Selling your home can seem like a straightforward process in the beginning. You put the home on the market, entertain offers, and accept the offer that’s the best fit for your needs, in theory. But the actual process can be far more complicated, and if you’re not prepared, you could expose yourself to unnecessary risks while your home is on the market. Here are a few tips from your trusted Minnesota real estate attorney to help you protect yourself when selling your home.
Secure Your Valuables
As soon as you put your home on the market and start opening it up to tours and open houses, you’ll want to secure easy-to-steal valuables. This could involve items like:
- Jewelry
- Medications
- Family heirlooms
- Cash
- Portable electronics
Place these items in a secure hiding place or take them with you when prospective buyers will be walking around. While theft isn’t necessarily common, it can happen if you leave certain items in easy-to-grab locations.
Remove Pets From the Home During Tours
If you can, try to remove pets from the home during tours and open houses. Remember, the goal of these tours is to help buyers picture themselves in your home and to show how safe and comfortable your home is. If your pets are there during tours, some buyers may feel threatened or unsafe and could dismiss your home from consideration entirely.
Worse, if your pets feel threatened or unsafe, they could attack anyone visiting your property. This opens you up to a liability lawsuit, but more importantly, it puts the safety of your furry family members at risk.
Take them with you, have a friend or family member watch them in their home, or schedule a trip to a boarding facility or pet daycare facility if needed. This way, your pets will be safe.
Work With a Minnesota Real Estate Attorney
It’s a good idea to work with a Minnesota real estate attorney as soon as you put your home on the market. Your attorney will be able to review any offers or contracts to make sure they work in your best interest. They can also draft contracts that fit your needs and expectations and help you create clear and legally valid seller’s disclosure forms to ensure that your home sale is in compliance with state law.
Get Everything in Writing
Negotiations are part of the selling process, but it’s important to get all terms of the sale in writing long before you head to closing. If you and the buyer come to an agreement on how to handle certain repairs or the items they want to include in the sale, make sure those terms are in writing.
Remember, you can always let your Minnesota real estate attorney draft a contract that includes all of the terms you’re concerned about.
Let Your Real Estate Agent Handle Negotiations
It’s normal for buyers and sellers to negotiate on the terms of the sale. While you can technically manage the negotiations on your own, it’s best to let your real estate agent handle it for you. They’ll be able to negotiate terms that benefit you most and know what buyers are likely to accept in the current market. This helps you protect your interests by setting you up for the best sale terms possible.
Schedule a Consultation Today
If you’re thinking of selling your home, taking these simple actions can help you protect yourself and your wallet from potentially costly liabilities and mistakes. Let your Minnesota real estate attorney help you set your sale up for success from day one. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and take the stress out of selling your home.