12 Tips for Getting Your Oakland County MI House Ready to Sell
If you are getting ready to sell your Oakland County MI home, then it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get to work. Selling a home involves a whole lot more than just planting a “For Sale” sign on your front lawn or uploading a few interior/exterior photos of your house. Real estate agents are experts when it comes to what makes homes sell. They can do a walkthrough of your home and point out changes you need to make to attract buyers and get the best offers.
REALTORS® can see flaws you are oblivious to because you see them every day or you simply don’t view them as flaws. They can also help you determine which feedback from potential buyers you should act on after you put your home on the market to improve its chances of selling. Anyone who’s determined to sell their own home should hire a professional cleaning service to give it a deep cleaning before putting it on the market. Sellers should also consider hiring a home stager to assess the current condition and market appeal of the home.
1). Find a qualified Oakland County MI real estate agent
You might be tempted to avoid a real estate agent, save the commission, and just sell your home on your own, also known as “for sale by owner” (FSBO). However, in most cases, the risks of going it alone outweigh the benefits. Risks include having fewer potential buyers, not knowing how to negotiate like a pro, not having enough free time to market your home, and not having the expertise to navigate all of the legal and regulatory requirements that come with selling a property.
Oakland County MI Real estate agents who have worked with many home sellers can identify the to-do’s that sellers typically overlook. There’s also the fact that professional real estate agents network know other REALTORS®. Often times an agent will post their listing on social media, and because of their network of real estate agents, it reaches the right audience who in turn shares that information with the buyers they are working with.
Do some research to find a REALTOR® in Oakland County MI with knowledge of the local market and make sure the agent you choose is a good fit. You want an agent you are going to feel comfortable working with and one you can trust to sell your home fast and for top dollar. When interviewing a listing agent, be sure to ask about their experience in your neighborhood, connections to potential buyers, and social media expertise.
The Realtor® you choose should be able to give you a comprehensive plan for how they are going to sell your home. Don’t be afraid to speak with a few agents before picking one to work with.
2). Research your local housing market
First and foremost, make sure to do your homework on the value of your home. Start by researching the local housing market through Realtor.com. Take a look at comparable sales in your neighborhood to figure out the appropriate listing price for your home. Pay attention to the various comps’ square footage, features, and location.
Finally, think about how they compare to your home. For example, your neighbor’s home may have sold for $1 million, but if your home is considerably smaller, you’ll most likely need to list your house for less. Of course, a reputable real estate agent should be able to assist with finding comps and determining the right listing price for your house.
3). Amp up your home’s curb appeal
Curb appeal is both an art and a science. And since it’s a buyer’s first impression of your home, it can be absolutely essential for getting your home sold. Curb appeal will improve how your home looks to buyers as they pull up and park or drive by. That includes your driveway to the potted plants on your porch to the welcome mat at your front door.
By investing in some relatively easy fixes such as replacing an old mailbox, planting colorful flowers, mowing the lawn, trimming the hedges, sprucing up lawn furniture with some new cushions, and repainting your front door, the outside of your house will encourage prospective buyers to take the next step and arrange for a tour inside.
There is also the stuff you don’t necessarily want prospective buyers to see such as garbage cans, recycling containers, compost bins, jumbled hoses, garden tools, bicycles, and toys strewn all over the lawn. You want to be sure the outside of your home is neat and tidy because it says ‘well-maintained’ to potential buyers.
If you’re not sure how to improve your home’s curb appeal, ask your Oakland County MI real estate agent for advice on how others in your area have improved the exterior of their homes before selling.
4). Depersonalize your home
Depersonalizing it is an important step when preparing your house for sale. Your home is likely filled with many personal items that are unique, special, and important to you and your family. However, to prepare your house to sell, you’ll want to remove your personality so that potential buyers can visualize themselves actually living in the space.
Make it as easy as possible for them by removing personal items and family photos, as well as bold artwork and furniture that might make the home less appealing to the general public. Dozens of antique plates, figurines, ball caps, or beer bottles lining shelves are distracting, especially in online photos. Get those things packed away. The added benefit of depersonalizing is that it’s a good start to decluttering. The goal is to create a blank canvas on which buyers can project their own visions of happily living in the space.
