James Rayner Homes | Sellers Guide

HOMES, NOT REAL ESTATE S E L L E R ' S

D U C T I O N

N T R O

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Sellingyourhomeisoneofthemostimportantfinancial decisionsyoucanmake Itcanbeatoughdecisionasit’s likelyyouhaveanemotionalinvestmentinyourhomeand sellinginvolvesalotofmovingparts

However,ifyouknowwhattoexpectyoucanavoidalotof commonmistakesandensurethatthingsgoassmoothlyas possible.Inthisguide,wewillcoverwhattoconsiderwhen sellingrealestateinastep-by-stepprocess.

James JAMESRAYNER

Step01 CHOOSING THE RIGHT AGENT

Asyouragent,it’smygoaltosecurethefull financialpotentialforyourhomeandfind thecorrectbuyer.Iwilltakethestressand paperworkoutofsellingyourhomefora seamlessclosing HerearesomewaysI backmyclients:

GOALS

I'llmeetwithyouandunderstandyour needsandsellinggoals

MARKETING

Icantalkyouthroughsomemarketingstrategiesthatwillworkforyourproperty andestablishauniquesellingpointforyourhome

NEIGBORHOODKNOWLEDGE

Withexpertneighborhoodandpropertyknowledge,Iwillprofessionallyprice yourhome,andIwilldosowithasystematicapproach.

CONNECTIONS

Withconnectionsintheindustryandalonglistofbuyersagents,wewillexpose yourhousetoawidebuyingaudiencebeforeit’sevenonthemarket.

PROJECTMANAGEMENT

Wewillmanagestagingyourhome,createamarketingstrategy,reviewbuyers’ offersanddoallthenegotiating

PAPERWORK

Letmenavigatetherealestatecontractsandeducateyoualongthewaysoyou knowexactlywhatyouaresigning.

Step02 ESTABLISH A PRICE

Wewilldoamarketanalysisusingdataaboutrecentlysoldpropertiesinyourlocation

Factorsthatwilldeterminethevalueofyourhomeinclude: location,design,amenities,economicclimate,localmarket.

Mosthomebuyersviewalotofproperties Theyquicklyunderstandthevalueofa propertyinaparticularlocation.Ifyourhomeispricedatfairmarketvalue,itwill attractalotofpotentialbuyersquickly.Wewillpriceyourhomecorrectlythefirsttime sothatitwillsellquickly Gettingapre-salehomeinspectionwillhelppriceyourhome andmakesuretherearenoissueswiththeproperty

Step03 PRE-SALE HOME INSPECTION

WHATISAHOMEINSPECTION?

Beforeclosingonahome,theprospectivebuyerwillusuallyschedulean inspectionwithaprofessionalhomeinspector.Theywillidentifyissueswiththe houseincludingstructuralormechanicalissues Thebuyerthenusesthisinfoto negotiatewiththesellertoreducethepriceorelsecarryouttherepairsbefore closing.

WHYAPRE-SALEHOME INSPECTION?

Apre-salehomeinspectionis optionalandmaycostafew hundreddollars,butitwillidentify anyissuesthatbuyerswilllikely flagwhentheydotheirown inspectionlaterintheprocess By beingafewstepsahead,youwill beabletospeeduptheselling processbydoingrepairsin advance Thiswillreduce negotiationsandgetyouabetter priceforyourhome,including reducingstress!

Step04

PREPARE TO LIST

Declutter,deepcleanandscheduleany repairs.Considerhiringaprofessional cleanertosavetime

Acleanandminimalappearancewillhelp buyersimaginethehouseastheirown.

Followourchecklistoftipsandthingsto prepareinadvanceofgettinga professionalphotographerin

Yourhomeshouldbeinaneutralpallet, freeofclutter,withnodesignor accessoriesthatwouldinhibita prospectivebuyerfrompurchasingyour

EXTERIOIR

Paintfrontdoor

Consideranewdoorknocker

Keeplawnneatandtrimmed

Removeoldyardfurniture

Weedgardenandpatios

Powerwashdrive

Cleanwindows

Painttheoutsideiffeesible

Ensuredoorbellworks

Cleangutters

Addplantsatentrance

INTERIOR

Declutter

Moveexcessitemstostorage

Repair/fillholesinwalls

Ensureallwindowscloseandopen

Ensuredoorsdon'tsqueak

Repaintwithneutralcolours

Replaceorcleancarpets

Cleanclosets

Paintwalls,ceilingsandtrims

Cleanorreplacefixtures

Reducepetareasinhome

Ensurealllightingworks

Tohighlightaproperty’sbestfeatures,weoftenstageahome.Thiscaninclude removingexcessfurniture,removingpersonalbelongings,andrearrangingthelayout foroptimalflowandspace.

