A seller’s agent is a real estate agent that exclusively represents the seller of a house for sale in a real estate transaction. There is a contract between the property owner (otherwise known as the seller) and a real estate agent (also known as the seller’s agent) agreeing to sell your South Hudson home for sale. The contract requires the real estate agent to perform exclusive confidential duties for the seller such as researching recent selling prices for comparable properties in South Hudson NH, showing the property, marketing the property, and advising the seller on the best offers received for the listing. A Hudson seller’s agent must hold an active license in the State of New Hampshire under the New Hampshire Real Estate Commission. They may also be referred to as a listing agent. 

A real estate agent is expected to make the home selling or buying process easier for you. Here are some things you should expect from a seller’s agent.

Price Your Hudson Home Right

Pricing your South Hudson NH home for sale properly is very important when you are a seller’s agent. An exceptional agent will price a home using their knowledge, training, and understanding of the market and comparable sales in the surrounding area. Knowing how to price a home for sale is one of the many valuable skills a REALTOR® can give you as the seller. If you are a smart seller, you will find an agent that will price your home based on the selling price of other similar homes that have recently sold in South Hudson.

If you have updated your home, then it will most likely be priced for more than you bought it for but it all depends on the current market. Currently, we are in a seller’s market and prices are rising yearly. As a seller, you should be aware that pricing your South Hudson home for sale to high can cause problems with the sale. If your Hudson home for sale is priced too high, buyers will most likely look elsewhere.

Communication is Key

A well-trained Hudson sellers agent must communicate properly with the seller. You need to know what’s going on with the sale of your South Hudson NH home. There are too many real estate agents that will only check in when they receive an offer, and that is not proper etiquette as an real estate agent. Real estate agents should always keep in touch with their sellers, especially after a showing so they can give any feedback, or discuss any concerns with you about your South Hudson home for sale.

Even if there aren’t any offers on your home, it is still comforting for your agent to keep in touch so you know you are getting what you’re paying good money for!

Verify Buyer Qualifications

Anyone can say that they are interested in purchasing a Hudson home for sale, but not everyone can get a pre-approval for a home loan. A good sellers agent will be sure that anyone making an offer on your home is qualified, and pre-approved for a home loan, and if not they will kindly decline their offer until they provide proof.

There is a very big difference between a mortgage pre-qualification and a pre-approval. A pre-qualification means that they are qualified, but that doesn’t mean that they will be approved for the loan. A pre-approval means that the lender checked the buyers credit report, as well as their employment, and their income, which are key factors in getting a loan commitment. Loan commitment is the step just before closing, it means that the bank is agreeing to lend the buyer the money for their South Hudson home purchase.

Negotiate for You

Your seller’s agent should always negotiate and work their hardest for the best terms and conditions of the seller. When you hire an agent who isn't worried about when their next sale takes place, you will get much better advice, and a much better outcome. REALTORS® who advocate for their clients are always striving for the best possible terms for the transaction and their client.

Everything in a real estate contract is negotiable, and a good Hudson seller's agent won't hesitate to take an offer for your South Hudson home for sale that will make you happy. If you want the sale of your South Hudson home to be closed at a certain time, they have the negotiation skills to make that happen. It’s best to negotiate this all at the onset to make sure everyone will be on the same page for closing. A good agent will understand the importance of getting things done on time and in an orderly fashion for you, their seller.

Attend the Home Inspection

A seller's agent should attend the home inspection to be sure that they can properly represent you properly. This is why you are paying a REALTOR®, to make things easier for you when selling your South Hudson home for sale. Although you may not expect them to attend the home inspection, they should do it regardless. Your agent can keep track of everything that the inspector states about the home, as well as see anything they may find wrong.

This will also help your sellers agent to protect you from any unreasonable requests, and help them to hear everything first hand. Some buyers may try to exaggerate about everything in hopes that you will make any repairs needed, or that they will be able to purchase your South Hudson home cheaper than the listed price. Home inspections often become the second time where more negotiations are made on your South Hudson home for sale.

Finalize Loose Ends

Selling a Hudson home for sale involves a lot of work. Your REALTOR® must be on top of everything. There are many small details that must be taken care of which is a big selling point for their services. As you get closer and closer to closing your Hudson home for sale, your real estate agent needs to relieve your stress and take care of all the loose ends for you. The less work you have to do, the more appealing your REALTOR® will be. Then you will be more likely to recommend their services to others seeking a real estate agent to help them sell or buy a South Hudson home.

If you are looking to buy or sell a home in South Hudson or in the surrounding area give us a call. The agents at Harmony Real Estate will keep your best interests in mind.

