BUYER GUIDE
HILL SPOONER & ELLIOTT REAL ESTATE
CALYNNE HILL | HETTIE SPOONER | LINDSAY ELLIOTT
HELLO, NICE TO
MEET YOU!
We are the REALTOR® Partners of Hill Spooner & Elliott, Inc and in 2004, we started our brokerage with a singular goal: to take all the moving parts that work in a real estate transaction and do them better than anyone else. As buyer representatives, our commitment is to help YOU make the right move
ABOUT US
2024 NUMBER 3 IN MLS
58 UNITS SOLD WITH $35,908,312 IN VOLUME AVERAGE SALES PRICE OF $619,108
2023 ~ NUMBER 1 IN MLS
87 Units sold with $74,233,734 in Volume Average Sales Price of $575,851
2022 NUMBER 1 IN MLS
100 Units sold with $57,110,508 in Volume
Average Sales Price of $571,105
2021 ~ NUMBER 3 IN MLS
101 Units sold with $53,618,353 in Volume
Average Sales Price of $530,874
2020 NUMBER 2 IN MLS
95 5 Units sold with $47,901,962 in Volume
Average Sales Price of $501,591
TOP 1% OF TALLAHASSEE REAL ESTATE AGENTS FOR THE PAST DECADE
SINCE 2004, WE’VE CLOSED NEARLY 1000 TRANSACTIONS ONE CLIENT AT A TIME
MARKET COVERAGE OVERVIEW
Corporate office in Tallahassee, Florida with membership in Tallahassee Board of Realtors
Coastal office in Santa Rosa Beach with membership in Emerald Coast Board of Realtors
Membership in Franklin County Board of Realtors
Southwest Georgia division with membership in Southwest Georgia Board of Realtors.
FRANKLIN COUNTY GADSDEN COUNTY BAY COUNTY
JACKSON
WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO YOU?
MUSTHAVE WANT
EVALUATING EACH
COMMUNITY
The community or neighborhood you choose can significantly impact your daily life and long-term satisfaction Remeber to prioritize factors based on your individual preferences and lifestyle.
PROXIMITY TO AMENITIES
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
COMMUTE TIMES
SCHOOL QUALITY
CRIME & SAFETY
KRISTEN PHILLIPS
Prime Meridian Bank
Senior Mortgage Loan Officer
NMLS # 451762
Phone (850) 510-1475
kphillips@primemeridianbank.com
LOAN APPLICATION
ABBY SMITH
Hancock Whitney
Mortgage Loan Originator
NMLS # 415657
Phone: 850-251-4029
LOCATION
FL 32308
Abby Smith@hancockwhitney com LOCATION
CAITLIN YANCEY MOORE
ServisFirst Bank
Vice President, Mortgage Production Mgr
NMLS # 1563244
Phone (850) 322-0086
cym@servisfirstbank com
LOAN APPLICATION
QUINN COOKE
Movement Mortgage
Loan Officer
NMLS # 1766484
Phone (850) 508-5629
quinn cooke@movement com
LOAN APPLICATION
LOCATION
FL 32308 3375 Capital Circle NE Bldg B 1 Tallahassee, FL 32308 2105 Capital Circle NE Tallahassee, FL 32308
LOCATION 2039 Centre Pointe Blvd Ste 101
HOW WE PARTNER & WORK WITH LENDERS
WELL-CONNECTED. HIGHLY EFFECTIVE.
It’s our motto for a reason. We will discuss your specific financial situation and use our connections to guide you to the best lender options for your scenario This begins with an introductory e-mail to several local lenders whom we feel can best navigate your financing options and opportunities.
Once you’ve selected a lender, we will partner with you both to position you in the best light when competing with other offers A proof of funding or prequalification letter will provide any seller with a higher sense of certainty when reviewing your offer and comparing it to others.
