Seller's Guide

When the time has come to consider selling your home, I like to meet with you in the home. I will have you give me a tour of the property and tell me the story of your home in your own words so that when it comes time for me to market the home to potential buyers I am able to create a sense of connection and familiarity between the home and the life a potential buyer hopes to achieve. At this time we will discuss a timeline and a general outline of what you could do to your home to make it as appealing as possible to today's buyers.

Preparing to sell your home can feel overwhelming, especially if you have lived in the home for many years. For this reason, if you are reading this it means you may be thinking about selling and NOW is the time to start preparing! The most important aspect of getting a home ready to sell is to declutter and clean. While I have professionals I can refer to assist you through this process much of the letting go of belongings is mental preparation. I like to tell people who I can see are struggling with the idea of purging their beloved memorabilia that if you let go of the physical stuff you make room for new memories to be made and new life to be lived.

Once your home is close to being ready to list it should be professionally cleaned, every window sill, closet floor, cabinet shelf, door and wall will need to be cleaned to remove all dust and signs of wear and tear. I always recommend repairing any damaged areas throughout the home and applying a fresh coat of paint to appeal to the most buyers and bring money the most for your property.

I  will help determine a price for your property based on my in depth analysis of competing properties, recently sold properties and the market conditions. We will sign the listing agreement which gives me legal permission to list and market your property and handle the sale of your house. It also covers the basic terms of our mutual commitment such as the maximum time the home will be listed. We will also discuss our selling strategy including open houses and agent caravans.

I will present offers to you as they are received. We will discuss the terms including price, contingencies, financing type and closing date and consider how these fit with your goals. If there are multiple offers we will compare them. I will advise on the best way to move forward and negotiate any changes you would like to request in your preferred offer. We want this to be a win win for both parties arriving at a fair market price that makes everyone walk away happy.

During the inspection period there will likely be further negotiations. I will draw upon my experience to help you decide which requests by the buyer to repair items in the home or offer concessions to the buyer to complete repairs after closing. Buyers are expected to ask for these things so don't let it get to you, there are some items that should be in tip top condition at the sale of the home and others that don't need to be the responsibility of the seller. I will guide you through this process and provide potential outcomes of various issues that may arise. Once the inspection period has passed we will be waiting for final approval from the buyers lender that the home has appraised for the sales price and they are clear to receive their loan. At this point in the process things can be smooth sailing or go arry, but not to worry, I've been here before and most issues can be resolved so that the deal can get to the closing table.

You made it, the house is completely empty of personal items and ready for its new owners. I will be by your side during the entire process to ensure that the closing attorney, lender and buyer's agent have all the necessary documents and information to ensure a smooth final walkthrough and closing. At the closing meeting, you will sign the required sale documents while the buyer signs their purchase documents. At the end of the meeting, the buyer will receive their keys and you will receive your proceeds in the form you have arranged with the closing attorney. Congratulations. It's an exciting journey and you made it.