Selling a house is a big deal – literally. It’s most often the biggest purchase someone will make in their life. Here’s a brief overview of the sales process:
Picking the Right Agent
The job of a full-service real estate agent is to represent your best interests through every step of the sales process. Your agent should listen to your needs and understand the market in which you are selling a home. They should be experts in marketing, negotiation, transaction forms, and finance options, as well as have an understanding of technology and how it can enhance the marketing of your home. You should also feel comfortable that your agent is somebody you can trust, that they will be extremely responsive, that they will be easy to communicate with and you will enjoy working with them.
Price
There are a lot of factors that go into determining a home’s market value, such as the sales price of nearby homes that have recently sold, the listing price of similar homes that are currently on the market, as well as the condition and location of a home. In order to guide you in determine pricing, I will provide a comparable market analysis and work with you to determine the best pricing for you to get the best results.
Prep Work
First impressions are key when selling a home, so put in the time to make sure your house is in great shape before your first showing. Remember what made you fall in love with your home in the first place. Maybe it was the brand new wood floors that got you interested, if so, get them looking new again. My team will work with you to make sure we’re putting our best foot forward to attract the most buyers.
Marketing Your Home
Creating a plan to market your home will help attract the interest of the right buyer. Today, the vast majority of homebuyers use the internet in their home search, so your marketing plan should include focused online activities, in addition to other forms of advertising and open houses. After having a successful career in online advertising, I understand the power of this marketing tool.
Home Showings
Showings are an inconvenient, yet necessary part of the home selling process. When your home is on the market it has the potential to be shown at any time, so it’s important to maintain a certain level of cleanliness; clear dishes from the sink, make beds, put away dirty laundry, and vacuum and dust regularly. It’s also a good idea to clear out; it makes buyers uncomfortable to tour a home when the owners are in the next room, so for the sake of your sale, vacate your home for showings. I will make this as convenient as I can and work with your schedule.
Purchase And Sale Agreement
Once an offer on a property has been made by a buyer and accepted by the seller, they enter into a legal contract known as a Purchase and Sale Agreement. This document outlines the specific terms and conditions of the transaction and is acknowledged by both parties by the signing of the document.
Inspection
Once a buyer and seller reach mutual acceptance on a property, a home inspector is hired to investigate every nook and cranny to determine if the home is in need of any repairs. An inspector will check items, such as the roof, basement, heating system, water heater, air-conditioning system, structure, plumbing, and electrical. Afterwards, buyers will have a chance to negotiate with the sellers to cover the costs of certain repairs or to ask for concessions. This can often times turn into a “second negotiation” process. I’ll be on your side to make sure this process goes smoothly and you are protected and well represented.
Negotiation
Whether you’re a buyer or a seller, negotiation is the key to getting the best deal. Negotiations can involve everything from settling on a sales price to concessions and financing. With my background in Business Development and Sales I’ve studied and practiced best negotiation methods and have been able to put them into practice on million dollar deals throughout my career. My method is to get a deep understanding of the position of all parties involved. Usually a good negotiation makes everybody happy even when my client is getting the better deal :).
Escrow
Once the offer is accepted and a closing date agreed upon, escrow allows the buyer and the seller to have an outside party ensure all parts of the contact are complete. I will help coordinate the completion of all necessary forms to the escrow company and monitor the escrow process until the transaction is complete.
Closing
At closing, all the paperwork is signed by the buyer and seller, both parties pay any settlement fees and the documents are officially recorded. Prior to closing, you’ll receive a settlement statement outlining any fees which may apply to you.