JUST LISTED: 27 Weatherly Dr, Clayton, CA 94517

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27 Weatherly Dr, Clayton, CA 94517

$750,000

4 beds 2 baths 1,895 sqft

Welcoming and inviting home in a great location, situated on a large corner lot. Wonderful open floor plan with a good size living room and dining area. The kitchen, breakfast nook and family room overlook the pleasant back yard with a patio, deck & sparkling pool! Also, there is a wood burning fireplace in the family room for those cold winter nights. The spacious master suite includes a ceiling fan with a light & a sliding glass door that leads out to the back yard. Each of the secondary bedrooms plus the family room have ceiling fans with lights. There is ample storage & many special features that enhance this special home as well. The large back yard features mature trees, shrubs & blooming plants that even still allow for low maintenance. RV access, with the potential of being on both sides of the property. If so desired, updating this home provides additional potential!! Shopping & many other amenities are nearby, yet the quaint atmosphere of “Old” downtown Clayton is close by.

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7 Things Mortgage Brokers Want Borrowers to Know

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Just the thought of having to go through the mortgage process after deciding to buy a home can seem daunting for the average buyer. It can seem like a complicated process with all of the numbers and calculations involved.

However, with a seasoned mortgage broker in your corner, the process doesn’t have to be overwhelming or even confusing, These professionals will guide you every step of the way to make sure you take the right steps and find the best mortgage suitable for your financial position.

But there are things borrowers can do that will not only make the job of a broker easier, but will help ensure the process benefits buyers in the end. Here are some things that mortgage brokers wish all borrowers knew.

1. Borrowers Should Call Brokers Before They Start Their Home Search

Of course, you should have a real estate agent by your side before you ever start pounding the pavement in search of your new home. But your agent shouldn’t be the only member to add to your team right off the bat: your mortgage broker should also be one of the first people you call.

Your mortgage broker will be able to work with you to find out all the ins and outs of your financial situation so that you can better focus on the properties that fit within your budget. They will also be able to get the ball rolling to get you closer to final mortgage approval so that there’s no unnecessary delay once you finally find a home you love and submit an offer on.

Buying a home is a big deal, and your mortgage broker will be able to help you through the process by offering you personalized advice based on your particular situation. You want to make sure your hard-earned money is being spent wisely, and your broker can help you do just that.

2. Pre-Approval Isn’t the Same as Final Mortgage Approval

Getting pre-approved for a mortgage is a logical first step in the home buying process. While not mandatory, a pre-approval gives the lender the chance to check your credit and assess your finances. Once this is done, the lender will tell you how much you would be able to borrow.

A pre-approval is very helpful when you are searching for a home. Not only will it help you stay focused on a specific price range, it will help sellers look more favorably on you. After all, sellers tend to want to work exclusively with buyers who are serious about buying and are financially capable of affording the purchase.

But as helpful as a mortgage pre-approval is, it’s not the same as a mortgage approval. The actual mortgage approval process begins after your offer on a home has been accepted by the seller and is submitted to the lender. Borrowers should know that not only does their financial situation impact final approval, so does the home itself.

Lenders will send out an appointed appraiser to appraise the value of the home you agreed to purchase. They will want to know if the accepted offer price closely matches the actual current market value of the home.

Only after the lender is satisfied with all factors involved will a final mortgage approval be granted. It’s possible to be denied a mortgage even after you’ve been pre-approved if the appraisal comes in too low or if there’s been a significant change in your finances.

3. A Broker Isn’t a Lender

A lender is the actual entity or institution that loans out the funds approved for. On the other hand, a mortgage broker is a professional who acts as a middleman between borrowers and lenders. Brokers shop around with various lenders to find the best rates and terms for their borrower clients that they work with, and should not be confused with the people who actually loan out the money.

Mortgage lenders are direct lenders who are able to loan money, while a mortgage broker obtains several quotes from different lenders for comparison purposes. At the end of the day, it’s the lender who has the power to approve or reject mortgage applications.

