Selling a home can be an exciting, and potentially overwhelming, time in your life. We understand that there are many factors in this life-changing event. Our goal is provide a high level of professional and personal service resulting in selling your home in the shortest amount of time, with the highest profit margin and ensuring a smooth home selling experience.
When it comes to selling a home there are many complex tasks that must be completed and we will help you every step of the way. From making your home look its best with professional staging and eye-catching custom marketing materials, to determining the appropriate price, to negotiating the best possible terms and finalizing the sale, and the commitment to providing you with exceptional service before, during, and after the sale of your home.
In this detailed guide, we have included a breakdown of everything that goes into the home selling process and explain how a top-performing real estate broker can ensure the sale goes as quickly and smoothly as possible. Thank you for the opportunity to interview for the very important job of your Real Estate Agent.
Sharon GlatzScott & Mary Lee
Sharon Glatz Scott & Mary Lee Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty
Meet Sharon & Mary
As a dedicated and results-driven real estate professional with over 13 years of experience, Sharon has established herself as a trusted advocate for her clients. Her commitment to excellence is reflected in her continuous pursuit of knowledge and professional development. By staying up-to-date with the latest industry trends and leveraging cutting-edge technology, she provides her clients with a competitive edge in the market.
Her track record of success is a testament to her strategic approach and deep understanding of the local real estate market. Her clients benefit from her keen market insights, innovative marketing strategies, and expert negotiation skills. With a focus on client satisfaction, Sharon goes above and beyond to ensure that each transaction is handled with the utmost care and attention to detail.
Sharon Glatz-Scott, REALTOR®
M: 206.795-7082
Mary Lee, REALTOR®
M: 425-941-4229
Mary has been a licensed Realtor® since 1987 and has since become a prominent agent in Seattle and on the Eastside. In 2005, Mary created The Ultimate Home Selling Success System™, an exclusive results-oriented system that creates the best home selling experience and results for sellers. As a result, Mary has not sold a home with an Inspection Contingency since 2005, eliminating a second round of price negotiations and/or repair requests with the buyer.
Through Mary’s innovative marketing and proven negotiation skills and strategies, her sellers enjoy a smooth home selling experience without the normal buyer contingencies. This innovative process creates a faster sale, higher sales price and often with multiple offers, giving sellers their choice of buyers, price and terms.
Meet the Team
Shannon Olcese
Branch Manager
Shannon Olcese is a Branch Manager at Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty, where she has supported and empowered brokers for over two years. With 25 years of industry experience, Shannon is dedicated to providing brokers with the tools and guidance they need to succeed. Her focus on fostering a collaborative environment has made her an invaluable asset to the team, driving both individual and company-wide success.
Shelley Cribby
Director of Broker Care
Shelley Cribby is the Director of Broker Care and Operations at Realogics
Sotheby’s International Realty, where she ensures the Broker Care team operates efficiently and consistently. With over 30 years of real estate experience and 11 years at Realogics, Shelley has been key in streamlining operations and supporting the brokerage's success. Her dedication to excellence and fostering collaboration makes her an invaluable asset to the company
Samantha Wallace
Operations Specialist
Samantha Wallace is the Broker Operations Specialist at Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty, where she has been a key team member for nearly a decade. With three promotions, she has contributed to broker support, onboarding, education, and operations. Known for her attention to detail and strong people skills, Samantha ensures smooth operations and valuable broker support, making her an essential asset to the team.
Commitment
Our Real Estate Team is committed to carefully blending integrity, knowledge and experience to provide the finest service available.
We Do It Differently
Who you work with matters. Most people think real estate agents are basically all the same. Unfortunately, they are often right. We think that is unacceptable. After over 35 years of experience, we have developed a proprietary system that consistently delivers the best possible results for our clients.
This Seller’s Guide is designed to clearly explain exactly what we do to help you sell your home for the most money in the shortest amount of time, and eliminate the common pitfalls that can impact your bottom line.
