When selling an apartment, it is important for the owner not only to choose a solvent buyer so that he does not fail and fulfill his part of the obligations, but also to observe all the necessary formalities for himself. Recently, more and more often owners of residential real estate turn for help to real estate companies. Employees of such firms provide a full range of transaction support services. Meanwhile, contacting intermediaries is not always safe and beneficial. Further in the article we will provide information regarding what you need to know when buying and selling an apartment.
Action algorithm
First of all, you need to know that when selling an apartment you should make a kind of plan. The following items can be included in it:
- Preparation of the facility.
- Cost estimate.
- Placing an ad to attract the maximum number of potential buyers.
- Showing the object to the responding persons.
- Drawing up a preliminary contract for the sale of an apartment (in most cases, with a deposit).
- Preparation of a full package of documents for the facility.
- Drawing up the text of the main contract.
- The signing of the agreement.
- Registration of the transaction and receipt of money.
Preparatory stage
When selling an apartment, you need to know what will be most attractive to a potential buyer. The ideal option is an object in excellent technical condition. In other words, the apartment has been repaired, engineering systems have been completed and are functioning normally. When selling an apartment, it is important to know that many buyers expect to buy an empty room. This means that the owner should take care of the export of furniture. In addition, it is necessary to check the lighting power. If you inspect the object in the evening under the bright light of the lamps, the rooms will seem more spacious.
Meanwhile, the ideal option is not always put up for sale. Often the premises require repairs. The seller needs to know that the apartment for sale can be put up and in the current state. The fact is that often the presence of repair adds not so much to the cost of an object. In addition, after the sale of the apartment (the seller needs to know that this is a fairly common situation), the new owners will still remodel it for themselves.
Experienced realtors recommend just preparing the object for repair. In particular, the owner can free the premises from furniture, remove the old finish from the walls, and eliminate cracks. In other words, it is necessary to facilitate the upcoming repair to the buyer whenever possible.
Important point
When selling an apartment, you need to know that people often focus not so much on the availability of repairs, but on the convenience of the location of the object, its area, and the level of development of the transport infrastructure. Consequently, an unrepaired apartment a stone's throw from the metro station will be in great demand than a room with a European-style renovation 30 minutes from it.
Preparation of documentation
When selling an apartment, you need to know that potential buyers are interested in legally clean objects. What does it mean? This means that the owner has no debts for utility bills, the property right belongs to only one person, no one is registered in the apartment, there are no burdens and restrictions.
Cost estimate
Almost all property owners wish to receive as much as possible for their property and as soon as possible. As a rule, it is assumed that entities sell apartments to purchase new housing. Meanwhile, it is extremely rare to quickly find a buyer who is ready to pay a round sum for an object.
When selling an apartment you need to know that the price of different objects can vary in different ways. If it is supposed to conclude an alternative transaction, then you need to weigh the pros and cons. The fact is that during the search for a buyer, the price of the seller’s apartment may decrease, and the price of the object, the purchase of which is supposed to be for the proceeds, on the contrary, increase.
As a rule, the owner is poorly aware of the amount in which you can evaluate his apartment. You can get a rough estimate using several methods. For example, you can see ads on the Internet. When selling an apartment, you need to know that the prices indicated on different sites, message boards and other sites are desirable. The actual cost of the property will be much lower.
The second option for determining the price of an object is an expert assessment. Today in each city there are several companies engaged in real estate appraisal. The advantage of contacting an independent appraiser is that he can give recommendations, the implementation of which will significantly increase the value of the object.
Determining factors
The cost of secondary housing may be affected by several circumstances. The main criteria will be the technical condition of the house and apartment, the location of the object. In Moscow, St. Petersburg, and some other large cities, the cost is affected by the remoteness from the metro, transport interchanges, etc. Equally important is the development of the surrounding infrastructure, remoteness from the city center.
Recently, the Internet is invited to evaluate the object online. Many sites have special calculators. The seller must enter the required data and get the result. As a rule, he is offered a special form. The main parameters will be:
- Number of rooms.
- Area (total, residential, kitchen).
- The floors of the house and the floor on which the object is located.
- The presence of a loggia / balcony.
- Wall decoration material.
- Type of bathroom.
Of course, the result cannot be considered absolutely accurate. The cost of the object will be shown with an error of 5-10%. You need to know that the sale of an apartment through a realtor is accompanied by an assessment of the premises by an independent expert. His services will cost a certain amount of money. In this case, the value of the estimation error will be the same 5-10%.
Subjective criteria
They also matter when selling an apartment. What should the owner pay attention to in order not to suddenly lose the potential buyer? There are a number of subjective criteria relevant to the acquirer. They are not always described in the announcement, but can be of fundamental importance.
It is, in particular, about such parameters as:
- The side that the windows face.
- View from the window.
- The ecological state of the microdistrict.
- Availability and number of elevators in the house.
- Ceiling height in the apartment.
- The status of the house.
- The level of silence (sleeping area or area with heavy traffic).
These are far from all possible subjective parameters that affect the value of an object. To take into account the maximum of nuances, you must have impressive experience in the real estate market, as well as analytical skills.
