Renting Your Home

Homeowners who don't need the equity from their home to purchase a new home may consider renting it instead of selling. Rental property is almost always a good investment, but you should understand the consequences of becoming a landlord.

Tenants may not share your pride of ownership and, therefore, may not maintain the property like you would. If you plan to rent your property, acquaint yourself with state or local landlord/tenant laws, including those dealing with rent control and eviction procedures. If the home you rent has been your primary residence, you could lose the benefits of a capital gains deferral when you sell it later. Get professional advice from a tax expert and a professional real estate agent before you decide to turn your home into rental property.

Reviving the Listing

In every town there are homes that sell rather quickly, while others linger on the market. Real estate professionals suggest numerous approaches to maximizing a home's curb appeal -- everything from fresh paint to new landscaping. But if the "For Sale" sign in front of your house has become a neighborhood fixture, it is important to work with your real estate agent to keep your listing fresh.

Whenever your house is shown, the real estate agent will get feedback from the buyers or other agents about what they liked about your house and what did not work for them. Allow your agent to be completely frank with you about any feedback he or she receives. Listen with an open mind and with the understanding that there is nothing personal about these comments. Don't delay in implementing any of the ideas that make sense to you.

Your real estate agent's job is to come up with new ideas for marketing your home in order to get buyers inside. Your job is to ensure that your house looks its best.

Your Financial Cushion

When you calculate how much you will need to purchase a home you will add up the down payment and closing costs. It is also a good idea to leave yourself with some financial cushion to cover the incidental expenses associated with moving.

First, you will have to pay the moving company unless you can find friends with strong backs who will help you. Then many buyers plan to do some work, such as painting, replacing carpet, or refinishing floors. If you are moving into a larger space, you may find yourself making some major furniture purchases within a few months of closing.

A financial cushion is important enough that some lenders require buyers to have an amount in the bank equivalent to two or three months mortgage payments. This is especially true for buyers who are putting less than ten percent down. Your real estate agent can give you guidance. A lot depends on your overall financial situation. If your mortgage is a relatively low percentage of your monthly income, you will be able to rebuild a comfortable amount of savings in a few months.

Upgrade Before You Sell

Real estate agents sometimes receive calls from homeowners asking for advice on what they should do to prepare their house to go on the market. They may have settled for living in a "less than optimal" circumstance for years, and are now going to spend money to make it nice for someone else to enjoy.

If you are considering painting, updating the kitchen, landscaping, or making any other improvements that will increase your home's re-sale value, think about making those improvements while you are still there to enjoy them. Create your own dream kitchen, master suite or spa, build an outdoor living room or restore your wood floors now. Improving your property will make your home more enjoyable, help maintain the property values in your neighborhood, and expedite the sale of your home when you are ready for a move.

Qualifying For A Loan

It is useful for home buyers to understand the difference between loan pre-qualification and pre-approval. Pre-qualification, which in today's marketplace is usually done by mortgage brokers, means working with the buyers to determine how much they can afford and which loans are the most likely to be available to them. Loan pre-qualification can save buyers time and money and can even be a bargaining tool with a seller. However, pre-qualification is not the same as loan "pre-approval". The mortgage broker can often get the buyer a pre-qualification letter, but pre-approval must be issued by the mortgage lender.

Pre-approval means that the lender has definitely committed to loaning the buyer money, once the house itself is approved. Since it is a much stronger pledge, it is a much more valuable negotiating tool. When you hear someone talking about "pre-approval", they are referring to specific acknowlegment by a lender that they are willing to loan the buyer money. The real estate agent can be of assistance in this process.