Full amount of the purchase price in liquid funds, not relying on any contingent source of funds
Strongest loan approval Underwriters verify your financial capability and are ready to fund before you select a home
A standard loan amount is given based on your financials and credit score
An estimated amount you would likely qualify for based on basic information.
It is imperative that you share any potential source of funds for your home purchase with your lender and REALTOR® as early as possible
Proceeds from previous home sale
Future earnings / stock
Gift money
401k / Retirement funds
THE HOME SEARCH
HOW ARE YOU SEARCHING FOR HOMES NOW?
GAIN MORE CONTROL OF THE HOME SEARCH PROCESS
WHAT WE PROVIDE
Coming Soon listings
“Pocket” listings from Hill Spooner & Elliott
Extremely customized search criteria
Detailed listing and property tax information
Associated Documents
Current comparable sales data
Detailed Property Information including Property Tax Appraiser, County Permitting, County Zoning and Land Information
VISITING
OPEN HOUSES
If you know in advance that you will be visiting an open house, please call or text me so I can call ahead and let the agent know you are represented
If you like the home and are interested in making an offer, please call or text me right away so there is time to complete due diligence on the property prior to making an offer.
Clarity is kindness. When visiting open houses, it is very important to disclose to real estate agents if you are working with an agent and have a signed buyer’s representation agreement.
INTERPRETING THE DATA
TO MAKE AN OFFER
UNDERSTANDING THE LOCAL MARKET YOUR SEARCH AREA & PRICE RANGE
When it comes time to negotiate for the best price and most favorable terms, we want you to feel confident you’re getting the right home at the right price, aligned with your goals.
As your trusted real estate advisor and advocate, we will help you analyze the data to help you determine the best offer price.
We will guide you through selecting the appropriate paperwork and negotiate the most favorable buyer terms on your behalf
We are your representative throughout the entire process.
YOUR PERIOD OF DUE
DILIGENCE
Congratulations, your offer has been accepted! In Tallahassee’s Board of Realtors sales contracts, we have a timeline that starts when the contract is signed
Typically, you have 15 days to decide if the house meets your needs and is going to work for you During this time, you will arrange to have inspections performed, complete the mortgage application, and find homeowners insurance This period is called the contingency period (closing is contingent on inspections and financing) and the house is marked as contingent on the MLS During this time, the house will still appear in other buyers’ active searches
Once the contingency period is over, the house will move to pending status. When it is pending, the home will no longer show up as active in searches for other buyers Very few contracts fall apart after this point, however, if they do, you may be forfeiting your earnest money deposit to the seller.
DAY 0 ~ CONTRACT SIGNED
Deliver escrow deposit
Make full loan application
Begin insurance application
Order appraisal
Schedule all inspections to be completed
DAYS 7 TO 15
All inspections completed to buyer’s satisfaction
Any necessary amendments to the contract to be fully negotiated by Day 15
Homeowners Insurance must be secured and verified
DAY 15 ~ FINAL DAY TO TERMINATE CONTRACT WITHOUT PENALTY
MEET YOUR
SUPPORT TEAM
KEEPING YOU ON TRACK
We will anticipate and communicate with you regarding contingency timelines, inspections, title review, appraisal and escrow for a successful closing and a timely move From acceptance of your contract to the day you get your keys, we’re committed to you
CARLA STEPHENS AND JOANNA MCIVER
Carla and Joanna are our in-house administrative staff who may work with us and with your selected vendors throughout the closing process They assist your REALTOR® with providing documents to the lender, title company and escrow and scheduling inspections and repairs.
These are some of the industry professionals that will be involved in a successful closing:
TRANSACTION DIRECTOR (IN-HOUSE)
LOAN OFFICER
LENDER/UNDERWRITER
HOME INSPECTOR
WDO INSPECTOR
APPRAISER
TITLE
ESCROW
ONCE CONTINGENCIES
ARE COMPLETE
CONGRATULATIONS! Your offer is PENDING
It’s time to start setting up for your imminent move Your HSE support team will assist you with our pre-closing checklist to ensure that your new home is ready for you immediately after closing
We will continue to:
Monitor progress with your loan officer and the title company Monitor progress with any repairs to be made per the contract and follow up with vendors to ensure agreed-upon work is completed.
