Seller Services: If you're convinced that it's time to sell or if you're just curious about the value of your property - this is the right page for you. Frequently people in our communities have a real estate company or agent that they feel loyalty towards. That's great - give that agent a call. However, if the agent is no longer available or you think perhaps it's time for a change, contact me to see if I can be of assistance. I will gladly prepare a COMPARATIVE MARKET ANALYSIS for you with no obligation and free of charge. COMPARATIVE MARKET ANALYSIS (CMA) The two most important decisions that you will make when you decide to put your property on the market are:
2) and your choice of an agent to represent you. The major components of your property - square footage, location, view, privacy, age, number of bedrooms/baths, quality, garage, condition - are taken into consideration. Another very important consideration is the current market factors in the community. Are sales/prices going up, down or stable? How many properties are for sale? How many have sold in the past three months, six months? What are the average Sold/Under Agreement/Active square foot prices in various categories? How long are properties staying on the market? Where and how does your house fit into this analysis? |
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Although it is frequently difficult for sellers to believe, a few thousand dollars too high on the pricing can make a big difference in how frequently your property will be shown and therefore how quickly it will be sold. The belief by sellers that "we can always lower the price", is one of the most widely held misconceptions in real estate. By over-pricing, initially a seller basically loses the very best time on the market. The first three to four weeks are when the property is fresh in all the agents' minds and will also draw the attention of buyers who are watching the market. You want to use the expertise of your agent to optimize your position in the market right from the beginning. It is very difficult to revive a property that has gone stale on the market.
ESTIMATED SELLERS PROCEEDS REPORT This report will give you a reasonably accurate assessment of what you can expect to net from your sale. It is important to remember, however, that there may be unexpected costs that result from the buyer's inspection and from the reports that the seller generally must produce (septic and pest) for the buyer. LISTING APPOINTMENT This appointment generally takes place once you have decided to sell and when you have made the decision to hire me as your agent. Frequently, many of the basics have already been verbally agreed upon either by a previous appointment or by telephone. I will provide all of the necessary paperwork, including contracts and the many disclosures required by Massachusetts law. We will tour your house to obtain any additional details I will require to familiarize myself with your property. We will finalize details regarding signs, a lockbox, showing instructions, flyers, etc. If lighting permits I will take photographs (interior and exterior) for use in marketing your property. The more pictures the better. Research indicates that a minimum of five pictures on a website is an absolute must. STAGING YOUR HOUSE I can give you suggestions to make your property more attractive to potential buyers. Home staging involves much the same common sense advice that real estate agents have been giving to sellers for a long time, but with some fresh additions. Simply put, you want to showcase your house so that home buyers can visualize living there and so that it appears as large as possible. The first step and the most difficult is to separate yourself emotionally from the personal feelings that you have about the house. So don't take it personally! It's not your home now; it's a commodity that you want to sell. Try to pretend that you are seeing the house for the first time and try to evaluate it as a buyer. If you were in the market to buy this house, instead of selling it, what would you think about the house? What changes would you make? What immediate improvements would you do? What are the property's best features and how can you highlight them? The following ideas are some things that you can do to stage your home yourself. Please note, these ideas do not include making major improvements for which you generally do not get your money back. INSIDE PREP BEFORE YOU SELL Everything from floors to windows must be as spotless as you can possibly make them. Or perhaps hire a professional house cleaner. Think about cleaning the carpet. If your carpet is very worn, most times don't replace it. We can offer an allowance to the buyers and they can make their own choice of flooring.
Eliminate clutter. De-clutter every part of the house. Clear off all surfaces, including kitchen, bedroom and bathroom countertops. Pack away family photographs and most other personal items from tables, shelves and walls. Buyers need to imagine their family and their possessions in the house. When buyers start deciding how their furniture will fit into the rooms and where Grandmas' rocker will look best - you're on your way to an offer. Pack up the bulk of your personal collections. You don't want potential buyers spending more time looking at your collections than at your house. Remove excess furniture to make rooms appear more spacious. Rent a storage unit if you need to. Neutralize children's bedrooms if extensively decorated - it is easier for a buyer trying to visualize it as a home office or guest bedroom for in-laws. Make sure that your door locks work easily. It is frustrating for a buyer to stand and wait for the agent to struggle to get into the property. Oftentimes buyers have several showings in a row set up, and time is of the essence. Also, I have had situations where a lock is very difficult to open and the buyer decides they don't like the exterior of the home enough to go in anyway, so they decide they want to leave.
