Answers by Lisa And Greg Harris

If you are getting enjoyment out of the pool that is what matters! Do not look at a pool as a full return on the investment. If you put $50K in a pool it does not mean you increased your home value by $50K. However, you enjoyed it and it was important to you. When I work with buyers and if they are specifically looking for a pool, it is of more value to them if it is already in place. If the buyer does not want a pool, they will just move on from that listing. If it is done well then it definitely makes it more appealing to a buyer if they are looking for an entertainment space and a way to enjoy their own backyard. Keep in mind it also depends on the price point of your home, to begin with prior to the pool installation. So to directly answer your question a pool is not a dollar-for-dollar upgrade you get back in full. But it could be a selling point if this is specifically what someone is looking for when you go to put your home on the market and if there are few with pools and entertainment spaces compared to others on the market, this might work to your advantage.

I would highly recommend that you reach out to a local REALTOR and get answers on the local market from a REALTOR that knows this area and can walk you through what your ultimate real estate goals look like for your personal situation. This will also depend on what you are looking to accomplish long-term and what the local market activity looks like. If you need help finding a local REALTOR I am always happy to help connect you to a professional that knows your area.

I would recommend having either a home inspector or plumber evaluate your specific situation.... Sometimes it is not about being on a hill... A sump Pump is designed to rid an area of unwanted water accumulation. So if you have excessive water accumulation in an area of crawl space or basement, it might be recommended. If the water stands for more than 48 hours especially.

There are options. It all depends on what the circumstances are..... if it is owner-occupied, there is a 203K FHA Loan Option..... It does have some requirements and you need to find the right lender to go on this path. I have seen investors if looking to flip, borrow from their own 401K in order to borrow from themselves, and then repair when it sells. I have seen some banks do a personal loan depending on the amount and your credit. I have seen hard money lenders come into play however, those often come with interest and fees that you will need to factor into your overall numbers if you are flipping the property and if you are holding it to rent or owner occupy, the hard money lender may not be the best option. There are some grants occasionally available through counties, I would check with your local lenders and a local REALTOR to see if they have this info and these are usually for owner-occupied properties only. I even had a client that owed nothing on a car and did a refi on a car because the interest was so low that it made sense with a local credit union.... and then just paid it over time... So ALL of this depends on what your end goal for the property will be......

Arms Length Transaction is often used in a Foreclosure, bank-owned or distressed property, and sometimes in a flip by an investor. It means the buyer or buyers agent is not directly related to the purchaser or the seller or the agents involved. So no Friends, Family, or agents themselves doing the purchase or sale of the property.

This sounds like a few moving parts. I would highly recommend a local REALTOR to connect with on the best options to transfer and then sell a home based on the local market activity and requirements. To sell a home AS IS, as a REALTOR I 1st ask ....are you willing to price it right based on the condition of the property. 2nd, I ask, if there was something minor that is a simple fix that needed to be addressed so a buyer could purchase the home, would you fix it if we could find a simple solution? If so Do not LIST the Property AS IS! Let that come about within the negotiations of the sale. In most AS IS sales the buyer will assume it is in bad condition and low ball, so do not set that expectation before you even get an offer on the property. Find a local professional REALTOR to address these questions specifically!

Typical Response time depends on the temperature of the market..... how fast are properties moving. If you have a written offer in, there should be an expiration of the offer in writing in the contract that you offered. Your REALTOR should be able to answer this more specifically with your contract. Typically in a hot market, I try to get an answer back in 24 hours.... I have had some offers on my listings come in with a week to respond because they are leaving it open longer if they are an investor.... Look at your specific offer in writing to see if there is an expiration date...... However, My 1st response is if they do not respond by the expiration of the offer then that is your answer they rejected the offer. If they responded back a few days after the expiration and you had not found another home and still wanted it, I would ask for a counter in writing and have the expiration of the offer changed and initialed..... I hope this helps.

