Answers by Ken Sisson

If ex wife still on title, you’ll need a deed signed. If a deed was signed during the divorce, the title company may still require an affidavit. Typically these things can be handled at the US Consulate in whatever country she is now located, if title prepares what is needed.

Buyers won’t overlook any necessary renovations however it may not matter too much if the property is in a fantastic location. This decision really depends on many factors, most importantly, the full picture. Does the home need other renovations? Bathrooms, etc.? Or have those been more recently remodeled? Without assessing the full picture it cannot be determined whether a kitchen remodel will be worthwhile. It may actually make the most sense to price the home appropriately as it is and let the pricing strategy and stellar location draw the buyers in versus a kitchen that may or may not suit the end-users tastes.

I contributed to a published article some time ago and called the low interest rates that we have on existing mortgages the golden handcuff. Everyone has a different set of circumstances and all scenarios are different. Some are figuring out ways to keep their existing property as investment/rental property to offset the cost of the new home with that cash-flow. Others are biting the bullet and selling and letting go of the low rate they had. It all truly depends on the individuals’ specific scenario. If space is a factor, it’s typically either add-on to your existing property and evaluate if financing is needed to do so, or buy a new property even if that means selling your existing home. Perhaps the specifics of your conversation start with a good local mortgage lender that you can trust?

Not sure where you’re located, but here in Los Angeles, most buyers these days are looking for turn-key, finished and done, done, done. Now, individual taste is a whole other topic. If your property is relatively move in and simply dated to the tune of the early 2000s, that could be okay. I can see where your question is potentially going, though. I’d recommend that you not make any major improvements or renovations before selling. Minor things? Ok. New kitchen, baths, etc.? Nope. Not unless you’ve got the time, knowledge, patience and stomach to basically “flip” your own home. Reason being boils down to, again, individual taste. You have to know your buyer pool and what updates would sell your house. If you lack experience as a local flipper and don’t have your finger on the pulse of your local market, you could (and probably would) waste a lot of money. Best advice is to find someone that you trust and have them come take a look at your house. When it comes to painting and updating fixtures, get a professional eye and opinion on it. Brightening the house up typically only helps. Definitely clean like you’ve never cleaned before! Don’t ignore the windows. You want to take the professional’s advice and definitely do what would be considered (at least) the bare minimum to get the house ready. Present as its best version of itself. Strongly consider professional staging no matter which way you go.

I’m a REALTOR® that used to be a mortgage loan officer. A prequalification doesn’t mean very much at all. It basically means that you’ve had a conversation with a loan officer or you’ve entered some unverified information into a computer. A preapproval is far better. A verified, certified or fully underwritten preapproval is what you should be looking for, with the latter being the gold-standard. At the very least with a preapproval, an automated underwriting system generated approval has been run (along with at least a soft-pull of your credit report). You simply need to request a preapproval from a lender and if they offer a fully underwritten variety, go for that! Also, don’t worry about timing things perfectly because whatever preapproval you get, can be updated as credit documents (paystubs, bank statements, credit report, etc.) expire.

Family and business rarely mix well (unless in the case of a family business). Have a clear conversation with her about it. Explain that you want to hire experience that she clearly lacks. Bring up the reality of the hypothetical “what if I have to fire you?” You can, however, offer to have her co-list your house with a highly experienced agent. That would potentially be a great learning experience for her. You’d honestly be doing her a favor. This is tough to answer because newer agents really need to join teams or a mentorship/partnership with an experIenced agent. Perhaps that’s what she’s doing. If so, interview her and her mentor/team lead. See if they’re a good fit. Be clear that you will be interviewing other agents as well. The hardest thing to learn for a newer agent is that there is no “automatic” business. Family and friends should not be expected to work with you simply because of the existing relationship. The existing relationship cannot be allowed to get in the way. It’s a slippery slope and, I’m not gonna lie, it hurts bad when you don’t land business that you thought you should get. You don’t owe anybody anything, though. You can handle this how you see fit. It’s your house and your home sale. You call the shots. I just recommend having the conversation for the sake of all that you mentioned in your question.

When you’re selling anything, you want it to present as its best possible version of itself. Wouldn’t you detail a car that you’re selling? Or do you think it would fetch more money with mud down the side, dust on the dashboard and cigarette butts in the ash tray? Minor things like decluttering, replacing light bulbs, some fresh paint and, yes, staging go a long way with highlighting all of the best selling features of almost any home. While there are certainly some exceptions to this, honestly, it sounds like your agent is actually doing her job by advising you on these topics and what it will take for you to get top dollar in your pocket.

Selling a home as part of a divorce is difficult. Been there! “Wanting” different prices is one thing, but the price the market will ultimately pay you is going to be all about strategy. As the homeowners, it’s your decision to make related to what list price to go with and what strategy to employ. Generally speaking, a lower list price should attract more buyer attention and potentially produce multiple offers. This, of course, really depends on your local market. Waiting to negotiate with one buyer that eventually happens along (and may smell blood in the water) is probably never the best strategy, but I think it would be wise to address the whole thing with your agent and see if the strategy of what it would take to get you the highest sale price in the least amount of time can be agreed upon. Usually, “highest possible sales price”and “least amount of time” go hand in hand along with “multiple offers”.

