Three Must-Dos for Selling a House

Three Key Tips for Selling Your Home

Knowing the value of your house and exercising patience and restraint are key. A good real estate agent can help you determine the market value of your home but you may want to go a step further and get your home appraised as well; it’s worth the $250 to $500 price tag. In a good market, the sale price may be above the appraisal with the right buyer. In a weaker market, the sale price may be around or below the appraisal figure. Either way, you can use it to defend your equity.

Remember, patience is key. Yes, it's true there is concern that homes can go “stale” after being on the market for too long, meaning they are no longer attracting interest from buyers. But a stale sale usually results from a seller overvaluing his or her home. The opposite can also occur: in a rush to sell a home, or to sell in time so as to move into a new house, a home can be undervalued.  This is another reason the appraisal and your real estate agent are important.

A home inspection is also important in avoiding complications during your sale. The buyer will get an inspection, but discovering problems during a pre-sale home inspection allows you to have more control over how to handle them. If your home inspection does uncover problems with your home, it’s essential that you familiarize yourself with your state’s disclosure laws to avoid future litigation. Generally, they require you to disclose the presence of any hazardous materials in your home or significant flaws in construction. If you’re unsure of what you have to disclose, consult a real estate agent, attorney or your local housing authority.

Finally, try to put your home on the market before buying a new one unless you are qualified and can afford paying two mortgages or your first home is own free and clear. If you do end up finding a house that you can’t wait to buy before selling your own, you can ask your lender for a bridge loan. A bridge loan is a special type of loan that, if you have enough equity in your current home, allows you to pay the down payment on a new home. You may also be able to get a home equity loan in order to help with the dual mortgage payments. Please consult a lender (or attorney) for further information.

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Do you have a C.L.U.E.?

Do you have a C.L.U.E?  What's it worth to you?
By +Sarah Marrinan

In addition to a home inspection and the seller's disclosure paperwork, there is yet another way to find out about potential damage history on a home, a CLUE report.

A C.L.U.E.® Home Seller's Disclosure Report is an independent source of information about insurance losses at your home address within the past five years. If your home has not experienced a loss within the past 5 years, the report can provide comfort to a potential buyer. When there are no losses are associated with a property the report would state that no losses were found for the address shown.

For Home Sellers:
More homebuyers are requiring home sellers to provide a C.L.U.E.® Home Seller's Disclosure Report as a contingency to a purchase offer. By ordering the C.L.U.E.® Home Seller's Disclosure Report at the time of listing, the smart seller and his/her agent are ready for the first potential buyer to walk in the door. At the same time, a potential buyer will achieve a greater comfort level when making an offer on a property for which the loss history is known.  FOLLOW THIS LINK TO ORDER:  http://personalreports.lexisnexis.com/.
It is available immediately via online delivery for your primary address or by mail for other properties you own.

For Real Estate Agents:
Providing information to a potential buyer that makes the home you are selling more attractive is to your advantage. More homebuyers are requiring home sellers to provide a C.L.U.E.® Home Seller's Disclosure Report as a contingency to a purchase offer. By ordering the C.L.U.E.® Home Seller's Disclosure Report at the time of listing, the smart seller and his/her agent are ready for the first potential buyer to walk in the door. At the same time, a potential buyer will achieve a greater comfort level when making an offer on a property for which the loss history is known.

Buyers and Sellers may also be curious about Lead Paint, Radon or even is somebody died in a home. There is so much information out there, it's crucial to have an experienced professional to help you weed through it all!

Ready to talk about buying or selling?  Call me!

*I do not endorse C.L.U.E.®  or DiedInHouse.com nor was I paid to provide this information post.

Do I really need a home inspection?

Find a MN Home Inspector!

A professional home inspection costs money, do you really need to pay for one?

There are a lot of things to consider when choosing a home to purchase and everyone if hoping to find the perfect home.
Once you do choose a home, your REALTOR should go over the inspection contingency option in your contract. Simply stated, it’s a clause in the contract that your offer is contingent upon a home inspection, and you have a certain amount of time to get the home inspected. It allows you to have an unbiased professional look beneath the cosmetic items into the complex working components of a home. It also allows you to either renegotiate your offer based on the inspection, or at the very least know what lies ahead of you if you do decide to purchase the home. A seller’s disclosure statement is nice and most seller’s are honest, but don’t even realize that problems exist in their home.

