Guides

Plain answers to the questions homeowners ask before they sell: costs, taxes, liens, repairs, disclosures and how cash offers work.

• Agent commissions after the NAR settlement What the 2024 NAR settlement changed for home sellers: negotiable commissions, buyer-agent compensation off the MLS, and written buyer agreements. →
• Behind on mortgage payments: your options Behind on your mortgage in VA, MD or DC? Ways to keep the house, ways to leave on your terms, free HUD-approved counseling and each state's timeline. →
• Can you back out after accepting a cash offer? When a seller can back out after accepting a cash offer: before signing, contract exits, written releases and a Maryland rule on assigned contracts. →
• Capital gains tax when you sell your home When you owe capital gains tax on a home sale: the $250,000 / $500,000 exclusion, the 2-of-5-year tests, partial exclusions and how to figure gain. →
• Deed in lieu of foreclosure vs. selling What a deed in lieu of foreclosure is, what to get in writing, the tax question, and why selling usually leaves you better off when you have equity. →
• Downsizing: selling a long-time family home Downsizing from a long-time family home in VA, MD or DC: plan the next place, check senior tax relief, and compare a cash sale with listing. →
• Earnest money in a cash sale How earnest money works in a cash home sale: how much, who holds it, how it's credited at closing and what happens to it if the sale falls through. →
• Foreclosure rescue scams Foreclosure rescue scam warning signs, the federal ban on upfront mortgage relief fees, Virginia and Maryland protections, and where to report a scam. →
• How 'we buy houses' companies work How 'we buy houses' companies work: buying at a discount to fix and resell, or assigning the contract, and how to check a company before you sign. →
• How cash offers are calculated How a cash offer on a house is calculated: after-repair value minus repairs and costs to buy, hold and resell, compared side by side with listing. →
• How long a cash sale takes How long a cash home sale takes: the title search, your mortgage payoff and closing day, plus the things that can slow a cash closing down. →
• How property taxes are prorated at closing How property taxes are split between seller and buyer at closing: daily amounts, credits and charges, with DC and Baltimore County billing examples. →
• How to choose a listing agent How to choose a listing agent in Virginia, Maryland or DC: check the license, ask the right questions, negotiate the fee and read the agreement. →
• How to sell a house fast How to sell a house fast: listing priced to sell, a local cash buyer, an iBuyer or an auction, and how to weigh speed against what you net. →
• How to spot a cash home buyer scam Red flags of a cash home buyer scam: upfront fees, pressure to sign, deed transfers before payoff and emailed wire instructions, plus how to check a buyer. →
• iBuyer vs local cash buyer iBuyer vs local cash home buyer: how each makes an offer, service fees and repair credits, which homes they buy, and how to compare your net. →
• Loan modification vs. selling Loan modification or selling your house? How a modification works, the federal loss mitigation timelines, and when selling makes more sense. →
• Maryland withholding for nonresident sellers Selling Maryland property as a nonresident? The 8.75% and 8.25% withholding rates, exemptions, Form MW506AE timing and how to get a refund. →
• Seller closing costs in Maryland What Maryland home sellers pay at closing: the 0.5% state transfer tax, county taxes, the 50/50 default split and the first-time buyer rule. →
• Seller closing costs in Virginia What Virginia home sellers pay at closing: the grantor tax, Northern Virginia regional fees, payoffs, prorated taxes and negotiable commissions. →
• Seller closing costs in Washington, DC What DC home sellers pay at closing: the 1.1% or 1.45% transfer tax, how the recordation tax is split, payoffs, prorated taxes and commissions. →
• Selling a DMV house when you live out of state How to sell a Virginia, Maryland or DC house when you live out of state: remote online notarization, mail-away closings and Maryland nonresident withholding. →
• Selling a fire-damaged house Selling a house after a fire: make it safe, open the insurance claim and keep records, get repair bids, then compare rebuilding with selling as it is. →
• Selling a hoarder house How to sell a hoarder house at your own pace: rescue what matters, stay safe, choose a full, partial or no cleanout, and compare the numbers each way. →
• Selling a house after losing your job Lost your job and worried about the house? File for unemployment, ask your servicer about forbearance, get free counseling, then weigh selling. →
• Selling a house co-owned with siblings Selling a house you co-own with siblings who disagree: buyouts, joint sales, and how partition works in Virginia, Maryland and DC when owners can't agree. →
• Selling a house during bankruptcy Can you sell your house during bankruptcy? Who approves the sale in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13, how the automatic stay works, and why timing matters. →
• Selling a house that needs a new roof Selling a house that needs a new roof: check insurance, get a roofer's estimate, know the FHA two-year roof rule, then compare replacing with selling as-is. →
• Selling a house with a failing septic system Selling a house with septic problems: pull health department records, get a proper inspection, know Virginia's waiver disclosure, then compare fix vs as-is. →
• Selling a house with a HELOC or second mortgage Selling a house with a HELOC or second mortgage: how both loans are paid off at closing, freezing the credit line, and checking for early cancellation fees. →
• Selling a house with a lien Can you sell a house with a lien? How judgment, tax and contractor liens are paid from the proceeds at closing, and how an IRS lien discharge works. →
