Selling your home is a big decision and a significant life change. While most sellers want to maximize the value of what is typically their largest asset, some people also have concerns about the ongoing care of their former property. Whether you have a growing family and need a larger home or are downsizing for financial reasons, I can help you position your home in the market to maximize the return on your asset and find the perfect buyer to honor the memories of your home.
1.Choose and exceptional agent
Finding the right agent is the critical first step to selling your home. Sellers pay the listing agent a percentage of the final sale price. This commission pricing model means that our economic interests are aligned. The most important thing in selecting an agent is trust.
2.Prepare your home for sale
Nearly every property benefits from some level of investment to make it more attractive to potential buyers. Common recommendations I make include landscaping, painting, and staging, and I have a stable of reliable vendors to help prepare your home for sale. The art of home preparation is to invest in the areas that will yield the largest return on your investment, while leaving other projects for the new owners to complete. While it is difficult to determine the exact return of any given investment, analyses indicate that well staged properties fetch more than 30% more than comparable, un-staged homes.
3. Develop a pricing strategy
Pricing your home to capture the highest price is a critical strategic decision. The market is constantly shifting, and it is important to have a good understanding of current pricing trends. In a buyers market, or when there is considerable economic uncertainty, pricing is often transparent – sellers list price is close to what they expect to earn. In a sellers market with tight inventory, sellers often price well below their expected sale price in an effort to create a bidding war. Understanding your financial needs allows me to guide you on pricing to align with the current state of property pricing and help you meet your goals.
4. Market your property
A comprehensive, multi-channel marketing strategy is proven to yield the best results in generating demand for your property and the highest priced offers. From a detailed website with virtual 3D walkthroughs, to inclusion on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), to direct mail, to social media, I bring a full compliment of marketing tools to the table. In addition, I work my extensive personal network of real estate agents to identify buyers who are actively looking for similar properties.
5.Review offers
Price is not the only factor to consider when deciding which offer to accept. Financing factors, contingencies, and even a personal letter written by the buyer should be taken into account. I will review each offer with you in detail and point out the benefits and disadvantages of each and help guide you to a decision that meets your goals. In the event you receive multiple offers you would like to accept, I can help coordinate counter-offers and other approaches to maximize the value you receive for your property..
6. Get into contract
Once you’ve decided which offer you want to accept, it is time to sign the contract. This is a delicate time as buyers may get cold feet or ask for additional concessions before signing. I carefully guide you through each step of the process and create contingency plans in the event the primary offer does not work out. It is very important that you are highly available during this period to consult and sign documents.
7.Enter escrow
Once you have a signed contract, the title company selected by the buyer will then perform a title search to ensure there are no claims against the property and begin the paperwork to transfer title from the seller to the buyer. There is not much for you to do during this period, but you can expect that I will regularly keep you informed on the process during this phase. Now is the time to be patient while the administrative process takes place
