Selling a House with Us
Selling a house is a stressful undertaking, but if you work with us, we'll make it as smooth as possible. In a recent post, I discussed how I can help you to buy a home. Now we’ll discuss what we do to help sellers reach their goals.
Know the Client Who is Selling a House:
The first step in selling a house with us is defining our goals clearly. An important distinction in the service I provide is that although I know we’re selling a house, I put people first. Rather than coming inside and focusing on the house (taking measurements, imagining staging layouts, etc), I start with the people. I make a real conscious effort to LISTEN rather than just assuming I know your priorities. Generally, most sellers want as much money as possible, as fast as possible. But those interests compete at times, and for certain sellers time may be more valuable than money. Your personal situation is key to us providing good service, so we start there. It may take some time, and some iterations, but my goal is to really make sure you get what you want when selling a house.
Know the Property being Sold:
Next we’ll dive into the house that you're selling. I take measurements, list attributes, note selling points, anticipate buyer questions and concerns, and learn every detail I can about your home. This includes knowing the neighborhood, nearby parks, transit, schools, etc. I will note every detail that either adds to or hurts the value of your house. I make a prioritized list of recommendations for repairs including cleaning, a minor fix, or even a larger renovation. When it’s financially worth it and there’s a return to be had, I advise investing in the home. My belief is that your home has intrinsic value and it’s your agent’s job to present that value to potential buyers (as many as possible) in such a way that maximizes the sales price.
Know the Market You're Selling In:
Your home doesn’t operate in a vacuum. There are forces of supply and demand acting on the sales price. I’ll refer you to my other post on what a home is worth for a more in-depth discussion on how your home’s price fits into the market. For now, let’s just say that the recent sales of similar homes are the best predictor we have of what your home’s sales price will be. Your buyers are trying to maximize what they can get for their dollar. So knowing what's out there, is essential. My big deliverable at this stage is to give you a recommendation of a range of prices that would be reasonable for your home. You take that and make an informed decision about what you’ll ask for your home. It’s your home and your decision.
Marketing:
I’m a believer in specialization. I’m not the best photographer or interior decorator, so I bring those experts to serve you. I am connected with professional stagers, I hire top-notch professional photographers, create an online/print campaign for your home, and I share your home with the largest community of potential buyers possible through the MRIS system (which feeds other sites like Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com). Once all this is up and running, my job becomes managing the campaign by gathering feedback, measuring interest, keeping you (my client) informed, and adjusting as needed.
The Deal:
Once a potential buyer presents an offer, my role becomes that of a negotiator. I present your offers and help you to make the best decision to meet your goals (established at the beginning, though it’s ok to change as we go). I confirm that the buyer can actually afford the house. The analogy that I like to use for these negotiations is that it’s like a game of chicken. Who will yield first? Though in reality there's also an aspect of negotiation that seeks win/win scenarios. Nothing I do, can convince a buyer to pay more than your home is worth. Nothing they do can convince you to accept less than it's worth. When our best interest overlaps with the buyer's best interest, that's when we have determined what the house is really worth.
Once an agreement has been made, I then coordinate the inspections and all of the contract deadlines and deliverables to ensure that the closing isn’t delayed and that your interests are being protected. So, rest easy because I’m watching out for you!
