The Hidden Costs of Traditional Real Estate Sales
Most Lakewood homeowners don’t realize how much a traditional sale actually costs until they reach the closing table. The standard real estate commission alone takes 5-6% of your sale price, which means you’ll pay $15,000 to $18,000 on a $300,000 home before you even consider other expenses.
Closing costs add another layer of expenses that sellers often overlook. You’ll typically pay for title insurance, escrow fees, transfer taxes, and various recording fees that can easily total $3,000 to $5,000.
Buyers frequently request seller concessions to cover their closing costs or to address repairs discovered during the inspection. These negotiations can result in an additional 2-3% reduction of your sale price, further decreasing your net proceeds.
Pre-listing repairs create unexpected financial strain for many sellers. Your agent will likely recommend fresh paint, new carpeting, landscaping improvements, and various updates to make your home competitive in Lakewood’s market.
Lakewood Market Challenges and Delays
The average Lakewood home sits on the market for 45-60 days, though properties needing work often take considerably longer. During this time, you continue paying your mortgage, property taxes, insurance, and utilities while showing your home to potential buyers.
Buyer financing falls through in approximately 20% of home sales nationwide. When this happens, you start the entire process over again, losing weeks or months of valuable time.
Home inspections almost always reveal issues that necessitate repair negotiations. Buyers typically request fixes or price reductions based on inspection findings, creating additional stress and expense for sellers.
Appraisal problems can derail deals even when everything else goes smoothly. If the appraised value comes in below the agreed purchase price, you’ll need to either reduce your price or hope the buyer can cover the difference with cash.
Understanding True Net Proceeds
Let’s break down a real example of a traditional Lakewood home sale. Imagine you list your home for $350,000 and accept an offer at full price.
First, you’ll pay $21,000 in real estate commissions. Add $4,000 in closing costs, $3,000 in pre-listing repairs, $2,000 for staging and photography, and $5,000 in buyer concessions after inspection.
You’ve now spent $35,000, before factoring in the three months of carrying costs, which amount to roughly $2,500 per month. Your actual net proceeds drop to $307,500, a far cry from the $350,000 list price.
Time also costs money in ways people often forget. Three months of mortgage payments, utilities, and insurance add up quickly, not to mention the opportunity cost of what you could do with that money during the waiting period.
The Atlas Portfolio’s Transparent Process
We eliminate the guesswork and hidden costs from selling your Lakewood home. You won’t pay any commission fees because we buy directly from you without agents involved.
The Atlas Portfolio covers all closing costs, saving you thousands of dollars. We handle title insurance, escrow fees, and all associated paperwork expenses.
You don’t need to make any repairs or improvements before we buy your home. We purchase properties as-is, which means you save the money you’d typically spend preparing a house for the market.
Our fast closing timeline, as short as seven days, dramatically reduces your carrying costs. You stop paying mortgage, insurance, and utilities almost immediately, instead of waiting months while your home sits on the market.
We provide clear, straightforward offers with every cost spelled out upfront. The number we quote represents what you’ll actually receive at closing, with no surprises or last-minute deductions.
Making an Informed Decision
Calculate your true net proceeds before choosing how to sell. Take your expected sale price and subtract commissions, closing costs, repairs, carrying costs, and concessions to see what you’ll actually pocket.
Ask any potential home buyer specific questions about their process. Who pays closing costs? What fees do you charge? How long until closing? What happens if you discover additional issues with the property?
The Atlas Portfolio offers free, no-obligation cash offers for homes in Lakewood. We’ll evaluate your property and provide a firm number within 24 hours, giving you the information you need to make the best decision.
You choose your own closing date based on your schedule and needs. Whether you need to close quickly or prefer to wait a few weeks, we accommodate your timeline.
Don’t let hidden costs erode your home sale profits. Contact The Atlas Portfolio today to learn exactly how much you’ll net from selling your Lakewood home the fast, transparent way.
