Sell Your Home - But Beware Hidden Cost

Sellers Beware!!! You put your home up for sale...you accepted an offer...and now it's time to close.

You'll want to be sure to check your HUD-1 statement (or remind your real estate agent) for an additional cost that some buyer agents are charging sellers.

That's right...the buyer agency for the people who are buying your home are charging YOU a transaction fee upward of $250 for their services!

How do you ensure this won't happen to you? When accepting an offer or making a counteroffer, have your agent add verbage to the effect that Seller will NOT pay any buyer agency transaction fees or additional commission fees other than that listed on the MLS.

Make sure your Realtor protects you from additional fees. If the buyer agency fee shows up on your HUD-1 statement and you catch it, your closing may be delayed in order to change it. So, take care of this precaution (and actually, your agent should be doing this) before it creates a problem.

Must Know Conditions on Foreclosure Homes Before Buying

As tempting as it is to purchase a bank foreclosed home and save yourself tons of money, it is imperative that buyers become aware of the four most important physical conditions usually found in foreclosed properties.

First, always look for moisture-related problem sites. When you see visible leaks and obvious evidence of water damage somewhere within the house, you need to find out where it came from. Most of the time, water service will be turned off in the foreclosure property making it difficult to find the leak(s). Check for defective valves and hoses.

Many foreclosed houses are left vacant for quite awhile. Vandalism may have occurred. Make sure to check the property for missing parts...such as copper piping.

Look for signs of insect and rodent infestation.

With no water service, you may not know if the waste and swere lines are damaged or blocked.

Do not purchase a foreclosured property blindly. Hiring an expert, to check out any potential damage to the property, prior to purchasing a foreclosed property can save you thousands of dollars for repairs that may be needed.