Prepare for Success
Seller Resources
Recommended Service Providers For Sellers
Over the years, Paris Group Realty, LLC has developed strong relationships with a variety of vendors and service providers. If you’re looking for trusted companies to complete projects on your property, give us a call at (503) 926-5213 or email us and we’ll be happy to provide you a list of our preferred vendors.
What to Know
Risks of Remodeling without a Permit
If you want to remodel your house before you sell, there are some things in which you should be aware.
It’s important to note that most cities require that homeowners obtain a building permit before making modifications to their residence. Keep in mind that permit requirements vary by city, and some municipalities are more vigilant than others in enforcing permit laws. Do you need a permit for your remodeling project in Portland, Oregon?
Here are the basics about how permitting works:
- To receive a permit for an upcoming home remodeling project, you or your contractor will first have to file plans and pay fees to the city.
- The improvements you’re planning will be assigned a value. If they increase the value of the property, this may result in an increase in property taxes.
- Inspections are often required, and this means having to schedule, and then wait, for inspectors to approve the work to be done. This process can be time consuming and inconvenient in the short run.
Because the permitting process can be arduous, some homeowners simply decide to skip it. It’s a potentially risky call though, and here’s why:
- The City may discover your unpermitted project at some point in the future and getting a permit retroactively can be significantly more expensive and much more problematic than having obtained the permit before work began.
- If work is not done in accordance with City procedures, or if the inspector is unable to determine if the work has been done properly, you could be required to open walls and tear up floors so that the inspection can take place.
In addition, by law, work is not permitted where a permit was required must be disclosed to any prospective purchaser. This may cause the owner to discount the sale price or perform costly or time-consuming repairs before title can be transferred.
Buyers and Sellers
Permitted Remodels Are Important
As a home seller, you can save yourself added hassle and expense by researching whether a permit is required before you begin updates to your home. As a potential home buyer, you’ll definitely want to confirm whether all work done on your prospective property is in code compliance and with the proper permits. Do your research! Contact the Building & Safety Division of the municipality in which the property is located or hire a “permit puller” who will research the permits for you.
Getting it Right
The Importance of Home Inspections
The home inspection process evaluates a home’s overall condition, as well as its systems. The inspector, who is chosen by the buyer, will spend several hours inspecting your home.
The result of the inspection is a report that identifies current or potential problems. This process can be stressful for sellers! Let’s take a look at a less-than-ideal situation that turned out okay in the end.
Meet the Smiths!
June and Fred Smith were diligent about getting their home ready to sell. As part of the preparations, they ordered a pre-sale termite inspection report, which revealed that their deck was dry rot infested.
The Smiths also had their roof inspected and were told that it should be replaced. The Smiths made the decision to replace the deck and roof, and to have their home’s exterior painted before they put it on the market. The Smith’s home was attractive, well-maintained, and priced right for the market. It received multiple offers the first week it was listed for sale. However, the buyer’s inspection report indicated that the house was in serious need of drainage work to the tune of about $20,000. Fred Smith was distraught as he’d paid to have corrective drainage work done several years ago.
The Smiths considered calling in other drainage professionals to see if the work could be done for less. After studying the buyers’ inspection report, the contractor’s proposal, and the buyers’ offer to split the cost of the drainage work 50-50 with the sellers, the Smiths concluded they had a fair deal.
Home inspection tips for home sellers
If you receive an alarming inspection report on a home you’re buying or selling, don’t panic. Until you see the whole picture clearly, you’re not in a position to determine whether you have a major problem on your hands. Keep in mind that there is an element of subjectivity involved in the inspection process.
When in doubt, get another opinion. It’s problematic when inspectors are wrong, but it happens — inspectors are only human, after all. If you doubt the conclusions of an inspector, you can always hire a second professional to offer their opinion. Multiple assessments can confirm a diagnosis or provide details on the extremes needed for a buyer and seller to negotiate a compromise.
How To
Protect Yourself from Buyer’s Remorse
Unforeseeable issues sometimes have a way of popping up just prior to closing the sale, which can initiate a case of cold feet for a home buyer.
Hopefully, with negotiation, most of these concerns have a workable solution
Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case, but don’t panic! Your Paris Group Realty, LLC agent is experienced, capable, and will do everything in his or her power to keep the sale on track by making sure the purchase contract anticipates and closes as many loopholes as possible after all known defects have been fully disclosed.
In most cases, calm negotiations, clear communication, and the investigation of all possibilities will turn what could have been a deal breaker into a win-win situation for both the buying and selling parties. And, in the event the best solution is to call off the deal, your agent will work hard to find another buyer for your home.
Be Prepared
Embracing The Emotional Aspects Of Selling Your Home
Sellers are often surprised by the variety of emotions they’re feeling.
The home selling process can be an anxious time, especially if you’ve never sold a house before or if you’re selling because you’re going through a difficult life change, like a divorce or a family member’s death.
You may feel sad about selling a family home or stressed about finding the right buyer. When you get an offer, you may be anxious about the inspection process and how to negotiate with the buyers. You might also just feel incredibly impatient at how long the process is.
While these emotions are natural and understandable, it’s also important to realize you are not alone. Your Paris Group Realty, LLC agent is on your side, here for you, and ready to help navigate the ups and downs of your home sale. We’ll do whatever we can to help you feel heard, relaxed and positive about the process.