SELLER RESOURCES

So you have decided to sell your property. Before anything else, it is a good idea to sit down and clarify your motivations and draw up a basic time frame for the selling process.

WHY do you want to SELL?

Being clear about your intentions for selling will make it easier for your real estate agent to determine the most appropriate option for your specified financial, lifestyle, and real estate goals. Why do you want to sell your property? Do you intend to simply find a larger property, or do you plan on moving to another neighborhood, school district, city or state? Do you find yourself with an empty nest? Are you in the military and relocating? You might think your reasons are obvious, but it would do well to consider the implications of each option for your lifestyle, opportunities, and finances.

is it a good time to sell?

You should immediately establish your time frame for selling. If you do not have a specific time frame, I can sit down with you to thoroughly review the current market conditions and find the most favorable time to sell. Listing your home during a seller’s market, for example, is a fantastic time to sell as you could secure a sale price that’s higher than your listing price. A seller’s market occurs when demand exceeds supply, or there are more buyers seeking to purchase homes than there are available homes on the market. This often leads to multiple buyers interested in a single property, resulting in bidding wars. could secure a sale price that’s higher than your listing price.

When you choose me to represent the sale of your home, I will ensure that you maximize your opportunities in the current real estate market. With my extensive contact networks and marketing and advertising plan, I will employ the most effective strategies for your property. I will also guide you through the complicated paperwork involved, from the initial agreement to the final documents. Below are my pre-listing services and what you can expect when you choose me as your agent.

Meeting #1 – Home Viewing and Pre-Listing Meeting

• Determine your needs and priorities for meeting your personal goals

• Review pre-listing package (sent via mail before meeting) – Address questions

• Preview marketing plan

• View Home – I will take detailed notes to prepare a thoroughly researched and accurate Property Value Analysis for you to competitively price your home for sale

Meeting #2 – Consultation

• Review the property analysis

• Review pricing strategies and establish a competitive purchase price

• Discuss home enhancement recommendations for listing your home

• Discuss detailed marketing plan for listing your home

• Provide a Seller’s Net Proceeds Sheet to show seller expenses and net proceeds at closing

• Answer and address any questions you may have about the home selling process

• Discuss options of providing a Home Warranty to the buyer

Homes that are clean, appealing, and in top shape simply sell for more than properties in less desirable conditions. Buyers know the home won't require a ton of work upon move-in, and for that, they're willing to pay a premium. A prepped home is also more marketable. That usually means a faster sale, and maybe even a bidding war, which equals more profits at the closing table.

Photography

Your photos are going to be seen by any number of online consumers, so making your listing stand out is imperative. Ensure that you promote your sale in the best light possible by planning ahead of time for professional photography. Here is a list of ideas and tips on how to help your client get ready for a professional photo shoot.

INSIDE THE HOME

1. De-clutter as much as possible. Put away toys, clothing, dishes, towels, shoes etc. It’s a lot cheaper to put these things away before the photo shoot than to pay to have the photos “photoshopped”.

2. Depersonalized to a certain degree. Photos of young children and any potentially offensive art should be put away.

3. Remove any seasonal/holiday decorations that can quickly outdate your photos.

4. Dust and vacuum.

5. Make all the beds, fluff all the pillows, and check the bed skirts.

6. Clean the kitchen sink and put away all the dishes.

7. Clear all kitchen counter tops and put away toasters, can openers, etc.

Outside the home

1. Have the lawn trimmed, leaves raked, bushes and trees pruned.

2. Clean up after animals.

3. Put away all garbage cans, hoses, garden tools, toys, bikes etc.

4. Hide any “cute” yard decorations.

5. In snowy climates, shovel snow from walkways, driveways, patios, decks when necessary.

6. If there is a pool, hot tub, or spa, take any security gate down, uncover, and clean.

7. If there will be any twilight photos taken, replace any broken lighting on the home, around the landscape, and in the pool.

8. Open the umbrellas on any patio sets.

9. When in season, uncover grills.

10. Remove any seasonal/holiday decorations.

11. Consider adding splashes of bright colored flowers to the landscape and in pots

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 brighten up the property.