5). Declutter every area of your home
Before you can successfully show off your house to anyone (or even take listing photos) you need to ensure you have a home that people would want to live in. When getting your house ready to show, less is definitely more. And since potential buyers like to see everything, that means no area of your home (not even your utility closet) is off-limits from the gaze of a serious house hunter.
Clean off countertops, windowsills, tables, shelving, and all other visible areas. Next, you will want to tackle behind closed doors, closets, drawers, and cupboards. Take your excess stuff and donate it, or pack it up to be stored somewhere else. Not only will clearing the clutter help make your house look more appealing to potential buyers, but it will also help you once you’ve accepted an offer and it’s time to pack up and move to your new abode.
6). Give your home a deep clean
When selling your Oakland County MI home, it’s important to keep everything clean and tidy. You never know when a buyer might want to schedule a last-minute tour. First impressions mean everything, so don’t let dirty floors, dusty surfaces, and dingy carpet make a bad one on a potential buyer. Before listing your home, you want every square inch to shine, from the baseboards to the corners of your ceilings and everywhere in between.
This means wiping down surfaces, cleaning toilets, mopping floors, washing windows, dusting ceiling fans, lighting fixtures, and rafters, cleaning rugs, etc. Remember to take special care with the bathrooms, making sure the tile, counters, toilet, shower, and floors shine. Whether you do the cleaning yourself or hire a professional house cleaning service, you want your home is pristine clean at all times, especially for those last-minute showings.
7). Repaint the walls to neutral colors
You might love that purple accent wall in your foyer, but if a potential buyer isn’t into purple, it could be a turnoff. According to Home Advisor, the best paint colors for selling your home are neutral colors and earthy tones. This means warm beige, light gray, off-white verging on yellow and white.
Ask yourself these questions while selecting paint colors:
Does it feel warm and inviting?
Does it feel cold or boring?
Can you see the previous color underneath?
Fortunately, there are many neutral colors that make your home feel warm. For example, try greige, which is a warm shade of gray that’s closer to beige than it is to blue. Neutral colors are also versatile. You can place any color couch into a white living room wall and any color table and chairs to a beige kitchen interior. For your kitchen, choose light blue or gray paint.
Research shows that homes with this color kitchen sold for almost $2,000 more than homes with white-walled kitchens, according to Home Advisor. If you’re looking for a professional paint job, you might need to know the cost to hire a painter to see what works with your budget. The average cost to paint a house is between $960 and $2,750. Also, when you paint your home’s whole interior the same neutral tone, you save money because you can buy in bulk.
Keep in mind that during an open house, homebuyers can more easily imagine their decor in a neutral room than a chartreuse room they would have to repaint. You want to help buyers picture themselves in the house because if they don’t feel at home, they’ll probably look at other real estate options.
8). Make sure big-ticket items are in working condition
Unless you are selling your home in as-is condition or to a buyer who is planning to gut it, you will want to make sure any big-ticket items are in good working condition. Consider getting a home inspection done to help guide you where you should spend money or be able to factor that into the price and be aware of any big issues during negotiations.
If you take care of the improvements, you may be able to ask a higher price for the home, covering the cost of the upgrades with your list price and making it attractive to a broader group of buyers. Tackling problem areas now will also help you avoid post-inspection price reductions.
These are the most common big-ticket items, including some that buyers and their inspectors could flag as safety issues:
Replacing the roof
Updating the electrical panel
Installing a new water heater
Addressing termite, mold, or water damage
Repairing pipes, sewer connection, or septic system
Updating the HVAC system
9). Fix and repair everything and anything that needs it
Along with big-ticket items, make sure anything and everything that needs to be fixed (locks, hardware, cracks in the walls, scuff marks, missing light bulbs, loose handles, squeaky doors, etc.) has been taken care of before listing your home. Otherwise, It may make buyers think your home hasn’t been well taken care of and stop to think what else could be wrong with it.
Beyond any critical updates, think about the following easy things to do before selling your house. Many of these items can be tackled over a weekend before putting your house on the market.