Thishelpssecurethefullfinancialpotentialoftheproperty,sellingforahigherprice Wewillassistwiththehomesstagingorhireaprofessionalstager.

Step06 PROFESSIONAL IMAGERY

Listingphotosarethefirstthingabuyerseeswhenlookingatyourproperty.Abuyer willdecideiftheyareinterestedinviewingyourhomejustbylookingatthephotos whichwilldeterminegettingasale.

Wewillworkwithoneofourprofessionalphotographerstoshowyourhomeinthe bestlight.Aphotographerknowshowtouselighttotheiradvantage,makerooms lookbiggerandmoreattractive.

Thecontentstrategyisuniquetoeachpropertyandwewillworktogethertodecide thebestcontentforshowcasingyourhome.

OTHERCONTENTTOCONSIDER

Arialphotography

Thiscanbegreatifyourpropertyincludesa lotoflandoroutdoorspacesuchas terraces,balconiesandswimmingpools

360virtualtour

Thiscanbegreattogivebuyersatruefeel ofyourhomeiftheypurchasingfrom overseasorbusyinvestors.Wealsoneedto considerwhetheritwilldeterviewersfrom attendingashowing.

Professionalvideography

Thiscanbegreattogivebuyersatruefeel ofyourhome.Videoadsalsogetbetter resultsindigitalmarketing

Step07

MARKETING YOUR HOME

Marketingyourhomeplaysanintegralrole insecuringthefullfinancialpotentialand findingthecorrectbuyer.

EMAILMARKETING

Wewillfeatureyourhomeinournewsletter toactivebuyers

NETWORKING

Withconnectionsintheindustryandalong listofbuyersagents,wewillexposeyour housetoawidebuyingaudiencebeforeit’s evenonthemarket

SIGNAGE

Wewillplaceayardsignonfrontofyour housetoadvertiseit'sforsaleandshowings

ONLINE

Wewillmarketyourhomeonlineandfeature itintheMLSandonvariousthirdpartysites suchasZillowandTrulia.

SOCIALMEDIA

Wewilluseavarietyofsocialmedia networkstogetexposureforyourproperty includingFacebook,LinkedIn,Instagramand anyothersuitablenetworks.

PRE-SHOWINGPREP

CHECKLIST

Install lockbox for the key

The lockbox holds the keys to the home and is typically found at the front guarded by a security lock that only licensed agents have access to. This allows real estate agents access to show your home on appointment.

Stowawayvaluables

Removemailandpersonaldocuments

Removeprescriptionmedicines

Onlyletscheduledappointmentsin

Keepitcleanforshowings

Removetrashbeforeeachshowing

Avoidcookingstrongscentedfood

Makesureroomisanicetemperature

Vacate-Sellershouldnotbepresent

Step08 OFFER CONSIDERATIONS

Whenabuyerwantstopurchaseyourhome,theywillmakeanofferontheproperty. Therearesomefactorstoconsiderwhenlookingatanoffer.

OFFERPRICE-Thisishowmuchmoneythebuyeriswillingtopayforthehome. Thiscanincludefeesandanyothercostsassociatedwithbuyingahome(closing costs)

EARNESTDEPOSIT-Thisisadepositwhichshowsthebuyerisseriousabout buyingthehouse;usuallyaround1percentofitsvaluebutmayvarydependingon factorssuchaslocation&marketrateetc.Thisamountwillbedeductedfrom closingcostsonceadealisfinalizedattheclosingtable.

CLOSINGCOSTS-Usuallyclosingcostsfallunderthebuyerscost,butonoccasion theywillrequestthesellertopayaportion.

LOANTYPE-Conventionalloansareoftentheleastcomplicatedandmost appealingforaseller.