So, YES, it is always best to get a home inspection!

Ask your realtor for a list of home inspectors in your area.  You could also pull some brochures from the realtors lobby, try the phone directory or the internet. Most inspectors these days have a website where you can read about the services they offer. Take the time and call a few from the list to form your own opinion. Some realtors will offer to hire an inspector for you on your behalf. (Be sure your realtor has your best interests in mind if you go this route.) This is your money and your lifetime investment you’re talking about.
You will more than likely not get the chance to meet your inspector before the inspection, so asking these important questions will help make your decision easier. When you call a home inspection company, here are a few important questions to ask:

1. Are you licensed by the state? If the answer is no, say thank you and politely hang up the phone. All home inspectors are required to be licensed in the State of Minnesota (which involves classes, field training and passing the licensing test), and to keep their license are required to attend 20 hours of continuing education every two years.

2. Are you affiliated with any organizations? Most good home inspectors are associated with a National organization like NACHI (National Association of Certified Home Inspectors) NAHI (National Association of Home Inspectors) or ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors) and/or a local organization.
Each organization has is pro’s and con’s and like any organization, are suited to that inspectors specific needs. Most importantly however, these organizations have strict guidelines to a code of ethics and continuing education.

3. What is your experience and background? Most home inspectors started out with a construction-based background. This is very useful in home inspections. Attending a University with emphasis on construction, or attending a Home Inspection School is almost a necessity in this trade. If an inspector tells you he was in retail (for an example) this may be a time to look elsewhere, or ask a follow-up question as to why he went into the profession and what he has to offer that others inspectors don’t.

4. How long will your inspection take? A thorough home inspection should take between 2 1/2-4 hours or longer depending on the size, age and condition of the home. In some cases a smaller home (1000sft or less) can be inspected in 2 hours. If the inspector says he can do it in less time, think about how thorough the inspection is going to be.

5. What type of report do you use? Some inspectors use computer generated onsite reporting, some use a handwritten checklist, some do computer generated reporting and send you the report after they’ve had time to look it over twice before sending it out. Each has their pros and cons. Computer generated onsite reporting is nice and you get your report right away. The downside is the inspector doesn’t have time to look any items up that may be in question or be very descriptive in their report. A hand written checklist in my opinion is the most incomplete type of report. You do get your report right away, but it is usually something like: Kitchen countertop: poor. This doesn’t give you much of a description of the defect, like what exactly is wrong with it. The computer generated report is in my opinion the best style. You get a neat, professional looking report, the inspector has had time to be descriptive and to look up any items that he may have had questions on (no, we don’t know everything and if we say we do, take that as a sign). The downside is you don’t get your report for a day or so, but the report can get to you quickly if he/she emails it to you.
All inspectors should be able to provide you with photo’s of the problem areas in their reports. A picture is worth a thousand words. If they don’t include photos in their report (digital or otherwise) you may want to find an inspector that does.
Ask for a sample report. Most good inspectors will be happy to send you a copy.

6. How much do you charge and what's included? This is a very important question. The question you really should be asking yourself “how much are you willing to spend on the most important investment you’re ever going to make?” Think about this. Do you really want to price shop on something this important? Yes, you don’t want to pay too much, but you don’t want to scrimp either. You’re paying $100,000+ for your home and now is not the time to go with the lowest price. Inspectors have overhead costs like any company; Insurance, vehicle, gas, equipment training, professional organization dues, a home, etc.
An average inspection is between $250 and $450 or more depending on the size, age and condition of the home. Some inspectors base their fees from the listing price. Some inspectors offer add-on services like Radon testing.
Based on what is uncovered in the inspection, you will probably be able to save that much and maybe more. For example: A new water heater will cost you in the neighborhood of $800, and if the inspector finds that the one in the home is nearing the end of its useful life, the inspection just paid for itself and then some. Its money spent wisely.

