What to know before selling your home

What actually affects the sale

The appearance of the home, a buyer's first impression, and a dozen other considerations all move the outcome. So do the things you cannot change: what has sold nearby, and what those homes sold for. Effective marketing helps, but it works on top of an honest price, not instead of one.

Permits are where sales break

Most cities require a building permit before you modify a residence. If a permit was needed and never obtained, the city can discover it later — and pulling one retroactively is usually more expensive and far more difficult than getting it at the time.

By law, unpermitted work where a permit was required must be disclosed to a prospective buyer. That frequently means discounting the price or paying for repairs before title can transfer. Finding out at the closing table is the expensive version of finding out.

If you are buying rather than selling, this cuts the other way: check whether the work on the property was done to code and with the right permits before you are the one who has to disclose it.

Get ahead of the inspection

Getting a home ready takes diligence. Order a pre-sale termite report. Have a reputable roofer look at the roof and put the condition in writing. Deal with what they find before the home goes on the market, so the issues arrive on your schedule instead of during a buyer's contingency period.

And when an expert opinion on a suspected problem is the answer, it is usually worth getting a second one.