The 3 Questions Most Asked by Past Clients

The 3 Questions Most Asked by Past Clients

I believe my job doesn’t end at the settlement table, and I want to be your resource for all things home finance related even after you move into your first home.

Below are the questions asked most by past clients who have bought a home with me. I hope the answers to these questions help you become a more informed homeowner too!

1.) Should I refinance?

The specifics about whether or not to refinance can be tricky, so the answer depends on your particular situation.

The equity, or amount of the home that you own, plays a big part in your ability to refinance and also the options available to you. So, if you don’t think you have the equity or aren’t sure how much you do have, then remember I can always put you back in touch with the realtor that helped you purchase to put together some comps and get an idea of your home’s value.

There are costs that come with refinancing, I usually ballpark around $3,000-$4,000 to start and the costs can go up from there, so deciding whether the refinance is worth the required investment really depends on how long you plan to stay in your home.

I can help you calculate how long the investment in the refinance will take to “pay off” vs. the reduction in your monthly payments. And, I can show you how to do the math to make sure you plan on being in your home long enough to break even on the costs and monthly savings.

2.) What do I need to do to get my home ready to sell?

You always want to refer to your realtor for this one, because preparing your home to sell could mean different things for your home and neighborhood. I can always help get you connected with a realtor if it is something you are considering! But, in order to make your home look its best, there are some simple things you can do to help it look clean, stylish, polished and ready for buyers.

Check these things off your list if you’re preparing to sell your home:

• Start packing up the non-essential things – like those skis in your mudroom.
• Give your home a deep cleaning – all those nook and crannys should be spick and span.
• Consider repainting your walls – a $30 gallon of the right color paint can do wonders for your re-sale.
• Declutter your kitchen and pantries – go ahead and toss that jar of peanut butter from 2010.
• Remove window treatments and screens – light sells!
• Make sure every room in your house serves a purpose – every room should look like it is intended to be used, even if you haven’t been using it that way. For example, bedrooms should have beds in them.
• You can skip replacing your cabinets and just paint them and install new, more modern looking hardware.
• Change out your light fixtures – this can be cheap and easy and makes a huge difference, you can even bring the new ones with you if you love them!
• Get your bathroom super clean – those stains and dirty grout have got to go.
• Reglaze your tub or sink if it looks old – get rid of that old color!

Spend less and make more of an impact!

3.) Can I estimate how much I will make from the sale of my home?

Yes! If you have an idea of how much you can sell your home for, I can show you how we calculate the estimated net proceeds. Of course we will want to rely on a realtor to give us a realistic list price AND to give you a checklist of what you need to do to get ready to sell. We will want to factor that into your budget as well. I want you to know what range to expect, financially. The estimated net proceeds detail your expected expenses and proceeds after setting a listing price and takes into account the cost of selling and your mortgage pay-off so you have a really good idea of what amount you’ll be walking away with at settlement.

These are the three questions I hear most, but I’m curious what yours are!  Always feel free to reach out to me whenever you have a question about your home finances.  I’m here for you!