Caulking in bathrooms and kitchens
Improving lighting by adding fixtures or replacing bulbs
Having the carpets professionally cleaned
Paint touch-ups
Painting the baseboards
Selling almost any home can be tricky, but selling a home with lots of little problems and small repair needs can be downright difficult. With a home that is fixed up and move-in ready, you’re more likely to see more interest in your home and may even see multiple offers.
10). Give your home the sniff test
As you get your Oakland County MI home ready to sell, keep in mind that the visual appeal of your home is not the only thing to be considered. Foul odors, even slight ones, can be a deal-breaker, and the problem is that you might not even notice them.
Overwhelming odors can be off-putting to buyers at best, and leave a negative impression, at worst. You want to make sure that your house passes the sniff-test.
Here are the places in your home that typically need attention:
Closets. Odors tend to build up in closets because they stay closed.
Bathrooms. Besides the obvious odors, mildew on surfaces and towels can be either subtle or strong.
Bedrooms. Dirty clothes, bed linens, carpet, and musty drapes can cause odors.
Kitchens. Onions, garlic, and strong spices can linger in the air from last night’s dinner. Garbage disposals and kitchen trash cans can also add unpleasant odors to the mix.
Basements. Basements often not have the same airflow that the main floor rooms have, and musty odors can build up.
Pet smells. It is common to get used to pet smells and forget that buyers will immediately notice the lingering smell of pets.
Trash receptacles. Probably the worst odor culprit of them all.
To solve those unpleasant odors in your home, natural solutions like baking soda are the best, which absorbs the odors from the air. You can use absorbent air fresheners in closets to absorb stale odors in the air and place them inside gym shoes that can build up odors. Use a dehumidifier in the basement to keep that musty smell away and also open windows periodically to get fresh air circulating throughout the space.
If you’re going to use strong-smelling cleaners like bleach, make sure to clean the night before so the odors are not overpowering to potential buyers. Be sure to place pet beds and items outside or in a garage before a showing, and keep a neutralizing spray on hand to spray on furniture, carpets, or any place where your pet has been. Take the trash out before a showing. It’s a good idea to remove all trash receptacles.
We often get used to the odors in our living spaces so it helps to have a friend or family member that does not live with us (and who will be brutally honest) to give the home the sniff test.
11). Consider professional home staging
Consider getting your home staged by a professional home stager. Home staging is a method of decorating meant to highlight your house’s most impressive assets and help buyers imagine themselves living there. Home stagers will evaluate the current condition and belongings in your home and determine what elements to add or take out that might raise the bar.
According to a staging report by the National Association of Realtors, 49% of buyers’ agents believe that home staging has an effect on how a buyer views the home, with 77% saying that it makes it easier for buyers to visualize the property as their own. On the seller’s agent side, 21% said that home staging increases the value of a home between 6% and 10%, and 39% note that it greatly decreases the total amount of time a home is on the market.
With so much to gain, it makes sense for sellers to stage their home, and fortunately, many of the best staging tips don’t require spending a lot of money. Professional stages know the real estate market, and what sells, so it’s important to take their advice and not take offense when they make big changes. Their job is to help drum up interest from potential buyers, which is always good news to the seller.
12). Hire a professional photographer
In 2021, everyone is looking at images and videos online to make decisions. Professional real estate photography and real estate video tours can help sell your home faster. Given that many potential buyers search for homes online, it’s crucial to include high quality, professional photos in your online listing.
According to a recent study, professional real estate photography can earn you between $1,000 and $100,000 more on your final sales price. In addition, better quality photos can also increase the number of people clicking on your listing. This means that simply updating your listing with professional photos can potentially double the attention your home gets from potential buyers.
Professional photographers understand the essential elements that make up quality home images. Furnished rooms and spectacularly staged photos attract homebuyers by helping them envision their new life in your home. Few pictures are automatically perfect. Instead, they require careful post-production editing to enhance the final product.
Before putting your home on the market, hire a professional photographer to snap photos or create an impressive video tour of your clean and staged abode. Your Oakland County MI real estate agent should be able to help with finding a professional real estate photographer, so be sure to ask who they use when interviewing real estate agents to work with.
