My Piedmont and Oakland Real Estate Adventures. History, Architecture and Homes - Home Closing Costs

Buying Your Oakland Home. What Costs Should You Plan For?

Often, when your first consider buying a home in Oakland or a nearby Piedmont home, your tendancy is to look at the asking price for the home as a working figure to decide whether you can afford it or not.  While that is certainly the most sensible starting point, and knowing that all home prices could be negotiable, you still have other costs that you should put into your budget before moving forward. While some of these fees may also be negotiable among seller and buyer, it is best to include them in your plans. 

1. A Home Appraisal Fee: Your lender needs to know the value of the home, so you should plan on paying this fee.  Costs vary, but are usually around $500.

2. Additional Closing Costs: When you submit your loan application, you must be…

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Plan For These Additional Costs When Buying Your Piedmont Home

When you begin to consider whether or not you might be able to afford your Piedmont home, you tend to concentrate on the initial sales price, and of course, the monthly mortgage payment.  As I will advise you when we begin considering a home in Oakland or Piedmont, money needs to be set aside for other expected, and, often unexpected, costs that will arise as we move through the purchase process.  While all of these costs may not apply because some of these fees are often negotiated between the buyer and the seller, here is a good summary to consider:

a. Professional Home Inspection Fees: It is very important to have the home thoroughly inspected before making your final purchase.  Costs will vary among areas and size of home, but they are usually…

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SOME WAYS TO MOTIVATE AN INTERESTED BUYER OF YOUR OAKLAND HOME

If it is important to you to sell your Oakland home quickly, and you have an interested and qualified buyer who is not quite ready to take the final step to purchase it, there are some steps that can be taken to engage your buyer to buy your home over the others on the market.  Most of these motivating steps involve a financial reward to potential buyers, and, if you can afford to offer one or more of these options, you may be pleased at the response. Here are a few ideas to consider:

1. Offer To Pay The Closing Costs: These are all the fees associated with the purchase of the home.  Fees are assessed by the escrow company, the lender, the county, etc.. So, while is is traditional for you as the seller, to purchase title insurance on behalf of the…

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How To Encourage Buyers to Purchase Your Oakland Home

If it is important to you to sell your Oakland home quickly in this slower economy, there are many things that you can do to engage a buyer into considering your home first over the competition.  Most of the suggestions revolve around some form of financial reward. If you are in a financial position to do one or more of these things, you may be pleased at the response. While this is by no means a complete list, it provides some ideas.

A Few Ideas to Consider In Motivating an Interested Buyer:

a. Offer to Pay the Closing Costs: Closing costs are all the fees associated with the purchase of the home.  Fees are assessed by the escrow company, the lender, the county, etc..  While it is traditional for you, as the seller, to purchase title insurance on…

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