Most good home inspectors encourage you to follow them on the inspection or go over it with you at the home when they are done, and I highly recommend it. It will give you a chance to see what he sees, and ask questions. Be sure to ask questions! The inspector will usually to be happy to answer them for you or if he doesn’t know the answer right then, he should offer to look it up and call you with the answer. This is also a time to find out where key components like shut-off valves or the breaker panel is located in case of an emergency, or get tips on routine maintenance items.
A home inspection is a visual, non-destructive examination of a home. It is not technically exhaustive. Inspectors cannot see defects behind a wall, ceiling or furniture.
He or she will just use their knowledge and experience in their visual examination. If a component doesn’t work by normal means of operation the inspector won’t try to get it operating by any other means. He/she will only open those panels that are normally used to service a piece of equipment. If a danger exists to the inspector, he/she will not inspect that piece of equipment. They will just defer to a professional more experienced in that type of application. They do not move furniture to inspect, so having the home ready for the inspector prior to the inspection will not only speed the process, but give you a more thorough inspection.


Having the home inspected is the best thing you can do to have a more informed decision on the purchase or sale of your home. After all, this is probably the biggest investment you will ever make!

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Would you like to learn about Home Warranties or Home Maintenance?  Or need Home Buying Tips?  I am here to help!

Home Inspections: Pass or Fail?

Get a Home Inspection

Nearly all real estate Purchase Agreements (contracts) for homes sold today include a home inspection contingency clause. This provision allows the buyers to choose and hire a professional home inspector, usually at their own expense, to thoroughly evaluate the home for any major problems. A home inspector will not pass or fail a house, but rather describe its physical condition and indicate what components and systems may need major repair or replacement. 

Once the purchase agreement has been signed, inspections usually happen quickly, most often within 5 days.  After an appointment is made with the seller, the home inspector arrives and goes through the entire house.  Typically, a home inspection will take two to three hours and include a check of the home’s structural and mechanical condition.  But besides the structural and mechanical inspection, home inspectors may also do tests for radon gas, look for mold, check for wood destroying insects, or perform other services requested by the buyer.  Most buyers will meet the inspector at the house to review the inspector's findings.

Since 1976, home inspections have been standardized by the nation’s leading home inspector association, the American Society of Home Inspectors, Inc. (ASHI). The Society’s “Standards of Practice” dictate what must be inspected and how far home inspectors need to go to report those findings.

Minnesota does not currently have regulations in place for home inspectors but according to ASHI, a basic home inspection includes an evaluation of 10 different areas of the home: structure, exterior, roofing system, plumbing system, electrical system, heating system, air conditioning system, interior, insulation and ventilation, and fireplaces.

Within these areas, ASHI’s Standards of Practice details what inspectors must look at, as well as what may be excluded, from the inspection. For example, when inspecting the roofing system, inspectors must evaluate the roof shingles, gutters, flashing, skylights, chimneys and other penetrations like plumbing vents.  However, an inspector is not required to inspect a satellite dish, or to look inside chimneys that are not easily accessible.

When the home inspection is complete, the inspector will issue a report to the home buyer detailing what was found.  Inspectors will report on problems needing immediate attention, as well as conditions that can lead to more serious defects down the road.


No house is perfect. If the inspector identifies problems, it does not mean you should or shouldn’t buy the house, only that you will know what to expect. If your budget is tight, or if you don’t want to become involved in future repair work, this information will be important to you. If major problems are found, a seller may agree to make repairs or you may cancel the purchase agreement if this is within your contingency terms.

Only inspectors that are ASHI members are required to follow these strict guidelines.  However, some states also require licensing to become a home inspector, which carries with it it’s own set of requirements of what to inspect.  Even so, many states have adopted ASHI’s standards and its Code of Ethics as the benchmarks of professional performance.

Please interview your inspector about their education, experience and insurance prior to hiring them and ask if they have passed the National Home Inspector Examination. Also, be sure to know the time constraints within your purchase agreement contingency.

Need inspector referrals?  Call me!