The Ultimate Home Selling Success System™ is designed to increase demand for your home, attracting more buyers, possibly leading to multiple offers and ultimately earning you a higher sales price.
In a sea of advertising, one must stand out to be recognized. Everything we do is designed to showcase your home to maximize its exposure to potential buyers.
As you will see throughout this Seller’s Guide, no one does more to sell your home.
Understanding
We believe clients have a right to honest and forthright information in a manner they can understand.
How We Do It
Exclusive Seller Agency (No Dual Agency)
The Ultimate Home Selling Success System™
Professional Staging Consultation
Professional Staging & Design Services
Professional HD Photography
Professional Videography
Strategic Pricing Consultation
Custom Magazine-Style Marketing Brochures
Premier Exposure to National Portals
Realogics Sotheby’s Syndicated Network
Custom Property Website
Targeted Marketing
Safe Showing Protocols & Showing Feedback
Weekly Updates
Monthly Market Reports
Expert Negotiation & Transaction Execution
Success
We believe that true success comes from doing the right things for the right reasons.
The Old Way of Doing Business
Most real estate agents use the traditional strategy of selling a home known as the 4 P’s, which include:
1. Put a sign up
2. Put a keybox on
3. Put it in the MLS
4. Pray
Although this strategy can sometimes work, sellers can miss out on maximum market exposure because they are not receiving a targeted and comprehensive marketing plan. Therefore, they are not getting the best buyer and possible outcome. In 2005, Mary reverse-engineered the home sale process to address the common problems that occur in the sale of a home by creating The Ultimate Home Selling Success System™.
The Ultimate Home Selling Success System
The Ultimate Home Selling Success System™ creates a ‘Seller’s Market’ regardless of market conditions and the best opportunity for multiple offers, which gives sellers their choice of buyers, price, and terms. Our exclusive home selling process removes the normal buyer contingencies including the problematic home inspection contingency.
We have been successfully selling our listings without a buyer’s home Inspection Contingency since 2005. This strategy has resulted in our listings selling in a shorter time frame, with a higher sales price and often with multiple offers. The extra profit we create for our clients can truly be life changing!
PRE-INSPECTION
PREPARATION
PRICING
PROMOTION
NEGOTIATION
Pre-Inspection
Why a Pre-Inspection?
When selling a home, you have two options - you either know the condition of the home up front or after the buyer has you under contract. If you wait until after contract, you will be at a disadvantage and risk a second round of price negotiations, where the buyer may ask for expensive upgrades and repairs.
When a buyer estimates the time, materials, and costs required to fix something, they typically overestimate the actual cost by 2 to 4 times. For example, what appears to be an expensive plumbing leak might be fixed by tightening a fitting or replacing a washer.
In the worst case scenario, a buyer can change their mind and cancel the sale In this event, you will have lost valuable market time. It is also rare that a seller gets their price again, causing you to lose thousands of dollars in profit, and run the risk of being seen as a stigmatized property in the market.
Benefits of a Pre-Listing Home Inspection
Buyers typically feel more confident about making an offer on a home with a pre-inspection, since they have all the information they need to feel comfortable moving forward. By disclosing the complete condition of the property, you establish trust and credibility with the buyer.
A pre-inspection will enable you to make repairs while you are in control, plus the opportunity to get multiple estimates and negotiate price. A prepared seller will choose to put their home in top condition to generate the best response from the market. Sellers can also sell their home as-is and price it accordingly.
Cost
Because we feel so strongly that a pre-inspected home sells faster and for more money, our team will pay to have your home inspected once we sign the listing paperwork.
Most Common Home Inspection Issues
1. Faulty wiring faulty or missing GFCI outlets, open junction boxes, low amperage, and double tapping within the electric panel.
2. Poor grading and drainage - spongy soil around the foundation, signs of leaking in basement or crawl space creating water stains, mold or mildew.