4. You Need Money For More Than Just Your Down Payment

If you’re applying for a mortgage, you’ll need to come up with a certain amount of money for a down payment. Different mortgage types come with their own down payment requirements, but you can generally expect to require at least 5% for a conventional mortgage or 3.5% for an FHA-backed mortgage.

That said, a down payment isn’t the only upfront cost you’ll need to consider. As much as a down payment will be, the closing costs associated with buying a home and obtaining a mortgage can be pretty significant as well. It’s important that you understand what these closing costs are and budget accordingly before agreeing to make a home purchase.

Generally speaking, buyers pay anywhere between 2% to 5% of the purchase price the home in closing fees. That means you’d be paying between $10,000 to $25,000 in closing costs on a $500,000 home purchase, which can include anything from appraisal fees, to home inspections, to private mortgage insurance. Your Closing Disclosure will detail all of the closing costs you’re responsible for before you sign on the dotted line.

5. Borrowers Should Never Make Any Major Financial Changes During the Mortgage Process

Your lender is making a decision about whether or not to approve your home loan application based on the financial information given at that time. If you make any changes to your financial situation, that could throw a wrench in the process and potentially even sabotage your mortgage approval, or delay it at the very least.

Mortgage brokers work hard at collecting all the necessary financial information from you and communicating it to the lenders they work with. They’ll usually tell their clients not to make any major financial decisions until after final mortgage approval.

Generally speaking, brokers advise against borrowers making any large purchases on credit, such as taking out a loan to buy furniture, applying for an auto loan, or taking out a new credit card. These can all alter your debt-to-income ratio which is a critical factor used when assessing your ability to get approved for a mortgage. In addition, you shouldn’t change jobs during the mortgage approval process either, as this can also delay closing.

6. Borrowers Usually Don’t Get a Bill From Their Brokers

Borrowers often wonder how much a mortgage broker will charge for their services, which is a valid inquiry. While buyers may sometimes pay their mortgage broker’s bill in the form of a percentage of the loan amount, brokers typically get paid a commission from the lender who ultimately provides the mortgage.

Depending on the type of home loan provided and what the lender offers, this amount can range anywhere from 0.50% to 1.50%. Based on a mortgage amount of $400,000 and a commission of 1.0%, for instance, the broker would be paid a one-time commission of $4,000 from the lender. Since this comes directly from the lender, borrowers never actually get a bill.

7. The More Documentation, the Better

Brokers require very detailed information about your finances before they’re able to get an accurate quote from the lenders they deal with. Any missing information or documentation will just make the broker’s job more difficult and will take longer to get any answers from lenders.

The more documentation you can provide your broker, the higher the odds that the process can move along quicker. Ideally, all of the required documents should be provided upfront all at once rather than sporadically submitted. Your broker will give you a checklist of documents you’ll need to provide so there’s no guesswork involved.

The Bottom Line

Everyone involved in the home buying and mortgage process should have a full understanding of what their duties are to ensure a smooth process, including borrowers. As a buyer and a borrower, knowing what you’re responsibilities are will not only help your mortgage broker get you the best home loan product for you, it will also help you be more informed from start to finish. Make sure to get up to speed on what you can do to help your mortgage broker help you with your home loan approval process.

Open Concept Floor Plans: Pros and Cons

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Decades ago, residential floor plans were anything but open concept. Instead, the main entrance and hallways typically anchored all the living spaces that were sectioned off and separated from each other.

Over recent years, however, layouts have become more inclusive and open to one another. Walls are been knocked down or purposefully eliminated to create an open floor plan that allows interaction between rooms, particularly from the kitchen and living room. Today, open concepts have become a highly sought-after feature and are almost a given when it comes to what buyers are looking for in a new home.

But as stylish and free-flowing as an open floor plan may be, they also come with their own set of drawbacks.

Here are some pros and cons of open concepts to determine if it’s right for your home and lifestyle.

Pros of Open Concepts

Open floor plans have become increasingly popular among buyers and homeowners for a number of reasons, including the following.

Creates Social Connection

It’s much easier to interact with family members and guests when there aren’t any walls in the way. Whether you’re in the kitchen, living room, or dining room, socializing with others in an open floor plan home is encouraged.