Nobody can predict the future. Period. With 26+ years in this industry I can tell you that when the majority think, or predict, that one set of circumstances is going to unfold, many… it not most… times the direct opposite set of circumstances is what actually happens. Rates are going down (they go up) Doesn’t matter who you are, you can only accurately analyze what’s happening now in any given market. The winners navigate the market. They don’t predict it. If you list now and, most importantly, navigate the market well - three months from now should not concern you

A.I. can be used as a tool to help write an incredible listing description. It should not be trusted to write THE listing description! That would be a mistake. Artificial Intelligence can be used to construct an outline. Put thoughts together in a controlled “environment”. As an agent, and licensed Broker, I typically provide all of the accurate facts about the property and start with a creative idea or two. I carefully make sure that the prompts I’m using are well targeted toward the desired outcome. A.I. is the writing assistant… NOT the writer. If A.I. is given free reign to run wild with a listing description and pull false information from anywhere and everywhere, YES, that could create liability all around if whatever it spits out is sent to distribution.

Should you skydive without an instructor strapped to your back if you’re not certified? Should you ride your buddy’s horse in the Kentucky Derby? Should you pass your beer to your friend and run down from section 315 in the arena to attempt a half-court shot with 2-seconds left in the fourth quarter? Buying a property without using a broker is firmly in the category of just because you can do something does not mean you should. Maybe you’re well experienced in buying homes. That might be a different story. But, even then, do you navigate the local real estate market daily and consistently work on and close multiple transactions? There’s nothing wrong with hiring an expert. (A.I., by the way, does not replace an expert. It is a tool that you and the expert you work with should be using as well.) People tend to not know they’re involved in a complicated transaction until they’re involved in a complicated transaction. Inexperience is, many times, what complicates the transaction. So, yes, it’s likely a detriment.

Hopefully you’re working with a professional, local real estate agent that can negotiate on your behalf. My recommendation to clients in this situation is to engage with a local roofing company to take a look at the roof. I’m not sure if you’ve had an actual roofer look at the roof in question of if your assessment is based off of a general home inspector’s opinion. Further investigation, I would advise, is in order if the latter applies. Sometimes roofing companies will certify or guarantee a roof for a particular period of time if certain preventative work is completed. My advice would be to get really specific about the scope of the problem so that #1 You know what you’re dealing with if you’re going to move forward and own that home inspector’s opinion the near future and #2 You (or your agent) can put together a solid request for what you want the seller to do. Now, all of that being said… you will not be able to get anyone to do something they do not want to do. With facts and a well put together strategy, however, you or your agent may be able to get something. If not, though, you’ll at least know as much as you possibly can know about the roof problem.

What you're looking out for on any home inspection are major things as well as minor things that may be indicative of a much larger problem. If you're having problems reviewing a general inspection yourself and evaluating what things on your inspection are minor versus what is major, then I would recommend finding a general contractor to talk to about it. Beyond obvious major items (like foundation issues, roof issues, etc.) and high-ticket items, it's a judgement call. The inspection provides you, as a prospective homebuyer, a lot more information about the particular home's current condition than you had before. You're not buying a new house (unless you are!). There's going to be loose door knobs or latches that are broken. As a homebuyer, you need to know that in your first year of owning a home, there's a good chance that something unexpected will go wrong or break. If the most major problem on the inspection is the air conditioner, I would pursue some relief or repair from the seller for that. IF it's broken. If, however, it's not broken and only at or near the end of its useful life (but still working), that may not be something to expect the seller to do anything about. When you own a home, you own all the little problems that inevitably come up over time. Sometimes a lot of things do happen in that first year, like I said. A decent 1-year home warranty program is something to look at. Only you can decide whether or not to go forward. Get professional (and specific) advice is my general advice here.

Condominiums are a great option for entry into home ownership. Ownership of a condo is simply a different type of property than a single-family home. Sometimes people love gardening and want a backyard; Sometimes people are more comfortable as "apartment dwellers". There's types of properties that suit all needs. While there are very few rules of thumb or "blanket advice" that apply to all (if there are any at all), Condominiums and Planned Unit Development properties are experiencing an increase in homeowner association fees across the country and that's mainly due to increased insurance premium costs. Also, sometimes people don't want to have to deal with a homeowner association at all. While buying a condo may not actually be a "bad investment" inherently, it's just simply a different market than the market for single family homes. In some markets across the country condos became the most achievable entryway to home ownership. While the different segments of the real estate market are related, they are indeed two separate markets. The decision, ultimately, needs to be based off of specifics. Specifics and the analysis of the local area (condo market vs. single family home) and specifics around you and your preferences, wants and needs in a home (or investment property). Opinions are only valid when said opinion is based on specific facts.

Yes, Katey, contact a real estate attorney about your situation immediately. This situation is specific (to whatever contract you signed) and cannot be resolved with answer(s) from a forum such as this.