Assist in arranging utility and service transfers like:
Electricity
Gas
Water
Internet/Cable
Waste Management
Security System
PREPARING FOR CLOSING DAY
CLOSING DISCLOSURE
HOW WILL CLOSING WORK?
You will be required to review and sign a Closing Disclosure (CD) a minimum of 3 days prior to closing The CD will breakdown the final costs of the sale and will give us the amount you need to bring to closing
Will you attend with the sellers or separately? When and where will the closing be? What do you need to bring? Will you be wiring funds from your bank or bringing a cashiers check? We will help you schedule and determine all of these items
PRE-CLOSING WALKTHROUGH
You need to ensure that all repairs have been completed, that all personal property (included in the sale) remains, and that the home is clean and move-in ready
FINAL DETAILS
We will help you arrange for the transfer of keys, door openers, etc. if you’re not attending at the same time as the sellers ATTEND
CONGRATULATIONS! It’s time to attend closing
OUR COMPENSATION
AS YOUR BUYER REPRESENTATIVE
Before you ever make an offer, we will make you aware of any representation fees Our transparency allows you to factor in additional costs during your decision-making process Our compensation as your buyer representative comes at the end of the transaction (and only) if you have found the right house, we have negotiated the terms successfully, and we have brought the sale to closing We believe that this representation is important because:
ADVOCACY - You benefit from having a dedicated advocate who represents YOUR best interest throughout the transaction
INDUSTRY EXPERTISE- Real estate agents have extensive knowledge of the market and are equipped to navigate its complexities on your behalf
NEGOTIATION SKILLS - Agents possess strong negotiation skills and know other agents, ensuring you secure the best possible deals and terms
Our fee for representation is X% of the sales price In many cases the seller will be paying for all, or a potion, of my fees. Before you write an offer on ANY home, you will know what the fee structure looks like so you can adjust your offer accordingly
SELLER’S ROLE IN PAYING REPRESENTATION FEES
BUYER REPRESENTATION
AGREEMENT
National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) now requires all REALTORS® working with homebuyers to have an executed Buyer Representation Agreement prior to showing any properties. This agreement will allow us to work together to structure fair compensation for my services
BUYER REPRESENTATION AGREEMENT
WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS SAY...
TESTIMONIALS
LAURIE JARRARD
Fromthegetgo,Hettietooktimetogettoknowus andtounderstandwhatwewerelookingfor She wasveryhonestthroughoutoursearchabout whatwouldworkforourfamilyandwhatwould notsothatwedidn’twasteourtime,ultimately findingtheperfectplaceforus.She,alongwithher team,stayedontopofeverythingduringthe closingprocess I’mamomoffouryoungkids,and myhusbandisaphysician;thefacttheypretty muchtookeverythingoffofourhands,andmade theprocessgososmoothlywasappreciated.I’m sothankfulforher We’veboughttwohouseswith Hettieandwewillabsolutelybeworkingwithher andhercompanyagain
MINDY BERENSON
WewererelocatingtoTallahasseeandHettiewas recommendedtous Westaredworkingwithher beforeweevenmoved Hettiewasincredibly knowledgeableandreallyhelpedustounderstand theTallahasseemarket Shetookthetimeto understandourfamilyandwhatwewerelookingfor whileprovidingguidanceinaverycomplexmarket Shewastrulyapleasuretoworkwith,andwas incrediblypatient Shewasalwayshappytoanswer myquestions Shespentmanymanydaysshowing ushomesandIneverfelt“rushedorpressured”to pickahomethatwasn’trightforourfamily.Notonly isHettieanexcellentagentbutIalsoconsiderhera friend!
