Soon Periwinkle Way will be filled with bikers and beach-goers. It will also be filled with potential home buyers who are looking for the perfect retirement or vacation home. Now is the time to prepare your island home for sale!
Where Should You Start?
That’s a great question! Well, first you’ll need to find a Realtor® that you trust to market and sell your property. Ask your fellow island residents for recommendations, and interview multiple Realtors® to see who is the best fit for you.
Next, your agent should help you find the documents needed to list and sell your home. You should not only find the info pertinent to listing your property, but also the important docs that will be needed before closing. Gathering all of these documents ahead of time can help save time and potential headaches when your home goes under contract.
Documents To Gather
Property Surveys – You might have received this when you purchased your home or needed to have a survey done to complete renovations, add a pool or enclose a porch. If you cannot find a survey in your files, your Realtor® can help by reviewing the files that the City of Sanibel has for your property.
Recent Inspections – If your home was recently purchased, or you had a pre-listing home inspection done, these documents will be handy to have when your home goes under contract. Make sure you also have documentation, such as receipts, for any work done as a result of the inspection.
Insurance Information – Information such as which insurance company you use, what coverage you have, and the cost of coverage is helpful for potential homebuyers who often like to estimate their total costs of purchasing and owning your home. The buyer might also wish to assume your insurance policy if conditions allow.
Wind Mitigation & Elevation Certificate – A wind mitigation report and elevation certificate might be in the files you received when you purchased your island home. Again, your Realtor® can help you locate these documents within the City’s files, or assist you in ordering a new report should the need arise while under contract.
Rental History – Put together a copy of your rental history for the past three years. Buyers who are interested in a vacation rental home will want to see records of past rental income. You should also note the number of days or weeks blocked out for personal use that might have lessened your income that year.
Home Improvements – If you haven’t already started a list of home improvements made over the past five years, you should start now. List everything from new paint, to new appliances, HVAC, plumbing and even landscaping. Don’t stress finding receipts for every improvement. A simple list and approximate cost should be sufficient.
Seller’s Disclosure – Think about the flaws in your home. If there is a leak in the roof or a crack in the pool, you should include this on your seller’s property disclosure. Identifying the flaws and fixing the ones you can, will make the closing process much smoother for everyone. Ask your Realtor® for help in knowing what to list on the disclosure.
I hope this helps to get you thinking about the paperwork needed to list your home for sale. What’s the theme here? Your Realtor® should help you with these documents, so don’t stress if you cannot find every document needed before listing.
