Selling a House in Alabama in 2023: 7 Powerful Steps

Experts predict 2023 will be a strong buyer’s market. Home prices have declined by double-digit percentages in several metros. And interest rates are expected to continue rising before they stabilize. By the end of 2023, home sellers will likely have to settle for a much lower selling price.

If you are thinking about selling your house in Alabama, you should start preparing now.

Sell Your House in Alabama in 7 Steps

Here are the 7 steps to selling real estate in Alabama in 2023’s slowing housing market.

Step 1: Hire a Listing Agent (or Don’t)

Gone are the days when selling your house meant interviewing several agents and finding the best one for your needs. Today, some of the best FSBO sites and tech brokerages will match you with top agents and get you listed on the MLS fast.

And they will assist you in every step of the transaction with a Realtor’s expertise paired with useful and efficient technology.

You have 4 options to sell your home in Alabama.

• List Your Home on a For Sale By Owner Website: Alabama For Sale By Owner websites allow you to leverage technology in your home sale and save thousands in agent commissions. FSBO sites will also get you listed fast, typically within 24 to 48 hours. You get to retain control of your transaction by being able to engage directly with the buyer and buyer’s agent.
• List with a Discount Real Estate Broker: Best discount real estate brokers offer all the services that traditional Realtors do but at discounted rates. They usually charge 1.5% to 3% commissions to list your home.
  • 1% Commission Realtors: Clients save thousands by working with discount brokers at 1% commission rates.
  • 2% Commission Realtors: At a discount rate of 2%, they provide similar services to conventional Realtors.
  • 4.5% Commission Realtors: You can get all real estate services from your agent for a low commission of 4.5%.
• List with a Full-Service Realtor: We do not recommend hiring a full-service agent. You will have to pay a hefty real estate commission of 5% to 6%, which will decrease your net proceeds significantly. However, if you need hand-holding at each step, opt for local real estate agents in your neighborhood.
• Sell Your Home to an iBuyer: An iBuyer can make a cash offer instantly and help you sell your house fast in Alabama. They make cash offers as high as 100% of the fair market value. However, iBuyers have strict purchase criteria.

✍️ Pro Tip: Sell Your Distressed Property to Cash Home Buyers

Alabama cash home buyers typically offer 50% to 70% of the property’s Fair Market Value. They majorly deal in distressed and rental properties.

» Companies That Buy Houses for Cash: Check out our rankings.

Step 2: Price Your Alabama Home for Sale

Pricing your home competitively is critical for a successful sale. It is simple to arrive at a list price. Analyze the currently active and recently sold similar listings in your neighborhood. Refine the price further to nail down the exact list price.

In a hot sellers’ market, you can price your home up to 10% more than the neighborhood prices. Whereas in a buyer’s market, set your asking price slightly lower to beat the competition.

» How to Price Your Home for Sale: See how to nail down your list price in 6 steps!

Step 3: Hire a Pro Photographer

Professional photos can greatly impact the selling process by attracting more buyers. According to VHT Studio’s Analysis, homes photographed professionally sell 32% faster.

Hire professional Alabama real estate photographers to create a portfolio of your house. A professional photographer can collate a portfolio that otherwise may not be possible if you take up the job.

Here are a few things you can do to ready your home for Alabama real estate photography:

• Declutter & Depersonalize: Tidy up your place and keep the surfaces clean – coffee tables, countertops, etc. Keep trash cans, dirty dishes, towels, etc. away. Also, remove personalized items such as photos, keepsakes, fridge magnets, etc.
• Repaint Neutral: Neutral colors appeal to a larger pool of people. This will help in attracting more buyers.
• Keep the Lights On: Use light bulbs wherever necessary. Natural light works best for photography. Ensure to keep the curtains and blinds open.
• Improve Curb Appeal: Go for clear landscapes, fresh flowers, or exquisite wall paints. Remove dead plants, trees, etc.
• Hire a Professional Home Stager: According to RESA, staged homes can sell for up to $40,000 over the list price. Also, staged homes sell 9 days faster. Professional home staging companies in Alabama will stage and prep your house for listing photographs and walkthroughs.

✍️ Pro Tip: Consider Virtual Home Staging

With virtual staging, you can get a realistically staged photograph or a video slideshow that can be uploaded with your MLS listing. And you can skip the hassle of actual home staging.

» Virtual Staging: Learn to stage your home digitally.

Step 4: List and Market Your Alabama Property

Homes listed on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) sell faster and for 17% more. If you are working with an Alabama Realtor, they will do the MLS listing for you.