If you’ve got guests over, you can easily converse with each other while you’re busy prepping food and drinks. This is particularly beneficial if you’re the type to entertain and have people over. Even if you’d rather hang out with your family, an open concept can still be advantageous because it fosters togetherness and communication with one another, no matter what room on the floor you each happen to be in.

Maximizes Space

If your home is a little short on square footage, an open floor plan might be the perfect way to visually expand the space. Small homes that are compartmentalized into a number of little rooms make each space feel cramped and tight. With only a small amount of space to work with, an open concept can maximize the use of the whatever square footage you’ve got to make your home seem larger than it actually is.

Allow More Natural Light in

With so many walls up, it’s tough for natural light to flow throughout a space and illuminate it. Instead, an open floor plan that’s not defined by a bunch of walls more easily brightens up a home. The natural light from your home’s windows will be better able to reach all areas of the floor, which will make your home feel brighter and can even make it feel more spacious.

Creates a More Usable Space

You can more easily create a flexible space based on your needs and desires with an open floor plan. Whether you prefer to have an expansive family room with a theater-style seating plan or an oversized table with extra seating in the dining room, you don’t have to be limited by any walls that separate areas. An open floor plan allows you to design and use the space as you see fit and create usable areas without wasting any square footage.

Makes Watching Small Children Easy

If you’ve got small children running around, you don’t have to worry about what they’re doing in the living room while you’re in the kitchen preparing dinner or in the dining room stacking your fine china. Rather than sitting there watching your kids while accomplishing nothing else, you could be tackling some chores without having to take your eye off your kids.

Cons of Open Concepts

As wonderful as an open floor plan may be, there may be certain drawbacks that make this concept unsuitable for some families.

Lack of Privacy

One of the biggest cons to an open floor plan is its lack of privacy. There’s really nowhere for you to go if you want to go somewhere without being seen, unless you retreat to your bedroom or lock yourself in the bathroom.

Noise Travels Throughout the Floor

Sounds have a tendency to travel, and without any walls standing in the way, you could be exposed no matter where you happen to be. Maybe you just want a little quiet time away from the kids’ loud playing, or perhaps you’d rather have a tranquil space to enjoy your latest novel without having to be distracted by the blaring television. Sometimes an extra separated room or two can come in handy for times like these, of which there may be many.

Your Mess Can’t Be Hidden

If you’re the type to make a big mess when preparing meals, you won’t be able to hide the mayhem in the kitchen. This can be especially concerning when you’ve got guests over. Similarly, you won’t be able to hide the kids’ pile of toys or the stack of mail and paperwork you’ve got accumulating on the counter. If you struggle to keep the clutter down at any time of the day, an open concept might not be right for you.

Reduction in Wall Space to Hang Artwork

While this might not sound like a big deal, open floor plans can make decorating a bit of a challenge. If you’ve got a lot of wall art that you’d like to have on display, eliminating wall space can make this difficult. If you’re an art aficionado and need lots of space to hang your prized possessions, you might find an open floor plan problematic.

The Bottom Line

Whether an open concept is right for your home depends on your lifestyle. If you’re big on entertaining and like the idea of socializing and interacting with people no matter where you happen to be, an open concept might just work. If, on the other hand, you like the idea of having a separate space to retreat to and have a tough time keeping more than one room neat and tidy at a time, perhaps a more compartmentalized layout would serve you better.

Regardless of where you happen to be on this spectrum, be sure to weigh the pros and cons of an open concept before making any changes to your home or before you head out in search of the perfect house for you.

JUST LISTED: 1090 Griffith Ln, Brentwood, CA 94513

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1090 Griffith Ln, Brentwood, CA 94513

$885,000

5 beds 4 baths 3,080 sqft

Charming, comfortable and spacious single story by Pulte in the Botanica development built in 2017! Large living, dining and family rooms with a pleasant decor. Neutral throughout with appealing tile flooring. Very open granite kitchen with farm style sink and goose neck faucet. Large island doubles as a breakfast bar and serving counter. Gas cooktop, stainless steel oven and microwave for the culinary enthusiast. Also included are deep, pull-out drawers and a large walk-in pantry. Enjoy morning coffee in the cheery breakfast nook overlooking the back yard. The lovely master suite is complemented with its luxurious bath. The four secondary bedrooms can also have multiple uses, serving as an office, media room or any other need to complete any other lifestyle. For your convenience, there is also an electric car charger. This a great find for a beautiful home!!

