GUIDES
Your questions, answered straight.
27 short guides. Each one starts with the question you would type and answers it in the first paragraph. The rest is the explanation, the way I would give it over coffee.
See the market numbersAuctions, explained
How a real estate auction actually works, from the auctioneer who runs them.
- How does a real estate auction work in Kansas?Reserve vs. absolute, the buyer's premium, sale day, and when an auction beats a traditional listing.
- What is a buyer's premium at a real estate auction?A buyer's premium is a percentage added to the winning bid at a real estate auction. It is disclosed before bidding and pays the buyer side of the sale.
- What is the difference between a reserve auction and an absolute auction?In a reserve auction the high bid is subject to the seller's approval. In an absolute auction the property sells to the highest bidder regardless of price.
- Can you use a mortgage to buy a house at auction?Yes, if your lender is lined up before sale day. The auction contract has no financing contingency, so the loan is your risk, not a condition of the sale.
- Do homes sell for less at auction?Not as a rule. A professional real estate auction is a pricing method, not a discount. Competition among informed bidders sets the price, the same as a listing.
- How do I bid at a real estate auction in Wichita?Register with the auction company, inspect the home during the preview, bring your deposit in the required form, and bid when the auctioneer calls your number.
- How long does a real estate auction take, start to closing?A professional real estate auction usually runs two to three months: a few weeks of marketing, sale day itself, then a normal closing at a title company.
Auction or traditional: which is right for you
Honest breakdowns of the three ways to sell, with what each one costs.
- How do I sell my house fast in Wichita?The three real options when time is the constraint, and what each one nets you.
- Auction or traditional listing: which is right for my house?An auction fits when you want a firm sale date and a property that draws competing bidders. A listing fits when you have time and a typical house.
- What does it cost to sell a house in Kansas?Selling a Kansas house costs agent compensation or an auction marketing fee, title and closing fees, prorated taxes, repairs and your payoff. The full list.
- Should I take a cash offer for my house?Take a cash offer when speed, certainty and skipping repairs are worth more to you than the higher price a listing or auction might bring. How to weigh it.
- How do I sell land or acreage in Kansas?Land in Kansas sells by auction more often than houses do, because it is hard to price and buyers compete openly. How listing and auction compare for acreage.
Selling an inherited or estate home
The process, the people involved, the clean-out, and the parts nobody warns you about.
- How do I sell an inherited house in Wichita?Step by step, from the attorney to the keys, with the human side included.
- What has to happen before you can sell an inherited house in Kansas?Someone needs legal authority to sign before an inherited Kansas house can be listed or sold. What that means, what you can do meanwhile, and who to ask.
- What do I do with everything inside an inherited house?Papers first, then keepsakes, then the rest through an estate sale, personal-property auction, donation or clean-out crew. A calm order for a full house.
- How do you sell a house when several heirs have to agree?One person with legal authority signs, but the sale goes smoothly only when heirs agree on whether, how and at what price. A method everyone can watch helps.
- How do I sell my parent's house in Wichita from out of state?You can sell a parent's Wichita house from anywhere with e-signatures, video walkthroughs, a mail-away closing and a local agent as your point person.
The Wichita-area market
Real numbers in plain English. Calm, no fear.
- When is the best time of year to sell a house in Wichita?Spring and early summer bring the most buyers to Wichita. Winter brings fewer buyers but less competition. Your situation matters more than the calendar.
- How long does it take to sell a house in Wichita?It depends on the house, the price and how you sell. What the days-to-close figure on our market page counts, and how each way of selling changes the clock.
- What does "months of supply" mean, and why does it matter?Months of supply is active listings divided by monthly sales pace: how long today's inventory would last. Under three tends to favor sellers, over six buyers.
Investing, from someone who invests
Terms over price, the math that matters, and where auctions fit.
- How do I know if a Wichita rental property is a good deal?Start with the rent, subtract vacancy, operating expenses and the mortgage payment, and look at what is left. The math Daniel runs on every rental he considers.
- What does "terms over price" mean in real estate?The price is one number on a purchase contract. Financing, timeline, contingencies, concessions and possession decide what a deal is really worth to each side.
- Is buying an investment property at auction a good idea?It can be, if you inspect during the marketing period and bid from your spreadsheet, not from the room. What an investor should know about auction contracts.
Buying a home
What the words mean and what to expect at each step.
- How much earnest money do I need to buy a house in Kansas?There is no set amount. Around Wichita, earnest money often runs about one percent of the price and is negotiable. It goes to the title company, not the seller.
- What does "under contract" or "active under contract" mean?The seller has accepted an offer and both sides have signed, but the sale is not final until closing. What each listing status means and if you can still offer.
- How do I buy my first house in Wichita, step by step?Pre-approval, search, offer, earnest money, inspection, appraisal, closing. Each step defined in plain words, in order, for a first-time buyer in Wichita.
Selling a home
Pricing, preparation and paperwork, without the pitch.
Question not here?
Text HOME to 316-364-7500 and I'll answer it straight. If it is a legal or tax question, I'll tell you who to ask.