A group of people standing around a table and signing papers

You’re under contract, now what?

In Buyers, Homeowners, Sellers by Doug Phelps

Colorado is still a fast-moving market and the odds of you selling your home in 60 days or less are really good! This means from the moment you put your house on market to the day you sign a contract, that’s only 60 days which feels like it goes even quicker as we approach the end of the school year, vacation season and summer! During this season of stepping closer to closing, it’s important to keep your home in tip-top shape, and I know this can be hard but know that we’re almost done.  When any of my clients have their homes go under contract I have a tried and true working list of things that need to happen to have a successful closing.  After all, it took a lot of work to get your home under contract and we want to make sure it goes well.  Here are a few things I stress to my clients that are important and pay attention to, and of course I will help every step of the way.

1. Keep aware of deadlines and dates

If you’ve ever bought or sold a house before, or even if you haven’t, you should know that once you have a submitted and accepted offer and you’re under contract you’ll then get a list of dates and deadlines that are integral to the closing process including inspections, contract acceptance deadlines and more. Of course, I will stay in contact with you for each date you need to be involved with, and there will be other dates you don’t need to be involved with but will still want to know.  I will take care of things in the background as well, including staying in touch with the buyer’s agent and lender.  For important dates, I recommend making notes in your calendar and I can help to follow up as well.  

2. Pay attention to the inspection

Your home’s buyer reserves the right to have inspections done at their expense. Sometimes buyer’s forego this step in the process, though I wouldn’t recommend that to any of my clients. This is a step you’ll need to be involved in as you’ll need to keep the property in its best shape, just like it was for the initial showings. Of course, keeping your home in pristine shape for that long, especially if you have small kids or are packing to move, can be difficult but it’s worth it. The buyer will also be there for the inspection and they will be browsing around your home as well, most likely. 

For some of my clients this can be the hardest part because it can be hard to not take personal a professional inspector picking at your home and finding things wrong with it. Some of my clients can become distraught if the inspector finds something of significance. However don’t fret, you’re not going through this alone and it’s my job to advocate for you and negotiate strongly if any repairs are needed. 

3. Be aware if there is an appraisal

If the contract we’ve received is not a cash offer, we’ll likely need an appraisal done on your home and this is a requirement of the buyer’s lender. This ensures that the price offered lines up with market price and appropriate lending value. If there are issues that come up during this phase, again I am here to advocate and lead you through this step like all the others.

Do you have any secret tips about selling your home? Are you in the market to buy or sell your home?  Call and text me at (720) 323-4176 or email me at [email protected]

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