Can You Sell A Property In The Philippines While You're Abroad?
Acquiring a real estate property is undoubtedly one of the best assets today as its value increases over the years. However, like any other property, if you wish to profit from it, you must be hands-on and physically present to do business transactions.
Knowing the details of every transaction to ensure success in your real estate venture would be an advantage. Suppose you plan to sell your real estate property. In that case, you must familiarize yourself with the correct processes to lessen and even avoid mistakes, especially when processing legal documents.
So when you are outside of the country, selling a property like a house can be overwhelming because there are many things that you will need to take care of before and during the selling process.
Here are some of the things to consider if you want to sell your home when you’re abroad:
Fix any major house problems. If you want to put a higher value on your house, fix any significant outstanding problems with your home.
Have your house checked for repairs like a leaky roof, cracked walls, plumbing issues, broken shutters, and hanging gutters, among others.
It might not seem worth fixing things in your house, especially if you have no plans to live in it, but it always puts you in a buyer’s perspective. No one likes to buy a property that needs significant repair.
Redecorate and Repaint. Aside from its functionality, the aesthetically-pleasing house will always get a buyer’s approval, so staging your home when you’re selling can make a difference.
Since you are not present to do the makeover, you can get some help from a realtor for tips on upgrading your furniture and rooms before the house showcase. Redecorating is one of the ways to make your home stand out.
Getting rid of cluttered areas can save space and looks more presentable during house staging. Repainting can also give a fresh look to your home. You can choose earthy colors to give your home a cozy and luxurious ambiance; it can be a mixture of tonalities of brown, tan, and mineral fixtures. They tend to be more appealing, functional, and perceived as warm, reassuring, and settling.
Find a trusted and skillfull realtor. Your realtor will represent you and do all the transactions with the potential buyer in your absence. Thus, it is necessary to find the right realtor with excellent communications skills and knowledge of the legal processing of the documents needed to sell your house.
You can sign a Special Power of Attorney (SPA) to your realtor to sign all the documents on your behalf, but it pays to check the credibility and experiences of the realtor first. The documents needed include the contract of agreement, authority to sell, and many other documents from the assessor’s office.
You can ask for referrals from friends or family if you have difficulty finding the right realtor to sell your property.
Virtual Closings. Living in today’s digital world doesn’t limit us from doing business and closing our deals. Virtual closings were not as widespread in many regions before, not until the COVID-19 pandemic came and changed the landscape of industries including real estate.
While a Special Power of Attorney is necessary, it is still possible for you to sign most of the documents digitally using an electronic signature and even attend the closing via video conferences like Zoom or Google Meetings.
However, if some documents require notarization, you can ask your realtor to do it for you. In terms of payment, your client can do an online fund transfer in your bank and email the transaction to you as proof of receipt. Make use of the internet to sell your house because the possibility of closing a deal is limitless in the virtual world.
Consider a price reduction. It may be hard to accept, but if the market is not doing well when you want to sell your home, you should consider a price reduction.
Lowering the price of your home can easily attract potential buyers and have it sold ASAP. You can look at similar properties in your neighborhood to get a better idea before putting a price in case you have difficulty with your house valuation.
However, this idea depends on your urgency. If you want your money right away, you might consider this; otherwise, wait for the buyer you can meet halfway.
Selling a real estate property in the Philippines if you’re abroad is a bit overwhelming, so planning and having all your documents and home prepared before you move overseas is helpful to avoid the hassle.
However, whether you sell before or after moving out, your most excellent tool is good communication with your real estate agent. Stay in touch with your realtor and respond to any questions, documentation requests, or contract issues as soon as possible.
It is also necessary to be clear with your tax obligations to avoid legal concerns and have your property ready to sell anytime.