It's as easy as 1-2-3!
1. Pre-Listing
Work with one of our professional and knowledgeable agents who will meet with you and discuss the listing contract and other required paperwork. We will create a custom market analysis of your home to determine a listing price that you are comfortable with to attract the greatest amount of buyers based on a comparison of similar recently sold homes in the same area. Once the listing contract is signed we will take photos of the home and create a listing on the Metro MLS. The MLS feeds your listing details to other real estate sites such as Realtor.com, Zillow and more. We will share resources with you on preparing your home to be photographed and can recommend a staging company if determined necessary.
2. During the Listing
Once your listing is active, other licensed agents will schedule showings for their buyers to view your home. It is important to keep the house tidy, clean and ready for visitors. We will also discuss hosting open houses to show potential buyers your home at a time is agreed upon by you. If a buyer is interested in making an offer on your home, they will submit their offer detailing their desired purchase price, any contingencies, and closing date. We will present these offers to you and discuss the pros/cons and questions associated with each. We can facilitate any negotiations on your behalf until an offer is accepted by both parties.
Once an offer is accepted, we will work with the buyer's agent to ensure all contingencies are satisfied. Common contingencies include a home inspection, radon testing, financing and appraisal. Once all the contingencies are satisfied, a closing appointment will be scheduled.
3. Closing
Sellers have the option to pre-close. This means that the title company representative will schedule a time to meet with just you to sign the closing documents. Once the buyers have completed their closing, any proceeds from the sale will be issued to you in the form that is agreed upon with the closing agent.
Seller Tips
A buyer will mostly like want the house inspected prior to closing. The purpose of an inspection is to better understand the condition of the home. The inspector is going to evaluate the foundation, roof, plumbing, electrical, HVAC system and other miscellaneous interior and exterior items. Sellers will need to complete a Real Estate Condition Report as part of the listing. On this report sellers will disclose any known defects of the house. Some sellers prefer to have an independent inspection completed prior to listing so they know exactly what will be found by the buyers and to have time to cure any defects discovered to eliminate any surprises.
Some sellers are still living in the home once it is listed. We highly recommend removing all personal items and decluttering so that buyers can envision their family living in the space. This would include photos, knickknacks, evidence of pets, excess toys and home decor items. In this case, less is more and more neutral is better. This is a great time to begin purging and packing items that are not needed on a daily basis.
When a buyer pulls up to the house for the first time, what kind of impression will they have? The curb appeal is your first opportunity to wow a buyer! This can be as simple as clearing yard debris, pruning bushes, and mowing the grass or include additional touches of potted flowers, touching up exterior paint, refreshing mulch, and replacing the mail box if needed.
We recognize that selling a home can be an emotional journey. You may have spent numerous years making memories in the home and have a hard time saying goodbye. We recommend making decisions with your head and not your heart. It is not unusual for a buyer to request repairs or concessions so it is key to evaluate each step and request with clarity on the possibility of losing the buyer and time while waiting to accept a new offer.