VIEW FULL LISTING

Questions to Ask Before Choosing Between an Adjustable-Rate or Fixed-Rate Mortgage

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It’s the age-old question when it comes to taking out a home loan: should you go for an adjustable-rate or fixed rate mortgage?

The answer to that question depends on a number of factors, including your specific financial situation and the temperature of the current market.

Fixed-rate mortgages lock you into a specific interest rate for the entire loan term. Many borrowers like the idea of having a rate that never changes so that they can budget more easily and not have to deal with fluctuating monthly payments.

Adjustable-rate mortgages (ARM), on the other hand, mean that the rate – and therefore the monthly payments – can change throughout the loan term. Many borrowers choose to risk the potential change in rate and payments in order to take advantage of the more attractive interest rates, as initial ARM rates tend to be lower than those of fixed-rate mortgages. 

But the decision to choose one type of mortgage over the other is not so cut and dry. There are important factors to consider before making your decision, as one can end up being a lot more expensive than the other.

Here are some questions to ask when considering adjustable-rate mortgages versus fixed-rate mortgages.

How Long Do You Plan To Live in Your Current Home?

If you’re planning to stay put in your home for many years, a fixed-rate mortgage is typically recommended, especially if you can lock in at a relatively low rate. On the other hand, if you have plans to make a move some time over the short-term, an adjustable-rate mortgage might make more sense.

Your monthly loan payments will be lower, allowing you to save a little more each billing cycle. If you’re moving before the adjustable rate period starts, you shouldn’t be vulnerable to any significant interest rate adjustments.

What Are Interest Rates Like Right Now?

The temperature of the interest rate environment is a crucial factor to consider before deciding between an adjustable-rate versus fixed-rate mortgage. When rates are high, fixed-rate mortgages are more expensive. You’d be locking in at a high rate for a few years, making your mortgage more expensive and leaving you stuck with a high rate that could go down at some point in the near future.

In this case, you could be missing out on significant savings. When rates are high, an ARM might make more sense because their initial rates are lower than fixed-rate mortgages. If rates dip shortly afterward, you’ll have the benefit of having lower payments.

However, if rates are particularly low, locking in with a fixed-rate mortgage might make more financial sense, especially if rates are expected to rise in the near future. By locking in at a low rate, you won’t have to worry about it rising for the next few years until your term is up and your mortgage is due for renewal.

Would You Be Able to Comfortably Make Mortgage Payments if Rates Increase?

An important factor to think about when considering an adjustable-rate mortgage is what your tolerance for risk is. Will your current or future income be able to comfortably support a more expensive mortgage if the interest rate rises on your ARM? Even the slightest increase in rates can make a big difference on your mortgage payments.

While the initial monthly payments on an adjustable-rate mortgage might be affordable for you today, what will they be like if rates rise in the near future? If the initial mortgage payment amount is already at the limit of what you can afford, an adjustable-rate mortgage might be too much of a financial risk for you. Instead, a fixed-rate mortgage will afford you with more predictable payments to fit within your budget.

What About “Caps”?

Adjustable-rate mortgages involve rates that fluctuate on a regular basis, but in order to make sure they don’t swing too wildly, they come with “caps.” These caps ensure that there are limits set on how far interest rates can go when the loans are adjusted. They can also limit how much monthly payments can increase.

If you’re leaning towards an ARM, be sure to identify exactly what the caps are first.

Caps are expressed as a ratio of three numbers:

Initial adjustment cap – This represents the interest rate limit on the first adjustment after the fixed-rate period is up. A cap of five, for instance, would mean that the new rate can’t go up any more than five points at the first rate adjustment compared to the original rate.

Subsequent adjustment cap – This represents the cap for each subsequent adjustment that the rate can rise over the rate during the first period.