Additional factors
Having learned the approximate cost of his property, the seller must assess the situation on the market. It is necessary to analyze supply and demand. A potential buyer is likely to bargain. Accordingly, the owner of the object should be prepared for this. It is advisable to pre-determine for yourself the permissible minimum price.
Work with an ad
Many owners who want to sell their housing do not know how to properly present information about their property. What to write in the ad where it is better to place information?
As practice shows, the most effective are ads placed in specialized publications "Hand in Hand", "Real Estate", as well as on real estate sites on the Internet.
In the latter case, the seller is requested to fill out a special form. It contains tips, guided by which, the owner will be able to quickly enter all the necessary information. It is advisable to choose sites where it is possible to attach a photograph of the object to the text of the ad. As you know, visual information is better perceived. Of course, it is desirable to exhibit successful photographs attractive to buyers.
An ad needs to be designed to attract more attention. For this, the text should indicate some advantageous feature of the object. For example, this may be a brief description of the condition of the entrance or the year the house was built.
Experts do not recommend the use of negatively colored phrases, for example, "Without intermediaries!". Even if you do not want to communicate with agents, you should not write so categorically. It is better to indicate that the object is sold directly by the owner. If the advertisement is placed in a newspaper, then it is advisable to slightly modify the content for each next issue. So you can attract the attention of those who ignored the previous version of the text, and remind yourself of those who have already analyzed it earlier.
By publishing a contact phone, each owner should be ready to receive calls not only from potential buyers, but also from agents or strangers ("random") people. Therefore, be patient. In the announcement, it is advisable to indicate the time period within which you can answer calls.
Experts recommend that before placing a sale announcement, read the section on real estate purchase. Perhaps there is a potential buyer of the apartment.
Show object
The factor determining the decision to purchase an apartment is the impression of a potential buyer during a visual inspection. Moreover, the findings of the acquirer may affect the value of the object.
There are always little things that are invisible at first glance, but may be of value to the buyer. Show the apartment should be in the form of a small tour. The seller needs to focus the buyer on the benefits of real estate. It can be a fresh repair, a convenient location of the premises, a spacious kitchen, a magnificent view from the window, wonderful neighbors, etc.
If the buyer likes the real estate, then he usually proposes to go on to the coordination of the technical aspects of the upcoming transaction. In particular, the final cost of the property is stipulated. The parties draw up a preliminary contract of sale of the apartment. Mandatory items in it are the amount of the deposit, the final cost of the object, its address, the timing of the conclusion of the main contract.
Note! The apartment can be located far from the place of residence of the seller. In this case, you can contact friends or real estate agents with a request to show the property to buyers. It should be borne in mind that purchasers are often wary of selling an apartment by proxy. If possible, you must be present when agreeing on the mandatory clauses of the contract of sale of the apartment.
Preparation of documents
A deal can be broken at the most unexpected moment due to the absence of any important paper or the expiration of its validity. To avoid such situations, it is necessary to prepare a package of documents in advance. What is included in it?
First of all, a title document is needed. It is the certificate of state registration of law (it was issued to persons who bought real estate after 1998) or the certificate of ownership. In addition, the owner of the apartment, depending on the method of acquiring rights to the object, may need:
- Sv-about the right to inheritance. Regardless of the method of inheritance (by will or law), the fact of transfer of rights to the property of the deceased is documented in a standard form.
- Contract of barter, gift, sale, etc.
- Certificate of redemption of the unit.
Additional papers
To complete the transaction, the owner must attach to the title documents:
- Cadastral passport, apartment plan. These documents are executed in the BTI. If a notarization of the transaction is made or the sale is carried out on a mortgage, an additional certificate of the value of the object according to BTI will be needed. This document is valid for 1 month.
- Extract from the house book.
- Copy of personal account. You can get it in the HOA, DEZ, REU or other similar organization.
- Permission from the guardianship authority. It is necessary if the owner is a minor.
Clearance transaction
It is carried out according to certain rules. The purchase and sale of an apartment involves obtaining a sufficiently large amount, so both parties need to take measures to protect themselves. Actually, for this, a preliminary and then the main agreement is drawn up.
Under the new rules, the sale of an apartment can be carried out without the participation of a notary. Notarization of the contract is made exclusively at the request of the parties. It should be noted that, according to the rules, when buying and selling an apartment by a married owner, the consent of the spouse is necessary. It must be certified by a notary.
In accordance with the rules, the sale of an apartment must be registered in Rosreestr. For this, the owner provides the entire package of documents to which the contract is attached.
The text of the agreement, as a rule, matters more to the buyer. The seller, in turn, is important in the process of transferring money.
Important points in the contract of sale of an apartment
There are a number of conditions that are recognized by law as material. This means that in the absence of such clauses, the contract of sale of the apartment will be considered non-concluded.
First of all, we are talking about the location of the object and its description. The subject of the transaction should be a specific property possessing features by which it can be identified. According to the rules, when selling an apartment, the agreement indicates the exact address of the location of the object. This is also important for Rosreestr employees. According to this data, they will search for the object in their database. Description of the object is more expedient to carry out on points.