3. Faulty gutters - clogged or bent gutters, water not channeled away from house.
4. Pest Issues - signs of rodent and/or pest activity in crawl space or attic.
8. Poor ventilation - extreme heat in attic, vapor condensation.
9. Defective furnace - cracks in the heat exchanger; carbon monoxide leaks.
10.Deferred maintenance - broken window seals, old appliances, dated carpet and fixtures, missing smoke and/or carbon monoxide detectors, hot water tank straps.
Preparation
The first steps in preparation, described below, will not only get your home ready for the market, it will also get you prepared to move.
Proper preparation of a home provides you with a quicker sale and a higher sales price.
De-Clutter
The more uncluttered and unencumbered floor space the buyer can see, the larger and more inviting a home will feel. It is also important to neutralize the space and remove all personal photos. The goal is to help the buyers envision themselves in the home.
Deep Clean
A good deep clean is an absolute necessity after the clutter has been removed. This involves cleaning both the inside and outside of the home.
Repair
Home buyers generally suspect that homes with small items in disrepair will have bigger items that have not been addressed. We strongly encourage sellers to complete any minor and cosmetic home repairs that sellers can afford to fix.
Replace
Some items in a home cannot be saved even after cleaning and trying to repair. Installing new carpet or giving the walls a fresh coat of paint can make all the difference to a potential buyer.
Stage
While de-cluttering, cleaning, replacing and making minor repairs will help prepare your home for sale, professional staging helps create the ‘model home’ look and makes the home more appealing to buyers.
Professional Staging
In our market, you are not just competing against the resale homes around the corner, you are often competing against the model homes from local builders. Our professional stagers will work with you to present your home in the very best light to enable potential buyers to fall in love with your home.
They will provide you with a step-by-step report of what needs to be done to best showcase your home to WOW potential buyers. Our services include both staging design and installation to make sure your home is ready for the market.
Data collected on a national basis shows homes that are staged spend less time on the market, gives potential buyers the ability to visualize themselves living in the home and can garner a higher sales price.
We feel so strongly that a staged home sells faster and for more money, our team will pay to have your professionally staged once we sign the listing paperwork.
Before & After Staging
Professional Photography & Video
Great photography speaks volumes. Our goal is to present your home in the best possible light by highlighting the amenities and attention you have invested in your home. That’s why we invest in professional photography from the very best real estate photography groups in the area.
They use advanced software to maximize the lighting in every photo of your home. We also invest in a walk-through cinematic video on staged homes at a price range of $2 million and above.
These custom marketing strategies really help your home stand out in the marketplace and will motivate potential buyers to schedule an in-home viewing.
Pricing
Days on Market
One of the first things a buyer is going to ask about a home is “How long has it been on the market”? This is because they are trying to determine how to negotiate with you. If a home has only been on the market a few days or a couple of weeks, the buyer will assume there isn’t much room for negotiation. Conversely, if a home has been sitting on the market a month or more, the prospective buyer will use the home’s ‘days on market’ to negotiate against you, creating a ‘buyer advantage’ in negotiations.
potential buyers. The number one factor that keeps a home from selling is pricing the home above market value.
An overpriced home:
▪ Minimizes exposure during the initial launch
▪ Decreases the number of showings
▪ Decreases the number or potential buyers
▪ Causes financing issues with low appraisals
▪ Increases days on market
▪ Nets less money for seller
▪ Limits qualified buyers
▪ Helps sell the competition
Most buyers consider homes that have been on the market a long time as ‘stigmatized property’ and will assume that something is wrong with the home since it is still available and hasn’t sold. This is why it is so important to start with the correct price from the beginning.
Pricing Strategy
Proper Pricing to Maximize Profits
While sellers may have a list price in mind, the market value is ultimately determined by the buyer and market conditions. Therefore, it is imperative for us to do thorough research on the local market and discover exactly what buyers are currently paying for similar homes.