Lifetime adjustment cap – This represents the limit on how much the interest rate can rise over the life of the mortgage.

It should be noted that some ARMs may cap the limit on how much your monthly payment increases, but not necessarily the limit on the interest rate. In this case, you could be stuck with payments that don’t cover the entire interest amount that’s due on your home loan.

Instead, whatever interest payment amount outstanding will be added to your total debt amount, leaving you stuck paying interest on top of interest and making your mortgage more expensive than it was when you first started paying it. These are known as “negative amortization loans.”

Before you take out an ARM, be sure to compare rate caps when comparing home loans. Two different loans might have the same rate during the initial period, but different rate caps can play a key role in which one would be more affordable. In addition, it’s important to determine the highest payment that you could end up paying on a mortgage before signing on the dotted line.

How Often Can Your ARM Loan Adjust?

Once the fixed-rate period expires on an adjustable-rate mortgage, the loan adjusts on a regular basis. While an annual adjustment tends to be typical, the adjustment period can be longer or shorter. It’s important for you to determine the frequency of your loan adjustments in order to more accurately budget for your mortgage payments.

The Bottom Line

There is definitely some appeal to adjustable-rate mortgages since their initial interest rates tend to be lower than fixed-rate mortgages. On the other hand, fixed-rate loans offer the benefit of remaining constant throughout the loan term, making monthly payments much more predictable and allowing borrowers to budget more easily. Before you make your decision, be sure to closely assess your financials and the current market, and speak with a seasoned mortgage professional who will be able to guide you in the right direction.

INFOGRAPHIC: 14 Real Estate Terms All Buyers Should Know

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FEATURED LISTING: 1090 Griffith Ln, Brentwood, CA 94513

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1090 Griffith Ln, Brentwood, CA 94513

$885,000

5 beds 4 baths 3,080 sqft

Charming, comfortable and spacious single story by Pulte in the Botanica development built in 2017! Large living, dining and family rooms with a pleasant decor. Neutral throughout with appealing tile flooring. Very open granite kitchen with farm style sink and goose neck faucet. Large island doubles as a breakfast bar and serving counter. Gas cooktop, stainless steel oven and microwave for the culinary enthusiast. Also included are deep, pull-out drawers and a large walk-in pantry. Enjoy morning coffee in the cheery breakfast nook overlooking the back yard. The lovely master suite is complemented with its luxurious bath. The four secondary bedrooms can also have multiple uses, serving as an office, media room or any other need to complete any other lifestyle. For your convenience, there is also an electric car charger. This a great find for a beautiful home!!

VIEW FULL LISTING

7 Risks of Selling a Home Without an Agent

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Selling a home is undoubtedly an expensive endeavor, but it can be even more costly if you go it alone. Without the help of a real estate agent, you could find yourself making some expensive mistakes and missing out on lucrative opportunities.

Sure, agents charge commissions, which is the main reason why sellers might consider selling their homes on their own. But there are plenty of reasons why they shouldn’t, and here are just a few.

1. You’ll Waste a Lot of Time

Selling real estate is a full-time job. It’s not something that can be easily or successfully done when doing it a few hours on the weekend or whenever you have the time. Instead, selling homes requires full-time attention, which you likely don’t have time for.

It’s a widely-held misconception that selling properties is just a simple matter of putting up a few images and description of the property online and waiting for the offers to roll in.

Instead, selling real estate requires a lot more time and effort than the average person may not realize. There is a ton of work that goes on behind the scenes, and it can be extremely time-consuming.

Unless you are a full-time agent yourself, you likely won’t have enough time in your schedule to dedicate to all the ins and outs of selling your home. In this case, your best bet is to leave it to the professionals to handle it for you.

2. You Might Not Present Your Home Appropriately

It’s one thing to clean up your house and keep it tidy while it’s on the market, but it’s quite another to understand the buyers in your area and know what they’re looking for in a home. Professionals know the buyer demographic in the areas they work in. Using that information, they can effectively guide homeowners in prepping their homes in such a way that it is more attractive to a larger pool of buyers.

