Feel confident in your purchase with this
Certified Pre-Owned Property from The Latimore Realty Team!”
This is what buyers want… to feel confident in
their purchase. When you prepare your home ahead of time using the Certified
Pre-Owned Property (CPO) program it increases the value of your home to
potential buyers.
Most people are familiar with the term
Certified Pre-Owned as it refers to a car. They understand that if the car is
Certified it has been inspected and meets the company’s guidelines for quality
and excellence.
So do consumers pay more for Certified
Pre-Owned Vehicles? Absolutely!!!
Will they pay more for Certified Pre-Owned
Homes? Absolutely!!!
The
process for Certifying your home prior to listing is fairly simple:
1. Have
your home inspected for mechanical and structural issues as well as a termite
inspection
2. Review
and address any issues found on the report
3. Have
your home appraised
4. Provide
a One Year Home Warranty
As I’m sure you know, potential buyers want to
purchase a home that is in excellent condition regardless of its age.
Finally, there is one secret all Sellers
should know. Buyers make their decision to purchase a home based on emotion and
whether or not they love the home. Another thing is just as true, buyer’s can
fall out of love with a home just as quickly as they fell in love. Nothing can
make this happen faster than an Inspector giving them a long list of items that
need to be repaired.
Advantages for the owner of a
Certified Pre-owned Property:
1.
Helps buyers feel immediately more comfortable with the property
2.
Increases the home buyer’s perceived value of the property by
reducing the purchase risks
3.
Gives the sellers the opportunity to eliminate certain defects
before the buyer’s arrive
4.
Allows the sellers the proper time to make any needed repairs in
order to more effectively market the home in the most positive light
5.
Reduces the likelihood that buyers will hire their own inspector
6.
Reduces the likelihood of costly surprises being found by a
buyer’s inspector after the sellers thought they had a firm offer
7.
Virtually eliminates emotionally and financially draining
renegotiations
8.
Increases the likelihood that serious offers will turn into
closings
9.
Reduces the buyer’s negotiating leverage regarding the existing
property conditions
10. Helps the sellers honestly
disclose everything about their home, reducing their liability for disclosure
Home and Pest Inspections
Inspecting the home before putting it on the
market will point out any existing or potential problems. That way you can
resolve them before they can become a much bigger issue during closing. And if
you fix any issues, the home will also be in better condition for showings, making
it more marketable and helping you get the best price.
If you have the house inspected you can also
save money. When you know what needs to be fixed you can get multiple bids and
pick the best contractor at the best price. And you won’t be up against a tight
closing schedule so “Rush Charges” shouldn’t be an issue.
The pest inspection can also save the seller
money. If wood destroying insects are found during the inspection to certify
the property the homeowner can simply have the area spot treated and repaired.
When such defects are found by during a buyers inspection it raises red flags
about future infestation. So buyers commonly want the seller to have the entire
property treated so as to protect it against further damage.
Appraisal
Having an appraisal up front
adds credibility to your asking price. Homebuyer’s
tend to be suspicious and probably think your home is overpriced. When
considering what price to offer for a property the buyer and their agent will
obviously look at the lowest priced comparable properties. This is a great
strategy when you are buying. With an appraisal in hand, the seller can stop
this strategy right in its tracks!
An appraisal done by a
Certified Real Estate
Appraiser is evidence that the
price was arrived at in a scientific way, rather than just by “pulling figures
out of the air.”
Having a full written appraisal speeds up the whole sales process by putting everyone’s minds at ease.
The buyer will feel assured that they are not being taken advantage of and may
be more willing to finalize negotiations quicker.
It also can help the buyer
qualify for mortgage financing. Banks are not going to lend more money to a
buyer than the property is worth. Lenders always require “hard” evidence of a
property valuation or appraisals before they are willing to lend their money.
An appraisal can stop bargain
hunters from disputing your asking price. A
written home appraisal might prove to be good ammunition to use on the “bargain
hunters” who will try to pressure you into selling your home at a “giveaway”
price. A written appraisal is hard for any real estate buyer or agent to argue
against.
Home Warranty
Providing a home warranty can benefit the
seller as much as the buyer. A home warranty is a policy on the property,
covering items such as the appliances, air conditioning and heating systems,
electrical, plumbing and more.
Normally the policy is for the first year the
new buyer owns the home. If something breaks down in the house, the new owner
pays a reasonable service call. Covered items are paid for by the warranty
company. This can help the new owner significantly considering the cost of
repairing or replacing systems in a property.
Home warranties benefit the seller in two
ways. Should something go wrong with the house within the first year, such as
the air conditioning failing, the buyer will be covered to the extent of the
warranty and will be less likely to seek damages against the seller. As well,
many of the properties systems are also covered for the seller during the
listing period.
Maximizing the Certified
Pre-Owned Property
Once you have completed the CPO process The
Latimore Realty Team will add the CPO badge to the amazing marketing that we do
for your property. This will ensure that the buyers see that your property has
been certified and is therefore a step above the competition!
How to Get It Done
To complete the steps to have your home meet
the Certified Pre-Owned property criteria simply complete the inspections and
appraisal. You are welcome to use any SC licensed inspector and appraiser who
will provide you with complete documentation. The Latimore Realty Team will
help you get the home warranty set up when we list your property for sale.
As an added service to our clients we have negotiated
preferred rates from SC licensed inspector(s) and appraiser(s). Please
understand that The Latimore Realty Team doesn’t represent, endorse, suggest or
receive any compensation from any service providers. They are offered as an
option for our clients. Should you choose to use one of them you will be
working with them directly and The Latimore Realty will not be involved with
that portion of the process.
The Latimore Team’s Real Estate Directory
The Latimore Team
Donald & LaToya Latimore
Residential Listing & Home Buyer Specialists
800-836-3202 ext. 6001
Email: HomeSales@LatimoreTeam.com
Keller Williams, Realty, Columbia NE
140 Wildewood Park Dr. Columbia, SC 29223
