Thinking of selling your house or condo? Here is a general overview of the process.
Every home requires some preparation before it is ready to be photographed and shown to buyers. I will work with you to prepare your home for the market. If necessary, I will recommend a professional staging service.
Real Estate Sale Flow Chart (Click to Enlarge)
Finding a Buyer for the Home
Develop a marketing plan that works around the home seller’s lifestyle, and targets the correct audience. See Home Selling Plan section for details.
Accepting an Offer
Between offer and closing, there are several steps. The buyer will surely have contingencies and demands and it is my job to represent your interests every step of the way.
1. Offer, which will include the price the buyer will pay, date the buyer wants to close, and the contingencies on which the offer is made, (inspection, mortgage, etc.). A deposit will be collected from the buyer and put into escrow upon an accepted offer.
2. Inspection will take place approximately a week after the offer. Buyer with an inspection contingency will bring an inspector to the home and may use the inspection to renegotiate price or request some things get fixed. This is may lead to a second negotiation process.
3. Purchase and Sale, the agreement between the seller and buyer superseding the offer. A deposit of about 5% of the purchase price will be collected from the buyer and put into escrow once both parties sign.
4. Appraisal. The appraiser will come to the home and then compare it to recent sales. If the appraisal comes under the offer price, we will have to defend the price.
5. Mortgage contingency expiration, which will hopefully pass without incident. This is likely to be the last contingency before closing.
6. Closing preparations, including
- 6(d) certificate in condos
- Smoke detector inspection
- Inspection items, if any, are done
- Home will be cleaned and left in proper condition
7. Closing, when the seller signs the deed and the buyer signs the mortgage.
Negotiating Home Price, and other terms
Terms, conditions, legal implications, and other concerns can make selling your home feel disorienting. I help you maintain focus and clarity throughout the entire process. I have 10 years of real estate negotiation experience. Developing and perfecting my negotiation skills has been a priority since early in my career. My negotiation skills will be extremely valuable throughout your real estate transaction.
Realtor - Client Communication
According to the National Association of Realtors, the most common complaint about listing Real Estate Agents is a lack of communication.
You can rely on my regular updates. I will give you progress reports on marketing, and feedback from showings and open houses. I also provide an update on market conditions including statistics and competing properties.
When written offers are presented, I will share them with you immediately and break down all the term and conditions. Once there is an accepted offer, you will be kept abreast of inspection, mortgage and closing preparations.