DECIDE
TO SELL
So, you decided to sell your property. Before doing anything else, it’s a good idea to sit and take the time to clarify your motivations and draw up a basic time frame for the selling process.
WHY SELL?
Why do you want to sell your property? Do you want to simply find a bigger property, or do you plan on moving to another community, school district, city, or state? You may think your reasons are clear, but don’t forget to consider the implications of each option for your lifestyle, opportunities, and finances. Being straight forward about your intentions for selling will make it easier for us to determine the most suitable selection for your required financial, lifestyle, and real estate goals.
WHEN SHOULD I SELL?
You should determine your time frame for selling from the very beginning. If you need to sell quickly, we can quicken the process by providing you with a complete market analysis and action plan to reach all your goals. If you don’t have a pressing need to sell immediately, you can sit down with one of our expert real estate agents to thoroughly review the existing market conditions and find the best possible time to sell.
WHAT IS THE MARKET LIKE?
While working with us, you can be sure that you will have our knowledge, proficiency, and negotiating skills at work so you can arrive at the best market prices and terms. We will keep you in the loop on what is happening in the marketplace and with the price, financing, terms, and conditions of competing properties. With us, you will know precisely how to price and at what time to sell your property.
HOW DO I OPTIMIZE MY FINANCES?
Making the decision to sell your property demands serious consideration of your present financial situation and impending possibilities. With the aid of our qualified agents, you’ll be able to efficiently assess the cumulative impact of these changes, estimate potential proceeds of selling, and plan effective tax savings and estate planning strategies. We will make sure that you not only take hold of your finances, but use them to the best potential.
SELECT AN AGENT
AND PRICE
CHOOSING YOUR LISTING AND REAL ESTATE AGENTS
Picking the right listing agent will help you start off your selling process on the right foot. Make sure you research an agent’s track record of original listing prices compared with final sale numbers – not just who has the highest original listing price and lowest commission. After choosing which agent will represent you, aim to meet with at least several real estate agents and choose yours while taking their experience into mind.
PRICING YOUR HOME ACCORDINGLY
Don’t make the error of overpricing your home – find out how much it is truly worth. A Comparative Market Analysis report is free and can provide you with your home’s value as related to like homes that have already sold. You might have come across a CMA in the past from postcards or direct mail letters and can ask your agent about where to find your relative CMA. Remember that your home is an investment, so evaluate if your market is hot, cold, or neutral and price accordingly.
PREPARE
TO SELL
Get your property ready for sale by cleaning, decluttering, and improving curb appeal. Hiring a professional stager or having your real estate agent do the staging will make your home much more appealing to buyers – sometimes you will even be able to use your own furniture. Remember to make repairs and have your pets stay somewhere else during this period.
To increase buyer traffic to your property, an online presence is necessary. Well-lit professional photos and appealing, explanatory descriptions will make a huge difference in outside perception. Get ready for an open house and decide if you want your agent to stick to appointments only or use a lockbox to which will allow for more showings. Request buyer feedback, then change your pricing, condition, and marketing plan in response.
ACCEPTING
AN OFFER
Plan for more than one offer if your property is priced accordingly and make sure buyers use the correct form to write a purchase offer. Reply to each offer, even the lower ones, which you can negotiate with a higher counter offer. If your pricing is logical and viable in the market, don’t be afraid of making a full-price counter offer. You can contemplate making a counter offer that is conditional with buying a home, if the market conditions permit it.
ESCROW INSPECTIONS
AND APPRAISALS
Your agent or transaction coordinator will be who opens escrow and orders the title policy. Ask for the contact info for the closing agent to keep in your own records. Think about when your buyer’s mortgage loan will fund (dependent on all loan documents being signed and all funding conditions being met) and choose a following a date accordingly. Decide upon an earnest money deposit (basically a good faith deposit) and request a receipt. This is not the same as a down payment, but it is a part of the down payment process.
Make an appraiser appointment and clean the house the day before his or her arrival. You can ask your agent about alternatives if you receive an appraisal lower than you were expecting. Remember, you are not entitled to collect a copy of the appraisal because you did not pay for it. In the case of a buyer pitching a renegotiation or withdrawing a contract based on an appraisal, you can ask about your rights from your attorney or agent.
CLOSE OF
ESCROW
Get ready for the home inspector’s visit and ask your agent for a home inspection checklist to know exactly what the inspector will request to see, including the basement and the attic. Also, prepare for the final walk-through inspection to take happen a few days before or the morning of closing. Acquire seller-required inspections (like roof, termite, and sewer) and communicate seller disclosures, like lead-based paint disclosures and other material particulars. Don’t be afraid of negotiating the pricing and necessities of the inspections and repair requests.
If you don’t ask your buyer to release contingencies, he or she is not obligated to provide it and may have the right to cancel the contract. When signing the title and escrow documents, make sure you have a valid photo identification on you. Upon closing escrow, your property deed, conveyance, and deed of trust will be put into public records. Contingent on the contract’s specified buyer possession rights, you may be required to move the day the home closes (or even the day before) – so make sure you are ready.
