Coldwell Banker Islands Blog

Here are more tips, to continue our previous blog, on protecting your privacy if your home is on the market. The first two were Hide your Mail, and Take Down Photos & Diplomas.

3. Clean the closets and drawers

If you have ever been to an open house or toured a home for sale, you can probably understand the desire to dig around. In most cases, prospective homebuyers simply open closets and cabinets to inspect the space or make judgments about the construction of the home. While most people who view your home will not try to snoop in your personal belongings, try to pack away anything that could tell an unwanted story about your life.

You may want to clear out all drawers and closets entirely before the home is shown to buyers. After your personal belongings have been removed from the home or carefully packed away, work with your agent to stage closets and large cabinets. By replacing your own belongings with examples of how the home can be utilized, you will take the focus off yourself and help prospective buyers visualize themselves in your home.

Bathroom cabinets have to be included here - hide or remove ALL drugs of any kind. Don’t leave the temptation.

4. Turn down the answering machine

This final step is probably the most overlooked by home sellers. Just as you can not anticipate what arrives in the mail each day, you cannot predict when you might receive an unwanted phone call. If you are engaged in an open house or private viewing, you certainly don’t want a prospective buyer to overhear a message from a collection agency or credit card company. Furthermore, as you are in the process of selling a home (and possibly buying another), you don’t want buyers to know anything about your personal business. So, before any prospective buyers enter your home, mute your answering machine to prevent any uncomfortable exchanges.

In conclusion, when you are ready to show your home to prospective buyers, try to remove anything that might drive a buyer away or create an unwanted bias. Whether it’s as simple as removing your personal mail or staging the closets of your home’s bedrooms, a bit of work can not only protect your privacy but can potentially help sell your home.

Here are more tips, to continue our previous blog, on protecting your privacy if your home is on the market. The first two were Hide your Mail, and Take Down Photos & Diplomas.

3. Clean the closets and drawers

If you have ever been to an open house or toured a home for sale, you can probably understand the desire to dig around. In most cases, prospective homebuyers simply open closets and cabinets to inspect the space or make judgments about the construction of the home. While most people who view your home will not try to snoop in your personal belongings, try to pack away anything that could tell an unwanted story about your life.

You may want to clear out all drawers and closets entirely before the home is shown to buyers. After your personal belongings have been removed from the home or carefully packed away, work with your agent to stage closets and large cabinets. By replacing your own belongings with examples of how the home can be utilized, you will take the focus off yourself and help prospective buyers visualize themselves in your home.

Bathroom cabinets have to be included here - hide or remove ALL drugs of any kind. Don’t leave the temptation.

4. Turn down the answering machine

This final step is probably the most overlooked by home sellers. Just as you can not anticipate what arrives in the mail each day, you cannot predict when you might receive an unwanted phone call. If you are engaged in an open house or private viewing, you certainly don’t want a prospective buyer to overhear a message from a collection agency or credit card company. Furthermore, as you are in the process of selling a home (and possibly buying another), you don’t want buyers to know anything about your personal business. So, before any prospective buyers enter your home, mute your answering machine to prevent any uncomfortable exchanges.

In conclusion, when you are ready to show your home to prospective buyers, try to remove anything that might drive a buyer away or create an unwanted bias. Whether it’s as simple as removing your personal mail or staging the closets of your home’s bedrooms, a bit of work can not only protect your privacy but can potentially help sell your home.

President Barack Obama offered a spirit of cooperation to America’s hemispheric neighbors, listening to complaints about past U.S. meddling and pointedly reaching out to Venezuela’s leader, Hugo Chavez, Cuban leader Raul Castro, and Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega.

"I have a lot to learn and I very much look forward to listening and figuring out how we can work together more effectively," Obama said.

To Latin American nations reeling from a sudden plunge in exports, Obama promised a new hemispheric growth fund, an initiative to increase Caribbean security, and a partnership to develop alternative energy sources and fight global warming.

Obama extended a hand to Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega, whom President Ronald Reagan spent years trying to drive from power. At a luncheon speech to fellow leaders, Chavez said the spirit of respect is encouraging and he proposed that Havana host the next summit.

Obama said he was ready to accept Cuban President Raul Castro’s proposal of talks on issues once off-limits for Cuba, including political prisoners held by the communist government.

The summit ended very positively, with high hopes by all countries that they will be able to work together more effectively in the future toward shared goals.