What a great question! I have had clients See the first house and say this is the ONE and I have had others it takes 5 or more! I think seeing too many homes in one day can be overwhelming! A great agent will help you narrow the list of homes before going to see them in person. This will make the most of your time and then make the process not so overwhelming! Have a good idea of your top 5 must-haves in order to make sure you are able to narrow your list! Asking great questions is a start to get that list narrowed so you do not have to look at as many in person..... Such as Do you need to be within a certain distance of work or schools? HOW DO YOU LIVE? do you go to a certain gym that needs to be close? do you like to bake a lot so you want to be close to a certain store that carries what you need and is the kitchen set up and style important? I like to say lets get answers to more questions up front in order to help narrow and make the most of your search in person and not waste a lot of time.

This is a great question. A local REALTOR that walks you through the home buying and selling process can answer the specifics of how that contract works concerning earnest money for your area as this differs by the contract and the area. But to answer in general, EArnest money tells a seller you are serious, willing, and able to buy a home. It does go towards the purchase as long as you move toward a successful closing to purchase. It is like a deposit to show your commitment as a buyer to purchase that home. There are details within a contract that you can get earnest money back if you go through due diligence and are unable to come to an agreement on repairs for an example. But to go into more specifics of getting earnest money back look to your contract and your local REALTOR to explain the details of the local contract. Hire a LOCAL REALTOR to give you the best guidance to know how this work for your locally! There are over 70 people that touch a transaction and it is 70 + opportunities to have something go wrong. So this is what your REALTOR can help you navigate! They do this everyday!

"Escrow" is to be in contract basically. It means that you are purchasing the home. In different states, it may be simply called "Under Contract" In most cases in mean that you have put earnest (deposit) money down to go under contract. If you are a first-time home buyer, I would HIGHER recommend connecting with a local REALTOR to help you navigate the process! Over 70 people will touch as typical real estate transactions and they are there to answer questions like this and so much more! And in most cases, the cost of their services comes from the proceeds of the sale and is already factored into the cost of the sale. This means you are not coming directly out of pocket to have representation in the buying process! You would not go to court without an attorney.... so do not go into a real estate transaction without representation!

There are so many factors that go into this question that are very specific. A REALTOR nor an Attorney can answer this specifically for your situation. I would recommend a good CPA look at your details of the sale..... Such as whether it was it a flip, a primary residence an estate sale, what were the taxes at the time of the sale, did you hold it longer than 2 years, did you net money, did you invest money in the home to sell it..... All these are factors that need to be considered in your specific situation. Consult a CPA and tax prffesional.

ARe you able to pay the taxes on the property while you hold onto it and wait to build? If you are buying it just to see it increase in value, that is something that a local professional REALTOR can answer for you. In many cases, I do not see huge returns on investment of land by itself to hold and sell for more at a later date unless it is near an area that is in development or has growth potential near it. So ask a local REALTOR about what you are specifically wanting to accomplish. They will be able to give you better direction on your local goals.

Reach out to a Local REALTOR in the area of FL you are looking to purchase and they can specifically answer this question about the process. In SC you pay the taxes based on the purchase price of the home for Property Tax and the seller pays a sales tax, so this question will depend on the type of tax you are specifically asking about..... I have 2 teams in the Florida markets, if I can connect you to a LOCAL REALTOR in the area that you are looking in, they can help guide you through the process in detail. I am happy to make a connection.

Depending on where you are looking to purchase, there are different rules regulations, and local expertise that is needed to complete a real estate transaction internationally, especially depending on where you are looking to buy. YES, YOU NEED A LOCAL REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL! They will be able to guide you through the local requirements and finance options etc. I recently looked into purchasing a home in the Caribbean for myself and reached out to local REALTORS and found a wealth of knowledge on the options. They also typically take longer to close on an international property due to the requirements. It also takes much larger down payments and comes with higher interest and closing fees than the US in many cases. So depending on where you are looking the details will be very different from place to place, just like many transactions are different here in the US from state to state.

I would recommend interviewing agents to determine the one that is the right fit for you and then concentrate on who will get you the highest NET for your property based on their negotiation skills to benefit you. The 1st thing I would ask... is if they are willing to negotiate away their own income how quickly will they negotiate away your net profits? If the agent will not stand for their own income, they will certainly not stand up for you with strong negotiation skills. Just something to think about when interviewing agents....

