Water is one of the most destructive elements which can enormously damage the whole structure of your house. Water Damages can occur due to floods, heavy rains, or constant leakage from water pipes. It is tremendously necessary to act fast as soon as you see droplets seeping into your house and before it deteriorates all parts of your property.

We understand occurrences of these situations are not pre-determined. Here we are shedding light on the topic, of what to do to sell a house with water damage.

Act Fast, To Save From Water Damage

The very first thing you’ll have to do is to get all the valuable items out of the flooded or wet area. Shift them to a dry place. Wooden furniture has a propensity to absorb water and retain it for a long time which could be damaging. By being proactive and moving the furniture you can save potential future repair costs.

If your home does not have enough sunlight coming in, you should switch on the fans and dehumidifiers; they’ll help in drying the areas much faster. Places like basements are known as dark spaces they have no sunlight seeping in at all, and the decay there is rapid and comparatively faster than in any other space in the house.

If your house is under insurance you should get in touch with the company at the soonest. The next step is to click pictures of the damage caused by the floods. Being thorough in the detailed documentation will help a lot as a piece of evidence also when you sell your house it acts as proof of honesty towards prospective buyers.

Evaluate the Damage and Start Cleaning

It’s not just water that is going to damage the house. There are additional elements that come into play like mold, which can cause permanent damage. It takes just 48 hours for mold to germinate. As soon as things get in contact with the mold it will start defiling the furniture, walls, ceilings, and other junk as well.

Post floods you can evaluate what items have major damage. If there are wooden pieces the recovery time should be within 6 weeks. But, if you have furniture made from particle board or bison board, we can’t save it. If there is any upholstery that has come in contact with water it has to go to the dry cleaners, these people know how to deal with such fabrics. You can also promptly wash the clothes which were soaked in flood water to avoid decay and mold formation. Kindly note, that the organic fabric can immediately clasp mold, it is advised to wash them as soon as possible.

Avoid Expensive Repairs

Water damage can hit hard on your pockets. And if you are thinking of repairing the damages caused by floods, think twice. Carrying repair work would cost you dollars. It would burn up your equity taking it further by extending the repair costs. You could consider talking to some contractors around to get the best bid for the repair work. If your house has been damp for many days for obvious reasons it would require mold repair, ceiling repair, painting so on and so forth. Hence, improvements will require a lot of capital. It is advisable to sell your house for cash. By doing this you are not only getting rid of the water-damaged property but also getting a fair deal in all cash.

Selling House As-Is

As mentioned above, you will have to act fast and make decisions accordingly. As water can severely harm the surfaces of your property. But, what if you miss out on things and fall into a troublesome situation? The best way you can tackle the scenario is by selling the property to companies that buy houses for cash. When you do not have enough funds for repair and you don’t want to waste your time on the prolonged process of selling a house as-is will act as a savior in this situation. It is the best route to cut down your time and save dollars.

We Buy Houses Any Condition

We have provided you with some essential tips that can come in handy while you plan to sell your house with water damage. There are companies that buy houses as is. Like ‘Elite Properties’ which will buy houses in any condition and close the deal in as less as 3 days. So, whatever the damage could be they’ll buy your house and set you free from the ugly property and never-ending paperwork. Furthermore, if you are facing any other real estate crisis you can get in touch with us at www.elitepropertiesny.com we’ll be happy to help you and give you the best possible solutions.

The home buying process has many different aspects to it which are linked together. One has to conceive it thoroughly and get to know all the fundamentals in the world of real estate. One of the major element of it is ‘Property Chain’.

Here, we will be explaining, everything about property chain. Scroll down to dive in deep.

What Is A Property Chain?

To be explained into simple words, property chain is a full-fledged system where people buy and sell properties from one person to another, meaning; when you a buy a home from someone, they’ll be moving to a new house, which eventually means even they have purchased the place from someone so on and so forth, it continues. This type of transaction is known as an upward chain.

A property chain mainly consists of two people or two parties (i.e. the sellers or buyers). Further, it can increase the number of people involved. The linking starts with an individual who yearns to buy a house and ends on the one who only wishes to sell and not buy these are two different things. The case is different when you buy the home for the first time; first time buyers’ chain only moves upward in the same direction reason, you do not have to sell a property for buying a new one.

The transactions or chains consist of many people namely a chartered surveyor, mortgage lender, appraiser, real estate agent and many more, which means more addition to the rest. It is required for everyone to fulfill their due-diligence in a timely manner so that the process doesn’t lack behind. If anyone from the chain fails to do so the progress of the process will decline to lead to a slower pace of the sale process.

Points To Consider While In A Property Chain

As the home sale process has many chores that have to be achieved in the given time frame, like getting an approved mortgage with specified principles including the closing date; the process can be time-consuming and lengthy. While conducting these steps, there is a high chance of missing out on things which could delay the deal.