Partner with award-winning Oakland County MI REALTOR® – Tom Gilliam
Tom Gilliam is proud to be a trusted Oakland County MI REALTOR® in Oakland County MI for the past 20 years- offering his guidance and expertise to home buyers and sellers. Tom understands that selling your home is a significant financial and life decision and that you are looking for someone you can trust to get you top dollar.
Tom employs the latest technology to get your home in front of as many buyers as possible. He also partners with the most talented home stagers and real estate photographers/videographers to ensure that your home’s features are optimally showcased.
Tom will create a competitive marketing strategy that exposes your home to the public along with other real estate agents through the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), other cooperative marketing networks, open houses for agents, and so on. Your listing will appear on all the most popular real estate sites where buyers spend hours a day looking at such as Realtor.com, Zillow, Trulia, REMAX, Redfin, and dozens of others. Your home will also be featured on Tom’s own highly-trafficked website homes2moveyou.com.
As your agent, Tom will protect your interests, advocate for you, negotiate on your behalf, and do whatever it takes to get your home sold fast for the best price. Feel free to reach out to Tom directly at (248) 790-5594 or you can get in touch with him by email.
Tom Gilliam, REALTOR® RE/MAX Classic
29630 Orchard Lake Rd.
Farmington Hills 48334
Direct: 248-790-5594
Office: 248-737-6800
Email: Tom @ Homes2MoveYou.com
License #314578
The Benefits of a Virtual House Tour When Selling Your Farmington Hills MI Home – Most traditional open houses are on hold, and in-person home showings are limited, as people practice social distancing to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
The pandemic has accelerated the demand for remote accessibility as home sellers have had to pivot to technology and virtual methods in order to sell their Farmington Hills MI homes and properties.
With gatherings of more than 10 people prohibited across most of the U.S., real estate agents have been forced to cancel open houses. But many are using tools like FaceTime or Zoom to host live virtual open houses so they can show potential buyers around a home.
Virtual tours in real estate are nothing new. For at least a decade now, some form of the technology has existed to help agents break away from the usual static photos, drive traffic to a listing, and cater to long-distance buyers.
As a home seller, you want to sell your home quickly and efficiently. Virtual and video tours have become essential tools for buying and selling homes. A virtual tour allows potential buyers to view properties completely online using 3-D and 360-degree photography and video.
Home sellers can give buyers an in-depth look at their property without having to actually open their doors – risking the buyers’ health (or their own). A virtual tour allows your home to be on display around the clock.
The Difference Between a Virtual Showing and a Virtual Open House
A virtual showing is a video walkthrough that allows an online buyer to feel like they are touring the house in person. The virtual showing is prominently featured in the online house listing and can also be promoted via social media. Homebuyers can then view and share the video at their convenience.
A virtual open house is an innovative alternative to the traditional open house, as the threat of COVID-19 can be an obstacle for homebuyers who don’t want to view homes in person as well as sellers who don’t want a lot of people walking through their home.
An agent can guide prospective buyers through the home virtually at a specific time and date as if they were physically present and can answer questions in real-time, providing a more interactive experience.
The agent can advertise a virtual open house by contacting potential buyers and their agents and promoting the event just as they would a traditional open house.
Here are the advantages of choosing an agent who can add a virtual showing or a virtual open house tour to your home marketing plan:
According to a Housing Trends Report by Zillow, 79% of buyers shop for homes online. A virtual open house gives your listing an immediate advantage.
Virtual open house tours allow homebuyers to view your property when it works for their schedule. Plus, for buyers relocating from another area, it eliminates the need for multiple trips, saving them time and money.
From bad weather to unprecedented events like the global coronavirus pandemic, physical open houses can be canceled, wasting a lot of time and effort. With a virtual showing, you don’t have to worry about the unexpected.
A virtual showing makes it possible for people across the world to view your property in greater detail, expanding the potential buyer pool.
Traditional open houses can attract people who aren’t actually in the market for a new home. When your open house is virtual, this won’t be an issue.
Potential buyers have a better sense of whether the home is a good fit before they even contact you, so you’ll get more serious inquiries.