YOu are correct that commissions vary depending on many factors. Experience, the area, the type of property, the requirements it takes to sell a property. The listing agreement will have the agreed-upon commissions spelled out clearly as to what you have agreed upon for the property that you are looking to sell. Look for a professional REALTOR with expertise for what you are looking to accomplish for your property and interview them to see if they are the right fit for your goals. And sign a listing agreement with the commission spelled out based on the things listed above. (no they should not change based on the written agreement)

THIS IS THE CRYSTAL BALL QUESTION! ;) So it all depends on the area...... I would 1st recommend having this conversation with a REALTOR that knows the general area you are looking to purchase and get their perspective. Some of this depends on the price points and what you are willing to do to the home.... are you going to gutt it and reno it for a quick sale or are you looking at holding it for a long-term tune around? There might be some indicators to what for such as other development around an area affecting the home values.... Is there a surge of hiring happening from the growth of a large business in an area? are other homes in this area being "flipped" So look for indicators and get a professional opinion to help with your specific real estate goal!

All of this depends on the market and the current situation. It is possible, however, it will depend on what the normal of market that we are facing at the time of listing and going under contract. There are a lot of factors that go into the listing process and it is really based on your personal situation. A great listing agent can personally walk you through the options to net the most money for your home. After all that is their area of expertise and knowledge to NET you the most money possible. I would recommend asking a professional listing agent in your market to review this for your home and market area to give you the best possible outcome.

In order to not pay capital Gains if you are making a profit in that time, it is 2 years. However, this depends on what you are hoping to accomplish. If you need to sell for a job relocation or family circumstances, I would recommend talking to an expert listing agent in your area and looking at a net sheet to determine your ultimate goal. If it is to make money for a flip, just expect to pay taxes on that.... if it is to get out even, than that depends on your market and situation.

I would recommend speaking to a local lender that can walk your through all the best options. Do not recommend online lenders as they are most likely not looking at your specific market and the details of your personal needs. When talking with a local lender to get a pre-approval, they may be able to point you in the direction of local programs that are available to help with 1st time home buyers or grants that might help to get your real estate goals met for your circumstances. There might be options for a 100% USDA loan. But a local lender can answer all these questions for you specific to your situation.

This is a great question for your lender. And I recommend working with a local lender that has knowledge of the VA loan process. I also recommend talking with a local REALTOR that has knowledge of VA loan home options. Being that yo uare in VA I am sure there are many REALTORS and Lenders that have this expertise as it is a heavily Veteran populated area. As a REALTOR, I work with a lot of veterans in an area with several military bases and help veterans walk through this process. There are a few more things to look at when looking to purchase a home with a VA loan. There are conditions of the home that must be met and this in most cases includes being able to have a clear CL-100 letter of inspection. This means no current termite of water damage. It must be in good livable condition with windows and doors that lock and other items of this nature. Reach out to a local VA lender and REALTOR. They can give you personal specifics for your situation.

In most situations, you can not negotiate for what you think might be an issue in the future. In most states including SC You are given a Due Diligence period to do inspections. a good home inspector might be able to do a moisture read on the area to determine if there are high moisture readings. Express your concerns with the inspector and see if they may be able to give you more details of any issues. and then have your REALTOR relay those concerns based on the inspections to the selling agent and the sellers. Then go from there based on the recommendations of the inspector and the REALTOR representing your side of the process.

Commercial properties as a general rule of thumb take longer to sell. You might be able to negotiate a shorter term, but ask the broker what the average time of a property of this nature would take to sell in your market. This might help give you the answers you need to meet your real estate goals. There are also longer due diligence periods in commercial contracts. SO even if it went under contract quickly, it might take longer for the due diligence of what ever business is looking to buy the property. Just a few things to keep in mind.