Closing Costs are fees that are associated with the purchase of your Southern NH home for sale that are paid at the closing of a real estate transaction. The closing is the time at which the title of your Southern NH home for sale is transferred from the seller to the buyer. The closing costs of the loan are incurred by the buyer. While the seller pays for commission, transfer of the deed and a few other miscellaneous state fees.

There are many different fees you can expect to encounter when you are closing on a new home in Southern New Hampshire. They vary widely depending on where you live, the type of home you purchase, and the type of loan that you choose to take out. These fees may include:

• Application Fee: The application fee covers the cost for the lender to process your application. Before submitting an application, ask your lender what this fee covers. Not all lenders charge an application fee, and if they do it is possible it can be negotiated.
• Appraisal: This fee is paid to the appraisal company to confirm the market value of the home you intend to purchase. It typically costs from $400-$600 depending on the property type. With a VA or FHA loan the lender will require the appraisal to be at or above the purchase price unless the buyer is capable of paying the difference in cash which is typically not possible. If you are a conventional buyer in Southern NH and have a large down payment you should make the contract subject to the appraisal.
• Closing/Escrow Fee: This is paid to the title company or the escrow company for conducting the closing. It usually ranges from $350-$600 depending on the company and type of closing. The title company or escrow oversees the closing as an independent party in your home purchase. We suggest using a company this knows Southern NH laws.
• Courier Fee: This covers the cost of transporting documents to complete the loan transaction as quickly as possible. Usually courier fees don’t cost more than $50 each.
• Credit Report: A credit report is needed to get your credit history and your credit score. Your credit score plays a big role in determining the interest rate you’ll get on your Southern NH loan. Typically the credit report runs from $25-$50 but could be more costly if there was a credit problem that had to be resolved.
• Escrow Deposit for Taxes & Insurance: Often you are asked to put down up to six months of property tax and mortgage insurance payments when closing in Southern NH. So make sure to budget for it.
• Flood Zone: This is paid to a third party to determine if the property is located in a flood zone. This should also be a small fee under $50.
• Home Inspection: You will most likely get your own home inspection to verify the condition of a property, as well as to check for home repairs that may be needed before closing on your new home. Depending on whether there is a septic and well or public water/sewer and what other tests you do such as mold, lead, pests, radon, pool, etc. will determine how costly this will be. The basic inspections costs from $400-$1200 and could potentially be more depending on the tests you decide to have done on your Southern NH home for sale.
• Homeowners Association Fees: The Seller will pay for this transfer which will show that the dues are paid current, what the dues are, a copy of the association financial statements, minutes and notices. There may also be a one-time fee for the buyer to join the Association that goes into the Reserves.
• Homeowners’ Insurance: This covers possible damages to your Southern NH home. Your first year’s insurance is often paid at closing and the cost varies based on the size of the home, your credit and the amenities.
• Lender’s Title Insurance: This is insurance to assure the lender that you own the home and the lender’s mortgage is a valid lien, and it protects the lender if there is a problem with the title. The cost varies based on the sales price of the Southern New Hampshire home you buy.
• Owner’s Title Insurance: This is an insurance policy that protects you if someone challenges your ownership of your home. This cost also varies based on the price of the home you buy.
• Origination Fee: This covers the lender’s administrative costs. It’s usually about 1% of the total loan.
• Prepaid Interest: Most lenders will ask you to prepay any interest that will accrue between closing and the date of your first mortgage payment.
• Property Taxes: Typically lenders will want any taxes due within 60 days of purchase by the lender to be paid at closing. There may also be taxes due to the owner that were prepaid.
• Recording Fees: This is a fee charged by your local recording office for the recording of public land records. It is usually around $50.
• Transfer Taxes: The transfer tax is one of the largest fees you encounter in New Hampshire. The NH Transfer tax is $15 per $1,000 of the sales price. This fee is split between the buyer and the seller unless otherwise agreed to in writing. In other states there are different fees and it may only be born by the seller.
• Underwriting Fee: This also goes to your lender, covering the cost of researching whether or not to approve you for the loan. An underwriter looks at your file and makes the decision as whether your Southern NH home loan will be accepted or not.

Home buyers will pay anywhere between about 2% to 5% of the purchase price of their home in closing fees but it typically ranges around 3.5%. Your lender will give you a loan estimate for your loan, which will include what the closing costs on your home will be. Many of the fees that make up closing costs may be negotiable. You can also look around for different lenders to see who may be willing to offer you a loan with the lowest closing costs and especially the lowest interest rate.

A short sale is a sale of Real Estate in which the net proceeds from selling your Hudson home for sale will fall short of the debts you owe to your lender for your mortgage. In this case, if all lien holders agree to accept less than the amount owed on the debt, a sale of your South Hudson NH home for sale can be made.