At the very least, your home should be neutralized and de-personalized, which means eliminating any personal artifacts and decorating in colors that more buyers would be attracted to. Real estate agents either know how to do this on their own or have connections with professional home stagers who do this job for them.

As a home seller, will you know exactly what to do to make a positive impression on buyers? If not, you’d be better off having a seasoned realtor help you to ensure this impression is a good one.

3. You’ll Have Far Less Marketing Reach

How exactly will you get the word out there that your home is listed for sale? Sure, you can put some images on free websites out there, or even paid ones. But are you able to advertise your home across several websites and social media channels to attract buyers and their agents on a local and even national level? 

Real estate agents have the knowledge and experience with using specific marketing tactics and analytics to ensure your listing is communicated to a targeted audience. They’ll know which type of print media would be appropriate for your listing in order to maximize every advertising dollar spent. They’ll know exactly which type of images will produce the greatest amount of attention.

Real estate agents are also able to access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), which is a database of properties on the market. It’s managed for real estate agents, by real estate agents who pay a fee to have access to it. The MLS offers the largest database of homes on the market, and since all paying realtors have access to it, your property will get a lot of attention if you are represented by a realtor.

If you go it alone, your marketing reach will suffer a great deal, which can have a negative impact on your ability to find the right buyer who is willing to pay what your home is worth.

4. You’ll Miss Out on an Agent’s Extensive Network

Agents know other agents. They might know of an agent who is representing a buyer looking for a home just like yours. They’ve always got their fingers on the pulse of what’s happening in your market and can use the connections they have with other professionals in the industry to help make a sale happen.

Real estate agents also network with related experts in the field, such as photographers, home stagers, lawyers, home inspectors, contractors, and mortgage specialists who can all play a role in a real estate transaction.

If you don’t work with an agent, you’d likely be missing out on this extensive network of professionals that can make your sale a lot smoother.

5. Your Emotions May Get in the Way

It’s not uncommon for sellers to be emotionally charged when selling their properties. Many sellers have a tough time detaching themselves from their homes, and these emotions can get in the way of a successfully negotiated deal.

To sellers, properties are homes where they’ve built memories. Dealing with the emotions involved in putting their home on the market can prove to be difficult.

If you allow your emotions to get the better of you, it’s possible that the sale of your home will suffer. That’s why it’s always best to have a professional real estate agent act as a buffer between you and the buyer. That way all negotiations will be handled in a professional manner without allowing any emotions to cloud the process. 

6. Your Negotiation Skills May Not Be Enough

Once you receive an offer from a willing buyer, will you know how to respond to it? Will you know what to look for in an offer to make sure it’s a good one? Are you savvy when it comes to working with buyers and knowing what it takes to ensure a meeting of the minds?

This is where a seasoned real estate professional can be extremely useful. Agents have the skills and experience negotiating real estate deals to make sure their clients’ best interests are protected while working with buyers’ needs to result in a successful deal. Negotiations can be an intricate process, which is why you’d be in a better position if you have an agent working in your corner to achieve the outcome you’re looking for. 

7. Your Listing Price May Not Reflect the Current Market

As a seller, you obviously want the most money for your home, but you’re not going to get it just by listing your home at a random high price. Getting top dollar for your home requires careful strategies, one of which includes choosing the right listing price. In fact, it’s the listing price that plays the most important role in a real estate transaction.

If you price too high, you’ll scare off prospective buyers. In turn, your home will sit on the market, wasting valuable time. The longer it sits on the market, the more of a stigma it will gain. Buyers will start to wonder what’s wrong with the home, and you may be forced to reduce your listing price at some point in the future.

That’s why picking the right asking price is so important. Do you know how to come up with the right price? What type of resources will you look at to help you determine this crucial number?

It’s not enough to simply look at what other homes in the area are currently listed at. What they’re asking for doesn’t necessarily reflect how much they will realistically get. Not only that, you need to make sure you’re comparing apples to apples, as the listing price of a home that’s dissimilar to yours won’t give you much to go on.