Provided below are some of the points you could keep in mind while transacting properties-

• A pre-hand mortgage with agreed principle
• Making a deal and agreeing upon property SSTC. (Agreeing upon SSTC means the offer proposed by the buyer has been accepted by the seller but hasn’t completed the legalizations or paperwork.)
• Hiring a solicitor
• Arranging legal surveyors
• Finalizing the mortgage with the lender
• Exchanging agreements and closing dates

Ways Of Skipping Property Chains

Here are some ways out to skip the property chain –

Choose a first-time buyer, as they are not in chain.

Sell your house fast for cash and move in for a rented lodging. By doing this you are eluding yourself from the chain. This could be an advantage for you while making a deal, as a chain-free buyer, you’ll be enticing more sellers.

If you have your finances in place and are looking for multiple options in property, always opt for upward chains which are short. Example: if the seller has a second property and doesn’t plan to move in it voila, you are sorted.

If you have to sell your property, a real estate developer may ask for a part-exchange. Here the developer will purchase your property as-is to make it a fast-paced process. They will be buying home in an as-is condition you are not expecte to keep hopes of high returns.

If you are in a tearing rush, you can find a seller who agrees upon the move-out date regardless of they have a property previously bought or not. Sellers in some cases eventually end up agreeing to move for a semi-permanent stay as they want to skip the chain.

Why Chains Fall-through?

There are many possible reasons for a chain to fall-through, according to a survey around three cases out ten i.e. 28% have witnessed major fall-through while purchasing properties. In many cases, the major fall through occurs from buyers side and the rest remaining were sellers who pulled out the deal as the process is apparently prolonging and energy-consuming.

There are many other reasons combined for a property chain to collapse –

• When a buyer or seller changes their mind for not continuing with transactions
• Surveys revealing major property catastrophes
• Buyer or seller loses jobs, falls ill or any other personal reasons
• The buyer cannot make up to the required mortgage loan for what they previously agreed on.
• Legalizations and paperwork stays held or is prolonging

As a piece of advice, it is highly recommended- if you are going through from any of the above situations you should sort them prior to finalizing or even making an offer. If you are on the seller’s side make sure your real estate agent does his due – diligence and assures that the buyer is not suffering from any of the reasons stated above.

How To Break-free From The Property Chain

When you are in a chain, losing a purchase would cost you thousands of dollars. Breaking the chain is the possible thing you could do, there are three ways to break the property chain.

Sell Before Buy Later – here for simultaneous purchases you don’t have to negotiate on the price or time and as a bonus, the seller will reduce their prices reason being they will be selling the property with a tag of chain-free.

Obtain A Bridging Loan –bridging loan allows you to purchase your dream home. If the sale process prolongs then repayment could be pricey over the duration.

Extension Of The Current Mortgage –collecting money over the present property will help you contribute to deposit money for your new place or you could rent a part of your residence to meet the mortgage payment.

Concluding Lines

Hope we were able to counter your queries about property chains if you want to know more about them or any real estate related crisis we will be happy to help with a solution. If you are residing in New York then get in touch with us at ‘Elite Properties ’, we’ll be happy to cater to all your queries.

Selling a property with sitting tenants could be a real deal for sellers. By this, you can list your house on the market when the sale price is at its peak. You can continue to receive your rental income. As good as it sounds, there are multiple difficulties associated with selling a house with sitting tenants. If you are planning to sell your house you’ve stopped by the right place.

Given below are things to consider while selling a tenant-occupied house

• Get Thorough With the Tenancy Rules

Tenancy laws and regulations differ from place to place. It is best advised to consult with a real estate attorney for clarity of the home selling process especially when it is tenant occupied. If you are planning to sell your tenanted property, do not forget some buyers may be former landlords which means they know the game better than you. Here it is essential to favor your tenant and save the deal from falling apart.

In some places, the law favors tenants approximately by 80% which means the owner will be held liable for all the mishaps. Meaning if the tenant infringes any clause or remains in the property post the expiry of the agreement, you’ll be entitled to the obligations legally. In this case, you will have to go to court and get them removed with all the legalizations.

• Incentivize your Tenants

It is not about bribing but sweetening the deal, make an offer that your tenant couldn’t deny. First off, you can cast an eye over other similar properties in your neighborhood to compare the rent. If you find that the digits you’ve been charging are comparatively less, you can offer two times more money. It’ll include the number of months that are left on the tenant’s lease agreement. To end everything on a happy note and without any interruptions from your tenant you could also pay them the moving cost or you could promise them the next security deposit in the new place.

• Tenant Occupied Walk-through

Buyers often ask for a walk-through before buying the house. Therefore, it is essential to serve a notice to your tenants prior to providing viewings. If not done, there are high chances that your tenants might not co-operate. As a seller, you can only conduct walk-throughs if you have it well stated on the tenancy agreement. Legally you will have to notify your tenant in writing, for carrying out a walk-through 24 hours in advance. If you fail to do so, you won’t be able to progress with the procedure and eventually lose a potential buyer.