Cleanliness and Staging

Keep your property uncluttered, sweet-smelling and well-lit from top-to-bottom. Pay attention to details: put away the kitty litter, place a vase of fresh flowers near the entryway, pop a batch of cinnamon rolls in the oven, have your carpets cleaned. I will scan the property before it is listed for sale to see how you can improve the staging of your property.

Disclosures and inspections

I am very familiar with the legal procedures involved in disclosures and are ready to help you develop a thorough disclosure statement beneficial to both you and the buyer, as well as suggest home improvement measures before placing your property on the market (such as termite and pest inspections).

Ninety seven percent of buyers now search for their home online whether they are using a real estate professional or not. The use of marketing with technology is essential in the success of the sale of your home. This marketing plan is a thoughtful strategy that places your home in front of the most buyers.

Internet Marketing

In addition to my website (RhodenRealty.com), Sotheby’s and Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty websites, your home will be found on Zillow. com, Trulia.com, Realtor.com as well as over 30+ other real estate websites that market your home to buyers. I receive all leads that our websites and 3rd party websites receive on your property and we respond to all leads and will personally show your property. I also offer virtual open houses and virtual 3D tours to increase eyes on the property while minimizing unnecessary foot traffic.

marketing fliers and direct mail

Detailed color fliers advertising your home for sale. Available on the “for sale” sign and distributed online to targeted interested buyers. Additionally, Post cards/Fliers, etc. are mailed to the local area advertising your home for sale.

MLS

I enter detailed and accurate MLS information that includes keywords to lead agents to your listing for their interested buyers. Savvy MLS data entry can double viewings on your house listing which attracts buyers.

Reverse prospecting

Email target real estate professionals who have buyers looking for a home with your property’s specifications. I will follow up when these real estate professionals view your home.

Video and 3-d tours

Professional video or 3D Imaging is used to market to attract potential buyers.

Staging

When a house is staged, it becomes a home to all potential buyers. Our space planning allows buyers to imagine the life they would live there and generates ideas in their mind of how it would feel once they moved in.

Open Houses

Open houses also provide sellers with an opportunity to receive instant feedback about their home. Normally, one per month is ideal, or as needed. To be discussed for owner-occupied homes.

e-mail advertising

New listings, pendings, and solds in your neighborhood.

Price is not always the determining factor when accepting an offer for several important reasons: the initial offer is usually not final, and there are a number of terms and conditions that may influence the final outcome of a price.

Negotiating

It is my job to find a win-win agreement that is beneficial to all parties involved. You may even have to deal with multiple offers before ratifying the one you judge to be the most suitable for you – and as your agent, I will guarantee a thorough and objective assessment of each offer to help you make the right choice.

The initial agreement and deposit

An effective agreement is a legal arrangement between a potential purchaser and the property’s seller. Laws vary from state to state, but in order to be a legally, binding agreement, the agreement may require consideration. This consideration (initial and additional deposit) is to be held in the closing agent’s escrow account pending the fulfillment of conditions or contingencies in the effective agreement. It is important to remember to keep written records of everything and to stick to the closing schedule.  During this process we will keep you constantly updated so you will always be prepared for the next step.

Most buyers will have the property inspected by a licensed property inspector within the time frame that was agreed upon in the effective contract to purchase. Some buyers will have several different inspectors inspect the property, if they wish to obtain professional opinions from inspectors who specialize in a specific area (eg. roof, HVAC, structure). 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. A buyer of a commercial property may also have a complete environmental audit performed and/or soil test, if required by the lending institution. Finally, expect an appraiser from the lender’s company to review your property and verify that the sales price is appropriate.

Final Walk-Through Inspection

More of a formality than anything else, 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. I am ready to assist you should an unforeseen glitch pop up, even at this last stage. If something at the property breaks down or the buyers’ loan does not pull through on time, there is no need to worry. I have encountered these problems before so we know how to handle them efficiently and in a stress-free manner.

Completing the sale

Once the negotiation of inspections and the inspection response is complete, I will help with the scheduling of the closing. Closing, or “settlement,” is when both parties sign the final ownership and insurance paperwork, and the buyer becomes the legal owner of the home. The closing date depends on a number of factors, including how quickly the seller can move out of the home. A rule of thumb is to expect at least 30 days to closing because it gives the buyer and the lender an opportunity to complete all the paperwork.