Real estate agents will be able to conduct research on similar homes in the area that have recently sold to come up with a listing price that accurately reflects the current market. By doing so, you’ll be in a better position to attract prospective buyers in your area and sell your home sooner rather than later.

The Bottom Line

Going solo when selling your home is a big mistake, and you’ll likely realize that shortly after listing without an agent. Trying to sell your home without a professional isn’t the best way to try to save some money on real estate commissions. Instead, a real estate agent can be your best ally when it comes to getting the most out of your transaction.

Should Sellers Have a Pre-Listing Home Inspection Done?

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Home inspections are typical in a real estate transaction. After all, buyers want to know exactly what they’re spending all their money on and will usually want to order a home inspection before they commit to the home.

But as common as home inspections may be after an offer has been accepted, they’re not always the first thing sellers think of as a pre-listing task.

The question is, should you invest in a pre-listing inspection before your home hits the market? Or should you just wait until the buyer orders one after an offer has been accepted?

There are specific advantages to having a home inspection done before listing your home for sale, including the following.

You Might Actually Save Some Money

Sure, an inspection will cost you a little bit of money up front, but if you end up discovering certain issues that call for repairs, it might actually save you some money when all is said and done.

That’s because buyers will be more likely to renegotiate and ask for a price reduction if they discover a problem after their own inspection has been conducted. Or, they could request a credit to cover the cost of the repairs. If you can rectify any issues before the buyer discovers them, you may actually end up saving a little bit of money.

It Might Help the Deal Close Faster

If you are proactive about uncovering any problems with your home and making the necessary repairs before you list, you could help move your transaction along after offer acceptance. Several things can drag out closing, including issues with a home inspection.

Rather than deal with these problems during escrow, you can get them out of the way before marketing your property for sale. Having a pre-listing inspection done and fixing any issues can speed the process up and help avoid any extended negotiations.

You’ll Identify Issues to Rectify Before Buyers Do

It would be much better for you to know about any potential flaws in your home before buyers do. Having your home inspected before a buyer’s inspector scopes the place out can help you avoid any unpleasant surprises.

One of the biggest stresses for sellers is waiting to find out what buyers’ inspectors have discovered about their homes. These are valid concerns, as many real estate deals fall through as a result of an unsatisfactory inspection report.

Instead of waiting for the buyer’s home inspector to find out the condition of the property, sellers can take a proactive approach and find out first. That way they can get a head start on making arrangements to have issues remedied if necessary, which brings us to our next point.

You’ll Have Time to Make Repairs

If buyers find out about problems with a home after an inspection has been done, they have several different choices to make: they can either walk away from the deal, renegotiate for a lower price, ask for credits to cover expenses related to making repairs, or ask the seller to take care of the repairs before closing. In terms of the latter, sellers can find themselves scrambling to make the repairs to make sure they’re done before the closing date arrives.

With a pre-listing home inspection, you can take your time making the repairs without having to rush.

Buyers Will Look More Favorably on Your Listing

A home in good condition will leave a better impression on buyers, which can help boost the odds of a solid offer coming in sooner rather than later. If you’ve managed to uncover certain issues and deal with them beforehand, your home will be in better shape for the market.

Not only that, having a pre-inspection in hand will show buyers that you’re serious about selling and are willing to take whatever measures are needed to offer a quality home to a willing buyer. This will help make buyers feel more confident about your home and be more certain about putting in an offer.

Are There Any Cons of Pre-Listing Inspections?

Although there are definitely some benefits to having your home checked out by a professional before the first buyer walks in, there may be some cons to think about:

They cost money – While you may be able to save some money in the long run by having a pre-listing inspection done, they still require upfront spending. Inspections can run anywhere between $250 to $500, depending on the size and condition of the home, as well as your location.

You’ll be on the hook to disclose known issues – In California, sellers are legally obligated to disclose all known issues with their properties to buyers. Once you have an inspection done and issues are uncovered, you have a responsibility to communicate them to buyers, which could make it harder to sell your home.

You’ll likely have two inspections done – While buyers will certainly appreciate your proactive approach to inspecting your home before listing, they’ll still probably want to have their own inspection done. It’s always possible for your inspector to have missed something, only to have the buyer’s inspector discover it.