(resource: FresnoBee.com)

President Barack Obama offered a spirit of cooperation to America’s hemispheric neighbors, listening to complaints about past U.S. meddling and pointedly reaching out to Venezuela’s leader, Hugo Chavez, Cuban leader Raul Castro, and Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega.

“I have a lot to learn and I very much look forward to listening and figuring out how we can work together more effectively,” Obama said.

To Latin American nations reeling from a sudden plunge in exports, Obama promised a new hemispheric growth fund, an initiative to increase Caribbean security, and a partnership to develop alternative energy sources and fight global warming.

Obama extended a hand to Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega, whom President Ronald Reagan spent years trying to drive from power. At a luncheon speech to fellow leaders, Chavez said the spirit of respect is encouraging and he proposed that Havana host the next summit.

Obama said he was ready to accept Cuban President Raul Castro’s proposal of talks on issues once off-limits for Cuba, including political prisoners held by the communist government.

The summit ended very positively, with high hopes by all countries that they will be able to work together more effectively in the future toward shared goals.

(resource: FresnoBee.com)

President Barack Obama offered a spirit of cooperation to America’s hemispheric neighbors, listening to complaints about past U.S. meddling and pointedly reaching out to Venezuela’s leader, Hugo Chavez, Cuban leader Raul Castro, and Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega.

“I have a lot to learn and I very much look forward to listening and figuring out how we can work together more effectively,” Obama said.

To Latin American nations reeling from a sudden plunge in exports, Obama promised a new hemispheric growth fund, an initiative to increase Caribbean security, and a partnership to develop alternative energy sources and fight global warming.

Obama extended a hand to Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega, whom President Ronald Reagan spent years trying to drive from power. At a luncheon speech to fellow leaders, Chavez said the spirit of respect is encouraging and he proposed that Havana host the next summit.

Obama said he was ready to accept Cuban President Raul Castro’s proposal of talks on issues once off-limits for Cuba, including political prisoners held by the communist government.

The summit ended very positively, with high hopes by all countries that they will be able to work together more effectively in the future toward shared goals.

(resource: FresnoBee.com)

President Barack Obama offered a spirit of cooperation to America’s hemispheric neighbors, listening to complaints about past U.S. meddling and pointedly reaching out to Venezuela’s leader, Hugo Chavez, Cuban leader Raul Castro, and Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega.

“I have a lot to learn and I very much look forward to listening and figuring out how we can work together more effectively,” Obama said.

To Latin American nations reeling from a sudden plunge in exports, Obama promised a new hemispheric growth fund, an initiative to increase Caribbean security, and a partnership to develop alternative energy sources and fight global warming.

Obama extended a hand to Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega, whom President Ronald Reagan spent years trying to drive from power. At a luncheon speech to fellow leaders, Chavez said the spirit of respect is encouraging and he proposed that Havana host the next summit.

Obama said he was ready to accept Cuban President Raul Castro’s proposal of talks on issues once off-limits for Cuba, including political prisoners held by the communist government.

The summit ended very positively, with high hopes by all countries that they will be able to work together more effectively in the future toward shared goals.

(resource: FresnoBee.com)

President Barack Obama offered a spirit of cooperation to America’s hemispheric neighbors, listening to complaints about past U.S. meddling and pointedly reaching out to Venezuela’s leader, Hugo Chavez, Cuban leader Raul Castro, and Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega.

“I have a lot to learn and I very much look forward to listening and figuring out how we can work together more effectively,” Obama said.

To Latin American nations reeling from a sudden plunge in exports, Obama promised a new hemispheric growth fund, an initiative to increase Caribbean security, and a partnership to develop alternative energy sources and fight global warming.

Obama extended a hand to Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega, whom President Ronald Reagan spent years trying to drive from power. At a luncheon speech to fellow leaders, Chavez said the spirit of respect is encouraging and he proposed that Havana host the next summit.

Obama said he was ready to accept Cuban President Raul Castro’s proposal of talks on issues once off-limits for Cuba, including political prisoners held by the communist government.

The summit ended very positively, with high hopes by all countries that they will be able to work together more effectively in the future toward shared goals.

(resource: FresnoBee.com)

President Barack Obama offered a spirit of cooperation to America’s hemispheric neighbors, listening to complaints about past U.S. meddling and pointedly reaching out to Venezuela’s leader, Hugo Chavez, Cuban leader Raul Castro, and Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega.