• Selling a house with a reverse mortgage How to sell a house with a reverse mortgage: when a HECM comes due, how long heirs have, and the 95% of appraised value rule if you owe more than it's worth. →
• Selling a house with code violations or open permits How to sell a house with code violations or open permits: get the list, decide what to fix, know the Virginia and Baltimore disclosure rules, then compare. →
• Selling a house with foundation problems How to sell a house with foundation problems: get an engineer's report, know how FHA appraisals treat structural issues, then compare repair, as-is and cash. →
• Selling a house with mold Selling a house with mold: fix the moisture first, know when the EPA says to call a pro, what buyers check, and how cleanup compares with a cash sale. →
• Selling a house with unpaid HOA or condo dues Selling with unpaid HOA or condo dues in Virginia, Maryland or DC: what resale certificates and disclosures show, HOA liens, and paying it off at closing. →
• Selling a house with unpermitted work How to sell a house with unpermitted work: check permit records, learn what legalizing takes, answer disclosure questions, then weigh permit, credit or as-is. →
• Selling a parent's house when they move into care Selling a parent's house when they move to assisted living or a nursing home: Medicaid look-back and estate recovery basics, who can sign, and next steps. →
• Selling a parent's house with power of attorney Selling a parent's house with power of attorney in VA, MD or DC: what the document must allow, your duties as agent, and why it ends at death. →
• Selling a pre-1978 house with lead paint Selling a house built before 1978: the federal lead paint disclosure, the pamphlet, the buyer's 10-day testing window and what you don't have to do. →
• Selling a rental property with a 1031 exchange How a 1031 exchange works when you sell a rental: what qualifies, the 45-day and 180-day deadlines, qualified intermediaries and selling to a cash buyer. →
• Selling a vacant house Selling a vacant house in VA, MD or DC: check your insurance, secure the home, add up carrying costs and compare a cash sale with listing. →
• Selling an older house with outdated wiring Selling an older house with knob-and-tube wiring or a fuse box: get an electrician's evaluation, know what FHA appraisers check, then compare your options. →
• Selling by owner vs using an agent Selling by owner vs using an agent: the work you take on, buyer-agent pay, disclosures that still apply, and how to compare the net each way. →
• Should I sell my house before buying another? Sell first or buy first? The trade-offs of each order, ways to bridge the gap, and how a cash sale or a rent-back can help you time the move. →
• Staying in the house after closing (rent-back) How a rent-back works when you sell your house: staying after closing, what to agree on, the cost, move-out dates, insurance and getting it in writing. →
• Taxes when you sell an inherited house Selling an inherited house? How the stepped-up basis works, plus Maryland's inheritance tax and what Virginia and DC do and don't tax. →
• The buyer's home inspection when you sell What to expect from the buyer's home inspection when you sell: the timeline, the report, repair requests and credits, and inspections on as-is sales. →
• Title problems when selling Title problems when selling a house: clouded title, missing heirs and lost deeds, where to search land records in VA, MD and DC, and when a court is needed. →
• What a DC home seller must disclose What DC home sellers must disclose under D.C. Code § 42-1301 et seq.: who's covered, what the form asks, delivery rules and the buyer's 5-day right to cancel. →
• What a listing agreement says What a listing agreement says: exclusive terms, the end date, the fee, payments to buyer agents and cancellation, with Virginia and Maryland rules. →
• What a Maryland home seller must disclose What Maryland home sellers must disclose under Real Property § 10-702: the disclosure or disclaimer form, latent defects, timing and the right to cancel. →
• What a mortgage payoff statement is What a mortgage payoff statement shows, why it differs from your balance, and the federal rule giving servicers up to seven business days to send it. →
• What a short sale is What a short sale is, when your lender has to approve it, why to get a written deficiency waiver, and how taxes on forgiven mortgage debt can apply. →
• What a Virginia home seller must disclose What Virginia home sellers must disclose: the buyer-beware statement, required written disclosures, deadlines and what happens if a disclosure is late. →
• What after-repair value (ARV) means What after-repair value (ARV) means, how comparable sales are used to estimate it, and how to check the ARV behind a cash offer on your house. →
• What happens at a cash closing What happens at closing when you sell a house for cash: the settlement agent's role, the settlement statement, signing the deed, payoffs and getting paid. →
• What proof of funds should look like What proof of funds from a cash home buyer should look like, how to verify it with the bank yourself, and the warning signs worth asking about. →
• What real estate wholesaling means for a seller What real estate wholesaling and contract assignment mean for a home seller, plus Virginia's broker definition and Maryland's wholesaler disclosure law. →
• What selling a house as-is means What selling a house as-is means: no repairs or credits, but state disclosures and the federal pre-1978 lead paint rule still apply, and buyers can inspect. →
• What you can leave in the house when you sell What you can leave behind when you sell a house as-is: fixtures vs personal property, what the contract should say and what to take out first. →
• Which repairs are worth doing before selling How to decide which repairs to make before selling: fix what stops a sale, do the cheap visible things, and count time and cash before big projects. →