Ryane Johnson - Keller Williams Realty

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Seller Information: Putting Your House on the Market The first step toward putting your house up for sale is to meet with a real estate Sales Associate at your home. This is what we call the "listing appointment". But beforehand, it's important to understand "who's who" and how brokers may cooperate to sell your house. Listing Broker or Listing Agent: An individual real estate broker whom the seller hires to represent the seller through a contract called a "listing agreement". The listing agent (Sales Associate) is associated with the listing broker (the real estate company). The listing broker is directly paid the listing commission and then splits the commission with the listing agent. (Although the broker and agent may be two different individuals, the term "broker" is used throughout the Guide for simplicity.) Selling Broker or Selling Agent: In a "cooperative" sale, the house is listed by one broker and a buyer is provided by another broker. The selling broker receives the selling side of the commission. If the listing broker also produces the buyer, then the listing broker receives both listing and selling sides of the commission. A selling broker may have a signed buyer representation agreement with a buyer and, therefore, represent the buyer and not the seller. If the buyer's agent is a Long & Foster Sales Associate, Long & Foster becomes a disclosed dual agent with the consent of both buyer and seller. Buyer Information: How Much House? House hunting begins at home with planning. The first step toward buying a house is to sit down. Before you grab the road maps and hit the streets, you need to do a little planning. We call it "pre-qualifying". Simply, it's determining how much house you can afford to buy. Knowing your affordable price range will bring your house-hunting into focus. Many lenders will send out all required verification and pre-approve you for a mortgage, allowing you the opportunity to negotiate as a cash buyer. How much house you can afford to buy depends on two things: how much you can afford for the monthly housing payment, and how much you can invest in the down payment? Monthly payments include principal and interest on the mortgage loan, and property taxes and insurance against fire and other hazards. These four costs are often abbreviated "P.I.T.I.". For some buyers and lenders, monthly housing costs may also include homeowner’s association dues, condominium fees, and mortgage insurance. How Much House Can I Afford? The key items are the size of the down payment, interest rate, any monthly property fees, and the amount of the mortgage. The down payment might be zero in the case of VA-backed mortgages. A down payment of 20% or more on a conventional loan will eliminate the need for mortgage insurance. Your Long & Foster Sales Associate can be very helpful to you in determining just how much house you can afford.