Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (April 10, 2012)
community april10 Living on a Lake in the Country - Advice from a Realtor By Gayle Rich-Boxman Sellers and would be sellers: If you’re going to build or remodel take pictures--this could save you thousands of dollars in an offer! As a seller or potential seller, if you have done an add-on, rehabbed part of your home, are having a new home built or even ARE BUILDING IT YOURSELF (good for you!) then, by all means take copious amounts of pictures. Start to finish. It will not only make for a wonderful photo album for your real estate agent to share with prospective buyers, but could keep you from having to “take it in the shorts” because of assumptions being made by prospective buyers that may not necessarily be true—and can be proven by having pictures as “evidence”. This will also prove to be beneficial if you have property that has flooded. Before you start your repairs, remodeling, be sure to snap photos of what the damage looks like and the “Before” as well as the “After” pictures. As they say, a picture IS worth a thousand words and can save you down the road, should you decide to sell your home. Here are two cases: Case One: Brand new home, with an unfinished basement for sale. Heavy rains, some water in basement. Prospective cash buyer comes along. Makes low offer based on thoughts that a $20,000 drain system needs to be installed around the perimeter of the foundation. Agent (me!) calls seller with low-ball offer and mentions water and what buyer is assuming needs to be done. Aha! Drain system was put in, exactly the same 9 kind that the prospective buyer says needs to be put in AND the seller has lots of pictures to prove it!! The seller also has many many photos of the whole building process. Prospective cash buyer is THRILLED. This will also give the seller an opportunity to make a possible counter offer handling this objection with some nominal fixes. Case Two: One owner home, custom built by owners, for sale with unusual architectural accoutrements This home is one-of-a-kind and the photos show how structurally sound the home is and the type of wood used, the interesting angles as well as giving a sense has questions about a repair or a remodel that was done that is behind walls, for example, this can clear up a mystery of what was or wasn’t done. These are examples of ways to support a certain listed price or coming back with a counter-offer because potential add-ons that the buyer thinks may not be there can be proven to already exist and then the owner/seller has better leverage in countering a low- ball offer. It can also save the future buyer headaches down the road. of history for the new owners to relish as if they were part of it from the beginning. It gives this home more of a personal touch, as well as allowing would-be buyers a peek at the underpinnings of the structure as well as the finished product. Pictures can help tremendously when having a home inspection, too. Often, the seller isn’t there, and if the inspector Vernonia Computer Services Computer problems? We can help. Hardware testing, repair, replacement Mac – Windows – Linux Software install/upgrade Virus/spyware removal Custom systems built Housecalls Available Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat 10-6 and by appointment 2012 Bill Langmaid (971) 998-3705 bill@rangelights.com You can reach Gayle Rich-Boxman, Broker with Vernonia Realty for all of your real estate needs by calling (503) 755-2905 or visit her website: http:// www.lakehomehomesatfishhawk.com