1. Evaluating The Home
We will gather information about the home through county records, touring the home, and by collecting detailed information from the owners on capital improvements, repairs, and upgrades.
2. Research Information on the Local Market
In addition to collecting details on the property, we will gather information on the current active and pending homes, as well as the recent sold properties in the area that are similar in size, age and features.
3. Create a Price Analysis & Market Study
Comparing the home to similar properties that are currently for sale or were recently sold is important to understanding the current market conditions. This side-by-side comparison report of homes is a critical step in the pricing process.
4. Determine the Best Pricing Strategy
Most agents only have one strategy when it comes to pricing your home. Fortunately, we are NOT like most agents. We will walk you through 3 different pricing strategies, along with the pros and cons for each strategy, including which approach best fits our current market. We believe you deserve to have all the facts, so you can make an informed decision.
What is my home worth?
Promotion
Signage
From outdoor signage to special feature cards, we make sure to highlight the best features of your home.
NWMLS
The Multiple Listing Service is where we post information about the home, and how agents search for homes for their buyers.
Sotheby’s Network
Our local offices have over 280 agents that are notified when we list your home, as well as Sotheby’s International website.
Syndication
Your home will be syndicated to all of the local top real estate companies, including Zillow and Realtor.com
Social Network
In addition to creating buzz by posting on our business pages, we pay for targeted marketing on social sites.
Print Material
We will create beautiful custom brochures and flyers for the property that will help your home stand out.
Email Blasts
We send a customized email to a targeted list of agents who have sold homes in your area and price range.
3D Home Tour
One of the latest and greatest tools for a buyer to virtually tour your home is a 3D home tour by Matterport.
Open House
An Open House can be a great strategy to get additional buyers through your home.
By Appointment
ShowingTime is a connected service to all agents in our MLS to schedule private showings and offer visitor feedback.
The Power of the Sotheby’s Network
Vision. Passion. Momentum.
Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty creates new conversations within the markets it serves. With a passion for evolving forward, we foster a progressive culture, whether we’re producing our own films and print publications, developing one-of-a-kind marketing platforms, hosting lifestyle events or giving back to our community.
About Us
The Pacific Northwest’s largest affiliate within the global real estate network, Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty has branch offices in Downtown Seattle, Madison Park, Bainbridge Island, Kirkland, Mercer Island, and Downtown Bellevue. Our Brokers and Global Real Estate Advisors proudly serve all property types and price points throughout Puget Sound and beyond.
With an “international” middle name, we represent the best of both worlds through a local and global reach. Given this position, we are responsible for representing the Puget Sound region to an international audience; we proudly represent global citizens and are thrilled they’re choosing to make their homes here. Our global brand includes over 26,000 sales associates and 1,100 offices throughout the world.
Every Home is a Sotheby’s International Realty Home
Our firm’s real estate professionals apply their local expertise to tailor a comprehensive and customized plan for your home that takes all marketing avenues into consideration, from print and digital to public relations, social media and beyond. Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty guides agents in this endeavor with a team of marketing specialists that offer insight and award-winning marketing solutions.
Experience the Sotheby’s Difference Service that’s as elevated as your standards.
Custom Property Website
Each of our listings has their own property website that features professional highquality photography, videography, 3D virtual tour, and floorplan (when appropriate).
Your home will also be a Featured Listing on our website. You never know where the buyer is going to come from who will decide to buy your home.
That’s why we promote your home EVERYWHERE – from your neighbors, local agents and online syndication to every corner of the globe.
Magazine-Style Custom Brochures
We want you to stand out! We invest in full-color multi-page brochures with beautiful photography and impressive descriptions to make sure your home stands out and is remembered long after the showing is over.
We also provide a brochure box on the on the For Sale sign to attract potential buyers who are driving or walking by. These brochures showcase some of the very best photos of your home, along with a list of prime features.