An innovative and experienced Farmington Hills MI REALTOR® like Tom Gilliam, who is ahead of the curve and already using this technology, provides a clear advantage for his clients. If you’re planning on selling your Farmington Hills MI home sooner than later, a high-tech approach to marketing your home is a must.
Partner with Top-rated Farmington Hills and Oakland County MI REALTOR® -Tom Gilliam for Unmatched Expertise in Buying and Selling
A top-rated Farmington Hills and Oakland County MI real estate agent like Tom Gilliam can show you more properties and save you thousands of dollars when buying a home. You need an agent who knows the area, processes a vast network of local connections, and has the skills to negotiate like a pro.
From first-time homebuyers to multi-million dollar investors, Tom continually strives to provide top quality service for his clients. With access to the most up-to-date MLS listings for Oakland county MI properties, Tom is able to match your lifestyle needs with the perfect home.
If you are ready to list your current property, Tom has the experience and skills necessary to handle the sale and marketing of your home for the best possible results. Tom employs the latest technology to deliver massive exposure and drive maximum response from qualified buyers.
Tom also partners with the most talented home stagers to ensure that your home is thoughtfully staged to showcase its features and amenities. With over 25 years of local real estate experience, Tom will protect your interests, advocate for you, and go above and beyond your expectations to ensure a smooth and successful transaction.
If you or someone you know is interested in buying or selling real estate in Farmington Hills or Oakland County MI, please give Tom a call today at 248-790-5594 or you can get in touch here.
Tom Gilliam, REALTOR®
RE/MAX Classic
29630 Orchard Lake Rd.
Farmington Hills 48334
Call: 248-790-5594
Office: 248-737-6800
Email: Tom @ Homes2MoveYou.com
License #314578
As a homebuyer looking for homes in the Oakland County, Michigan area you may find yourself asking what property is included in the sale of the home, so this is to give some clarification on the topic of personal verse included property. Although your realtor would know exactly what is included and excluded with the sale of the home, but you should be aware as well when searching for a new home especially if you are a first-time homebuyer. Keep in mind attention to the details is a must to prevent a disagreement between the home seller and home buyer at time of the final walk-through and what was included in the sale of the home.
Knowing the difference between what’s included in the sale of the home and what’s excluded
First things first, when a homebuyer receives the listing ticket or reads the description it should state what is included in the sale of the home and also it should state exclusions as well to prevent any misconception of the buyer’s expectations of what included in the sale of the home. Many times, the issue or confusion can be addressed before or after the showing by the homebuyer, but can still arise after seeing the home days later. Basically, anything that is fixed to the property is included in the sale of the home unless otherwise stated in the description or directly from the home seller.
What are examples of fixed items that are included in the sale of the home
As a homebuyer you may need examples on what property is included with the sale of the home in order to make a homebuying decision. Some Include:
Built-In Dishwashers
Built-In Stoves
Built-In Microwaves
Garbage Disposals
Drapes
Light Fixtures
Plumbing Fixtures
Blinds
Dressers Built-In
These are just some examples of things that are “Nailed Down” or attached to the home that in most cases are property that is included in the sale of the home, but as I mentioned their may be some exclusions to some of these items if stated by the home seller. It is best to discuss this with your Realtor as each home is different.
What if I wanted something in the home that is excluded and not attached?
Normally if something is excluded and not included in the sale of the home means the home seller is not willing to part from it, but your Realtor at time of writing offer could ask on your behalf to include it in the sell. An example would be something like a hanging mirror that you think looks great with the home and you as a homebuyer would like to have it. The best option is for the home seller to avoid property that is not included in the sale of the home be removed and replace the property before starting to show the home for sale.
It is my hopes that this helps with both homebuyers and home sellers understand what property is included in the sale of the home. Remember that I’m always here to help in all of your real estate needs and services. You can call or email me anytime [email protected] or 248-790-5594
In today’s Oakland County Michigan housing market it is important now more than ever for home seller offers to respond to a buyers offer for purchase of their home, usually the time frame would be within twenty four hours which allows for the home seller offer to have plenty of time to be reviewed,considered and possibly allow time for the listing agent to review with their home seller as well. Although the twenty four hours is the standard, there are times that this is not possible as some home sellers are out of town,family issues or other events that may prevent them from being able to respond within the time frame which would require your real estate agent to write an extension which would allow more time for the review of the home sellers offer.