The Bottom Line

The decision to have a pre-listing inspection conducted before you put your home on the market is solely a personal one. There really is no right or wrong answer, as having one done has its potential advantages and disadvantages. Chat with your real estate agent about the possibility of having an inspection done before listing, and see if it’s the norm in your particular market. If it is, you might want to at least consider it, but only do so on the sound advice of your realtor.

How Much Notice Should Sellers Request Before Showings?

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When you put your home on the market, expect to have a lot of strangers visit. After all, buyers will obviously want to check out your home in person before deciding if it’s the one for them.

But it would be very unpleasant to have someone book a showing at the last minute, leaving you scrambling to get the house in order and make plans to be out of the house for the next hour or so. That is, unless, your home is vacant and you’ve already moved out. In that case, buyers should be free to schedule a showing any time, as long as it doesn’t overlap with another showing. In this case, they can get their realtors to access your home via a key in a lock box on your property.

Otherwise, you should be given a reasonable amount of notice before a buyer shows up for a scheduled viewing. That’s why it’s important to specify how much time is required before showings directly in your listing description. That way buyers and their agents will know exactly when they can expect to see your home after making an appointment.

That said, how much notice is appropriate before you allow buyers to show up? Not enough time will leave you with a very tight window to clean up and get out, while too much time can frustrate buyers and even result in a lost lead.

So, how much notice is considered reasonable when you’ve got your home on the market?

What Happens if You Ask For Too Much Notice?

If you happen to be in a market where homes are snatched up just as fast as they’re listed, then you could be doing yourself a major disservice if you ask for way too much notice before allowing a showing. If a buyer is able to book some showings for other homes before your window, you might lose out on a potential buyer.

As a seller, you really need to carefully consider how much time you realistically need to get ready for buyers. Ideally, your home should always be in showing condition, ready for last-minute showings. That means your home should be clean, free of clutter, and freshly scented. Sure, this can be a real pain, but it can mean the difference between snagging an interested buyer and missing out on a potential deal.

As far as a reasonable amount of notice is concerned, any more than a few hours is probably too much. In general, 24 hours or more is simply far too much notice for buyers to have to provide. Usually, buyers will see a listing they’re interested in and want to book a showing that same day. If you’ve got a 24-hour notice in place, that same buyer could skip over your home and look for another property that is available to be seen with shorter notice.

Buyers usually book a series of showings one after the other, and but listings that require too much notice can make scheduling these showings a nightmare. Essentially, asking for too much notice will simply make it more difficult for buyers to see your home and will throw an additional obstacle in front of them. It may seem irrational from the perspective of the buyer to have to give sellers so much time to get ready for a showing.

What is Considered a Reasonable Amount of Notice?

Generally speaking, 24 hours’ notice is simply too much. Even 12 hours may be considered too long for buyers to have to wait before being able to schedule a showing. Of course, there may certain situations whereby more notice will be needed, such as if there is a tenant living in the home who requires advance notice of their home being shown. In this case, the owner is obligated to provide 24 hours’ notice to their tenant before a prospective buyer can show up.

However, under normal circumstances, anywhere between 2 to 4 hours should be enough to time to put a few things away and get yourself out of the home before the buyers arrive. If you’re at work or are already out for the day, you should always leave your home in showing condition before you leave in case a showing is booked while you’re out. It would be a major hassle to have to run back home to prep the place if a buyer requests to see your home during the time that you’re away.

At the end of the day, you want to be competitive in your market. Take a look at other listings in your area and see what appears to be the standard amount of notice required. If 12 hours is the norm, then perhaps that might be a reasonable amount of time to ask for. If you’re asking for far more time than any other seller on the block, you’ll lose your competitive edge.

The Bottom Line

There’s no rule written in stone that dictates how much notice you should request buyers to give before scheduling a showing. But it’s important to keep in mind that more notice will likely have an impact on the number of showings you end up booking, which can inevitably impact a sale. Before you decide on a time frame for notice, be sure to consult with your realtor and heed their advice about how much notice you should request from interested buyers.