Is it Time to Sell Your House in Sacramento?
It’s one thing when normal circumstances drive the decision to sell my house in Sacramento and the house itself is up to the task. It’s easy when the house is the biggest selling point. When that happens, everybody wins. It means that it has been dutifully maintained and updated over the years with new flooring, granite in the kitchen and the bathrooms are almost perfect. It’s in a desirable neighborhood and a sought after school district, It means that with a little paint and a few other little cosmetic touches that you’re ready for the parade of would be buyers and a contract… right?
In a perfect world, it’s easy to follow the conventional wisdom, plant the sign in the front yard and wait for the buyers to get in a bidding war and you’re never second guessed when you just pick up the phone and call a real estate agent to list your house. You just make the decision and say… “I need to sell my house Sacramento“. Done! Easy…
Not so Fast! The world is not so perfect and your house, well, it isn’t just going to sell itself… let’s say it is just not quite up to that task, yet. Most people don’t realize it, but the real disparity between the houses that are the prettiest and the ugliest are not cosmetic. Most people look at houses through the lenses based on what they like or dont like based on their own personal experiences and likes and dislikes. Some of those opinions are very valid and others just skin deep superficial and very cosmetic.
So… what happens when the house in question has bad tenants that you can’t get out and there is so much deferred maintenance that you know its going to cost tens of thousands of dollars to fix. What happens when you know whats wrong but dread the fact that you really dont need a home inspection to know its flaws. At that point the mere thought of putting a For Sale sign in the yard is enough to send shivers up your spine because no matter what, the first, second or third buyers, if there are any that are even mildly interested are going to order at least three inspections. Retail buyers order inspections. It is what they do… and it’s at that moment when you realize that no matter what you do, in the end you’re still not escaping what is wrong with the house. It’s at that point that you are going to need to make some decisions.
- you’re going to chase the top of the market and spend thousands on repairs and upgrades. Your going to hire and manage a real estate agent, a contractor and others to help you do what you need to to squeeze every penny out of your house
- Your going to be realistic about your expectations and do what you can to marginally make a difference. if you dont it will be discovered anyway and you’re more likely to lose buyers than gain anyone’s trust if you don’t.
I can post picture after picture of homes that fit the second scenario. Unfortunately were so conditioned to stay within the lines to think like the norm when it comes to our houses that even when our houses are not ready for the task we try to force the issue. What then?
I can tell you that it usually leads to disappointment because you are trying to force an unconventional house into a conventional model and what comes out the other side is usually disappointing. Most people dont understand the enormity of the decision because it’s not what they do every day.
Case Study: Deferred Maintenance, Family Eviction, Real Situations
Imagine being a landlord and the tenant is no longer paying the rent. For most people it’s time for an eviction. That is hard enough when it’s just a tenant, but, what if the tenants are family members or friends of the family? Believe it or not, it happens more often than you might think and unless you have been in that position you have no idea of the stress.
Sometimes things go terribly wrong and you just have to admit it’s time to Sell My Sacramento House.
My name is Peter Westbrook and I am a real estate investor in Sacramento, Stockton and Modesto. I have talked to hundreds if not thousands of homeowners over the past 10 years, so what I say is based on real life experiences. I am not here in judgement. I am here to relate stories and solutions, to offer hope and possibilities for families that need to take control of a bad and ugly real estate situation. I write these articles and case studies to let others know that they are not necessarily unique or alone with the nightmarish stories. I am here to say it’s ok to accept that we have relatives that suffer from the worst aspects of the human condition and sometimes we are the target. I am also here to offer support and offer alternatives to being a victim of that house and its circumstances once and for all.
A Case of What’s Mine, Isn’t Necessarily Yours
Parents Made Smart Real Estate Investments
Mom and Dad had worked hard their entire lives and over the years had managed to purchase four properties as rentals within three block of their family home. When Dad was alive the houses seemed to always have good tenants, that paid on time and they took care of the houses. The cash flow was good, the houses were maintained and the investments were a substantial monthly addition to the family’s cash flow.
