Selling Your Home.
Step by Step
Comparative Market Analysis (CMA)
I will assess the other homes in the area that are comparable to yours, make financial adjustments for the differences and give you an approximate value. This process is called a CMA. This is a detailed process and requires more than a quick google search. I provide a detailed market analysis and local knowledge. Together, we will come up with a strategic pricing plan for your property based on data and more.
Document & Material Preparation
In order to sell, there are certain documents and materials that you should obtain. These include a Residential Property Disclosure (required by the State of Ohio), any relevant repair receipts (such as a new roof or furnace), any home warranty documents, a spare set of keys, relevant rental or lease agreements, etc. If you live in a condo, pull all the documents you have received from the board or management company. I can help you with the rest.
Home Preparation
I have a fabulous to do list that takes you room to room with things to do in each. I will customize this list specifically for your home. If there are major repairs that need to be made, I will help strategize how to best tackle. Does it make sense to address the issue as you would if you were staying? Or is there a way to look at the repairs from a new owner’s perspective? I will help you decide. I have a long list of trusted contractors (click here for a copy) who I will help you coordinate any home remedies or repairs. Last but certainly not least are staging and professional photographs. I will help you stage - room by room. This can involve bringing furniture and accessories into your home, or I may work with what you already have. Staging can also be virtual, where I can make photos of vacant rooms look fully furnished in by digitally adding decor.
Showings
No one likes to be forced out of their home, but it is extremely uncomfortable for a buyer if you are present during a showing. With your help, I will make up a schedule for the ‘release’ of your home to market. This will often include a couple of days of showings prior to a weekend Open House. Many of my clients go ahead and plan to be out of town (at least for the weekend) as to eliminate having to leave and come back home many times that first busy weekend of showings. The more flexible you can be the better, however if there are specific times that will not work just let me know; I know so many of us are working from home.
Offer & Negotiation
When a buyer decides to write an offer, you will be contacted by me and we will set up a time for me to present it to you. After some negotiations, signatures and initials will be required to finalize the agreement. The goal in a successful negotiation is to come to a win-win solution. Remember, people will pay your price if they feel they are getting the value somewhere else.
Contingency
It is most common for an offer to have some sort of contingency on it. This might be that the buyers agree to purchase your house as long as they can get a home inspection first, or subject to their financing being approved. A due date is usually between 7 – 10 days and your house will be considered “conditionally sold” during this time. The shorter the condition dates the better, but it is important to give the buyers a realistic amount of time to save everyone the headache of extensions on dates.
Preparation for Possession
Once the contingencies are removed, you can prepare for the change of possession. You will be in touch with your title company at this time and getting them all the information and documents needed for the property transfer. You will fulfill any part of the contract that you agreed to. If you said you would paint, clean, or something else, then this must be done before possession to avoid a contract breach.
Closing and Possession
Buyers typically will conduct a ‘final walk-through’ one or two days prior to closing. This is to ensure any remedy items are completed and also that there is no damage to the home since the buyers last saw it. Depending on if you are maintaining possession for a few days post-closing, you may still have your possessions in the home at walk through. Keys do not get released to the new owners until the terms of the transaction are complete. This may be a few days after closing if buyers agreed to this. Typically your monies will be wired to you the same day as closing.
In this region, Sellers choose the title company for each transaction, as their fees are more significant regarding the transfer. I have been working with Search2Close for over a decade. Here is a link to their website. Perhaps you’d like to play around with numbers on what your bottom line is with their Seller Net Sheet.
FAQs for Buying Your Dream Home
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A: On average, a staged home sells 88% faster—and for 20% more money—than a home that’s left as is.
The reason it works is because it literally gives buyers a “stage” onto which they can play out their home-owning fantasies and envision themselves living in your home.
I stage every home I list.
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A: As long as you don’t expect the house to be sold to an open house visitor, then yes, we should hold an open house.
Only 1% of homes are sold from open houses.
That said, I gain so much valuable information from holding open houses, I will always hold them.
I’ll spend an entire open house doing research. All by talking to people who walk in the door.
I ask questions.
And I listen.
It is extremely helpful to have people visit your home in person. I can hear firsthand what first impressions are, what buyers would change, what buyers love.
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A: Many sellers have extreme anxiety over the thought of having to clear out and fix up their home, so much so that it can delay or even prevent them from putting the place on the market in the first place.
But in most cases, there’s no need to panic here. Often there’s far less to do than sellers think.
Before spending months and thousands upgrading your place—or just throwing up your hands and giving up before you begin—reach out to me to see what is worth doing and what isn’t.
You might be pleasantly surprised by your current sales prospects.
I can’t tell you how many times I have gone for a seller consult and I actually tell sellers NOT to do things on their list. Trust a professional - me. I’ll start saving you money before you even lift a finger.
Got a Question About Selling? Ask Andie.
Get Andie’s Preferred Vendor List
I keep a working list of vendors who do good work at a reasonable price. And, most importantly, they show up when they say they will. If you would like a copy of my most current Vendor List, let me know, and I’ll send you one. It includes everything from electricians, to landscaping, to chimney, to handy people. The list is long. I hope to be who you rely on for your home maintenance referrals.
