A Little Effort Can Save You a Lot When Buying or Selling Your Home

Small figures can add up quickly when you’re buying or selling your home: home appraisals, loan origination fees, and new utility setup fees. We know not everyone is made of money, so here are a few options you can pursue to save money in the home buying and selling process.

1. Select how much agent support you need

In recent years, the real estate process has become much more personalized. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, real estate brokerages are offering buyers and sellers more choices about the level of agent support that they need.

If you’re unsure of what to do and where to start, working with a real estate agent can help guide you through every step of the process, and make it stress-free. For sellers who are more experienced or willing to do some legwork, a more flexible listing package or going the for-sale-by-owner route may be enticing to help save on commissions.

Whichever you choose, pick the highest level of service you’ll need.

2. Save on closing costs with Owners.com bundle package

Closing costs vary state to state, but buyers in eight states can save up to $2,150 at closing with the new Owners.com bundle program which can help save time and money. You can choose a Buy and Sell package and/or use Owners.com’s preferred providers – like Owners.com Loans™ for financing and Premium Title for closing and escrow services.

“In this competitive real estate market, streamlining the process can make all the difference in getting to the closing table faster and at the same time, saving money,” says Dario Cardile, Vice President of Growth at Owners.com. “By combining Owners.com’s superior technology, expert local agents and now its affiliates’ and preferred providers’ financing and closing services, Owners.com is creating unique digital experiences that help make home buying and selling smoother, so consumers can get into their dream home even quicker.”  

Bundled savings are available to Owners.com customers in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas.

3. Save on moving expenses

Moving expenses can quickly add up, so do your homework ahead of time. Moving costs usually depend on the distance between locations, the number of boxes being moved, the number of movers needed for the day, and extra costs such as moving boxes. Sites such as Unpakt.com can help you comparison shop for movers. Select movers that are both reputable and affordable in your price range.

To save the expense of purchasing extra boxes, use containers you already have. Consider using suitcases, storage ottoman, clothes hampers, or decorative baskets as packable boxes.

Instead of paying movers to lug stuff you don’t want, reduce the number of boxes you have to move by purging as you go. Sell unwanted furniture, children’s clothes, and name-brand home decor on online garage sale sites, and donate excellent, used condition goods to charity.

Did you know it costs less to move in the middle of the week? Schedule your move then, but avoid the last week of the month — another busy time for movers.

4. Stage your home on a budget

Staging can do wonders for helping your home stand out. But if you want to save your staging budget, think less is more. That means you want to let buyers see your home’s rooms as a clean slate.

If you are still living in your home that’s on the market, it’s time to take an objective look at your home. Remember, prospective buyers are often flipping quickly through listings to sort out which ones are their favorites. Small images on phones or iPads mean you have to make each image count.

Remove anything that limits your ability to show off the room: heavy curtains, furniture that is situated in front of windows, bathroom clutter, or small non-essential furniture. And for heaven’s sake, let there be light! Beautiful natural light does wonders for any room.

If you have time and a small budget for updates, start with those outdated or shabby-looking cabinets. Instead of spending thousands on replacing cabinets, many homeowners refresh their kitchen and bathroom by painting their cabinets with a coat or two of light, neutral paint. While you’re at it, replace the cabinet hardware with more modern pulls, available in bulk at many big box hardware stores.

Saving time and money during the moving or selling process doesn’t have to be hard. Just a little planning and knowing about the right tools go a long way in making this process pain-free.