Can You Sell a House While Still Living in It? Here’s the Answer

Selling a house is one of the business processes that really requires extra patience. Because, although in Indonesia there are still many people who are looking for a house, of course every prospective buyer also has their own preferences. Not only that, the sales technique used by the seller will also determine how quickly the house will be sold.

Therefore, home sellers often feel a deep dilemma about this. Because, the process of selling a house cannot be forced to sell quickly, usually the seller chooses to continue to occupy the house until it is successfully sold, the goal is to reduce the burden of maintenance during the process.

Then, is it permissible for a home seller to do this?

Vice President of Xavier Marks Home, Nina Kuntjoro said, the house that was sold could actually still be occupied by the owner, and that was also a common thing for old houses.

“Yes! There are also those who are still occupied during the sale process,” Nina answered by phone

Nina also said that if the house is still occupied by its owner, then the marketing technique they use is exclusive listing, so that the marketing is one-door.

“If the house still has an owner, the marketing always uses exclusive listing. Why? Because the house is still occupied. So that the marketing is one-door,” explained Nina.

“One door, so the homeowner (seller) can ensure that people don’t suddenly come, see without an appointment, and it’s not clear who the client is. So the seller gives trust to a professional property agent to market their house,” she added.

When selling a house, Nina appeals to home sellers not to market their house alone to prevent criminal acts caused by prospective buyers.

“If you sell it yourself without an agent, there will be many risks. There are many cases where the documents are suddenly duplicated, used for improper purposes. For example, in the case of Dino Patti Djalal, his house was sold, his mother marketed it herself, there was an agent but no one knows who. Then suddenly there was an unknown person, he said he wanted to buy it, he wanted to make a deal, his mother met with the agent and the buyer. Well, it turned out that the house was used for a crime,” said Nina

“That’s why if you want to sell a house, it’s better to use the services of a professional agent who can be trusted,” she continued.

If it is occupied, is it necessary to replace the furniture when the handover is done?
According to Nina, if the house is an old house, the furniture in the house does not need to be updated if the seller has marketed it with details ‘as is’ or as is.

“If it is an old house, it does not need to be replaced, because he is selling the old house ‘as is’. For example, selling an old house, what is being sold is only the house and the attached equipment such as a water pump, AC, maybe a telephone, a water heater, well, only those that are attached are included. There are also built-in cabinets that cannot be removed, so we don’t need to replace them,” explained Nina.

The Due Date for Electricity, Water, and House Tax is Near, Who is Responsible?
Nina said that if the due date is near, then the one who has the responsibility to pay it is the previous owner.

“It depends on the month the house is paid off. For example, if the house is paid off on May 1, it means that the electricity usage in April is not the buyer’s responsibility,” said Nina.

If you are occupying it, you need to replace it with new furniture. Isn’t it suitable for handover?

According to Nina, if the house is an old house, the furniture in the house does not need to be updated if the seller has marketed it with details ‘as is’ or as is.

“If the house is old, it doesn’t need to be replaced, because he is selling the old house ‘as is’. For example, selling an old house, what is being sold is only the house and the attached items such as a water pump, AC, maybe there is a telephone, there is a water heater, well only include those that are attached. There are also built-in cabinets that cannot be removed, well we don’t need to replace them,” explained Nina.

The Due Date for Electricity, Water, and House Tax Payments is Near, Who is Responsible?

Nina said, if the due date is near, then the one who has the responsibility to pay it is the previous owner.

“It depends on what month the house is paid off. For example, if the house is paid off on May 1, it means that the electricity usage in April is not the buyer’s responsibility,” said Nina

Updated: October 29, 2024 — 7:25 am