Want help selling your home?
We would love to assist! Here's how...
- We help you set the listing price by reviewing comparable sales and competitive active listings to make sure you get the most for your house
- We research the market so our advertising is geared to help get the best deal for you, making sure your house has maximum exposure
- We give suggestions on "staging" (or decorating your home to make it the most appealing to buyers) and, if needed, help you find a "stager" that will do the decorating for you
- We will communicate with you on a regular basis so you know what is going on at all times
- We explain the standard sales agreement form and discuss the best way to negotiate a counter offer
- We review all inspection reports with you and any requested repairs from buyer and help you put together a response to the requests
- We will keep you informed on the mortgage process
- We will review the closing documents with you and help you through the transfer of utilities, taxes, etc.
- We will congratulate you on the sale of your home
- And hope you will allow us to find your next dream home...
Ten Tips to a Successful Home Sale
1. Talk to an Agent
We can suggest ways to improve the market value. If there are repairs/improvements that should be done we can help you find reputable contractors to do the work. We can help you stage the house to show off the best attributes of the house. We can tell you what the value of your house is on the open market. When we first meet with you we will walk through the property with you and talk about what improvements you have done over the time you have owned the house. We will also talk to you about the reason for the sale, what liens are on the house, timing on the move and any other pertinent information including where you are moving to (in case you need a real estate agent in a new town). On this first meeting we will also review the Consumer Notice which explains the types of agency, or representation, we provide. After that we go back to the office and start our “homework” going over past sales and current houses for sale to decide on the right price for your house. This is called the Comparative Market Analysis. Along with the pricing process we will put together a marketing strategy that will get your house sold in the shortest amount of time, with the least inconvenience to you and for the best price.
2. Listing the House
Once the pricing has been completed we can now list the property. There is a listing agreement that we will complete with you. In the agreement we will list:
- The price
- The length of time of the agreement
- The commission or fees to be paid when a buyer is found for your house
There are also disclosures in the agreement and signatures are required. We supply you with an estimate of what to expect in proceeds from the sale of the house. The house information (square footage, room sizes, amenities, etc) are all listed on a separate form which we complete and have you review. We take numerous interior and exterior pictures if appropriate and then the pictures and house info are entered into the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) so all members of the Centre County Association of REALTORS have access to the facts and can share them with their buyers. A lockbox will be placed on the property so agents with approved scheduled showing appointments can access to the house. The lockbox can only be accessed if the agent has a special electronic key and there is a computerized record in the box that we can check if you think there has been someone in the house that did not have an appointment.
Finally, we place the yard sign in your front yard!
3. Showing the House
Now that the house is listed, there is still work that needs to be done. As agents, we will market the house for you and keep you informed of the progress on the marketing including feedback from showings, what the current market conditions are, and what needs to be addressed to help sell the property. As sellers you need to make the house “show ready”. Before leaving the house for the day make sure:
- Beds are made
- The rooms are straightened up
- No dirty dishes are in the sink
- Window coverings are open
That way while you are at work or out for the day, if an agent wants to show the house you won’t have to worry about losing a potential buyer, you can allow the showing.
4. Reviewing Feedback
As we get showing feedback from agents we will talk to you about how the showing went, what the buyers and buyer’s agents said, positive as well as negative. This helps us and you narrow in on where we need to improve the marketing or the house.
5. Receiving an Offer
Once we receive an offer on your house we will sit down with you and review it, going over the offered price, closing time, inspections that are requested and any special clauses that have been added. We will make sure the buyer is pre-approved and has reviewed and signed off on the Seller Disclosure form. There are many clauses in an agreement that a buyer can opt to include. So on reviewing the agreement you must decide on what is acceptable to you. These are all negotiable options and include the sales price, closing date, mortgage, inspections including home, pest and radon inspections. Remember, the initial offer is what the buyer prefers but you can negotiate any request.
6. Reviewing the Offer
The high points that will be reviewed are as follows:
- The sales price
- The closing date
- The mortgage type, including:
- Amount
- Commitment date
- Interest rate
- The home inspection
- The pest inspection
- The radon inspection
If you are in an area with on-site septic and water there may also be tests requested for those systems.
7. Accepting or Denying the Offer
After reviewing the agreement, discussing the contingencies and clauses and coming to terms with what you are comfortable accepting we will go back to the buyer’s agent to let them know if you are accepting the offer as is or to present your counter. Counters may go back and forth several times and must be responded to within set time frames. The offer is not a legal binding contract until all parties have initialed and dated all changes and each has received a fully executed copy.
8. After Execution of the Agreement
After the agreement is fully executed the Buyer needs to make a formal mortgage application and the bank orders the appraisal. The various inspections are scheduled by the buyer’s agent who will also be present with the buyer during the inspections. The inspections average 1.5 to 2 hours. After the inspections we will receive the inspection results from the buyer’s agent with any requests for repairs, credits or price adjustments. This will then be reviewed as discussed above. After all the hustle and bustle of the negotiating, inspections and appraisal it will seem that nothing happens for a while but that is when the lender is doing all their paperwork and research confirming the financial status of the buyer. Work history, credit history, pay levels and more are all checked so the lender can approve the loan.
9. Getting to Closing
The waiting is over, we have full mortgage commitment and now the buyer has chosen their attorney to do the final checks on the title and compile the closing costs for you and the buyer. We will have ordered the new deed from your attorney to transfer ownership from you to the buyer. We review the closing costs with you, make arrangements to have your signature on the deed notarized and let you know when the buyer is doing their final walk through. When you sign the deed you will also sign two other forms, the authorization form allowing us to sign the paperwork at closing for you and the tax information form required by the IRS to report the sales information. In the meantime, you will be packing and getting ready to move to your new home! You will need to be out of the house by settlement and so the final walk-through by the buyer is usually done just before closing. As stated in the agreement, the house needs to be left broom clean, debris free and all components in working order.
10. After Closing
After the closing the attorney will send off the proceeds for the mortgage payoff, taxes dues and any other costs that need to be finalized before the deed can be recorded at the courthouse. After the deed is recorded your proceeds check can be dispersed. When signing the paperwork included with the deed there is a section where you choose whether you want the proceeds check mailed to you, you will pick them up from the closing office or any other special instructions that need to be arranged. The closing attorney will follow those instructions.
Congratulations!
You have just sold your house!