The Sale Process Preparations, Pricing & Presentation
We’ll begin by clarifying your desired outcome…
…what you hope to realize (both personally and financially) from the sale, where you plan to go after selling this property, how quickly you want to get there, and any other events that should occur first.
At a first meeting I typically do a preliminary assessment of the property’s condition…
…and make recommendations related to preparing the property for market that will maximize sale proceeds –inspections, repairs, staging, and timing. We’ll discuss how much time and money you’re able or willing to commit to preparations and identify which details you expect to attend to yourself, which you’d like to hire out and which I will take charge of. From this conversation we can develop a tentative action plan that suits your personal resources and timeframe.
I encourage you to choose a level of involvement that matches your temperament, budget, schedule, and skills.
This may mean managing most of the property preparations yourself or, if you do not have the time, opportunity, or experience required, it may mean delegating tasks to others for me to schedule and manage as much as possible. Whatever your preference, candid communication must be ongoing throughout the sales process; so that no matter what roles we play, we work as a team.
Unlike many agents, only after completing the above, will I begin work on a final CMA…
…(Comparative Market Analysis) to arrive at a final pricing recommendation for your property. As a practical matter, in order to make a meaningful comparison between your property and others currently on the market or that have recently sold, I must know much more than age, square footage, and location. Your home’s special amenities plus your commitment to completing deferred maintenance and repairs, your willingness to do recommend staging, and the property’s ease of showing — will hall have a significant effect on what you can expect to receive at sale. Therefore, I believe in taking all these factors, that impact perceived value, into consideration before making a final pricing recommendation.
Only after we’ve agreed on an action plan and a list price will I ask you to execute a listing contract…
…establishing the list price, the listing time period, and the commission rate. I feel no urgency for you to sign a listing contract right away with hopes of arriving at a mutually agreeable selling strategy in the future, as many agents do. I want to know that we see eye to eye first, before committing to working together.
MARKETING: Property preparations and price setting are steps 1 and 2 of marketing.
Research shows that the greatest interest and highest offers typically occur during the first two weeks that a property is on the market. So, before allowing other agents or their clients to view the property, it is critical that all the repairs and agreed to preparations (accounted for when setting the list price) have been completed. As the adage goes, “you have only one chance to make a first impression”, and I am committed to orchestrating the presentation of your property as carefully as if I were directing an opening night performance — to generate energetic enthusiastic word-of-mouth reviews that will motivate both agents and neighbors in making an effort to think of someone they know who might be the perfect match for this great opportunity.
Online exposure is of next great importance.
Listing your property on the BAREIS (Bay Area Real Estate Information Services) website is mandatory. Commonly referred to simply as the MLS (Multiple Listing Service), BAREIS is Sonoma County’s singular real estate listing site and is the originator of all data used by other major real estate packaging services including Realtor.com, GreatHomes.org, Zillow, Redfin, Trulia and others. So, my listings receive exposure through these internet sites as well as through the MLS, my company website, and my fb page. The glossy print homes-for-sale magazines of yesteryear are only useful when the property has unusual unclassifiable assets, attributes that that are not readily searchable, and may go unnoticed using the criteria of a typical buyer’s search. Some examples: a horse barn with crystal chandeliers, a subterranean party dungeon, a pond with an elaborate floating folly, or a tree that is habitat to a family of eagles. In such incidences, doing print advertising and perhaps making a short video of the property to use with street signage and social media may be appropriate.
Getting buyers who are good matches for the property to see it while fresh on the market is ideal.
A feeling of urgency to take action — created by discovering an attractive, well-priced, property when it first comes on the market — can be instrumental in generating a full or higher priced offer. Also, listing as “Coming Soon” (before it is actually available to be seen), can put potential buyers on notice and helps build anticipation.
OFFER REVIEW & NEGOTIATIONS:
As offers come in I will assist you in analyzing them and, if multiple offers are received, in comparing their merits. What is the likelihood of a particular offer succeeding? Is the buyer truly pre-approved? Are they genuinely committed to making their offer work or are they just ‘fishing’? Does the time frame they’ve indicated match well with yours? I will query the buyer’s agent for any details of interest to you that are not made clear in the offer’s written terms.
MANAGING THE TRANSACTION:
Once an offer is accepted, I manage the process from beginning to end — monitoring compliance on both sides from the time of acceptance until closing. Making sure that the title report, your disclosures, and any other documents required by law, or specifically requested by the contract, are delivered on your behalf and returned from the buyer in accordance with the terms of the contract. If the buyer requests a concession after reviewing disclosures or conducting investigations — most commonly this would be in the form of a request for repairs, a price reduction, a credit to their closing costs, or a change in the closing date — I’ll assist you in assessing the merits of the request and negotiate on your behalf for a win-win resolution.
CLOSING THE TRANSACTION:
I will accompany you to the escrow office when it is time to sign final documents to assure that you are allowed whatever time you require to review this paperwork and to be sure that it accurately represents what you’ve agreed to.
The Sale Process Preparations, Pricing & Presentation— pricing advice, staging guidance, assuring proper disclosures are made, developing and implementing a marketing strategy, inspection and repair work coordination, contract compliance assistance, assertive advocacy, and expert negotiation — my intent is to economize the use of your time and to make your move as smooth and profitable as possible.
I’ve worked with Sonoma County sellers for 27 years and enjoy sharing my knowledge…
…and experience. I would be delighted to have an opportunity for us to get to know each other a bit and to find out whether we might work together well. I invite you email or call.