When you sell your South Hudson home as a short sale, it’s similar to other sales you just have to involve the bank’s decision as well. You should contact a REALTOR®, specifically one who specializes in short sales. You will need to list your Hudson home for sale being sure to mention that it's a “short sale,” then wait for an offer to come in. Once you accept an offer, things can get tricky. You will need to gather all of your financial documents to send to your mortgage company and see if they will consider the short sale. Since lenders lose money with short sales, they're usually not very eager to agree with it but that’s where your REALTOR and a short sale negotiator come into play working in your best interest. Some banks may prefer to foreclose on your Hudson home but many times they will consider the short sale if there is good reason.

There are many Pro’s and Con’s to a short sale, but again a real estate agent can help you decide whether you should short sale, or what your other options are. If you do short sale your home, make sure your loan will be considered paid in full. A short sale will have a much smaller effect on your credit than a foreclosure. This will help you in the long run if you ever try to take out another loan or mortgage. Avoiding foreclosure, means you may be able to buy another home sooner than you would be able to if your home was foreclosed on.

However, there are also some disadvantages to a short sale. You will have to take full responsibility for the sale of you home, which can be very stressful and time consuming. Also, if someone purchases your home faster than you expected, you may have to move sooner than you had originally planned. This means that you will now need to find yourself somewhere else to move to as quickly as possible. This may be very difficult for you considering there will be no proceeds from the short sale of your South Hudson home.

If you are having a hard time making the decision of whether or not a short sale is your best option, talk to a Real Estate Attorney, or a REALTOR® to figure out the best plan of action. They can help guide you in the right direction. Be sure you don’t forget to talk to you lender as well. Your lender likely has specialized loan officers who are capable of reviewing and guiding customers who are at risk of foreclosure.

Call Harmony Real Estate at (603) 883-8840 and speak to the top REALTORS® in Southern New Hampshire if you need advice on whether or not to short sale your South Hudson home! We will work in your best interest and help you on this stressful journey in your life.

If you are looking to short sale your home give one of our experienced agents a call at Harmony Real Estate at (603) 883-8840. We are here to help take the stress off your shoulders. We will give you honest answers to help you decide what the best decision is for you.

The decision to short sell your home is not an easy one. You will have to come to terms with the not being able to make your mortgage payments and there are valid reasons why you may not be able to include divorce, loss of a job, health reasons, condo rules and there may be other possible reasons. Whatever the reason short selling your home in Southern New Hampshire will not affect your credit as harshly as a foreclosure and may open up the possibility to getting into another home faster after the short sale. If your short sale is successful you could avoid a foreclosure on your credit record.

Before making any rash decisions you want to make sure you have looked at all your options though. Filing for bankruptcy might be an option to stave of foreclosure (not indefinitely though) if you can’t pay your bills but have the money to pay your mortgage. You may also want to look into the possibility of adjusting your payments by talking to your bank to discuss different terms. If you owe more for your house than it’s worth and these other options do not work for you, a short sale might be the best option for selling your Southern NH home.

Make sure you work with an experienced REALTOR® who has worked with short sales in the past. Ask about their experience so you feel comfortable with their knowledge about the process. An experienced real estate agent will be able to negotiate the deal in your best interest.  

Be aware that the short sale process for a Southern NH Home for sale will take time and patience. Short sales typically take between 3-6 months to close and can take even longer in some circumstances. It all depends on what bank(s) you are working with and the condition of the home. Also make sure to also looking into your tax implications. This is one step that is critical. You should talk to a tax advisor to see what your tax implications are as they change from year to year.

Buying and selling a home is a very important decision, make sure to trust the REALTOR® you are working with. You will need to give them a pile of paperwork regarding your current standing financial assets in order to get the short sale approved. The process can be very emotional and stressful and you will need someone who is caring and will answer your questions along the way and help you through the process. If you can get support from friends and family it will help the process too. Remember the short sale of your Southern NH home is just a temporary situation and you will be able to purchase another home in the future.    

Talk to one of our experienced real estate agents about the Southern New Hampshire short sale process and see if it is the right fit for your circumstances. We will discuss your options and let you know what is the best fit for you. Call Harmony Real Estate at (603) 883-8840 for more information on short selling your Southern NH home today!

Check Your Credit

Be sure you check your credit before you start searching for a home. If you have bad credit, you will most likely need someone else to co-sign, or to put their name on the mortgage with you, unless you pay for your home in full cash.

For a conventional loan you will need a higher credit score typically around 660 or higher while an FHA loan will give you more wiggle room typically down to about a 580 score. Don’t give up if your score is lower than the required amount because there are also ways of increasing your score to get you where you need to be.

Look At Your Income

Also be sure you look at your income so you know just how much you can afford monthly, and yearly. Don’t spend everything you have all at once, be sure you have enough money left over for other payments and bills you may have.