If you miss the specific clause and you have a potential buyer in your favor, the best option is to compromise with the tenant by decreasing the rent to some extent or any settlement that is agreed on the mutual terms. It is highly advisable to maintain healthy relationships with your tenants. If they are not on good terms with you, you might be facing havoc in your sales.

Now, when you know what things should be considered before selling tenanted properties, we would like to shed light and provide ways to sell a tenant-occupied house.

Option 1

Communicating With The Tenants

If you are a property owner, selling tenanted properties could be a boon for you as it does not come with a prohibition. The question that arises is, how to sell a house with tenants? The best way out is to communicate with your tenants. Tell them about the whole scenario of selling your property.

In such cases, the tenants is entitle to stay in the property until the lease reaches its closing stage. As the situation seems uncertain to many tenants. After reading the clauses they can trespass upon the contract with a mutual decision with the landlord and find another accommodation. If the tenant decides to breach the contract with a mutual decision then he or she is not liable to pay the hefty penalties.

If your tenant agrees for you to proceed with the selling process, let them know about the new landlord so they are comfortable with him or her. A new landlord means unpredictable conditions; it is highly advisable to let your tenants know about it while you go on with the home selling process.

Option 2

Propose Your Tenant A Chance To Buy The House

If your tenant has been living with you for a long time, for obvious reasons he or she might be loving the place. This could be a big opportunity for you to sell your house to your tenant. If your tenant agrees to the offer, hiring a real estate attorney would be beneficial during the process. Once the proposal is accepted, there are a few transactions that can likely happen.

A lease-to-own or a lease-purchase agreement is the core of any rent-to-own property. Here, the seller provides the buyer with multiple options like-

• One-time, non-refundable fee. this allows the tenant to purchase the home within the year at a fixed price. While they keep paying the rent.
• The lease-purchase-agreement is created. So that a portion of the monthly rent is carried down in the down payment of the house.
• Lastly, is the seller-finance agreement; here it is required as a property owner your mortgage payments are completely naught. In this case, if your tenant cannot afford a mortgage, the property owner will act as a lender. And the tenant would agree to pay the price of the house in a few years, this is called seller-financing. As an advantage from the seller’s perspective, you are receiving interest on the debt plus an extra time to say goodbye to your property.

Option 3

We Buy Houses For Cash Companies

The easiest way out of the havoc is to opt for this option. “We buy houses for cash” companies buy your house as-is and precede with the procedures of further renting or selling the property. Cash home buying companies will buy the property from you with or without sitting tenants. Unless your lease is yet to expire we’ll buy the house with sitting tenants and post expiry sell it to potential prospects. If your home is vacant, then it is a golden nest egg. By choosing this option you are saving time, money, and labor in searching for buyers.

Option 4

Expiry Of The Tenant Contract

Want to sell a tenanted property, but don’t want to risk losing potential prospects? The best way out is to wait until the end of the lease. A prolonged lease affects the sales of the tenant-occupied house. The reason is your property sits vacant on the market and buyers back out as your house becomes timeworn. On the other hand, if your agreement has the early termination clause, the tenant is entitle to stay in the house until the lease expires.

The safest way out of the chaos is to wait until the lease expires. You can also list your property three months before the lease expires. By doing this, you will be receiving rent until the specified date of the contract. You’ll also be building equity for further home-improvement projects which will provide you with potential buyers.

Unseen Problems, Potential Solutions

If you are thinking to sell your house, keep in mind there is a big market outside. This means there will be buyers who don’t want to be a landlord who wishes to buy it. In such circumstances, you cannot call off the deal before its expiry. And the new buyer has no right to evict the tenants by any means. Meaning, that if the buyer wishes to buy the house, he or she will have to close the deal inclusive of resting tenants.

• The possible solution to this problem could be – if your tenant breaches any clause of the contract you can favor them by not taking any action and requesting them to be on your side while the process of home-selling.
• Secondly, you have to conduct a whole lengthy home improvement process when your tenants leave which is a headache to many homeowners.
• People rent because they cannot afford to buy a house or there could be a high possibility that your tenant might be saving or building equity to buy a house in coming times.

As said earlier you can offer to sell your home to the tenants by making a joint agreement. By doing this, you obtain a guaranteed deal with less chaos.

Conclusion

Selling a tenant-occupied home is always more complicated than selling a vacant home, we hope we have shown you the bigger picture of the story and provided the best possible ways of selling a house with tenants. If you are residing in New York and have any queries related to real estate you can get in touch with ‘Elite Properties’ we’ll be happy to help you in your stressed time and provide reliable solutions for your problems.