FOR SELLER

  Decide to Sell

Why Sell?

When your current home no longer meets your needs, selling is a popular option.

Before contacting an agent, you should think through why you are selling and a basic time frame to sell. Your motivations will assist the agent with developing options for your specific real estate needs.

Some question to ask yourself would be: Why do I want to sell my home? Do I want to downsize or upgrade in the same neighborhood? Or Do I want to move to another neighborhood, school district, city or state? What is my current financial situation for repairs or covering the mortgage while my home is on the market?

When Should I Sell?

Selling your home depends on the market as well as your financial and real estate needs. I provide a complete market analysis and action plan for the most favorable time to sell in order to achieve all of your goals.

Working with me, you receive knowledge and expertise from a vast network of real estate professionals, industry partners and the negotiating skills to arrive at the best market prices and terms. I keep you up-to-date on what is happening in the marketplace, the price, financing, terms and conditions of competing properties. I ensure you know exactly how to price and when to sell your property for the best possible outcome.

  Find a Great Agent

What to look for in an agent

An agent can be an added advantage when selling your property. It all starts with understating the current real estate market. I understand the current comps, market + land values and adjustments that need to be made to price your home to sell. At the same time, it’s my responsibility to give your property maximum exposure for the highest possible price.
Here are some factors to consider when choosing an agent:

• Look for a full-time agent – one who has experience completing transactions similar to yours.
• Interview a few agents: Are they familiar with the area in which you are selling?
• Ask how much time the agent will have for you, and if he/she is available evenings and weekends.
• Ask about their credentials and education. The market changes so agents should continually strive to improve and gain knowledge of the latest real estate trends.
• Does the agent return your calls promptly? Time is money when attempting to sell a property.
• Choose an agent who listens attentively to your needs and concerns.
• Pick an agent with whom you feel comfortable.

   Prepare to Sell your Home

Curb Appeal

Maintaining your landscape and adding creative touches to your yard such as colorful annuals, will create an immediate impact on potential buyers.

 Property Repairs

Simple upgrades such as window repairs, polishing the doorknobs, and a fresh coat of paint in the most frequently used rooms will instantly increase the appeal of your home.

Cleanliness and Staging

Remove clutter, and pay attention to details such as, putting away the kitty litter, placing a vase of fresh flowers near the entryway and have your carpets cleaned. I will survey your property before it is listed to see how you and I can improve the staging of your home.

Inspections

There are many types of inspections. Lenders will usually require inspections and will specify the types such as home, termite and/or pest inspections.

 Showing your Home

Your home is unique and I will illustrate this when showing your home to potential buyers.  Buyers tend to feel more comfortable discussing with the agent items of interest in the home. Moreover, your agent knows what information will be most useful in representing your interests when speaking with prospective buyers.

   The Process

The Initial Offer is Usually Not Final

There are a number of terms and conditions that may influence the final outcome of the purchase price. I will help you thoroughly evaluate every proposal so that during negotiations your position in the marketplace is not compromised.

The best negotiators can find a win-win arrangement that is beneficial to all parties involved. You and I may evaluate multiple offers before settling on the one you judge to be the most suitable for you. I will guarantee a thorough and objective assessment of each offer to help you make the best decision for your goals and circumstances.

The Contract

A real estate contract is a legal arrangement between a potential buyer and you (the seller) and has two parts. An offer from the buyer (contract) is part one of the real estate transaction. Part 2 is when you as the seller returns with an acceptance to a buyer’s offer. At this point the home is consider under contract. Some important tips to keep in mind to streamline the process even further:

• Keep all written records. All verbal agreements will need to be transcribed into counter-offers and addendums, and to be signed by both parties. I will assist you in drafting all the paperwork for your sale and make sure that you have copies of everything.

• Stay on schedule. Once you accept an offer, you and the buyer will be given a timeline to mark every stage in the process of closing the real estate contract. Meeting the requirements on time ensures a smoother flow of negotiations and also ensures that each party involved is not in breach of their agreements. During the process, I will ensure you are always updated and prepared for the next step.

Inspections and Appraisals

Most buyers will have a licensed property inspector to conduct the inspection within the time frame that was agreed upon in the contract. Some buyers will have professionals who specialize in a specific area (e.g. roof, HVAC, structure) to conduct inspections as well. If the agreement is conditional upon financing, then the property will be appraised by a licensed appraiser to determine the value for the lending institution via third party. This is done so that the lending institution can confirm their investment in your property is accurate.

The Closing Agent

Either a title company or an attorney will be selected as the closing agent, whose job is to examine and insure clear title to real estate. After researching the complete recorded history of your property, they will certify that your title is free and clear of encumbrances (e.g. mortgages, leases, restrictions, or liens).

Contingencies

A contingency is a condition that must be met before a contract becomes legally binding. For instance, a buyer will usually include a contingency stating that their contract is binding only when there is a satisfactory home inspection report from a qualified inspector. Or the buyer needs to sell his/her property before purchasing your property.

Before completing his or her purchase of your property, the buyer goes over every aspect of the property, as provided for by purchase agreements and any applicable addendums. These include:

• Obtaining financing and insurance;
• Reviewing all pertinent documents, such as preliminary title reports and disclosure documents; and
• Inspecting the property. The buyer has the right to determine the condition of your property by subjecting it to a wide range of inspections, such as roof, termite/pest, chimney/fireplace, property boundary survey, well, septic, pool/spa, arborist, mold, lead based paint, HVAC, etc.

Based on the results of these inspections, the following can happen: Each milestone is successfully closed and the contingencies will be removed, or the buyer, after reviewing the property and the papers, requests a renegotiation of the terms of contract (usually the price).

If renegotiation is required, don’t worry. Having dealt with various property sales, my commitment is to ensure your interest remain at the top of the discussions.

Loan Approval and Appraisal

Recommend that you accept buyers who have a lender’s pre-approval, approval letter, or written loan commitment, which is the best indication of loan approval over a pre-qualification or no documentation from a lending institute. Expect an appraiser from the lender’s company to review your property and will determine the value of your property for the buyer’s loan consideration.

  Closing on your Home

Final Walk-Through Inspection

The final inspection takes place the day before, or the day of the closing. The buyer visits the property to verify that all is in working order, everything is the same as when the buyer last viewed the property, and that there are no extra items left behind.

Be Prepared

Sometimes there are delays in processing or some other minor detail that arise during the closing process– no need to worry. I am ready to assist you should any unforeseen situations occur. I am in constant communication with all parties involved to capture and fix early and avoid delays completing this transaction.

Closing

The closing agent will furnish all parties involved with a settlement statement, which summarizes and details the financial transactions enacted in the process. The buyer will sign the statements and then you will sign, certifying its accuracy. If you are unable to attend the scheduled closing, I will make alternate arrangements with the all parties.  I will ensure all property keys and any other important information for the new purchaser are at the closing, so that the purchaser may receive these items at this time.

Are you ready to sell your house?