Property Pricing

When pricing your home it is important to take into account the current condition of your home, the condition of the local market, and the price at which similar houses around you have sold. The best possible selling price can be determined by consulting with a real estate agent. A comparative market analysis will then be formed. This takes into account the state of the market you are in and the recent sales of area properties. From this a fair market value will be derived that can help to sell your home in the preferred time frame.

It is often hard for a seller to remain impartial when selling their home. So remember to be fair about the price that you set with all things considered. It is more likely to sell your house at a fair price in a reasonable amount of time than having the price inflated and waiting for that one buyer to come along. The thought that you can just lower the price when a prospective buyer is found is a bad idea to have in your head, and you could miss out on all the buyers that might have bought your house if they would have known what you were actually willing to accept. This will also avoid having your home sit on the market for a long period of time. When a home sits on the market for a long period of time, potential buyers often think that something may be wrong with it and you could end up selling if for less than you would have gotten had you started out with a fair market price to begin with.

Property Pricing
When pricing your home it is important to take into account the current condition of your home, the condition of the local market, and the price at which similar houses around you have sold. The best possible selling price can be determined by consulting with a real estate agent. A comparative market analysis will then be formed. This takes into account the state of the market you are in and the recent sales of area properties. From this a fair market value will be derived that can help to sell your home in the preferred time frame.

It is often hard for a seller to remain impartial when selling their home. So remember to be fair about the price that you set with all things considered. It is more likely to sell your house at a fair price in a reasonable amount of time than having the price inflated and waiting for that one buyer to come along. The thought that you can just lower the price when a prospective buyer is found is a bad idea to have in your head, and you could miss out on all the buyers that might have bought your house if they would have known what you were actually willing to accept. This will also avoid having your home sit on the market for a long period of time. When a home sits on the market for a long period of time, potential buyers often think that something may be wrong with it and you could end up selling if for less than you would have gotten had you started out with a fair market price to begin with.

Preparing Your Home
It is very important for your home to be in tip top shape when it is being showed. Over the years boxes tend to pile up and things get broken or worn out that we just do not get a chance to fix. Most people do not keep their home they way they would when they are selling it. When showing your house though, how it looks will have a major impact on any potential buyer that walks through your door. It also has a great impact on how quickly your home may sell and whether or not you will receive the full market value for it.

Since first impressions are so important and they are only made once, we will give you tips on how to prepare your home for potential buyers. These tips include making rooms look as uncluttered as possible, and making sure that there is a clear path from the sidewalk to the front door. We want the true beauty of your home to stand out to the buyer; we don’t want it to be hidden by overgrown trees or shrubs when they can be easily trimmed. Sometimes a trim and a sweep is all a house needs, in other cases though it may need to be completely repainted. We often become accustomed to our surroundings, but what is normal to you may be unfavorable to a buyer.

It is very important to make your home look as spacious as possible. This is where organization in closets and cabinets comes in handy. Also, make sure any storage places (such as an attic, garage, or basement) are presentable. You should also try to make your house look as light and welcoming as possible. This is often accomplished by pulling back curtains if you show your house during the day. Or, this may mean turning on all the lights if you show your home later in the evening. Homes that are marketed with your personality shining through tend to sell easier on the market.

Marketing Strategy
Now that your home is ready to show and sell, we will use a designed marketing plan to expose your house to potential buyers. This marketing plan will be developed by taking into consideration the condition of the local market and the best buyers for your home. There are many different ways that this plan will be executed. These include but are not limited to a yard sign, flyers, direct marketing and virtual tours. If you are buying a new home at the same time you are selling your current one, we will set up the market plan so that the first 3-6 weeks your home is on the market will be the busiest to avoid having it sit on the market for a long period of time with no interest.

Receiving an Offer
When a potential buyer does come along and presents an offer on your home, we will advise you as to whether or not the buyer(s) have the financial ability to purchase your home. This will prevent you wasting time looking at offers that will not follow through. Then we will look over the written document making sure that both parties best interests are protected and taking note of any requirements by either party. This contract should be comprehensive because once an offer is accepted, it will be too late to make changes.

The contract should include the following list and anything else that is pertinent to the seller or buyer:
    *A legal description of the property
    *The offering price
    *The down payment amount
    *Financing terms and arrangements
    *A list of fees and who will pay them
    *Amount of the deposit (Earnest Money)
    *Inspection rights and possible repair allowances
    *The title company, the method of conveying the title, and who will handle the closing
    *A list of appliances and interior and exterior furnishings which will stay with the home
    *The settlement (aka closing) date
    *Any other important terms.
Remember to ask me about any of the outstanding terms. Be certain that I will address them right away.

Negotiations
Almost all offers made to purchase your home will require some sort of negotiation to make sure both parties are represented with their best interests in mind. Since we are very knowledgeable on the legalities of the real estate contracts used in this area, we will be able to handle the responsibility of protecting you and your best interests during the negotiations. Also, we have an understanding of what each clause in the contract consists of and how it pertains to you and the buyer, we know what the net sale from your home will be, and what areas of the contract are most easily negotiable. We will then review the complete offer with you so that you have a thorough understanding of what is being offered by the buyers and what they are asking of you in return.

Some negotiable items are:
    *The price
    *Down payment
    *Financing terms
    *Closing costs
    *Repairs that need to be done
    *Appliances and fixtures
    *Landscaping
    *Painting
    *Occupancy time frame (aka Time Of Possession)

It is important to know as much about the buyer as possible, such as their reason or motivation for purchasing. This knowledge will help you predict how they might proceed in negotiations and gain some insight into why they are pursuing your home. As soon as both parties have achieved an acceptable deal, we will make sure that there is a legally executable contract.

Merchants/Vendors
Once you have decided to accept an offer on your home, we will inform you of the necessary procedures involved with successfully proceeding to closing on your home. These may include the property needing to be formally appraised, inspected or repaired. You may need to pay for all, some, or none of these items depending on the agreement made during negotiations.

Then, we will organize with all the parties and keep you up to date with the results of the numerous procedures. If there are any problems during this time the contract will control your next step, but hopefully the procedures will return with acceptable results and you will be able to move forward. At this point, with the contract in mind, you or the buyer may decide to close, to go back to negotiations, or walk away. We will be there to help you and offer advice throughout this process and keep the sell moving forward.

Whether this sale goes smoothly or requires a lot of work, we will be with you every step of the way to make sure your best interests are protected.

Before Closing
Before the closing process takes place we will make sure to brief you on any documentation that should be brought to the closing, an approximation of how long the closing should take and any other important closing information. Also, a few days previous to the closing we will make sure to contact all parties involved. Such as the title company to check that all the forms and documents are available or have been prepared for you to sign on the appropriate date. We will also contact the buyer(s) to make sure they have taken all necessary actions for closing so that the process can go smoothly and on the planned date and time.

Closing
The closing is the meeting where ownership of your property is legally transferred to the buyer. To make sure that everything goes as planned, we will be present at the closing. Also, this will allow us to explain the process and forms to you and answer any final questions. You will need to be prepared to hand over any documentation that is mandatory regarding the property. And, depending on the contract arrangements, anything in specific that was agreed upon needs to be completed in order to close. During this time it is pertinent to read any and all documents you sign and ask any questions you may have.

After Closing
Now that the closing went smoothly and you are ready to move from your old house into your new house, we will help you create a list of all the last details that must be accomplished before your move. These included canceling all local services such as lawn care, electricity, cable, etc., or at least switching the name on the account to the new owners if they wish to continue with these companies. Also, any details that were in the contract (i.e. repairs or replacements) must be fulfilled before the new owners move in. This will make the transition smooth and unproblematic.