Timing
Depending on the balance of the current market, certain times of the year can be better than others to sell your home. Historically, spring time is the most active season for buyers to be looking for homes. The more buyers that are looking, the better the price you may get for your home. Late summer and early fall are also good times to sell. That being said, if it is a strong sellers market (more buyers than homes listed), the seasonal variations may not be as significant. As your realtors, we are in a position to help you decide when is the right time to sell. Of course there are times when circumstances (ie. job transfer, health issues, growing family, etc.) dictate that you need to sell now! In these instances we will be there to help you maximize your return regardless of the time of year.
Preparation
As part of the listing process we will walk through your home with our “buyer’s glasses” on. This enables us to give you some helpful tips and pointers on preparing your home for sale. Often a few minor repairs and some reorganization can greatly improve the all important first impression that your home leaves with buyers. At this stage we are not talking about an “extreme home make-over” but the right touches to leave buyers with a favorable outlook on your home. Even things like keeping your yard trimmed in the summer and your walks shoveled in the winter can be contributing factors to a buyer’s overall impression of your property.
Expectations
We strive to give you as much notice as possible for showings of your home. Some sellers are more comfortable with short notice showings than others. We understand that life goes on in your home during the listing and we’ll do our best to cater to your scheduling needs. Things like shift-work, baby’s nap time, kids home sick from school, etc… will all be taken into account. Remember, this is still your home! Clean and tidy is great but we don’t expect a museum showpiece. All we ask is for you to do your best in helping to sell your home and we in turn will do ours.
Pricing
Simply put, our goal is to get you the best price possible for your home in a reasonable time frame. We are happy to do a no cost home evaluation for you to come up with a probable sales price. Then depending on your motivation as to how quickly you want to sell, we establish a list price. This is where we ask you to exercise caution in choosing a realtor. Don’t necessarily go with the person who promises you the highest price. While pricing is important, we urge you to look at the whole package including such things as service, expectations, ability and experience. Don’t be taken in by slick sales presentations with lots of hype. Instead, ask yourself, “Is this person looking out for my best interests?” and, “Will he/she be there for me in the long haul?”. Even in the hottest of markets there is the danger of overpricing which can leave your home longer than it should be on the market. This can result in settling for a lower price than had it been priced properly in the first place.
What We Do
Evaluation, preparation advice, and listing your home is only the beginning of our work. We will do our best to provide you with feedback on showings, whether it be positive or negative. Even if there is a stretch where we haven’t called you for showings we like to touch base with you to let you know what is or isn’t happening in the market. Upon receiving an offer on your home, we will present it to you and negotiate on your behalf to get you the best dollar possible. Once the offer is accepted we will follow up on any conditions to the point of a firm sale. At this stage we will help facilitate the delivering of any paperwork to the law office of your choice. We will then coordinate with you the transfer of keys to the new owners and make sure any final details are cared for. As in all aspects of our work, communication is key!
Why Use Us?
We are fun to work with! Don’t get us wrong, when it comes to selling your property, we are as serious as can be, professionals to the core. But if we can do the job for you in a pleasant and fun manner, we enjoy our work more and perform better in the process. It’s a “Win-Win” situation!