Choosing the correct real estate agent to sell your home is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. It can be the difference between your home sitting on the market for months or selling quickly, for hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars more. Your home is a very personal, important, and valuable asset, and it can be an emotional and complicated endeavor to sell it, especially in today’s challenging marketplace. Numerous questions and concerns will need to be addressed, and the advice and consultation that you receive can make a tremendous difference in the results. Marketing and advertising, remodeling and/or upgrading, photography, internet exposure, staging, design, floor-plan measurements, videography, timing and presentation, inspections, pre-market exposure, agent outreach, and relationships, open houses, pricing, and dozens of more nuances and subtleties all make up the difference between failure and a successful sale.
WHY SHOULD YOU CHOOSE OUR PROFESSIONALS
You may opt to sell your property independently. There are many excellent reasons, however, why you should choose us to assist you in this important undertaking. We will ensure that you maximize your opportunities in the current real estate market. With our extensive contact networks that we have developed through the many national and international organizations, of which we are members, as well as our current and past clients, we will employ the most effective marketing and advertising strategies for your property. We will also guide you through the complicated paperwork involved, from the initial agreement to the final documents.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN AN AGENT
The following are a couple of factors to keep in mind when looking for a listing agent:
1. Education. The most important factor in choosing a real estate professional is their education in the real estate industry. Our professionals have advanced training and education, allowing them to be among the top agents in the world and earning prestigious designations in the various fields of real estate.
2. Experience and Expertise. You want a full-time agent who is familiar with your area and with the type of property you intend to sell. Does he or she employ a diverse range of marketing and
advertising strategies? How tech-savvy is your agent? How many similar properties has he or she been able to sell in the past?
3. Availability and Commitment. Your agent should be capable of prompt and decisive action during the course of selling your property. Does your agent make it a point to keep in touch with you constantly? Can your agent easily be contacted in case of emergencies or even for the simplest questions? Is your agent available on the weekends or in the evenings when most buyers are out looking?
4. Rapport. Does your agent take the time to listen to your goals and clarify your needs? Can your agent understand your unique situation and be genuinely concerned about the outcome of the process? Your listing agent will be your guide and partner in this crucial decision, so it is important to find one with whom you can get along.
WHAT IS YOUR PROPERTY WORTH?
Without a professional agent, most independent property sellers tend to overestimate the value of their property. You can avoid this pitfall by consulting with an experienced real estate listing agent.
THE PRICE IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT
“The higher the price, the better the offer.” Do not let yourself be fooled by this popular misconception. Price is not always the determining factor when accepting an offer for several important reasons: the initial offer is usually not final, and there are a number of terms and conditions that may influence the final outcome of a price. You can trust our professionals to help you thoroughly evaluate every proposal without compromising your marketing position.
NEGOTIATING THE RIGHT WAY
We take the ethical responsibility of fairly negotiating contractual terms very seriously. It is our job to find a win-win agreement that is beneficial to all parties involved. You may even have to deal with multiple offers before executing the one you judge to be the most suitable for you – and as your agents, we will guarantee a thorough and objective assessment of each offer to help you make the right choice.
THE INITIAL AGREEMENT AND DEPOSIT
An effective agreement is a legal arrangement between a potential purchaser and the property’s seller. Laws vary from state to state, but in order to be a legally, binding agreement, the agreement may require consideration. This consideration (initial and additional deposit) is to be held in the closing agent’s escrow account pending the fulfillment of conditions or contingencies in the effective agreement. We call this consideration the Earnest Money Deposit. Some important tips to keep in mind to streamline the process even further:
KEEP WRITTEN RECORDS OF EVERYTHING
For the sake of clarity, it will be extremely useful to transcribe all verbal agreements including counter-offers and addendums and convert them to written agreements to be signed by both parties. We will assist you in drafting all the paperwork for your sale and make sure that you have copies of everything.
STICK TO THE SCHEDULE
Now that you have chosen your offer, you and the buyer will be given a timeline to mark every stage in the process of closing the real estate contract. Meeting the requirements on time ensures a smoother flow of negotiations and also ensures that each party involved is not in breach of their agreements. During the process, we will keep you constantly updated so you will always be prepared for the next step.
Most buyers will have the property inspected by a licensed property inspector within the time frame that was agreed upon in the contract. This time frame is the buyer’s unrestricted right to terminate, or also known as the option period. Some buyers will have several different inspectors inspect the property if they wish to obtain professional opinions from inspectors who specialize in a specific area e.g. roof, HVAC, foundation. How do you respond objectively and fairly to the buyer when a renegotiation is demanded while acting in your best interests? This is when professional listing agent can make a real difference in the outcome of the transaction. We will negotiate on your behalf to the highest degree ensuring you keep as much money from the proceeds as possible.
LOAN APPROVAL AND APPRAISAL
We suggest that you accept buyers who have a lender’s pre-approval, approval letter, or written loan commitment, which is a better guarantee of loan approval than a pre-qualification or no documentation from a lending institute. Expect an appraiser from the lender’s company to review your property and verify that the sales price is appropriate.
CLOSING DAY
If you have come this far, this means that it is almost time for congratulations, but not yet. Do not forget to tie up these loose ends:
Final Walk-Through Inspection.
More of a formality than anything else, the final inspection takes place the day before, or the day of the closing. The buyer visits the property to verify that all is in working order, everything is the same as when the buyer last viewed the property, and that there are no extra items left behind.
Cancel Home Services and Utilities.
We will provide a list of useful numbers for the termination of home services and utilities after the closing occurs.
BE PREPARED
We are ready to assist you should an unforeseen glitch, even at this last stage. If something at the property breaks down or the buyers’ loan does not pull through on time, there is no need to worry. We have encountered these problems before, so we know how to handle them efficiently and in a stress-free manner.
CLOSING
The closing agent will furnish all parties involved with a settlement statement, which summarizes and details the financial transactions enacted in the process. The buyer(s) will sign this statement and then you will sign as well as the closing agent, certifying its accuracy. If you are unable to attend the scheduled closing, then arrangements can be made depending on the circumstances and the notice that we receive. If you are receiving funds from the transaction, you can elect to either have the funds wired electronically to an account at your financial institution or have a check issued to you at the closing. The seller should arrange to have all property keys and any other important information for the new purchaser at the closing, so that the purchaser may receive these items at this time.
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