How to sell my house in California?
Knowing some steps to sell a house in California can be useful. Whether you’re selling on the open market or to a cash-paying investor, following these steps can help you be better prepared for a smooth sale.
- Hire a Broker / Real Estate Agent
The first thing to do when you want to sell your home in California is to hire a real estate agent or broker. This person has to know the area and be able to sell your house quickly for as much money as possible, and in the language you prefer, either Spanish or English.
If you need help selling your home, fill out one of the contact forms on this page or call Steve Welty & Associates today. +1 760-773-5538
- Decide on a date when you need or want to sell your house
The time it will take to sell your house will depend on the local market, but it usually takes between one and three months. Here is a short list of things to do before selling your home:
- If you are occupying the house, organize all your belongings as well as possible. Throw away anything you no longer need and consider renting a storage unit for your extra belongings.
- Get a home inspection to identify any problems
- Fix any flaws that come up on the home inspection
- Deep clean your house
Another option is to sell your home to an investor for cash. Most of the time, these investors buy houses as-is and pay closing costs. This can be a great option if you want to sell as quickly as possible.
Call Steve Welty & Associates today. +1 760-773-5538 and sold your land.
It is important that you call us as soon as you decide to sell your home so we can help you with inspections, necessary repairs, and pricing.
- Inspections before listing your home for sale
One of the most important steps when selling a home is paying for a home inspection.
In fact, a detailed home inspection can find problems with your home, giving you a chance to fix them before you sell.
- Decide on the price that will attract buyers so your home sells fast
The price you decide to put on your home when we put it up for sale is another very important step. In general, if your home is priced too high compared to other homes, your home may take longer to sell, sell for less, or in some cases not sell at all.
Houses with high prices compared to similar houses take longer to sell. This makes the house look less desirable to potential buyers. Especially in markets where homes sell fast.
As mentioned above, we use data from recently sold homes to set the correct price. We compare the age of the house, the square footage, the bedrooms and bathrooms, the condition of the house, and also the demand for housing in the neighborhood.
If you need help selling your home, fill out one of the contact forms on this page or call Steve Welty & Associates today. +1 760-773-5538
Of course, the last thing we want is for you to sell your home for less than it’s worth. To avoid this, we make sure to set a competitive price for the market your home is in.
- Negotiate and accept an offer
The number of offers you receive will depend on several things. If your home is in a competitive market, you may receive multiple offers at or above your asking price. However, if your home is in a less desirable area or needs a lot of repair, or market conditions favor buyers, then you may receive fewer offers.
When a buyer makes an offer on your home, you can:
- accept the offer
- Make a counter offer to the buyer
- Or, reject the offer
When you counteroffer, you are negotiating the price, terms, or both offered by the buyer in your original offer. For example, you can increase the purchase price, refuse to repair the roof before closing, or offer to cover some of the closing costs.
The highest offer is not always the best, here are some other things to consider when selling a home:
- If the buyer is paying all cash or applying for a loan
- If the buyer is financing the purchase, what type of loan is it, FHA, Conventional or other?
- How much is the buyer’s down payment?
- Do you have contingencies on your offer, if so why and for how long?
- Are they asking for a price reduction because of a defect in the house, for example, an old roof?
- How quickly can they close the deal?
Knowing which offer to accept and how to negotiate is important when selling your home. We can help you, just give us a call or fill out the contact form on this page.
For a free consultation, fill out this contact form
- How much will you pay in closing costs when selling a house in California?
Both the buyer and the seller pay closing costs when a home is sold in California. The seller typically pays the agent‘s commission, usually in the range of 4-6% of the amount the home is selling for.
Closing costs paid by the seller in California generally depend on the county the home is located in, however most fees can be negotiated to be split between the buyer and seller. The closing agent will provide you with an itemized list of the cost you are responsible for when selling your home.
Contact us today if you would like an estimate of how much money you can earn from the sale of your home. We are always available to help you!
How much will you pay in taxes when selling a house?
We are pleased to inform you that many sellers will not have to pay taxes on the proceeds from the sale of their primary home.
According to the state of California , if you file your taxes as an individual you will not have to pay taxes if:
- Your profit from the sale was less than $250,000
- You have not used this exclusion from paying taxes in the last 2 years
- Owned and occupied the home for at least 2 years
The seller will pay tax on any gain above $250,000.
If you are married or filing with a partner, you and your partner…” can exclude up to $500,000 if all of the following apply:
- Your profit from the sale was less than $500,000
- Filed a joint tax return for the year of sale
- Both spouses meet the 2 of 5 year use requirement
- Neither you nor your spouse excluded the gain from the sale of another home in the last 2 years.
The seller will pay tax on any profit above $500,000.”
Please note that this is not financial advice, please consult with a financial adviser or your tax professional.
- The documents you will need to sell a house
Here is a list of documents you should have available when selling a home in California:
- Monthly mortgage statement
- tax records
- Homeowner’s Insurance documents
- Trust documents (if the house is in a trust)
Gathering these documents before contacting an agent can be helpful, however it is not always necessary.
We can help you determine what documents you need, If you need help selling your home, call Steve Welty & Associates today. +1 760-773-5538
Now what?
I hope these 8 Steps to Selling a Home in California have been helpful to you. Now all you have to do is hire an experienced real estate agent who really cares about selling his house… That’s ME!
Call me, I’ll take care of the rest!
