Sellers Guide

Your Next Move:

A Guide for Sellers

A Message From Our Broker Thank you for the opportunity to discuss these important next steps as you consider the sale of your home. I am proud we have put together a collection of resources in the following pages that we hope you’ll find helpful and informative. Please allow us to be a resource for any of your questions until we meet again -we’re here to help!

Karen Hanson Broker & License Partner

Our Promise For over 20 years, we’ve had the privilege of serving incredible sellers and showcasing their fabulous homes. Yet, time and again, we hear the same frustration about past experiences with Realtors: They simply didn’t keep in touch.

That’s why we’re proud to share Our Promise with you. Trust is the foundation of our relationship, and we are committed to doing exactly what we say we will. You deserve complete confidence, transparency, and predictable updates on the progress of your sale and the work we’re doing to achieve your goals.

We take great pride in crafting and executing dynamic, creative, and measurable strategies tailored to your home. And you deserve to know all about it—every step of the way.

Success is...

Guiding you to the closing table after maximum exposure for your property, receiving the highest possible price and in the shortest amount of time Ensuring you feel informed at every step Along the way, you are confident in your advisor and we have alleviated all fears, so that you can focus entirely on where your next steps are taking you.

Strategic Start, Stronger Results

Market Preparation

Organize & Remove Clutter Neutralize things that are highly customized to you Small repairs that have big impact A deep cleaning Staging your home Creating a spectacular entrance All property research, including history, easements, a full knowledge of its current state If any of these things feel overwhelming, we always have a team of professionals to help.

Once the story of your property has been crafted through professional still and digital photography and the written word, we can begin to inform the brokerage community and utilize other “coming soon” awareness. Even in a

market where the Seller has the upper hand, it’s hard to underestimate the power of doing this work. At E&V, we take pride on our passionate and creative approach to pre-listing marketing.

Time to Wow Buyers

Showings & Open Houses You’ve done all of the preparation, curated all of the marketing materials, and now it’s GO time! You’re ready to open the doors to the public with Open Houses & Showings. The highest level of interest and excitement of potential homebuyers is within the first two weeks of launch.

Open Houses Can be the most effective way to create that “buzz” that encourages competing bids For some homes, open houses aren’t the best strategy - very large homes or unfinished for example. Your advisor should help you devise a strategy that works best for your property.

You can expect to receive feedback from your advisor that day Plan to leave at least 20 minutes before the start time If things go well, your advisor may ask to stay later than the allotted time to gracefully accommodate all guests without rushing them

Showings You set the availability of the home for showings and open houses It is common to request 24 hour notice before a showing, but last minute opportunities do arise and you’ll need to decide how to handle them.

The house and grounds should be looking tip top prior to showings - mow the lawn, draw the curtains, empty the sink.

Your advisor should arrive with plenty of time before the showing, to address anything unexpectedly out of place, and to prepare the home for guests In general, allow one hour for each showing You should expect a call from your advisor when they’ve left the house and feedback from them on the showing that day Although feedback direct from the buyer is very helpful, many buyers agents will not share feedback these days, for fiduciary reasons

At E&V, we take all showing opportunities seriously and often practice them before bringing buyers through, or create a “talk track” of important selling features to highlight during the showing..

Every Detail, Expertly Analyzed

Offers Even though the sale price is often the most important element of an offer, there are several other factors that can be negotiated to make it safe and give it the highest chance of closing. We will help you to analyze every single element of the offer, and how they contribute to your success.

Your Advisor Will Present all offers to you Qualify the buyer Prepare, and or gather all legal documentation if there are competing offers, we will organize them for easy comparison

Something to think about: A low offer can actually be the beginning of a very satisfactory sale and oftentimes the first offer is the best offer, because they’ve been waiting the longest for it to appear.

If you receive an offer that’s lower than you like at the start, try to consider it as the opening of a conversation. So many times, we are surprised where it leads!

Seamless Path to Closing

Contract To Close Once we have collected, negotiated, and maximized all offers, and you have chosen the one that suits you best, you are one step closer to celebrating at the closing table! Now begins the crucial work to ensure that everything proceeds smoothly and as planned.

You Can Count On Us To: Facilitate legal documents Handle escrow deposits Accompany the inspection, answer questions that arise Negotiate on your behalf, if issues arise during due diligence Monitor the buyer’s financing progress Prepare for the appraiser Manage all conditions of offer Facilitate the final walk through Procure state and local requirements, including smoke & CO certs, municipal sign-offs, and 6D certificates Liaise with closing attorney

After the closing, you are off to your next adventure!

Your Biggest Questions — Answered

What Every Seller Wants to Know From timing and staging to signs, repairs, and more, here’s what you need to know before listing your home.

When is the best time to list my home?

Do I really need to stage my home?

Why list with a global company?

Should I put up a sign or not?

Tell me about appraisals.

Are there fees to sell my home?

Should I make repairs or not?

How long will it take to sell my home?

How long does it take to get my home on the market?

Do I need to sell before buying my next home?

Check it Twice!

Your Moving Day Survior Kit Moving day can be chaotic, but a little preparation goes a long way. This checklist is packed with the essentials you’ll want easy access to, from chargers and snacks to tools and toiletries— plus clever packing tips to keep things running smoothly. Stay organized, stay calm, and settle in faster.

You:

Your House

Phone charger Sheets/ Blankets Flashlight Towels Soap Toilet paper Toothbrush/paste Prescriptions Readers Checkbook Change of clothes Pet food

House keys Paper towels Cleaning supplies Water Snacks Paper plates Hammer Screwdriver Tape measure Batteries Light bulbs Scissors Trash bags Pocket knife

Pro Tips Label boxes with the room they’ll be unpacked in.

Label fragile items with red marker.

Pack plates vertically- they’ll be less likely to break.

Keep sandwich bags for the small parts of things you’ll disassemble like curtain rods or mounted tvs.

Take a photo of how your electronics were connected.

Keep drawers and other items with loose objects intact by covering them with Press’n’Seal wrap. Your toiletries, too!

Key Documents to Know

The Forms When selling your home, there are a few essential forms that help outline our working relationship, our responsibilities to each other, and your goals for the sale. You should have plenty of time to review these forms, understand them fully, and ask any questions you may have. To help, here’s a quick look at the key documents most Realtors typically require to get started:

Agency Disclosure Form

Listing Agreement

Allows you to choose how I will represent you in the transaction.

Defines the terms of our relationship, including the listing duration, desired listing price, agreedupon commission, and any special conditions.

Authorization to Compensate a Buyer Broker

Lead Paint Form

Required if you choose to offer compensation to a buyer’s agent.

Discloses any knowledge you have regarding lead paint in the home, as required by law.

Seller’s Statement (optional)

Inclusions/Exclusions

Provides details about the condition of your home.

Specifies which items will stay with the home and which you’ll take with you.

At Engel &Völkers, we use the official forms provided by the Massachusetts Association of Realtors to ensure accuracy and compliance, and use DotLoop for secure electronic signatures.

Notes & Reminders

Notes & Reminders

Beverly Farms • Newburyport • Gloucester bythesea.evrealestate.com 978.865.1168

©2024 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. If your property is currently represented by a real estate broker, this is not an attempt to solicit your listing. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.