Although the timing may change for your sellers offer to get reviewed and the home buyer will most of the time understand that this is a process and their offer may take a little longer to get an answer, there are other issues to look out for. Unfortunately we have home sellers that have multiple offers in hand and seem not to be in any hurry to accept and of the seller offers that they have and you may wind up as a home buyer getting into a highest and best offer situation, its always best if your buyers agent ask beforehand if their are other offers on the particular home your trying to purchase. Most realtors will tell you if they have multiple seller offers on a particular property. As your realtor we will inform you on the best ways to handle this situation if it arises while presenting your offer the the sellers agent.
Lets Breakdown The Sellers Offer Process
When a home owner receives a legitimate home seller offer in writing, the seller can accept the offer, reject it, make a counteroffer, or do nothing. While the home owner is not legally bound to respond, if a seller doesn’t respond in a timely fashion, the buyer might become irritated and lose interest in the property.
Protection For Home Buyer and Seller Offers
Most real estate contracts contain an expiration date. If the seller doesn’t respond to the seller offer by the specified date, the agreement becomes null and void, unless the buyer agrees to reopen negotiations
Advice For Both Home Buyer and Home Seller With Offers
As a seller, your response time might defer depending on market conditions. Responding quickly makes sense in a down market, whereas responding slower in a thriving market could give the seller more time to receive multiple offers. A good practice for both buyers and sellers is to respond to any offer or counteroffer quickly and decisively unless circumstances warrant otherwise.
Remember buying or selling a home is one of the most important financial decisions you can make in a lifetime. It would be my pleasure to assist you in all of your home buying and home selling needs here in Oakland County, Michigan, please feel free to call me anytime 248-790-5594
Setting The Asking Price For Your Home-Whats It Worth
As the seller, you are often going to have trouble with setting the asking price for your home. If it’s over priced, it will sit on the market for too long and if it is under priced, you might not get any money back on the renovations you just made.
This is why it is important to consult a real estate agent before proceeding with any sort of real estate decisions. They have all the resources, which you don’t have access to and they can easily find any information they need. There are many factors that you need to consider before setting the asking price for your home and you can do so easily with a real estate agent by your side. You see… the first thing buyers notice when they see the listing is the price of the house. If they find it too high, they don’t even bother to look at the pictures of the house.
There are hundreds of websites that will give you an accurate estimate of your house based on its details such as square footage, number of rooms, location and more. A free evaluation gives you an idea what your home for sale in Oakland County, Michigan is worth. You can get as many evaluations as you like and then compare the prices. This will give you a solid idea regarding the prices in your neighborhood .
Let’s assume that your neighbor just sold his house. The location and the square footage of the neighbor’s house put your house at equal footing. So, you decided to sell your house at the same price. Months go by and many buyers tour the house. However, none of them come back with an offer. Why?
This brings us to our second point:
Look at the Comps
Comps refer to comparable houses that you can look at to set the asking price that suits your home for sale in Oakland County, Michigan. House that have been sold last month and were identical to yours with no additions can be used as compass. The good news is, a real estate agent has a whole database of comps, which makes it easy for him to help you set the asking price. You can find information on your own too by taking with the locals and other neighbors in your area. In the end, regardless of what the real estate agent recommends, you will have the last say on the asking price. However, it is better to trust the agent because they have sold dozens of houses, which is what makes them experts at their job.
Sometimes, your house might be valued at a lower price than you expected. It’s hard to not get emotional in such a case, but it is also important to think practically in such situations. This is where a real estate agent comes in because they have an unbiased perspective. Looking for a real estate agent to help with your house sale? Visit my website Homes2MoveYou now and contact me for a free evaluation of your home to get an appropriate asking price for your home.
