To determine your house’s value and set a listing price, I will complete a Comparative Market Analysis. The CMA uses recent sales of houses that are close to yours graphically (same neighborhood if possible), in age, size, and features. We will review these comparables together.

Many sellers believe in the strategy of starting high to leave room for negotiating. Unfortunately, this strategy usually backfires. First, if your appraisal comes in lower than the contract price, you will have to renegotiate or potentially cancel the contract. Second, if the house is noticeably overpriced in a neighborhood, or due to its condition, you run the risk of your house becoming “stale” to buyers while they wait for you to reduce your price. When a home has been sitting on the market for an extended period, this can lead to the perception that there is something wrong with it, causing offers to come in significantly lower than what you would like. 

It's best to set a realistic listing price—at, or just below fair market value—that will bring you the most buyers quickly and increasing your chance of getting multiple offers.

This depends on your goals and timeline. Once we agree to work together, I will begin entering your house’s information on the MLS system. Some people are ready in a matter of days, while other need weeks. I will schedule a time for a professional cleaner to deep clean your house (a service I provide for my sellers), as well as a professional photographer to take photos and video of your house. As soon as all the information and pictures are uploaded, your listing can go live on the MLS.

It’s a good idea to begin decluttering. This means packing away out-of-season clothes, personal items, and décor. Cleaning out and organizing closets, drawers, and start loading up storage bins. It’s also a good idea to have your exterior power-washed (you wouldn’t believe what a difference this makes!) and refresh your landscaping. We will discuss further about a specific plan to make your house show at its best.

I have over a decade of marketing experience in several industries, and THIS is my specialty! Marketing your listing properly is of the utmost importance, no matter what kind of market you’re selling in. Most buyers shop for houses online through the MLS (through their agent), or use third party sites such as Zillow or realtor.com. Listings from our MLS automatically filter to these sites generally in a day or even hours of becoming active. My listings will ALWAYS showcase high-quality professional photos. This is the most effective way to have an impact on buyers. I also include floor plans, high-quality video tours & print marketing. I share my listings with the agents in my network, on my website, and on my social media channels. We can discuss the additional important opportunities such as hosting open houses and marketing within your neighborhood.

Gone are the days of just putting a “for sale” sign and getting your house sold. I LOVE marketing and its where I make your house shine.

When you’re ready to list, we’ll come up with a timing plan for showings that you’re comfortable with. The goal is to show your house to as many buyers as possible without too much inconvenience for you. We use a customized showing request system that allows real estate agents who have interested clients to request showings. You (or I) will receive emails and texts with requests to approve. We will discuss how the system works in greater detail when we get closer.

This is influenced by several factors. This includes market condition (sellers, buyers, balanced), location, condition of the house (is it move-in ready or in need of renovations/repairs), and price range (higher-priced and luxury homes typically take longer to sell). When priced correctly, in a balanced market, houses typically go under contract within thirty days. In a sellers’ market it tends to go quicker, whereas in a buyers’ market it generally takes longer as buyers have more time to look at and consider options.

The seller typically pays the listing brokerage a commission, which is then divided between the listing brokerage and the buyer’s brokerage. There has been a lot of discussion about this practice in the news and we can go over the pros of this strategy (and the cons from straying from it). Sellers also pay title insurance and state and county transfer taxes. I will include these numbers on your “Estimated Sellers Net Proceeds” sheet. Lastly, sellers also pay their portion of property taxes and any HOA dues. If the full amount has already been paid, you will receive a credit back at closing.

Technically, the commission is negotiable. However, reducing the commission upfront could impact not only how many buyers view your house and submit offers, but buyer’s agents may be less likely to advocated for your house. This can negatively impact your sale price and will be something we discuss further. I work extremely hard to market your house and represent you with honesty, empathy, and integrity to earn the designated commission. Real estate, and helping my clients is my livelihood and passion and you’ll see that I often go above and beyond the “normal” to accomplish your goals, earn my pay, and your loyalty.

The listing agreement is a contract between you and me/my brokerage. It stipulated the terms of your listing, including cancellation, which you are encouraged to review. Once the listing agreement is signed, any prospective unrepresented buyer that approaches you directly should be redirected to me.

Communication is key and at the core of how I run my business. My goal is for you to feel educated and aware throughout the transaction, so you always feel empowered in your decision making. You are always welcome to reach out to me with questions or concerns. When we go over the listing information, we will discuss your preferred means of communication and our schedules to make sure we know each other’s preferences, availability, and boundaries.