Seller's Guide
A Step-by-Step Seller's Guide
Putting your home on the market can be a stressful process, especially when you don’t know what to expect. Fortunately, with the help of an experienced agent and this easy-to-follow guide, you can smoothly complete the process. Following these steps will help you prepare so you can get organized and sell your home for the best price possible.
Step 1: CHOOSE AN AGENT
Finding the right agent is about more than just a name on a yard sign. It is about finding a strategic partner who protects your equity. Think of them as your lead negotiator and project manager rolled into one. Look for an agent who has sold homes in your area and understands the current market. You will be talking to this person constantly. Make sure their response time and personality are in line with your expectations in order to avoid stress during negotiations. A great agent does not just give you advice. They will give you the data to back up their advice.
Step 2: PREPARE YOUR HOME FOR SALE
You have selected an Agent whom you have confidence in. Now it is time to make certain that your home shines. It is time to declutter. We all live in our homes. When placing your property on the market, it is imperative that your home be organized and clean, inside and out. While it seems to be a lot of work, the appearance of your home definitely affects the offers you will receive. I will do a walk-through of your home before you begin and we will discuss things in particular. I will then make as many visits to your home as necessary until we are ready to take photographs and videos to showcase your property. And if this process seems to be too much for you to do yourself, see the CONCIERGE list. I can assist you in setting up services to make this easier.
Step 3: PRICING YOUR HOME
Now that your home is show-ready, we are going to price your home. I will provide you with recent comparable sales that will establish the value of your property. However, there are no two properties that are just alike. There are many factors that will affect the value of your home. We will start with a base value from the comparables and then add and subtract as necessary. This is where your home's condition and appearance play a role and your selection of an Agent becomes critical. I will guide you through this process to ensure that you get as much profit from the sale of your home as possible.
Step 4: DEVELOP A MARKETING STRATEGY
I will develop a marketing strategy that is perfect for advertising your home. This involves listing the home and then driving the right people to that listing. My team creates a marketing campaign that aims to get qualified buyers to your property. I use professional photographers and videographers to capture your home and property. They will take still photos, videos, and will fly the drone for overhead photos and videos. There are different ways to promote your home and we will discuss those options and decide on the best course.
Step 5: SHOWINGS
Your home is on the market and potential buyers are scheduling showings. During this time, it is very important to keep your home in show-ready condition. We try to schedule showings in advance, but oftentimes buyers decide last minute to add your home to their showing list. You will always be notified of showings and confirm that the time is acceptable. In addition to being clean and tidy in appearance, the fragrance of your home should be considered. Buyers appreciate a fresh, clean smell, but do not overpower the home with strong candles.
Step 6: OFFERS
Receiving an offer is an exciting part of the process, but it doesn’t mean the journey is over. We will evaluate each offer and make sure the party making the offer is pre-approved by a mortgage lender and that their offer is acceptable to you. We have the option of accepting the offer, making a counter-offer, or rejecting the offer. Communication at this stage is critical. The goal is to negotiate, keeping an open mind and looking at options that are beneficial and realistic. There are a multitude of ways to make an offer more appealing and lucrative, and we will discuss all of them.
Step 7: ACCEPTED OFFER
Once we deem the offer is acceptable and have finalized the contract, we will begin the stage of inspections. Inspections are most times a contingency of the contract. This is a time when the buyer has a certain period of time to conduct any inspections they wish on the home and property. They may have a combination of any or all of the following inspections: general inspection, radon testing, lead paint testing, roofing inspection, plumbing inspection, septic inspection, surveys performed, etc. Once inspections are complete, if there are any material defects found, the buyer has the right to ask for correction or credit on the Condition of Premises form. It is up to you at that point to decide which defects you will correct prior to sale or if you prefer to offer a financial credit to the buyer to make the repairs after purchasing the property. This is another time of negotiation. It is again imperative to have good communication with your Agent and to have an open mind in finding a solution that is acceptable to you and the buyer. You will also need to be making arrangements for your move at this time, contacting moving services or your friends and family who will be assisting.
Step 8: PROCEEDING TO CLOSE
You have accepted an offer, negotiated the Condition of Premises, and are now very close to the end of your selling journey. At this time, the title/escrow company will do a title search, issue a title policy, have a deed prepared to transfer the property to the new owner, and provide us with a list of costs for you and the buyer. Once the title company has completed these steps, you will receive a Closing Statement that outlines the purchase price, any credits given to buyer, the earnest money submitted by the buyer, total Agent commissions, prorated property taxes due at closing by you, and all other expenditures incurred. It is now time to set the Closing. This is the point in time to reach out to all service providers, such as electric, gas, and water companies, lawn services, garbage services, internet services, pool services, etc., to let them know that services need to be cancelled or transferred to the new owner. All major services should be transferred, as opposed to disconnected. We will provide the buyer with the contact information for services so that they will transfer on the date of closing. We do not want a disruption of utility services.
Step 9: CLOSE
You’ve reached the last step in the seller’s process. When you close on a home you are selling, you are legally transferring ownership of the property to the new buyer. Sellers, buyers, and agents will meet at the title/escrow company to sign the final paperwork transferring ownership and proceeds will be distributed at that time. Because we are transferring title, you will need to be completely moved out of the home and have it in an acceptable condition for the buyer when you arrive at the title company. You will hand over the keys, garage door openers, and any pertinent information or contracts relating to the home at this time.
Congratulations!
We have completed the selling process!
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Email:
angela.realty618@gmail.com
Address:
511 E DEYOUNG ST.
MARION, IL 62959
Phone Number:
(618) 924-2285
