Selling YouR Home

It is important to work with a REALTOR® who is not only committed to working with you, but who is also dedicated to getting your home sold in the shortest time for the most amount of money. They will guide you through the entire process – consider their knowledge, experience, and expertise.

Responsibilities – Educating you about the seller agency  and professional responsibilities, including complete disclosure, loyalty, confidentiality, and accountability.

Understanding Your Requirements – Taking the time to understand the priority of your requirements – price, timeline, and relocating, even if it changes.

Marketing Your Home – Providing sophisticated market strategy that ensures the maximum exposure of your home to the right buyers. Keeping you updated with current trends, neighborhood fluctuations, and new sales and listings. 

Preparing and Showing the Home – Preparing your home to match buyer’s expectations, arranging the right showings, and recommending relevant experts.

Consultation & Dedication – Providing consultation when offers come to purchase your home. Negotiating the best possible price and terms for you, finding home-related service providers, and taking care of all the details.

Closing – Keeping you fully informed about all activities that lead to the transaction closing.

1. Price the Property

Price sets “the opinion of value” when selling your home. Price it too high against comparable properties and your home may sit on the market too long or may not sell. Price it too low and you may not achieve the true value of your home.

2. Choose a Title Company

You need a clear title for the home.

The Hidden Influence

Always make sure you highlight the positives and negatives of your home to your REALTOR®  – these nuances can be turned into an advantage if known in advance – remember no one knows your home like you do.

Every seller wants to sell their home quickly and every buyer wants to believe that the home they are looking at is the “right one.” As we prepare the home for sale here are a few things to keep in mind during this preparation stage. Begin this process with one simple idea “This is not my home; it is a house.” 

The Basics

Declutter, Depersonalize, and Deep Clean

Beyond the Basics

Paint walls- Think neutral colors

Change room decorations and themes- Think simple

Minor repairs- If its a cheap and easy fix, fix it

Way Beyond the Basics

Major renovations- Need to replace carpet? Need to replace the roof? Remodel the bathroom?

Helpful Tip

Scrutinize the home. If you were a buyer would you want to buy this home? Highlight the pros and help eliminate the cons.

Each home has its own unique and individual story to tell, and the marketing should reflect that. A comprehensive and customized marketing strategy will complement the time, money, and energy that you have invested in your home.

Photography

A key element to all marketing is the right photography. Your home has five seconds to impress and grab someone’s attention. The right photography can evoke a potential buyer’s emotion.

Print Media

Tangible resources that draw buyers to the home such as yard signs, flyers, property brochures, and more.

Digital Exposure

Your online footprint gives you access to social media and 24/7 web exposure. It is the quickest way to get your home exposed locally, nationally, and globally.

Networking and Referrals

REALTORS® will utilize their network and referral systems to create additional sources of potential buyers.

Sellers place a lot of pressure on themselves when showing potential buyers their property. Here are a few things to keep in mind to generate the best first impression and increase your chances of receiving those all-important offers.

Let Your Agent Handle It

A potential buyer is less likely to voice any concerns in front of the current owner. Give them the space to explore and scrutinize. Your REALTOR® is your ally; let them handle any concerns a buyer might have.

Be Flexible

Many home buyers are on a tight schedule, just like the rest of us. Time is tough to come by, so be flexible, especially if you are living on the premise.

Quick Clean

During the selling process, it is imperative to always keep the home clean. Wipe down counters, vacuum daily, and make sure all clutter is cleaned up.

Climate Control

Make sure the inside temperature of the home is comfortable. You want buyers to feel comfortable and to not rush the viewing process because they are too hot or too cold.

Animal Care

A pet-friendly home is a great selling point. However, if potential buyers are not animal friendly, you do not want your pet(s) to be a distraction. If you can, remove them from the home temporarily, or place them in a contained space.

Light the Way

The home should feel open, bright, and welcoming. Turn on the lights and open the curtains, this will allow the buyers to see the true value of the home.

Communicate with your REALTOR®

If there are special aspects to the home that you want to be featured and recognized during the viewing of the home, make sure to communicate that clearly to your REALTOR®.

It is never easy hearing negative remarks about your home, but knowing is half the battle and the information provided could potentially be helpful in the next showing. Following an open house or buyer showing, talk with your REALTOR® to measure your home’s reception and consider recommendations.

There are many components to an offer and your REALTOR® can explain the entire process, so that you are comfortable with all the steps involved.

You can reject or accept the initial offer. If you agree to some points of the offer but not others, then you will submit a counter offer. The counter offer may differ from the original offer in respect to price, conditions, closing date, or any other items. Offers can be countered back and forth between the parties until one of you accepts or rejects it, ending the negotiations all together.

Once both parties accept the sales contract and its contingencies, they will start to work towards removing these conditions and set a specific time frame to do so.

Your REALTOR® will advise you on what contingencies you can remove, based on the results, once the appropriate due diligence has been completed. Ideally both parties should have been able to negotiate a reasonable time to remove these conditions.

Once both parties are satisfied and wish to commit to the purchase and sale of your home, a contingency removal document will be prepared for both parties to sign.

After all the contingencies have been removed, it becomes the responsibility of the legal and financial institutions to prepare all the necessary paperwork. Should there be any issues, your REALTOR® will contact you directly.

At closing, you will sign all of your legal documents, including paperwork related to the transfer of ownership. There is usually a representative from the Escrow Company to facilitate the exchange.

When closing is finished, you should not only be prepared to hand over the keys but any copies of documentation that relates to the property and its amenities. You will receive a copy of the documentation you signed together with a statement of costs. At the end of closing, the deed will be taken and recorded at the county clerk’s office.