Typically there is a 40% or higher ratio that mortgage lenders will be looking for but we suggest a bit lower so you still have money for other things. Being house poor doesn;t make for a happier life. It’s nice to own a home but it’s also nice to be able to enjoy going out, or buying some new clothes once in a while.

Get Preapproved For A Mortgage

To get preapproved for a mortgage, first you must visit a lender. The mortgage lender will look at things such as your credit reports, your employment history, and your income very closely and carefully. After that, they will figure out which loan program you qualify for, the maximum amount you can borrow, and the interest rates you will be offered.

It is important to get this done before you start looking for South Nashua houses for sale, so you know just how much you have to spend. You don’t want to start looking at houses that are above your reach as it will make the houses you can afford not look as appealing. Be realistic and make your budget work for you. You can always build equity and get the larger house next time if you can’t afford it the first time around.

Find The Right Real Estate Agent

Finding the right Real Estate Agent is important because they can help take some of the stress off of you when you are looking for your South Nashua dream home. Searching for and purchasing the right home takes a lot of time that you may not have, as well as a lot of work that you may just not want to deal with. An agent can deal with the time, and work while you sit back and relax, that is their job!

If you are looking to buy or sell a home, call Harmony Real Estate today at (603) 883-8840. One of our qualified agents will be more than happy to help you find your dream home.

Buying a South Hudson NH home can be extremely stressful, especially when the home of your dreams costs more than you can afford. Luckily for you there are a few ways to get the most out of your money, and we are here to help you.

We will always stand by your decision as it's yours to make but we will guide you along the way. It's nice to be able to go out to dinner or buy a new pair of shoes and not just live for a house too.

How Much Can I Afford To Borrow for a South Hudson NH Mortgage?

Your credit, income, debt-to-income ratio, the size of your down payment, your employment and residence history are all factors in how much you can borrow for a mortgage. Be cautious when you get  a mortgage because the amount you are able to borrow can exceed the amount you can afford.

What Are My Upfront Costs?

Some costs associated with buying a Hudson NH home start to appear before you even make a payment on your mortgage. These include:

Mortgage Application Fees

When you apply for a mortgage there are always fees. Application fees include service fees, which can be flat fees, or they can be a % of the total purchase price. Application fees include the appraisal, credit report fees, title insurance, flood certification fees, lawyer costs, points, as well as application, processing and underwriting fees. Depending on the company you choose to work with they can show up differently on the closing statement.

Earnest Money
Earnest Money is an initial deposit to be paid into an escrow account once your offer is accepted. This is also known as a “good faith deposit” which may influence the seller's decision on whether to accept your offer. The more you put down, the more serious your offer will appear to the seller.

Down Payment
You can get better mortgage rates by having a larger mortgage down payment. Down payments range from 0% to 20% or more of the total cost of the South Hudson NH home you decide to purchase. Some people put down 20% in order to remove the cost of the Mortgage Insurance Premium. Paying mortgage points up front can also help lower your payments.

Closing Costs
Final closing costs can range from a flat fee to a percentage of the total loan amount, depending on your mortgage and the agreement with the seller. Sometimes closing costs can be rolled into the mortgage loan amount which means you can pay it through your mortgage. The other option is to ask the seller if they are willing to pay some of the closing costs in your offer, if the market will accept it.

Closing costs can include:

• Mortgage Application Fees
• Mortgage Points
• Title Insurance and Title Search
• Escrow Deposits
• Attorney’s Fees
• Inspection and Surveys
• City Recording Fees
  
  

Don’t let this list of closing costs worry you because they are all paid at closing and can be estimated by the lender upfront to give you an idea of what will be needed in the transaction.

Home Ownership Expenses
Owning a South Hudson home requires financial commitment far beyond your monthly mortgage payment. You will also be required to pay your mortgage insurance, home insurance, utilities, repairs, and property taxes. Make sure to take all of these costs into account when you are deciding how much you can afford to borrow to buy your new home. It is crucial that you consider all of these costs before you decide to get a mortgage.

Planning And Saving Tips

If you are still saving for your new home, here are some helpful tips for you:

• Maintaining a reliable income improves your standing with lenders
• Paying your bills on time and limiting your monthly debt helps improve your credit score
• Saving for a larger down payment can lower APR and payments
• Combining your stated income with a partner or spouse can help you afford more
• You want your mortgage payment to be less than a third of your income

Building up your finances and your credit rating before you buy a South Hudson NH home will help you to afford more when you decide to purchase. It can also help you compete with other buyers for the home that you want. This will make owning your new home easier to manage!

For more information on buying a South Hudson NH home for sale give our agents at a call at Harmony Real Estate at (603) 883-8840. We would love to help you find your South Hudson NH dream home!