“I have a lot to learn and I very much look forward to listening and figuring out how we can work together more effectively,” Obama said.

To Latin American nations reeling from a sudden plunge in exports, Obama promised a new hemispheric growth fund, an initiative to increase Caribbean security, and a partnership to develop alternative energy sources and fight global warming.

Obama extended a hand to Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega, whom President Ronald Reagan spent years trying to drive from power. At a luncheon speech to fellow leaders, Chavez said the spirit of respect is encouraging and he proposed that Havana host the next summit.

Obama said he was ready to accept Cuban President Raul Castro’s proposal of talks on issues once off-limits for Cuba, including political prisoners held by the communist government.

The summit ended very positively, with high hopes by all countries that they will be able to work together more effectively in the future toward shared goals.

(resource: FresnoBee.com)

President Barack Obama offered a spirit of cooperation to America’s hemispheric neighbors, listening to complaints about past U.S. meddling and pointedly reaching out to Venezuela’s leader, Hugo Chavez, Cuban leader Raul Castro, and Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega.

“I have a lot to learn and I very much look forward to listening and figuring out how we can work together more effectively,” Obama said.

To Latin American nations reeling from a sudden plunge in exports, Obama promised a new hemispheric growth fund, an initiative to increase Caribbean security, and a partnership to develop alternative energy sources and fight global warming.

Obama extended a hand to Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega, whom President Ronald Reagan spent years trying to drive from power. At a luncheon speech to fellow leaders, Chavez said the spirit of respect is encouraging and he proposed that Havana host the next summit.

Obama said he was ready to accept Cuban President Raul Castro’s proposal of talks on issues once off-limits for Cuba, including political prisoners held by the communist government.

The summit ended very positively, with high hopes by all countries that they will be able to work together more effectively in the future toward shared goals.

(resource: FresnoBee.com)

The following information is provided courtesy of Graham Canham, Sales Associate at Coldwell Banker Real Estate Turks & Caicos…..Part 2 of Negotiating an offer on real estate in the Turks & Caicos Islands.

Agreement of Purchase and Sale (APS)

Individuals or Company Directors purchasing property sign an APS, a registerable document filed with the Registrar at the Land Titles Office in Grand Turk. APS describes the property, defines price and terms, and lists other conditions particular to the transaction. Facsimile signatures are acceptable.

Transfer Forms

Transfer Forms are completed by both Buyer and Seller and witnessed by a Notary or Justice of the Peace in the Turks & Caicos Islands, or in your country of residence. Original signatures are required along with complete proper names as they will appear in the Register. This is the primary document required to complete the transfer of property.

Registration

Original Land Certificates accompany the Transfer Forms and are presented to the Land Registry Office. The Registrar of Land handles land registration in the Turks & Caicos Islands, Turks Island Government Registration of Land Title is final and the Title is absolute. Deposits and proceeds from the sale are normally held in trust until the transfer is registered. Once registration takes place, proceeds of the sale are released to the Seller and real estate commission paid to the Agent.

Title and Land Register Certification

A Land Certificate is issued as evidence of the title. Normally the Land Certificate will remain in the Land Registry. A copy of the Land Register Certificate will show current ownership and any liens or charges on a property.

STAMP DUTY

A one time fee paid by the Buyer to the TCI Government, for the transfer of property, on registration.

Presently 9.75% on Providenciales, lower on the less developed islands.

CHARGE OF MORTGAGE

In cases where the full purchase price is not paid, a Charge of Mortgage is executed, the title of the land is transferred, but the charges appear on the Register as an encumbrance against the title to secure payment of the balance owed. Removal of the charges must be made by the person to whom the money is payable. There is also a Stamp Duty fee (presently 1% of the mortgated amount) paid to the TCI Gov’t on all registered charges.

DO I HAVE TO BE PRESENT FOR CLOSING?

It is not necessary to return to the Turks and Caicos for closing, though you are welcome to be here during this process. The procedure can be handled by phone, fax, courier, and wire transfer.

Any questions or comments you have regarding negotiating an offer on Real Estate in the TCI as well as clarification on Terms and Conditions may be directed to Graham Canham, Sales Associate at Coldwell Banker Real Estate Turks & Caicos, at grahamcanham@coldwellbankertci.com

www.coldwellbankertci.com

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