Answers by Deborah Morton

Soraya, there are two ways to look at this- the most important: will NOT doing the repairs keep your condo from selling at all? Secondly, don't decide on $5,340 as one lump. Decide item by item, and compare net to net. Ask your agent for two written numbers based on recent comparable condo sales: the likely price as-is and the likely price with the work done. If the gap is smaller than the cost, skip it. If it's bigger, or the work prevents a showing objection, do it. Get a second quote either way. However, the amount of inventory ( your competition) impacts the buyers decisions. If there are plenty of condos available to choose from, and yours needs work - the prospective buyers may not even consider purchasing yours, at ANY price. Many people believe an As-Is, lower price will be enticing- but how many buyers have available funds, the time, skill, and motivation to do the work? If there are move-in ready options available, that can be an easier option. Inventory matters! If you choose to negotiate Seller concessions for repairs: keep in mind- Two cautions. First, a buyer's lender caps seller contributions by loan type (Fannie Mae Selling Guide B3-4.1-02), so a credit isn't always as flexible as it sounds. Second, a credit doesn't erase what a buyer sees during a showing, for example: a patched, unpainted ceiling. The Georgia point: if those cracks were patched, tell the buyer about them on your seller's disclosure. Painting is fine; hiding them isn't. In a condo, also check whether the cracks trace back to the building, which could make them an association item. For anything legal, talk to a Georgia real estate attorney. North of Atlanta, in Cobb, Cherokee and North Fulton, we run this side-by-side for sellers all the time. If you'd like a starting value, here's our free home valuation: https://clareogroup.com/home-valuation — Deborah Morton, Managing Partner, The Agency Atlanta | Team Leader, Clareo Group at The Agency Atlanta | (470) 990-4414

Neither path is automatically smarter. Compare net to net, not the headline price. A cash offer can mean fewer showings, a shorter timeline, and fewer repair negotiations. It can also come in below what the open market would pay. A traditional listing exposes the home to more buyers. The only way to know which fits is to put both on the same sheet: written cash price minus fees, closing costs, and payoff, next to a realistic listing price minus the costs you actually expect. In Georgia, residential closings are typically handled by an attorney, and Georgia's real estate transfer tax is about $1 per $1,000 of the sale price (O.C.G.A. § 48-6-1). Those lines show up whether you take cash or list. Also, many unsolicited written cash solicitations must disclose that the offer may or may not be fair market value (O.C.G.A. § 10-1-393.19). Get the cash offer in writing. Get a listing net sheet for the same home. Then decide with real numbers, not exhaustion. — Deborah Morton, Clareo Group at The Agency Atlanta, 678-335-6012

Melissa, this is one of the most common questions we hear from Marietta homeowners. Three things help: • Commissions are negotiable. Since August 2024, buyer-agent compensation is no longer advertised on the MLS. It's negotiated deal by deal, and buyers working with an agent sign a written agreement with that agent. • Skipping a buyer's agent doesn't automatically lower the price. The listing agent represents the seller, and whether any savings reach the buyer depends on the seller's listing agreement and the negotiation. • For your own sale, the number that matters is your net: the sale price minus your mortgage payoff, commissions, Georgia's transfer tax ($1 per $1,000 of the sale price), closing-attorney fees, prorated property taxes and any buyer credits. Before you decide whether to list or wait, ask every agent you interview for a written net sheet at two or three price points. If it would help, our team can prepare a net sheet for a Cobb County home on request. — Deborah Morton, Clareo Group at The Agency Atlanta, Marietta

Trudy, I wouldn't base this on a rate forecast. Nobody can reliably predict rates, and the weekly Freddie Mac survey moves both ways. Historically speaking, rates under 5% are not normal. Base your decision on your family’s needs and two real numbers: your potential net proceeds from a sale and your down payment/ monthly payment in the new home. Many people are sitting on the sidelines and waiting, with a lot of built up equity. If the equity in your current home will buy you the space your growing family needs (or the features you want), putting that equity to work makes sense. Depending on your particular area, we are seeing negotiations for concessions working in the favor of buyers-using them for permanent rate buydowns. This can be helpful to achieving your goals - and can be helpful if negotiated well for the buyer of your home. It is the strategy of selling and buying simultaneously that matters. Important - You are selling and buying in the same market. You get to feel it from both sides. If rates fall, that could help your buyer pool- more buyers for your current home, and it could also bring more competition for the bigger home you want. Waiting doesn't automatically put you ahead. What to put on paper now: • Your net from the sale: a realistic price from recent comparable sales, minus your payoff and selling costs. In Georgia that includes the state transfer tax of $1 per $1,000 of the sale price (O.C.G.A. § 48-6-1), any negotiated seller paid compensation, and closing-attorney fees. • Your next payment: have a lender quote the larger home at today's actual terms, including taxes, homeowners association fees, and homeowners insurance. Ask how much a rate buydown would cost. • Local pace: how long comparable homes near you are taking to sell, not national headlines. If the move works at today's rates and with negotiated terms, your family's need for space can decide the timing. If it only works when rates drop, waiting may be the more comfortable choice. Keep in mind, there will be intense competition from many others when that happens. In Cobb, Cherokee and North Fulton, we build this sell-and-buy comparison for move-up families. For a starting value: https://clareogroup.com/home-valuation — Deborah Morton, Managing Partner, The Agency Atlanta | Team Leader, Clareo Group at The Agency Atlanta | (470) 990-4414