Selling Your Home? 

Selling your home can feel overwhelming.  It can be a very emotional experience.  I will work with you to determine what YOUR wants and needs are and tailor an approach that will fit YOU.   I have included a section below to help you to think through what your goals are in your home sale as well as a few tips to consider.

Marketing Plan:  When selling your home, it is important to reach as many potential buyers and agents as possible, to get the best offer possible for your home.  I will create a marketing plan specific to your home that does just that!

• I develop a plan specific and unique to each seller's wants, needs and situation.
• I offer advice specific to the seller's situation and home.  This advice will vary greatly, depending upon circumstances.  There is no cookie-cutter approach.  Each home and each seller is unique!
• I make certain your property is not only listed on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) but also on a multitude of internet home search sites - most home buyers first see the home they purchase online
• I use only high-quality, professional photographers for homes I list - it makes a difference!  Home buyers look at photos of homes online to decide which homes to see.  
• I work with 700+ other Bridge Agents - I have access to not only my own buyer clients, but also 700+ in-house agents who may have a buyer for your home.
• I utilize reverse prospecting to identify agents who have clients looking for a home like yours.  I contact those agents to tell them what is special about your home and encourage them to show it to their buyer.
• I create Facebook and Instagram paid advertisements with eye-catching photos / videos for your listing.
• I analyze showing feedback, activity and follow-up with showing agents. 
• With your approval, open houses will be held. 
• A plan is only as good as its execution - I am diligent in working the plan, and I communicate regularly with my sellers.

Selecting a List Price:  Accurate pricing is key to getting as many people as possible to tour and make offers on your home, especially when you first list your home.  There is a current pool of buyers waiting for new listings to hit the market, which is why accurate pricing of your home is crucial from the start.  I will perform a thorough competitive market analysis for your home, where I take the time to examine records and photos of homes sold in your area.  This analysis is an important tool in determining an appropriate list price for your home. 

Security:  Lock boxes are commonly used on homes for sale, to allow agents, inspectors and appraisers to have access to a key for entry.  However, not all lock boxes provide the same level of security for your home.  I use electronic lock boxes*.  WHY?

• Only authorized parties are able to access the electronic lock box via their smart phone
• Whenever a party accesses the lock box at your home, I receive an email notification that they have done so. 
• I can monitor, to the extent possible, who is accessing your home. 
• Manual lock boxes do not offer this level of security.  Combination codes could end up in the wrong hands, and there is no way to monitor who has been there.
• * In areas where cell phone signal is an issue, a manual, combination lock box will be required.

What are your goals in selling your home?  Here are some common comments from sellers:

• "I don't want to spend any time or money in fixing up my home.  I just want to sell it in its current condition and move on."  That's okay!  We can work with that!  It is common for sellers to believe they must invest significant money in their home in order for it to sell.  That is not the case.  There are a number of buyers looking for a home that is not updated - either for affordability reasons or to fix it up as they see fit.  The key is in pricing the home to its current condition.

• "I want advice on simple spruce-up tips to make sure my home is show ready.  I am not interested in spending more than a modest amount of money at this point."  Potential buyers are looking at photos online to determine which homes they will look at in person.  Often, there are some low-cost DIY things that sellers can do to improve the appearance of their property to attract buyers.  Although I would need to see your  home to give specific advice, here are some general examples:
  • Remove clutter and scale-back on personal items and decor. Buyers may then imagine the home as their home, rather than as your home.  Also, spaces in a cluttered home may appear smaller / tighter than they actually are.
  • Thoroughly deep-clean the home.  Although it is often recommended to bring in a professional cleaning service for best results, the next best thing is the DIY approach. Perhaps have a friend come to help - they might see things that you don't notice.  
  • Take-up old / worn / dated carpeting and tack strip to expose existing hardwood floors that are in ok condition
  • Clean / prime / paint a bathroom ceiling that shows wear from years of shower use

• "Without going overboard, I am willing to spend some money on my home to get a higher price than I would have without the additional investment."  Perhaps you have some time before you plan to list the house and are interested in relatively reasonably-priced fix-ups that will help to improve your outcome on the sale of your home.  Again, every home and every case is different, and I would need to see your home and speak with you to give advice specific to your situation and your home.  In a home that is best sold "as-is", an investment in small fix-ups may be a waste of money. I can help you with this assessment.  Aside from a home best sold as-is, here are some general ideas:
  • See above section - removing clutter, cleaning, etc. referenced above should be included in this approach
  • If current interior paint is older or looks out-of-date, consider re-painting the interior of the home, using a neutral, broadly-popular color.  If you are a DIY person and know your way around a paint brush, this can be a cost-effective update. Depending on a number of factors, including where your home is located and price-point of your home, professional painting may be warranted. Talk to me or a staging professional prior to a painting project, to learn about popular colors and finishes, as well as advice on who should do the painting.
  • Other examples get too home-specific to list here.  I would be happy to take a look at your situation and help you to make these decisions.

In every scenario, pricing your home correctly is crucial in getting the highest possible selling price.  I will illustrate which direction the market is trending and show you what comparable homes have sold for, to aid you in making the right choices when it comes to list price.  I will offer advice about the little things that you can do to stage your home (when appropriate) to get you the highest possible price.  You’d be surprised by the simple measures you can take to dress up your home to attract more buyers. I also work with highly talented staging professionals if we decide that would be a warranted and preferred approach to your situation.

Curious about what’s happening in your neighborhood? You can create a custom market report to see what’s active, under contract, and sold in your neighborhood! 

Considering selling or refinancing your home? Get an INSTANT property valuation now!

Contact us today to find out how we can be of assistance to you!