If a person shows up to my house wanting a tour, should I let them in?
No, never let anyone into your home unannounced. REALTORS® follow a set protocol for making appointments to see your home and serious clients will contact a REALTOR®. Be leery of the person who knocks on the door, expecting to be let into your home. If this ever should occur, have the people wait outside while you contact us.
Should my listing agent be showing my home?
Many homeowners use this as a barometer to judge whether an agent is doing a good job; however, a listing agent’s job is not to bring a buyer to your home, but to market your home to other real estate agents and their prospective buyers. With over 1,000 real estate agents in the Prescott Tri-City area, the likelihood is that someone other than your listing agent, or even the listing agent’s firm, will sell your home. Although, the Kathleen Yamauchi Group sells a high percentage of our own listings, it is possible we might go through the entire listing period without having the right buyer for your home. We will show your home as often as we have a qualified buyer, we will not however show your home to just anyone to make you think we have a buyer.
How does a lockbox work?
A lockbox is a hollow metal box that attaches to the front doorknob or some secure place nearby. Inside the hollow area is another matchbox-sized box that contains a key to the house. When an agent opens the lockbox, that smaller container slides out, revealing the key.
The lockboxes have a tiny microprocessor inside and can only be opened with an electronic key, which is only available to members of the local Prescott Az MLS. All of the keys have a unique identifier, so when someone opens the box, the microprocessors inside “registers” the agent who opened it. In addition to the agent’s name, the date and time of access are also identified. Once the lockbox has been accessed, the information is stored in the electronic key and sent automatically to the local MLS Association that evening.
Do I have to have a lockbox on my house?
The main purpose of a lockbox is to facilitate the sale of a home. Without it, buying or selling a home would be much more difficult. A lockbox provides convenience to the seller, buyer, and real estate agents. Without the lockbox the seller would have to be present for all showings, leave the door unlocked, or coordinate getting a key to each and every buyer’s agent who wanted to show clients the home. Since it would be near impossible, not to mention extremely inconvenient to do any of the above, a lockbox is a good, convenient solution to accessing your home.
Do you only accept “high-end” listings?
No. We are often perceived as a “high-end” brokerage because of the level of real estate marketing we provide; however, we work with clients at every range of the home scale, from 600 square foot, $100,000 bungalows to expansive, multi-million dollar estates. Browse our current homes for sale.
Can I turn the utilities off once the home sells?
No, the utilities must remain on the entire listing and escrow period due to showings, inspections, and the final walk-through.
What is the listing price you recommend based on?
The listing price your real estate agent recommends is based on a careful analysis of the market, sold homes that are comparable to your home (known as comparables or comps), location, and your homes distinguishing features.
How much will it cost to sell my home?
Since many of the fees associated with selling a home in Prescott is based on the purchase price, a definitive answer is hard to come by; however, the following items are a general list of expenses a seller can expect to pay. (Note: some items are negotiable between the buyer and seller, if written into the purchase contract.)
- Home inspection
- Pest inspection
- One half of the escrow fees (split with the buyer)
- Recording fees (split with the buyer)
- Payoff of Seller mortgage
- HOA transfer fee
- Assessments
- Real estate commission
- Title insurance
- Septic inspection
- Survey, well inspection, home warranty (negotiable with buyer)
Should I leave when my home is being shown?
It is always best to leave when your home is shown. With you there, potential buyers may feel like intruders and will hurry through the house. With you gone, buyers will be free to envision your home as their own or talk openly about the features of your home they like or dislike.
If you must be in the house during a showing, be courteous but don’t force conversation with the potential buyer. Do not volunteer information about your home. What seems like an advantage to you, may be a disadvantage to the buyer. Let the prospective buyer’s agent, who knows his/her client’s likes/dislikes point out the features of your home and answer their client’s questions.
What are comparables or comps?
Comparables, or comps for short, are recently sold properties that are similar in size, age, location, and amenities to the subject property. Comparables are used by appraisers and real estate agents to determine fair market value of a property.