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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a loan commitment letter?
A loan commitment letter is given by the lender to the borrower stating the terms under which the lender has agreed to the loan. This is often considered “loan approval” which will allow the buyer to proceed with consummation of the real estate purchase.
What is Title Insurance?
Title Insurance insures a buyer that he or she is getting clear title to the property without any liens or encumbrances. A title insurance company researches the county records to see what has been recorded on the property. The title commitment will show what loans need to be paid off and what restrictions, if any, are on the property. The cost is determined by the sale price and varies with insurers. Typically, the seller pays for the policy, and any endorsements required by the buyer’s lender are usually a buyer’s responsibility.
What is an appraisal?
An appraisal is an estimate of the value of a piece of property by a licensed, trained, and experienced individual called an appraiser. They are usually required by a lender to determine how much the property is worth in ascertaining how much they will loan on the property.
What is Homeowners Insurance?
Also known as “hazard insurance”, homeowners insurance covers losses caused by fire, hailstorms, or other casualty on the property. Lenders usually require the buyer to have insurance in an amount equal to or greater than the loan amount. Flood insurance is required by the lender if the property is in a flood hazard area/flood plain. Condominiums and townhomes are somewhat different, as certain items may be covered by the homeowner’s association fees.
What are home inspections?
When purchasing a home, it is important to perform a thorough assessment of the home’s structure, equipment, and surroundings. Real estate purchase contracts provide appropriate language to protect buyers from purchasing a structurally unsound home, while at the same time protecting sellers from liability. An inspection can be made by an inspection service company, or a buyer may choose to inspect the home him or herself.
What are closing costs?
Closing costs are expenses incurred by buyers and sellers when the ownership of the property is transferred. These are usually negotiable items as to who will be responsible for their payment. Examples of closing costs include recording fees, documentary fees, real estate commission, taxes prorations, settlement fees, and title insurance.
Buyer FAQs
Can a home depreciate in value?
Generally, real property never depreciates in value, or more so, it is not very common for property to depreciate. This is why it’s a great investment. Make sure you carefully consider location and community when choosing a home, it can effect the homes future value greatly.
If you are in a newly developed area, do some research on the construction of the surrounding areas being developed to determine if they may effect your homes value.
What does FSBO mean?
FSBO stands for For Sale By Owner. A for sale by owner property usually indicates that the property is being sold without a real estate agent.
What is a "One-Time Show" listing?
With this type of listing the homeowner signs an agreement with the agent. What this agreement declares is the homeowner will provide the agent with a commission for selling the property. This agreement also states the homeowner cannot negotiate with the buyer at a later time to avoid paying a commission. This type of listing is most often used by agent showing FSBO (for sale by owner).
What is the difference between being pre-qualified and pre-approved for a loan?
If you’re prequalified it means that you POTENTIALLY could get a loan for the amount stated to you, assuming that all of the information you provide to the bank is accurate and true. This is not as strong as a preapproval.
If you’re preapproved, it means that you have undergone the extensive financial background check, which includes looking at your credit history, previous tax returns and verifying your employment – and the lender is willing to give you a loan, basically meaning you’re approved!
You will usually be provided an accurate figure which shows the maximum amount that you are approved for. Most sellers prefer buyers that have been preapproved because they know that there will not be any problems with the purchase of their home.
Seller FAQs
How should I price my home?
You must take into account the prevailing state of the real estate market and especially local market conditions. The real estate market continually changes, and market fluctuations affect property values. So it is critical to determine your listing price based on the most recent comparable sales in your neighborhood.
It would be a good idea to get a Home Value Request, or CMA, also known as Comparable Market Analysis.
Is there a "best time" to put my house on the market?
Along with economic factors such as supply and demand, the time of year you choose to sell can impact both the length of time it takes to sell your home and its ultimate selling price.
Typically, the real estate market picks up around February, continues strong through late May and June, and tapers off during July and August. The summer is usually the busiest time for moving since school is out and buyers may be looking to get their children in school before the new school year. September through November generally marks a rally not as strong as late winter and spring, followed by a slowdown from Thanksgiving through and beyond the Christmas and New Year holiday period.
What is an "Exclusive Right to Sell" listing?
This type of listing is the most commonly used and is the most effective. With this type of listing the agent does the most work to sell your home they will usually advertise your home, place it into the MLS, market your home to other agents and even hold open houses for your home. Only with this type of listing does an agent expect to earn money back on their investments on selling your home.
Who is responsible for making repairs, if any, as a result of home inspection reports conducted for the buyer?
Because the buyer orders one or more home inspections doesn’t obligate the seller to make repairs or modifications as a result of those inspections. Typically, however, inspection reports are used to negotiate repairs of major problems, or environmental or safety hazards that may be noted. The purchase contract should provide guidance for these negotiations.