FSBO sellers can opt for a Flat Fee MLS service like Houzeo to list on the MLS. Houzeo will get you on the MLS for a small flat fee starting from $349. Your listing will be syndicated to 100+ real estate websites, giving your house the maximum exposure.

Apart from listing on the MLS, you may try some other unique ways to market your house. These may range from listing your house on Craigslist to sharing your Atlanta FSBO listings on social media.

» How to List on MLS in Alabama: Here’s how to get an MLS without a Realtor.

Listing Paperwork

The listing paperwork would mainly consist of the listing agreement and the Alabama seller’s disclosure.

• Listing Agreement: A listing agreement will be signed between you and your local real estate broker. It will allow your broker to list your property on the local Alabama MLS and thereby find buyers for you as per your terms.
• Alabama Seller’s Disclosure: Alabama seller’s disclosure statement is a standard checklist form. It allows you to disclose material defects and features of the property. The seller’s disclosure provides information about the property that may negatively affect the value of the house.

Step 5: Manage Showings

Typically, Realtors host open houses or arrange private showings. If you are selling a house in Alabama by owner you can use online tools to manage showings.

• Open Houses: According to the NAR, 92% of home buyers find open houses useful. Hosting an open house is a good low-pressure way to show your home to potential buyers. You may even attract unrepresented buyers, saving the entire buyer agent commissions.
• In-person Showings: Realtors in Alabama usually bring buyers and show them the house in person. But, if you are selling a home without a Realtor, we recommend you opt for an online showings tool that will help you manage showings.

With an online showing tool, buyers, and buyer agents can request and schedule showings. For instance, with Houzeo Showings, buyers and buyer agents can choose a particular showing slot as stated by you. The tool also provides features like requesting, rescheduling, updating and canceling showings.

Step 6: Review, Compare, and Negotiate Offers

With the right marketing strategy, you should have offers coming your way for your Alabama home.

The next step would be to compare the offers. Most house sellers go with the highest bid. But here are additional factors you must weigh before settling on an offer:

• Is the buyer making a cash offer on your house?
• Has the buyer applied for a mortgage? Are they pre-approved or just pre-qualified?
• Is the buyer willing to waive off some contingencies like home appraisal?
• Are buyers offering to negotiate the closing costs?

Keep these questions in mind when comparing offers. Typically, real estate brokers do such negotiations for you. As a For Sale By Owner seller, you can use offer management tools like Houzeo Offers. With Houzeo Offers you can make counter offers, call for the best offer, and a lot more.

» Highest and Best Offer: Is it a smart move in multiple offer situations?

Step 7: Close the Sale

Designated settlement agents handle the closing process in different states. Usually, an escrow agent, a real estate attorney, or a title company acts as a closing agent.

The closing process mainly consists of you completing the documentation, and paying the home-selling taxes and closing costs in Alabama.

Documents Needed to Sell a House in Alabama

Some mandatory documents needed to make a successful real estate transaction in Alabama are as follows:

• The HUD-1 or Closing Disclosure: A closing disclosure contains a summary of all the detailed costs for homes purchased with a mortgage. If you accept an all-cash offer, you may get the HUD-1, which is less common. These documents detail the amounts you’re charged for, your loan payoffs, and the net proceeds you will take to the bank.
• The Deed: It enables the legal transfer of title from the seller to the buyer. Read this document carefully to verify the legal description of the property, the deed book, and the Property Identification Number, if any.
• Settlement Statement: This statement summarizes all the expenses involved in the transaction. These expenses are usually split into whether they have been paid prior to closing or are due at the time of closing.
• Certificate of Title: It allows you to state that you have the right to sell your property.
• Two Forms of Official ID: A licensed notary will likely be involved in the closing process and will require you to swear on your identity. You will be required to furnish identity proof (like a passport, driving license, etc.) during the process. The closing process might also require you to produce secondary identity proof.

» Paperwork for Selling a House: Everything you need to know.

Taxes on Selling a House in Alabama

You will very likely pay the following taxes while selling your house in Alabama:

• Transfer Tax: Transfer tax is a one-time fee (generally costs less than 1%) that sellers pay at the time of transferring the ownership between the two parties. You need to pay this tax to the local government body in your area.
• Property Tax: Property tax varies by county, but you will pay approximately 1% of the total home sale value to the government as property tax. You can claim a rebate if you have paid your property tax a year in advance. If you have not paid the tax, then you need to pay the pending amount.

Closing Costs for Seller in Alabama

Seller and buyers both pay separate closing costs at closing. Closing costs for a seller in Alabama usually consist of HOA fees, escrow fees, real estate attorney fees, and home warranty fees.

