline when selling your home
Follow these steps to ensure the best possible outcome for the sale of your home:
- Research home sales in your area: Often, the first step to determining a price is to find out what similar homes in your area are selling for. Even if you have to walk through your neighborhood to find Sold signs on homes like yours, once you have addresses of homes, you can look on the Internet to find their sale prices. Make sure the properties have a similar square footage, number of rooms, and amenities.
- Hire the professionals you need: In spite of the commission, you may want to consider hiring a real estate agent. In addition to finding prospective buyers or organizing open houses, an agent can provide valuable advice. An agent's knowledge of the local market can help you fine tune the sale price, and he or she can tell you what you need to do to prepare the house for showing.
- Prepare the house for sale: At the very least, you may want to consider a fresh coat of paint inside and out, and remove clutter, particularly personal objects. The more you do to make the house attractive, the better your chances to get a higher price.
- Advertise and show the house: Real estate agents handle this for you, but if you are selling the house yourself, you are responsible for finding prospective buyers and walking them through the house.
- Review and negotiate offers: Accepting an offer is usually done through negotiation. The buyer and seller both make counter-offers either directly or through their real estate agents until they reach agreement on a price.
- Retain an attorney: Both home sellers and buyers need to be represented by an attorney to ensure their rights are protected and they get a fair and legally binding real estate contract. Your attorney needs to be fluent in all local laws, so for a Jacksonville real estate contract, it makes sense to retain a Northeast Florida lawyer.
- The closing: A Jacksonville real estate closing is essentially a meeting where the buyer, seller, and both sets of lawyers go through the deed, the mortgage, and all other legal processes. At this time, both parties agree on the exact move-in date since there are occasions where the seller cannot vacate as of the closing date. In the end, ownership is transferred from the seller to the buyer in accordance with the agreement.
Whether you are buying or selling, C. Guy Bond attorneys have your back
When you are selling a home in the greater Jacksonville area, a Jacksonville residential real estate lawyer at the Law Offices of C. Guy Bond, P.A. will guide you to the most cost-effective way to complete your transaction. With more than 30 years of legal experience in Florida real estate matters, our law firm is the top choice for homeowners and home seekers east of I-95. Call our office at 904-647-4644 or contact us online today.
