Answers by Tammi Nicholas

In Oklahoma, you have to disclose if the question is asked in writing.

If you are putting a new coat of paint on everything, I would advise it because it could hinder the paint job for adding worth and appeal. If not, it will make the home look more updated but may not add value.

Only you & your wife will know the answer to this. It depends on if your home will bring the price you need to be comfortable with the transaction if you sell as is. A good Realtor should be able to help you with comparative market analysis for both as is & after repairs. They should also help you consider the cost of hanging on to the home longer to get repairs done. They may also have some general contractors they can refer you to.

First, you need to make sure there are no restrictions on the deed. Where I am, when farm lands were bought out divided into parcels, they put basic HOA restrictions one of which was that all land should stay in 5 acre lots. Others had to do with how large your home had to be and things like how many out buildings you could have. If you are all clear on that, then make a visit to the city or county and just let them know your intentions & ask what you need to do. If you have a real estate attorney, they can probably take care of all the red tape for you.

It depends on what the contract says, you may need to cover costs incurred by your realtor, such as photos, advertising, etc.

I recommend you have a conversation with your realtor & clarify your expectations. Also, put away valuables & items precious to you. Medications & firearms should be locked away or removed from the home during an open house.

Less is more no matter the size of your kitchen. Put away everything you can so your counter tops will seem to go on & on, which is a huge selling feature.

If this was not conveyed in the contract, I believe if they were provided the final walk-through and did not address it then, it may not be a problem. You should consult a real estate attorney. This is their area of expertise.

If your home is in a designated USDA qualifying area, it is a smart idea to make sure there is nothing wrong with your home that would make it not pass the safety guidelines. However, if something does come up, it can usually be resolved in the inspection period. All other qualifying measures are up to the buyer.

Owning is better in the long term. It is an investment in your own wealth. Every month part of your payment goes toward the principle of the loan. This means you have more and more equity as time goes on. When the loan matures at 15, 20 or 30 years, you will own your home free of mortgage.

Read your lease & communicate with your landlord. I just helped a couple buy a duplex and 1 tenant was in lease & one was not. The sellers communicated with us from the beginning and the lease conveyed to my buyers in closing and the other tenant chose to move before close.

Any updates have the potential to increase value. I will say make sure that the updates you do are done completely. Having a few updated fixtures and a few not, can cause confusion to the buyer.

Before making this decision, I would ask myself, could my home be marketed as energy-efficient. In other words, are the windows & other things energy efficient? If so, then it may. Also, if your current appliance are very dated then replacing may also add value. If I were going to replace them to add value, I would include the fridge. It is normally not included but having all new matching appliances adds appeal for sure.

What will you do to cause my home to sell that sets you apart from other agents? Are you comfortable with the price point of my home? What advise do you have for me?

Either one can be a great fit! Just make sure you meet with them and they are in tune with your wants & needs and have the time on their plate to deal with your transaction.

You absolutely can call the listing agent or you can call any agent you would like to represent you on the buyer side of things. You may prefer a different one than the listing agent so that you are their only client in the transaction.

It means the seller has accepted an offer on the property but the transaction has not gone through.

Normally, it just has to be 4 units or less and the buyer has to intend on residing in one of the units.

The first step is to talk to a mortgage lender and get pre-approved.