When you’re in the business of helping people buy and sell homes — arguably the largest investment of their lives — it goes without saying that there’s a lot at stake. While real estate agents are typically unflappable pros who, in many cases, have experienced just about every scenario you can imagine, there are still some things that strike fear into their hearts.
In the spirit of Halloween, let’s take a look at some of the most terrifying statements clients make that leave agents trembling.
1. “We’re having second thoughts…”
Of course, it’s not uncommon to have a home buyer or seller get cold feet or have pre-purchase or pre-sale jitters, but after investing plenty of time and effort in a potential sale, the thought of a deal falling apart can be horrifying for any agent. Talking skittish clients through their anxieties, both real or embellished, is often part of the job, but that doesn’t make it any less scary.
2. “My parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins would like to see the place…”
It can be tough enough to get a single client or a couple to agree on a property they love and want to buy. Once clients decide to invite their extended family to sneak a peek, they — and their agent — are bound to get more questions and opinions than anyone’s prepared to handle. Taking a large group on a home tour can end up being an agent’s personal horror show.
3. “I’m going to stick around for the open house in case buyers have any questions…”
Having the seller on the premises makes it challenging and sometimes awkward for prospective buyers to speak freely and get all of their questions answered. Agents know how to get the home sold, which is why sellers hire them in the first place. Even if the property owner thinks he or she is being helpful by sticking around, chances are this notion leaves agents shaking in their shoes.
4. “I lost my job…”
Unless a buyer is prepared to pay in cash, sudden unemployment can wreak havoc on a home purchase. When borrowers apply for a loan, they’re required to disclose their employment status and provide pay stubs, typically for the last 30 days. Without reliable income, the ability to secure that loan can disappear faster than balloons from an open house sign.
5. “I just bought a brand new car!”
Similar to the above scenario, making one big purchase before making another larger purchase can, and most likely will, change your debt to credit ratio. If you can hold off on any substantial expenditures until after your closing, your agent will sleep better at night.
6. “Our pet snake got loose this morning. But we’ll find him before the open house starts!”
From staging to marketing, preparing for an open house is already a daunting endeavor. The thought of pets potentially sending would-be buyers running back to their cars is terrifying. Even if a client’s pet boa constrictor is securely corralled, having animals at a showing can be a frightful faux pas.
7. “There’s something I haven’t told you…”
Got a leak? Termites nibbling away at the foundation? A lien against the property you’re hoping no one will ever find out about? Think again. Your agent needs to know everything up front. Secrets (or “surprises,” as clients like to call them) can freak out even the most poised agent — because if someone’s not disclosing one thing, it’s a safe bet there are other shockers that’ll make themselves known at the worst possible time.
8. “Is your commission negotiable?”
Sure, meeting new people and touring homes can be exciting, but not so much that an agent wants to do it for free. Hearing a client try to haggle with a hard-working agent can often be a telltale sign that they’re going to be challenging to work with and not appreciative of all that goes into a home sale or purchase.
9. “My friend is an Agent!”
After spending time helping prospects, hearing the dreaded “Oh, thanks, but we have a friend who’s a Realtor” can send an agent into a panic. Rather than pointing out how much work has already gone into the process, a savvy agent can outline the inherent risks of mixing business with pleasure. Realtors can also keep things professional by explaining their unique skill set and why they’re the right agent to help seal the deal.
About Realtor Tom Gilliam
Realtor-Tom Gilliam is your expert to buy or sell your home in Oakland County, Michigan, the Oakland County community’s number one Realtor. In Oakland County, Michigan, you need to find a Realtor who knows the community.
Tom Gilliam currently lives in the Oakland County Area and is very familiar with the market, neighborhoods, schools and community issues. His office is located into the heart of Farmington Hills, with five additional offices throughout the south east metropolitan area to serve his clients real estate needs.
Tom is always ready to help families find the perfect home in the Oakland County area including: Farmington Hills, Novi, Birmingham,Troy, Rochester Hills, West Bloomfield, Bloomfield Hills, Ferndale, Royal Oak, Northville , Novi, Troy, Rochester and Rochester Hills to name a few. Give me a Call 248-790-5594
A top-rated Farmington Hills and Oakland County MI real estate agent like 