CONTINGENCIES-Thisisapurchaseagreementspecifyinganactionor requirementthatmustbemetforthecontracttobecomelegallybinding.The fewercontingenciesincludedinanoffer,thebetterfortheseller

CASHOFFER-Cashoffersaregenerallymoreappealingasthemoneyisreadyto sendandthereisnowaitingonabanktoapprovealoan

CLOSINGTIME-Somebuyersmaybelookingtomoveinimmediately,othersmay bewaitinguntiltheircurrentpropertyissold Thismayinfluenceyourdecision basedonwhichtimingsuitsyoubetter

Step10 PRE-CLOSING

HOMEINSPECTION

Beforeclosingonahome,theprospectivebuyerwillusuallyscheduleaninspection withaprofessionalhomeinspector Theywillidentifyissueswiththehouseincluding structuralormechanicalissues.Thebuyerthenusesthisinfotonegotiatetheseller toreducethepriceorelsecarryouttherepairsbeforeclosing

APPRAISAL

Ifthebuyeristakingoutamortgage,theywillneedanindependentappraiserto provideanestimateofthehousetheyarepurchasing Theappraiserdecidesifthe costagreedisafairpricefortheproperty.

NEGOTIATIONS

Whenabuyerisnegotiatingapurchase, theywillcommonlyrequestthesellerto payforanyrepairsdiscoveredduringthe inspection.Thisiswhywerecommenda pre-listinginspection,soyouwillhavetime tofixthemorbeawareofanyissuesin advance.Iftheappraisalcomesinbelow thesaleprice,theymayrequestyouto reducetheprice

FINALWALKTHROUGH

Thebuyerwilldoafinalwalkthroughthe homewithin24hoursofclosingtocheck theproperty’sconditionandmakesureany repairworkthattheselleragreedtomake hasbeendone.

Step11

CLOSING DAY

Closingwilllikelybeheldattheofficeofthe titlecompany,attorneyorthelender

CLOSINGCOSTSTOSELLER

Mortgagebalanceandanypenalties

Anyunpaidassessmentsagainstyour property

Homewarranty

Titleinsurancepolicy

RealEstateAgentcommission

Propertytaxes(usuallysplitwithbuyer)

WHATTOBRING

TwoformsofGovernment-issuedphoto

ID

HouseKeys

GarageKeys

Mailboxkeys

WHOWILLBETHERE

Atitlecompanyrepresentative

Youragent(Me)

Thebuyer

Thebuyer'sagent

Yourloanofficer

Attorneysinvolvedinthetransaction

Onceallthepapersaresigned,theclosingis officiallycomplete

YOU HAVE OFFICIALLY SOLD YOUR HOME

MovingChecklist

PREP

KEEPCLOSINGDOCUMENTS

CANCELINSURANCE

BOOKTIMEOFFWORK

BOOKCHILDCAREFORMOVE

BOOKMOVINGTRUCK

DONATEUNWANTEDITEMS

MAKEINVENTORYOFYOURITEMS

TRANSFERPRESCRIPTIONRECORDS

REGISTERATNEWSCHOOLS

TAKECUTTINGSFROMPLANTS

MEASUREFURNITURE

DEFROSTFREEZER

NOTIFYOFMOVING

POSTOFFICE

EMPLOYER&PAYROLL

TELEPHONE,INTERNET

TAX&SOCIALSECURITY

BANK&CREDITUNION

GARBAGEREMOVAL

DOCTOR

DENTIST

ATTORNEY

SUBSCRIPTIONS

HEALTH&DENTALINSURANCE

LIFEINSURANCE

HOME&CARINSURANCE

FRIENDS&OVERSEASFRIENDS

'OPENFIRST'BOX CLEANINGSUPPLIES

LIGHTBULBS TOOLS(KNIFE,SCISSORS)

LIGHTBULBS

CHILDRENSTOYS

COFFEE,TEA,SNACKS REMOTECONTROL

PACKOVERNIGHTBAG

PYJAMAS&CLEANCLOTHES

TOOTHBRUSH&TOILETRIES TOILETPAPER MEDICATION

PETFOOD&LEAD TOWELS

IMPORTANTDOCUMENTS

CASH&VALUABLES

MOVINGDAY

LEAVEMAILBOXKEYS

LEAVEGARAGEKEYS

LEAVEHOUSEKEYS

PUTPETSSOMEWHERESECURE

PROTECTPHONESANDCARPETS

MAKESUREBOXESARELABELLED

FINALCLEAN&REMOVETRASH

LEAVEOWNERMANUAL&RECEIPTS

NOTES