After about 25 years Dad passed away and within 6 years, 3 of the houses became the rent free homes of children, grandchildren and friends of the family. It didn’t start out that way, but soon Maria was overwhelmed with the cost of the houses as they were no longer the assets that her husband had established. They were ongoing liabilities as no one paid rent and it was up to her to pay for repairs, damages and the property taxes, insurance and utilities.
No matter what she did there was resistance and bitterness from the family occupying the houses until Maria finally had enough.
She wanted to sell the houses one at a time. Maybe if she just sold one the others would see that she was serious.
Homeowner Concerns:
Maria had tried on her own to get everyone to understand how upset she was. She even went as far as issuing the proper 3 day pay or quit notices as required in Sacramento evictions. They all knew that Maria would not follow through. So when she threatened to just “sell my Sacramento house“, they kind of called her bluff.
When she called me, she wanted them out but she wanted to start with selling one house hoping that the others would know that she was serious.
I remember the first time I met with Maria and her oldest son Tony. Maria was crying as she explained what family had done and she had allowed. Not only was she paying for everything and receiving no rent, she was also paying the water, gas and electric bills because her grandchildren were in two of the houses.
Maria cried, as I explained the eviction process to her. I told her that I would pay for the process all the way up and through to the Sheriff removing them physically from the property if need be. I also explained a cash for keys technique that I have successfully used to get tenants to leave prior to eviction whereby I offer them the equivalence of the cost of the eviction if they leave peacefully on an agreed upon date and time. I usually add in enough for a deposit and moving expenses. Either way it was clear that Maria was upset, but she was resolved to see this through.
We discussed the house in question, my visual inspection and the comparable sales in the neighborhood. Maria had a number in mind and when I made the offer she smiled and said I thought it would be less. We agreed on a sales price, I drew up the Purchase and Sale Agreement and I submitted it to the Title Company that day.
I filed for the eviction (unlawful detainer) at the courthouse 2 days later and we knew that it could take up to 90 days. I then went and personally delivered the eviction notice to the tenants at the house with a cash for keys offer. I explained that the house had been sold and that I was prepared not only to evict them but to also get a judgement for past due rent and laid out the numbers. They were clearly upset but I explained that they had 72 hours to make a decision and either accept my “Cash for Keys” proposal or face the eviction and its credit consequences.
ONGOING CHALLENGE:
The Challenges with house were all related to the decision to become landlords for family. The house itself had no liens, loans or judgements. If we could get the tenants out, we could close in a matter of Days and move to the next house that she wanted to sell. There were a lot of Code Violations that had never been fully addressed so we took the code violations subject to the sale of the house. All that meant was that Maria transferred her liability for those code violation with the sale of the house to us.
OUR SOLUTION:
By offering the existing tenants cash for keys we were able to get them out of the house for a little more that $1,500.00 and in the process get them out of the house with in 20 days. Maria was so happy that we signed a Purchase and Sale Agreement for the next property on her list.
Once we took ownership of the house we paid the homeowner in cash and began to repairs, remodeled and updated the house. We spent thousands on gutting the house, replacing drywall, electrical and plumbing. We moved a couple of walls expanded the Kitchen and redid the bathroom to today’s buyer standards. The remodel took 45 days and the house was sold with 5 days of listing on the multiple listing service.
Some Real Estate Problems Are Resolved in the Sale of the House
At “Westbrook REI” and “We Buy houses that are ugly Sacramento“, we are the best at what we do because we work at it every day. We understand that a commitment to customer and a commitment to our business only happens with hard work. We have years of experience and a plan that we follow. We are a real company with real people that are committed to helping you achieve your goals.
Again, we’re not real estate agents. We are actually Sacramento house buyers and have our own cash… so we can make you an offer without waiting for a banks approval. Once we make you an offer, you can take that offer, shop it around if you want, talk it over with friends and family, and think about what you want. We won’t pressure you one bit.
If you want the best LOCAL We Buy Houses Company in Sacramento, Manteca and Modesto then give our company a call today, we offer simply solutions to complex selling issues. Our house buying process is very easy with no hassle and we can close on YOUR time. Sell My House Sacramento to Peter Westbrook.
We Buy Houses Sacramento CA, Get Your Offer at https://www.ibuyhousesstockton.com/we-buy-houses-sacramento or