Posted on: 27 April, 2004
Author: Tony Dulgeroff
6 MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN TRADING UP TO A LARGER ANN ARBOR AREA ... the ... of buying a first home, when youre ... move up, and already own a home, there are many ... can c 6 MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN TRADING UP TO A LARGER ANN ARBOR AREA HOMEUnlike the experience of buying a first home, when youre lookingto move up, and already own a home, there are many factorsthat can complicate your situation. Its very important for you toconsider these issues before you list your Ann Arbor area home for sale.Not only is there the issue of financing to consider, but youalso have to sell your present home at the right time inorder to avoid either the financial burden of owning two homesor, just as bad, the dilemma of having no place to live duringthe gap between closings.In this article, I outline the six most common mistakes other Ann Arbor area homeowners have made when moving to a larger home. Knowledge of thesesix mistakes, and the strategies to overcome them, will help youmake informed choices before you put your existing home on themarket.Keep these six points in mind. The Ann Arbor area has a very active home buying market. Ann Arbor area home sellers are getting acceptable offers every day, during any part of the year. Proper pricing is always the key to selling any home.Help-U-Sell Spectrum Realty in Saline Michigan offers a wonderful menu of services to their clients. Since Help-U-Sell charges thousands less than the traditional 6-7% that most of the other Ann Arbor area real estate agents are charging, you'll have more pricing flexibility and greater negotiating power.Avoid these common mistakes-1. Looking though rose-colored glasses.Most of us dream of improving our lifestyle and moving to alarger home. The problem is that there's sometimes a discrepancybetween our hearts and our wallets. You drive by a homethat you fall in love with only to find that it's already sold orthat its more than what you are willing to pay. Most homeownersget caught in this hit or miss strategy of home searching whenthere's a much easier way of going about it. Forexample, all Help-U-Sell full service, full time Realtors offer a Home Buyer System that will put you in the home that fits your needs and wants. This program cross-matches your criteria with ALL available homes that are on the market. A program like this helps homeowners take off their rose-colored glasses and, affordably, move into the perfect home.2. Failing to make necessary repairs and improvements.If you want to get the best price for the Ann Arbor area home you're selling,there will certainly be things you can do to enhance it and make it more desirable. These repairs and improvements do not necessarily have to be expensive. But even if you do have to make a minor investment, it will often come back to you ten-fold in the priceyou are able to get when you sell. It's very important that theseimprovements be made before you put your home on the market. Ifcash is tight, investigate an equity loan that you can repay onclosing.3. Not selling your existing home first.I always recommend selling before you buy your next home. This way you will notfind yourself at a disadvantage at the negotiating table, feelingpressured to accept an offer that is below-market value becauseyou have to meet a purchase deadline. If you've already soldyour home, you can buy your next one with no strings attached.If you do get a tempting offer on your home but haven't madesignificant headway on finding your next home, you might want toput in a contingency clause in the sale contract which gives youa reasonable time to find a home to buy. If the market is slowand you find your home is not selling as quickly as youanticipated, another option could be renting your home andputting it up on the market later - particularly if you areselling a smaller, starter home. You'll have to investigate thetax rules if you choose this latter option. But, if your Ann Arbor area home is priced right, you should have no problem selling it regardless of the level of market activity.4. Failing to get a mortgage pre-approval.Pre-approval is a very simple process that many homeowners fail todo first. While it doesn't cost or obligate you to anything, pre-approval gives you a significant advantage when you put an offer on the home you want to purchase because you knowexactly how much house you can afford, and its saves time when youre ready to make your move. With a pre-approved mortgage, your offer will be viewed far more favorably by aseller - sometimes even if it's a little lower than another offer that's contingent on financing. Don't fail to take this important step. Help-U-Sell Spectrum in Saline has a great in house lender with guaranteed low rates. Call (734) 883-9597 for more details.5. You already found your ideal home, what to do now?.Your biggest dilemma when buying and selling is deciding which todo first. You don't want to end up with the terrible situation ofowning two houses, or worse, owning none! Point number 3 aboveadvises you to sell first, but what if you found the ideal home before your house has sold and you want to write an offer NOW? Simply, write the offer contingent upon the sale of your existing home. This is very common in an area like Ann Arbor.6. Failing to coordinate closings.With two major transactions to coordinate -- together with allthe people involved such as mortgage experts, appraisers,lawyers, loan officers, title company representatives, homeinspectors or pest inspectors -- the chances of mix-ups andmiscommunication increase dramatically. To avoid a logisticalnightmare, ensure you work closely with your agent.Keep these six points in mind when you start looking for a newhome. They'll make your life easier, and will save you a lot of money.Tony DulgeroffHelp-U-SellSaline, MI. (734) 883-9597http://www.WolverineRealEstate.com Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com