Knowledge-Communication-Feedback
Knowledge is Power
As a homeowner you want to know what kind of results our marketing efforts are having for your home.
How many people are seeing your home in their search results on sites like, Zillow and Trulia? How many of these potential buyers have chosen to view the details of your home or save it as one of their favorites?
We provide these answers in a customized monthly report. Knowledge is power and we want you to be “in the know” every step of the way.
We Want to Keep You Informed
We want you to be as comfortable as possible while selling your home and a big part of that is effective communication. We want you to know what’s going on and we promise to be with you every step of the way.
After selling their homes, a number of our clients have told us that they will miss talking to us every week! When you work with us, you can count on hearing from us on a very routine basis. As soon as we know something, so will you.
There’s simply no replacement for good communication.
Feedback is Critical
We invest in Showing Suite, a customized showing feedback system, so that you know who has been through your home, and what those potential buyers thought of your home. We also use this Showing Journal to proactively reach out to agents with interested buyers to promote the most activity possible for your home.
Negotiation
Expert negotiation abilities is one of the most important skills home sellers want their agent to have when representing them in the sale of their home. One of our many professional designations includes advanced training through the Master Certified Negotiation Expert (MCNE)™. Mona & Mary’s top negotiation skills and proven process combined with over 45 years of successful real estate experience will ensure you have the right buyer at the right price, and is 110% committed to closing the sale.
In addition to Mona & Mary’s proven negotiation skills, we have developed innovative strategies to create a successful home sale. These strategies include:
Selling Agent Packet
In order to make sure all of the information about the property is available to potential buyers and their agents, we create a customized Selling Agent Packet, which includes the pre-listing home inspection, receipts for any work that has been completed, the preliminary title report, HOA documents instructions on how to submit the most competitive offer. This process results in complete and thorough offers.
Offer Review Date & Time (When Appropriate)
Selecting a date to review offers allows all potential buyers to see the home and make an offer if interested. This is a top-tier strategy that allows sellers the best chance for multiple offers, and a higher sales price.
Multiple Offer Strategy
Our proven marketing and follow-up systems ensure that the home has maximum market exposure and the best chance for multiple offers.
Offer Improvement Call
When we receive more than one offer on a home, we let the buyer’s agent know that we received multiple offers and allow them an opportunity to have their clients improve their offer (including price and terms) before we meet to review the offers.
Offer Review
We will meet with you either in-person or virtually to review offers received. During this meeting, we will carefully analyze the following criteria:
1. Final sales price (including escalation clauses)
2. Financing and other contingencies
3. Closing and possession dates
4. Included/Excluded items
Once you select an offer, we will prepare a Seller’s Estimated Net Proceeds Sheet with
Price
Escalation amount
Earnest Money amount
Making the Earnest Money non-refundable
Releasing the Earnest Money to you
Removing contingencies
Providing loan approval and/or proof of funds
Using your preferred closing date
Offering a post-close possession at no cost to seller
Testimonials
I am pleased to highly recommend Mary Lee with Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty. After deciding to sell my home that I designed and custom built and enjoyed with my children and grandchildren after 23 years, I knew I needed expert help to sort and downsize a lifetime of possessions. I knew I needed to get my home ready for the market so I could maximize my profit as I started the next chapter of my life. Mary was an invaluable choice in guiding me through this journey from start to finish.
She was there every step of the way. She knew exactly what time frame was needed for the process, and she connected me with her vetted vendors to help me with everything from house preparation to packing and moving. Her custom marketing pieces were stunning and highlighted my home’s unique features and amenities which really helped my home stand out in the market
Her pricing strategy was well-researched and matched my expectations on the listing price. I received several offers with a final sales price that I was very happy with. I am so pleased she found the right buyers who will create many happy years with their family as I did with mine.
I enthusiastically recommend Mary for any future real estate journeys you have!
