Why Should You Avoid Open Door?

There’s a new way to sell your home in Phoenix, but you need to know the facts before getting involved with Open Door.

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There’s a new concept for selling homes here in Phoenix called Open Door. I wanted to take a moment to go over what you need to know about them and what the facts are.

So, what is Open Door?

Open Door is a new real estate firm based in Phoenix. They are sort of the Amazon of the real estate market in terms of ease of selling your home. They send out a postcard that states how much they would pay you for your home if you wanted to sell. If you decide to sell, they buy your home as is and you pick out a closing date.

That sounds simple, right? Well, it is, but it’s also incredibly detrimental to homeowners.

The easy way isn’t always the best way to sell your home.

A client of mine recently received a postcard from Open Door that stated they were willing to purchase her home for anywhere between $242,000 and $285,000. So, she thought it would be an easy way to sell her home for top dollar.

However, if you sell to Open Door, they will make you pay a 6% commission and will almost always offer you the lowest price for your home. That means you are going to pay a large chunk of your money to close a deal that is probably not in your best interests in the first place.

Open Door may seem like an easy way to sell, but you might get tricked into giving away all the equity you have built up in your home. It’s so important that people know the truth about this so-called “easy way of selling.”

So, if you have any further questions about Open Door or any general real estate questions, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I would be more than happy to help.

Keeping Good Records Is Key to a Smooth Home Sale

In the past few years, I’ve noticed more and more homeowners not being able to locate documentation from a major repair they did on their home. This has turned into a major problem that's caused a lot of sales to fall through.

When you make repairs or improvements to the home you are living in, even if it’s just a coat of paint, it’s important to document it. Any receipt or invoice should be kept so you are able to have it handy when curious buyers arrive.

Any receipt or invoice should be kept.

The more things you document, the more items you’ll be able to list in your seller’s disclosure. The bigger your seller’s disclosure is, the more comfortable the buyer will feel about purchasing your home going forward. For any electronic receipts, you should document those in a cloud-based system, where they won’t be lost. Doing this is critical to making sure your home is marketed and sold effectively.

I hope these tips will be able to help you out in the future. If you have any questions for me, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you.

Phoenix Buyers and Sellers Shouldn’t Trust Zestimates

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A lot of clients come to us and tell us what Zillow’s Zestimate offered as a value on a home, saying this and that. What most people don’t know is that Zillow is only accurate about 7% of the time.

If I was only accurate 7% of the time, I wouldn’t be in business! The CEO of Zillow recently sold him home, and his home’s Zestimate was off by 40%!

It’s important to understand how Zillow pulls its information. It’s an algorithm that Zillow came up with, and is derived from tax records from the government. These figures are very inaccurate. Zillow will also clump homes together with similar subdivisions, but oftentimes the values are very different even in these small neighborhoods. Zillow clumps your home and its updated kitchen and bathrooms in with a “similar” home down the street that is really bare bones basic.

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The CEO of Zillow recently sold him home, and his home’s Zestimate was off by 40%!

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Then, an average is based off of that, so both numbers are going to be off. In Phoenix alone, they are off 20%, and that’s huge. The big thing to remember is that Zillow can’t come into your home and see changes like granite countertops or an added bedroom.

If you’re interested in finding the true market value of your home, please feel to reach out to us. We’d love to help!

Don’t List in Phoenix Without Staging

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Staging is the presentation that you put together before your home goes on the market. Have you ever looked at photos of a home and wondered what they were thinking putting their home on the market with photos that show dirty dishes, kids, and dogs? Unfortunately we see way too many of these on the market, and they don’t sell because they’re trying to sell a big mess instead of a beautiful home.

Our stager provides a two to three hour consultation to work with the items you already have, and will recommend how to best show off the house’s features. If there are a few more decor items you need, we make sure they’re purchased.

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I tell clients that you never showcase your home the way you live in it.

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I always tell people that if they were selling their car, would you sell it how it looks now, or would you put a little bit of work into making sure it was vacuumed and washed inside and out? It’s no different for your home. People want to get the maximum amount of money for their home, but they don’t really know what it’s like to prep it. I tell clients that you never showcase your home the way you live it. You want to change those habits for a short period of time.

If you have any questions about staging in Phoenix or need some more tips, we’d be happy to provide more expertise. Just reach out to us today!

Problems With Contract Homes in Phoenix

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What happens when you discover problems with your new home under contract? First, we’ll demand the disclosure statement from the seller as soon as possible. This will help an inspector find any major problems, so they know what to pay attention to during the inspection period.

As someone working for your best interests, I also will read the disclosure statement and demand anything you need. I won’t let the seller off the hook.

Think of your inspector as the family doctor for your new property. An inspector may advise bringing in other specialists, such as plumbers, electricians, etc. We work with them closely. In Phoenix, we have ten days to complete an inspection and we make sure to use the time wisely.

If you’re thinking of buying or selling a home in Phoenix, give us a call or send us an email today! We’ll set up a free consultation at your earliest convenience.