Seriously, what am I paying for?
Your home is most likely the largest investment of your life. Therefore, the sale of it is perhaps one of the most important decisions you will ever make. There is more to the home selling process than simply receiving an offer on your home and determining if it is a price that you can live with. You must also consider what repairs to make prior to listing the property, what repairs you may or may not be willing to do in order to close the sale, closing dates, key delivery, move out dates, renters notices, legal liabilities, disclosure requirements... But before you even reach the moment where you will be making these decisions you also have to consider home preparation and staging, photography, pricing and marketing strategies based on your unique home. When done properly, the process can feel overwhelming if you don't do it all the time!
Preparation
I have been in real estate for a long time and have worked with hundreds of buyers and walked through thousands of homes. I have a strong grasp for what matters to a buyer and what doesn’t. I also know that a "well-polished" house appeals to more buyers and will sell faster and for a higher price. In readying your house for sale, I will advise you about where to invest your money to get the biggest bang for your buck! I also work very closely with staging companies to arrange your home to show at its very best.
Pricing
Setting the price of your home has very little to do with how much you owe or what you hope to gain as a return on your investment. Buyer’s determine the value of your home. My goal is to help you gain the maximum amount with the least amount of headache. I do this by analyzing market trends and researching comparable properties in the area.
Marketing
Your home has its own unique set of attributes; therefore, your marketing plan should too. I do what most other agents do to gain exposure by placing your home in the MLS, listing it on all the major real estate websites, creating a custom property website, etc. However, I also custom design a target marketing plan for each home I list in order to maximize exposure to the specific group of people who are most likely to purchase your home. This marketing plan coupled with professional photography and staging allows your home to stand out to the potential buyers who matter most!
Negotiation
There is more to the home selling process than simply receiving an offer on your home and determining if it is a price that you can live with. There are many factors involved such as how much earnest money should be deposited, when the sale will close, when the buyer will receive posses-sion and you will have to vacate, what repairs will be done and who will be responsible for paying for them... Many buyers often ask for sellers to pay all or part of their closing costs others will ask that the seller replace the roof or carpet. Years of experience and training have provided me with the knowledge necessary to negotiate not only the best price for your home but the best transition from this home into your next home.
Management
An accepted offer on your home does not mean that it is sold. The closing process involves many steps with clearly defined deadlines. My job is to insure that each of those deadlines are met in a timely manner on both the buyers and sellers side. Additionally, I maintain regular contact with the buyers lender to insure that their loan process is moving along smoothly in order to avoid any surprises when it comes time to close.