Store or organize items that make the yard look messy. Make your front entry inviting. If the weather permits, try potted flowers on your front deck. If necessary, buy a new front door, decorate it, or paint it. First impressions are very important. Keep the landscaping neat and if possible watered during the summer months. If you're home when an agent calls to make an appointment to show your house - do the following.
Soft background music is appealing. Open all drapes or curtains for brightness and/or the view. If you're cooking something that smells good don't worry - good odors help. In the winter a fire in the fireplace adds ambience. Please, leave the agent and the buyers to themselves if possible - this adds to the buyer's comfort of picturing the home as their own. If you have already moved or the property you have for sale is a vacation home, the most important factor is to leave your electricity on. It is very difficult to sell a house that the potential buyers can't see well. I also encourage sellers to leave their water on at least during the summer months. Buyers frequently have small children who may need a bathroom. During the winter months, if it is at all possible, leave some heat on. Cold houses are a hard sell. During the summer keep your landscaping watered -leave your sprinklers on or hire a neighbor. In the winter months, I may have to have your driveway and stairs shoveled - especially if we're expecting a busy weekend. Also, if you're comfortable, leave the drapes and/or blinds open. It's a great selling feature for the buyers to open the front door and see a magnificent view, some pine trees or just some open space. If any problems develop with your house I will let you know. If it is a small issue I will attempt to take care of it. If it is a large problem I will let you know and help you arrange a fix. OUR "MAGIC" KEY BOXES I will always keep you posted on how frequently your house is being shown. Our technologically advanced Key Pad and Key Box system allow me to register the Key box that is on your door into my computer. I can check weekly to see which agents have shown your property. When we need feedback on how buyers are reacting to your house, I can call the various agents and pass the comments on to you. ADVERTISING My first task following a listing contract is to make a property flyer or "listing sheet". This is handed out to agents and buyers who visit the property, as well as being sent out via email and through snail-mail. Each property that I list is quickly added to our local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and setup for caravan. Caravan takes place on a specific weekday morning and is attended by the local agents. I will let you know in advance when your house is scheduled for caravan and will communicate the feedback that I receive. MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE The next step is to place your property on Multiple Listing Service (MLS). MLS reaches thousands of real estate agents with potential buyers. This is by far the most important local advertising vehicle for your property. Most serious buyers are working with an agent and are searching for properties online each day. Per The National Association of Realtors, 76% of home buyers start their new home or vacation home search on the internet and that number is growing daily. Through MLS my listings are routed to "Realtor.com". This is the website with the largest overall internet audience by far. There will be a variety of avenues utilized through advertising on the internet and through email with a client and networking database that I maintain. Local newspapers will be utilized for open house advertisements. There is a misconception regarding advertising homes for sale. Studies done by the National Association of Realtors indicate that even with the growth of the internet, 82% of all real estate sales are the result of agent contacts through previous customers, referrals, walk-ins and community involvement. This is why a large part of my business philosophy is to conduct positive transactions with other agents and maintain good relationships that will make them comfortable in doing future transactions with me. OPEN HOUSE I will do occasional open houses with your permission and on an as needed basis. I may hire another realtor that I trust to do the actual open house. Open houses are more successful for agents to meet new customers than they are to sell houses. This is especially true if your house is tucked away and not on a main street. SATISFACTION GUARANTEE To all of my sellers I offer a Satisfaction Guarantee to cancel our listing contract, hassle free, if you're not happy with my service or the marketing of your property. I'll even put it in writing for you. I will only ask that you communicate any concerns with me and allow me the opportunity to resolve the issue quickly to your satisfaction. The current market conditions of your area dictate a great deal about the sale of your property, so careful consideration of pricing and timing is something we both share the responsibility for determining in order to proceed in your best interest. |
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