When selling an apartment, an indication should be included in the contract that the buyer is aware of the condition of the object and acquires it as it is.
Another essential condition is the price of real estate. The parties discuss the amount and indicate it in the agreement. In this case, a condition on a deposit may be provided in the preliminary contract. It is necessary for a kind of consolidation of the intentions of the parties to the transaction.
Payment
When selling an apartment through a realtor, you need to know that the agent takes a commission for his services. It can be included in the price of an object or added to it. The first option is considered more advantageous.
According to the rules, when registering an apartment sale, the parties determine the place and method of payment. The transfer of money can be carried out in different ways. Many people prefer to receive the full amount in cash. It is quite common to use a cell in a bank. In addition, there is the option of online transfer from account to account.
If the parties decide to use a bank cell, then they will need to conclude an agreement with the financial institution. According to him, both parties to the transaction will gain access to the cell "with the condition." The seller, in particular, will need to have a key and a contract of sale registered in Rosreestr. As for the buyer, his condition will be the expiration of the established guaranteed period of access for the seller. It is usually 2 weeks.
Transaction cleanliness
The amount provided in the contract does not always correspond to the amount actually paid. This is due to the desire of the seller to reduce income tax (PIT). It should be noted that such actions are recognized as illegal and entail responsibility in accordance with applicable law.
The seller in such cases runs the risk of not receiving the full amount agreed orally. The buyer can refer to the contract, which will indicate the size of the payment, and say that he does not owe anything more. Actually, in this case he will be right. If the tax authorities become aware of such fraud, then the seller will be charged with sanctions.
As for the buyer, such an agreement is far from always beneficial to him. The fact is that he risks not getting a tax deduction guaranteed by law (if the transaction amount is less than 2 million rubles). In addition, if the transaction is declared invalid, he will not be able to return the funds already paid, because he knew about the violation.
Features of taxation
According to the Tax Code, incomes of individuals-residents of the Russian Federation are subject to taxation at a rate of 13%, and non-residents - 30%. The first persons are those who are in the country for at least 183 calendar days for 12 consecutive months.
Residents are exempt from the declaration and payment of tax on the sale of real estate if it has been owned for at least 5 years - for objects acquired after 2016 and 3 years - for real estate purchased before 2016.
The right to tax deduction is fixed in the Tax Code - reduction of the taxable base. There are several ways to make a deduction. If, for example, the apartment is owned for less than 3 or 5 years (depending on the year of purchase), the citizen can choose one of the alternative options: a deduction will be provided in the amount of 1 million rubles. or in the amount of expenses for the purchase of the object. In the latter case, the buyer needs to document their costs.
The deduction will be provided once for the amount of the acquired object, but not more than 2 million rubles. Plus, the taxable base is reduced by the amount of payments% on the target loan (for the purchase of housing). Please note that if it is not possible to fully repay this cumulative deduction in a given period, repayment will be made gradually in subsequent periods. The subject has the right to declare a reduction in the taxable base at any time.
If there are several buyers or sellers, the deduction is applied in proportion to the shares or by agreement of the parties to the transaction, if the property is joint.
Recommendations of specialists
Before putting up your property for sale, the owner needs to do some preparatory work. First of all, you should familiarize yourself with the regulations governing real estate transactions. These include the Civil Code and the Tax Code, Federal Law No. 218-FZ.
In addition, you need to prepare all the necessary documents. The registration certificate, cadastral passport and other securities valid for a year or more should be updated before placing an advertisement for sale. The remaining documents must be obtained after the conclusion of the preliminary contract.
Very often, periods of stagnation occur in the real estate market, that is, when the owner cannot sell his apartment for a very long time. This can be connected with too high a cost, poor advertising, etc. Specialists - real estate agents will help to establish and eliminate the reasons. The choice of a specific intermediary should be carried out taking into account the recommendations of friends, reviews of other customers, rating.
Conclusion
Many people have already faced the need to sell their apartment. Today, this deal is not considered as complicated and risky as before. Currently, any owner can seek help from a real estate agency. Most sellers prefer to leave information in several companies at once, believing that this will significantly increase their chances of selling their property. It should be noted that some agencies work with clients in several regions at once. They have a fairly large base in which you can find a suitable option for almost any person, regardless of whether he wants to buy or sell real estate.
Many real estate agencies offer a wide range of services: from legal advice to obtaining the necessary transaction registration documents. Of course, contacting a specialized company involves additional costs. As a rule, the reward of a real estate agent is 3-5% of the sale amount. Often, owners turn to realtors for a particular service. For example, sellers are often assisted in drafting a preliminary contract. The cost of a single service, of course, is much less than the full support of the transaction.
However, many owners, not wanting to lose money at all, prefer to sell their property on their own. They themselves compose and submit an advertisement, look for buyers, show an apartment, etc. It is difficult to say which is more profitable. Everyone chooses a method of sale. It is important that the transaction complies with the law, that at its conclusion all the rules are observed, and the contract is registered in the prescribed manner.