- Lowell Howard
Testimonials
Sharon is a top-notch Realtor! You can’t go wrong with having Sharon help you sell your home or buy your dream home. She has savvy business sense and knows the real estate market very well. Not only is Sharon my agent, but she has also become a professional resource for anything related to my home and has become a friend of the whole family. You won’t find anyone else that will work harder for your dreams.
- Bob Williams
Sharon Glatz Scott was the PERFECT realtor to sell my elderly father’s house she is a senior specialist and she accommodated his senior quirks and needs with great patience and thoughtfulness. Her expertise and unfailing cheerfulness encouraged us throughout the process, and every one of her suggestions was vindicated the house sold quickly and smoothly for a great price. We were super impressed with her commitment to us as her clients she tackled and solved every challenge along the way. She has the BEST network of additional people you need: packer, cleaner, home inspector, stager, banker, escrow agent every one of these people made the whole process an unexpected pleasure. We HIGHLY recommend Sharon to help you navigate Seattle’s real estate landscape!
-Dana Mills
Sharon has helped me several times in the Seattle area buy and sell houses. She’s incredibly detailed and creative and every time, I’ve found the house I wanted at the right price and been able to sell my homes at a good price and quickly! Sharon is easy to deal with, great with electronic communication, and always responsive.
-Mark Young
Sharon was the most accommodating and knowledgeable Real Estate Professional that I have ever worked with. In a word fantastic. She listened to my wants and needs and took into consideration all my restraints and presented me with a perfect selection and helped make it a reality. There is no way I could give a higher recommendation, she is the best.
- R. Cash
Noteworthy Sales
How Much Does It Cost To Sell Your House?
Expect to pay up to 9% of the sales Price
These expenses include:
Listing Agent Fees
Buyer’s Agent Fees
WA State Excise Tax
Title Insurance Policy
Escrow/Closing Fee
Document Preparation Fee
Recording Fee
Pre-Listing
Home Sale Timeline
Meet with Seller to Discuss Goals and Strategy
Tour Home, Note Features
Discuss Any Improvements Needed
Collect Market Data
Price Analysis and Market Study
Determine Pricing Strategy
Sign Listing Agreement
Order Preliminary Title Report
Schedule Pre-Inspection
Staging Consultation
Professional Home Staging
Professional Photography and Videography
Create Marketing Materials
Input Listing to NWMLS
Prepare Selling Agent Packet
Order Sign for Installation
Seller’s Responsibilities:
Clean and Declutter Home
Complete Deferred Maintenance
Make Repairs from Inspection
Listing Launch
Launch Listing on NWMLS
Launch Listing on Sotheby’s
Install Keybox
Post Selling Agent Packet
Launch Property Website
Listing Syndication
Set-up Showing Suite
Set-up Reverse Prospecting on Northwest MLS
Email Targeted Agents
Direct Mail Campaign
Social Media Campaign
Set-up ShowingTime
Viewing By Appointment Only
Follow-Up on Showings
Monitor Market Changes/ New Listings/Sold Listings
Weekly Updates to Client
Monthly Written Report
Market Repositioning After 12 Showings or 20 Days
Under Contract
Open Escrow
Send Contract to Buyer’s Lender
Call Title with Buyer’s Names
Update NWMLS and Other Portals
Track Earnest Money Deposit
Meet Appraiser at Home With Best Comparables
Follow Up on Buyer’s Financing
Obtain Receipts for Any Work Repairs
Weekly Updates with Client
Coordinate Buyer Walk-Through
Execute Any Remaining Documents
Confirm Move Out Date
Verify Accuracy of All Closing Documents
Closing
Verify Signing Appointments
Attend Signing When Possible
Coordinate Key Exchange with Buyer’s Agent
Verify Funds Release
Verify Recording of Documents
Reminder to Cancel Utilities/Mail
Order Sign Removal
Update Listing Status in NWMLS
We look forward to creating a “Success Story” for you!
