Before you list your home for sale, there are costs you will want to take note of, such as making any necessary touch ups, repairs, refreshing the walls with a fresh coat of neutral paint, decluttering, cleaning, staging, landscaping services and moving costs. If you are a handy person, you may prefer to do some of these tasks yourself. Some sellers don’t have the time or know how to prepare their home for sale and wisely enlist the services of a few, if not all service and trade providers. In my experience, hiring trades and professional service providers such as landscapers and stagers transforms the sellers’ property to a higher level making it more appealing to buyers.
Other fees you will need to budget for are the following.
Real Estate commission. Full service real estate professionals typically charge 5% of sale price which is split with buyer’s real estate agent. At closing, commission is held in trust with Sellers’ lawyer and disbursed or paid out to each respective brokerage. The services a trusted real estate agent provides should include completing and explaining extensive forms, staging (optional but strongly recommended), marketing, advertising, professional photo/videography and negotiating with buyer agent.*
Mortgage discharge and or prepayment penalty fees. Consult your mortgage provider for these fees. *
Capital Gains Tax. When you sell your property, you may have to pay Capital Gains Tax. If it was your principal residence, you may benefit from principal residence exemption. I strongly recommend contacting your professional tax advisor on this matter.*
Legal Fees and disbursements. Also budget for professional legal fees and disbursement fees. Fees vary, therefore contact two or three real estate lawyers for a quote. Legal fees can range from $900.00 and up depending on the complexity of sale. Your lawyer will also bill you for disbursements such as photocopies, postage and administrative costs. Once the sale of your property is complete your lawyer will provide you with a final reporting letter outlining transaction details.*
Remember, there may be other costs such as unpaid taxes or special assessments that you should account for. *
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Senia Woods
* Today’s blog is a guide, always refer to each professional expert for their advice.