Additionally, you need to pay the commissions for both the listing as well as the buyer agent, which is around 5% to 6%. If you offer seller concessions, then you might cover some buyer’s closing costs in Alabama as well.

» Alabama Seller Closing Costs Calculator: Estimate your closing cost of selling a house in Alabama.

Bonus Tip: Avoid Agent Matching Services

Agent-matching services, like Clever Real Estate and Ideal Agent, advertise themselves as “free”. In reality, they will charge you 33% to 40% of the commission. So if you pay your agent 1.5% commission, the agent only gets 1% and Clever Real Estate retains 0.5%.

The company disguises this fee as a “Referral Fee” or a “Service Fee”. Clever also ensures that this fee is not disclosed to you on your settlement statement.

» Clever Real Estate Reviews: Read our full review of Clever Real Estate and the legal perils of agent-matching services.

Selling a Home in Alabama FAQs

1. What are typical closing costs for sellers in Alabama?

Home sellers in Alabama typically pay closing costs like HOA fees, escrow fees, real estate attorney fees, and home warranty fees.

2. Can I sell my house as is in Alabama?

You can sell your home as is in Alabama with cash home-buying companies. Cash home-buying companies will purchase your home in its existing condition within 48 hours. Cash home buyers usually make lowball offers at 50% to 70% of the fair market value.

3. Who pays title insurance at closing in Alabama?

The home seller typically pays for the owner’s title insurance, and the buyer pays for the lender’s title insurance at closing in Alabama.

4. Is it a good time to sell a house in Alabama?

Mortgage rates are set to rise in 2023. As a result, home prices will decline and you may have to settle for less than the asking prices. So, if you are ready to sell your house in Alabama, now is the best time to start. We recommend you research the best time to sell a house in Alabama to maximize your net proceeds.

5. Can you sell a house while in probate in Alabama?

Yes, you can sell an inherited house in Alabama in probate. You need to provide Petition for Order Authorizing the Sale of Real Property, a copy of the sales contract, a broker letter, etc. in front of the court. Upon approval of the documents, the court issues an order approving the sale.

6. How to sell a house by owner in Alabama?

You can sell your house as owner in Alabama by listing your house on FSBO sites like Zillow, and Craigslist. We recommend hiring an Alabama Flat Fee MLS service to list on the MLS. This ensures your house gets maximum exposure, and you attract more offers.

The Bottom Line

Selling a house in Alabama can be daunting if you do not find the right real estate agent. But, hiring a real estate agent will cost you a 3% commission.

If you are looking to save thousands in Alabama real estate commission, sell your house with Houzeo.com. Houzeo real estate is a tech-centric For Sale By Owner website and real estate platform that gives you access to tools only real estate agents have. Here’s how Houzeo works to maximize your savings and exposure.

Eager to Know More?

We’ve got you covered. Check out the following video to understand why Houzeo is one of the best for sale by owner websites in the U.S.

» NEED MORE CLARITY? Read these exclusive Houzeo reviews and learn why it is one of the best FSBO sites in America.

Related Resources

• Selling a House As Is in Alabama: Discover ways to sell your in its existing condition without any repairs.
• How to Stop Foreclosure in Alabama: Learn how to save your house from foreclosure.
• Sell My House Fast in Alabama: Discover the best ways to sell your home fast.
• Sell My House Fast for Cash: Research your options to attract cash offers for your home.

Related: by owner flat fee mls, list on mls flat fee, benefits of for sale by owner, sell my house alabama, sell my land in alabama, how to sell my house in alabama, sell my Alabama home, selling a house in probate alabama, how to sell land in alabama, how to sell real estate in alabama, sell my home in alabama, sell my house south alabama, how to sell a home in alabama, sell my house now alabama, sell now move later alabama, house to sell in alabama,

Related

selling a house in alabamataxes, selling land in alabama, how do i sell my house in alabama, how to sell property in alabama, cost to sell a house in alabama, selling a condo in alabama, should i sell my house in alabama now, sell land in alabama, are houses selling in alabama, sell that alabama house, can a married person sell a house alone in alabama, house for sell alabama, selling a house in probate in alabama

how do you sell a house in alabama, how do you sell your house in alabama, what do i need to do to sell my house in alabama, steps in selling house in alabama, selling my property in alabama, steps to selling a house with a realtor in alabama, steps to selling your house in alabama, sell a house in alabama, looking to sell your home in alabama, best way to sell your house in alabama, best way to sell a house in alabama, how to prepare to sell your house in alabama, tips for selling your home in alabama, how to sell own house in alabama, how to sell your own home in alabama, things to know when selling a house in alabama, what to know when selling a house in alabama, what is the process in selling a house in Alabama

Uncategorized