I recommend interviewing agents to see who has the expertise of the real estate goal you are hoping to meet and the knowledge of the area that you are looking in for your home needs. If you have already signed a buyers agreement with a specific agent and started working with them and are not happy with their process. TELL THEM, and talk to their broker so that you are getting the information you need to meet your real estate goals! They do not know if you are not letting them know. I always say not all agents are created equal. Not all of them have the knowledge of the real estate goal you are looking to accomplish. Not all agents are a good personality fit for your needs. So interview the agents you hope to work with in order to be sure it is a good fit.

This is all dependent on what you want to do with the cash if you are not going to fully pay cash for the home. I mean if it is just sitting in a savings account and not working for you then this might not be a good option. To borrow money right now is still fairly cheap overall. If you do not want a payment and do not have the money coming in to pay a mortgage then paying in full might be a better fit. But if you are paying say.. 50% down and using the rest of that cash to invest for a higher return, then that might make better sense.... I would recommend talking to a lender and seeing what the finance options looks like to determine what is a better fit for your end goal!

A few things to keep in mind...... Are you looking at turning it into an investment and all that goes along with that process? Can you buy another home without selling the current home? In most of the counties in SC the taxes for a 2nd home QUADRUPLE because you do not get the primary tax rate break. That is something you need to look at for your county and factor into the rental process. I also recommend, having a minimum of 6 months of reserves to pay the expenses on the home in the event that you run into issues with a rental eviction process. Do you have the money if a rental goes sideways to do renovations? I have seen the expenses of that process be way more than what a short-term immediate loss may be for selling for a little less. If you do not want to get into the landlord investment business seel it now as this market currently is still in good condition in SC area. AND TALK TO A LOCAL EXPERT REALTOR! This is key to making this decision based on your net on the home and the current market values.

Think of it this way... If it is not in writing, it is not legal. So if you have not signed a listing or buyers agreement with this agent you are not required to work with them. If it is not a good fit, then interview other agents to be sure it is a good fit for what you are wanting to accomplish for your real estate goals! Not all agents are a specialist in all areas. Be sure to find the right fit for what your real estate goals are and does that agent have the expertise in that area. Do they have good references? Do they have a history of accomplishing what you want to do with your real estate goals? When you find that agent. Then put it in writing!

I personally like to list a home late Wednesday or early Thursday to give a good marketing and social media push to the property for an open house or Social media push for the most amount of showings the 1st weekend on the market. If you list on Monday, it is typically only seen in the evenings that week and not as many buyers are able to go in the middle of the week in the middle of the day as they are working. So it is a strategy to get the most marketing for the biggest result.

What makes you ask about 1% is my question. Are you worried about the amount the agent is making or you are netting from the sale? If yo are looking for a discount broker, do you expect them to negotiate and work as hard as an agent that knows their value and works for their commission? If an agent can get you the net you want, and still make full commission then what the agent makes does not matter! If an agent is willing to give away their worth before they have even negotiated on your behalf, how quickly are they going to negotiate your equity away on your behalf? You get what you pay for! It is about what you net and if they agent charges you 10% but over-delivers and gets you what you want out of the sale does that matter?

I would consult an attorney in that area to determine the legalities of this situation for our goals...

I believe that you are referring to online sites such as Zillow etc. These are not completely accurate as they have not walk through your home to know all the details. It also takes into account properties that are tranfered between family members for $5, or foreclosures, and so many other factors. A REALTOR would be able to give you up to date accurate info on the range of value on your home based on seeing it and comparing that to currently listed and closed homes similar. Talk to a REALTOR Or even an appraiser to have this value determined based on current market details.

Talk to a local REALTOR with knowledge of your area and have them view the home in person to give you the best idea of the market trends based on the condition of your home. The online evaluators are only as good as the knowledge it has of your particular home... They do not walk through it and factor in the details of the home to see the true value. There are many factors that go into this and keep in mind an appraiser will only look at the last 6 months in most cases and they do not look at the current active homes on the market. Both of these come into the factor of what your home will sell for in a current market.

Appraisal Times do not depend on the property exactly.... They are typically assigned and the appraiser typically has 10 business days to complete from the point of the assignment. Timing of getting one back depends on how busy the market is and what type of loan is being utilized as to how detailed it has to be for process.

To find a local Appraiser to determine the market value, you can reach out to a local REALTOR or Lender and they can most likely point you in the right direction of a good local Appraiser. Or Google appraiser and your local market. Keep in mind if she is getting a loan, they will do an appraisal through the mortgage campany as well.

I am a REALTOR in the Columbia, SC area. WE often have investors that will buy properties with the tenant in place if there is a solid lease and good standing tenant with the right numbers for the return on investment. Keep in mind investors do not want to "buy your problem low-cost rental" they want a solid investment so be sure that is what you are looking to sell and offer if you want to keep the tenant in place. However, speak to a REALTOR about the specifics of your property they will be able to give you good suggestions on what you are trying to accomplish for your real estate goals!

Talk to a local REALTOR with knowledge of your area and have them view the home in person to give you the best idea of the market trends based on the condition of your home. The online evaluators are only as good as the knowledge it has of your particular home... They do not walk through it and factor in the details of the home to see the true value. There are many factors that go into this and keep in mind an appraiser will only look at the last 6 months in most cases and they do not look at the current active homes on the market. Both of these come into the factor of what your home will sell for in a current market.

Talk to a local REALTOR with knowledge of your area and have them view the home in person to give you the best idea of the market trends based on the condition of your home. The online evaluators are only as good as the knowledge it has of your particular home... They do not walk through it and factor in the details of the home to see the true value. There are many factors that go into this and keep in mind an appraiser will only look at the last 6 months in most cases and they do not look at the current active homes on the market. Both of these come into the factor of what your home will sell for in a current market.

There are different degrees of staging..... First and Foremost Declutter and deep clean including a good pressure wash of the home and make it look clean and well cared for at MINIMUM! The better appearance and appeal of a home, the less time on the market, and the better the perception of the value of the home. So do not skip the basics no matter the market if you want top dollar for the sale. To go beyond the basics, I would recommend contacting a local professional REALTOR with experience in your area to know what the trends of the market are for the timeframe you are looking to sell. If you are selling a Million dollar home in a market where there are a lot of them on the market you want yours to stand out above the others!

2 THINGS! Get a great local lender and a local REALTOR that is an expert in the area that you are looking to live! The REALTOR will most likely be able to give you great recommendations on local lenders. This will help you to get the path to homeownership on the right track fast and with the least amount of bumps in the road! The biggest thing I do not recommend is house hunting without a pre-approval letter from a good lender and without a great professional REALTOR!

I give my selling clients a list of items in general to do and then walk them through their personal needs at the time of the listing to give them specifics for their goals of getting their home sold for TOP DOLLAR! In general, things to do! Freshen up the landscaping and clean up the curb appeal. In doing that, you will most likely need a good pressure wash of the home, driveway, decks and the outside to give it a clean fresh look from the street and for the pictures! A DEEP CLEAN INSIDE! Organize what you have. Clean as much off the countertops as possible and put it away under the countertops and organize it! REMEMBER YOU ARE MOVING! so if you are not using it over the next 3 months, then pack it! Including the off-season clothes from your closet. Wie down baseboards, have the carpets cleaned! If walls need to be painted to give it a fresh look do this and go with a neutral color. Stage it in a manner that is appropriate for the home and market. THE BIGGEST TIP - LESS IS BETTER! The less you have out and on counters and on the walls the better! De-personalize! WE do not want buyers to stop and look at family pictures, we want them to see the home as their home. So this is just the start of the basics. I would give specifics once walking through the home at an appointment.

The KEY to getting the most for your home is the preparation prior to listing your home! DE-CLUTTER! CLEAN! A good deep clean and pressure wash around the outside and fresh landscaping all help with a great 1st impression. Repair any minor items prior to listing the home. Make it as neutral as possible. HIRE a local REALTOR to help review your home needs specifically! This is an area where they can lend you the expertise that is relatable to your local market as to what buyers are looking for in your area.