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Once you’ve decided to sell your property, there are various factors you need to take into consideration.

Motivation to Sell

It’s important to understand why you want to sell your property. Are you looking for a larger property, a different neighborhood or a better school district? Is your career relocating you to another city or state? Identifying your motivation to sell will allow us to efficiently determine the best option for your specified financial, lifestyle, and real estate goals.

Establish a Timeframe

How quickly do you want to sell your property? If the need to sell is urgent, we can accelerate the process by providing a complete market analysis and action plan to achieve your goals. If the need to sell is not immediate, you can consult with one of our expert agents to thoroughly review the current market conditions and find the most favorable time to sell.

Current Market

When selling your property, the goal is to get the best price possible. Our agents are experienced in negotiation and constantly monitor activity in the real estate marketplace. With their knowledge and expertise, they will guide you in positioning it among the competition by recommending the appropriate asking price and the best time to list your property competition.

Financial Optimization

When selling your home, it’s crucial to consider your current financial situation and how the transition could impact your financial future. Our highly skilled team can estimate the potential proceeds of selling your property as well as assist in developing effective tax savings and estate planning strategies. Our goal isn’t just to help you take control of your finances – we want to make sure you make the most of them.

While there may appear to be advantages to selling your property independently, it is an important undertaking and one best left to professionals. There are a few key factors to consider when choosing a professional real estate agent.

Education

One of the most important factors to consider when choosing an agent to sell your home is their education. It should go well beyond simply obtaining their real estate license. Choose an agent who continues to further their industry knowledge and stands out among their peers.

Experience and Expertise

It’s essential to choose an agent who has extensive experience with your location and the type of property you are selling. They should masterfully implement a diverse range of marketing strategies, be adept in all of the current marketing technology and have a proven sales record.

Availability and Commitment

When selling your property, you want an agent who is dedicated and be capable of prompt and decisive action. They should be easily accessible for questions or immediate concerns including on evenings and weekends and keep you up to date throughout the entire process.

Rapport

Your listing agent will be your advocate in this important undertaking. It is crucial that you choose an agent that listens to your concerns, understand your goals and is genuinely invested not only in the process of selling your property but in your desired outcome as well.

True Market Value

When attempting to sell independently, many property owners tend to overestimate the value of their property. An unrealistic asking price can deter potential buyers. Working with a professional real estate agent will help you avoid this pitfall.

At the Freeman Group, our professional agents continue to advance their training and education. This has allowed our team to be among the top agents in the world and earn prestigious designations in the real estate industry. We will guide you every step of the way, from the initial agreement to the final document at settlement. Our experience and expertise combined our extensive contacts in industry networks enable us to implement the most effective marketing strategies for the sale of your property.

When getting ready to put your property on the market, there are many ways to elevate its appeal and make a lasting impact on potential buyers.

Curb Appeal

A well manicured landscape will make a great first impression on buyers before they even step inside. If seasonally appropriate, accent your yard with colorful plants and flowers. If it’s the wrong time of year for plantings, make sure gardens and flower beds are clean and freshly mulched.

Repairs and Upgrades

Simple repairs can brighten up your property and have a huge impact on its overall appeal. Getting ready to list your property is the perfect time for fresh paint, polished cabinet and door hardware, new light bulbs and other minor repairs you may have been putting off.

Housekeeping and Staging

Your property should be clean and uncluttered before and throughout the selling process. It is recommended that the carpets and windows be cleaned. It’s important to pay attention to the details. Before each showing, make sure cleaning supplies and pet products are out of sight and add a vase of fresh flowers near the entryway. Your agent will scan the property before it is listed for sale to see how you can improve the staging of your property.

Disclosures and Inspections

Completing the appropriate inspections and having a disclosure statement prepared prior to listing your property will impress buyers and make showings more productive. A properly developed disclosure statement will be beneficial to both parties and buyers will appreciate that inspections such as termite and pest inspections have already been done.

Showtime

Buyers will typically feel more comfortable discussing your property with the agent if you aren’t there. An experienced agent will understand and provide the information which will be most valuable in representing your interests when speaking with prospective buyers. Presenting your property is a task we will take care of for you.

Look Beyond Price

“The higher the price, the better the offer.” This is a common misconception when receiving offers on a property. It’s important to understand that an initial offer is typically not final as there are numerous terms and conditions may alter that price during negotiations price offered. You can trust our professionals to help you thoroughly evaluate every proposal without compromising your marketing position.

Proper Negotiation

“The higher the price, the better the offer.” This is a common misconception when receiving offers on a property. It’s important to understand that an initial offer is typically not final as there are numerous terms and conditions may alter that price during negotiations price offered. You can trust our professionals to help you thoroughly evaluate every proposal without compromising your marketing position.

Initial Agreement and Deposit.

An effective agreement is a legal arrangement between a potential buyer and the seller. Laws vary from state to state, but in order to be a legally binding agreement, the agreement may require consideration. This consideration is the initial and any additional deposit provided by the buyer. It must be held in the escrow account of the closing agent pending the fulfillment of conditions or contingencies in the effective agreement.

Tips to Streamline the Process

Keep written records of everything. It’s important to transcribe all verbal agreements including counter-offers and addendums and convert them to written agreements to be signed by both parties. We will assist you in drafting all the paperwork involved in selling your property and provide you with copies of all documents.

Stick to the schedule. Once you’ve accepted an offer, you and the buyer will be given a timeline to mark every stage in the process of closing the real estate contract. Meeting each requirement on time will keep the process moving forward smoothly and ensure that all parties involved are not in breach of their agreements. We will constantly keep you updated, allowing you to be thoroughly prepared for each step.

Inspections and Appraisals

Inspections must be conducted within the agreed upon timeframe specified in the effective contract to purchase. Most buyers will hire a licensed property inspector to perform an overall inspection of the property. Some buyers prefer to hire several different inspectors in an effort to obtain professional evaluations of specific areas of the property (eg. roof, HVAC, structure).

When an agreement is conditional upon financing, your property will be appraised by a licensed appraiser. This is done to determine the true value of the property and allow the lending institution to confirm their investment is accurate. If the property being sold is commercial, the lender may require the buyer to have a complete environmental audit performed and/or soil test.

Closing Agent

Either an attorney or the title company will be designated as the closing agent. It is their responsibility to examine and ensure a clear title to real estate being sold. After thoroughly researching the recorded history of your property, they will certify that your title is free and clear of encumbrances (eg. mortgages, leases, liens, or restrictions) by the date of closing. They will also certify that all new encumbrances are duly included in the title.

Contingencies

A contingency is a condition that must be met before a contract becomes legally binding. For example, a buyer will typically require that a contract be contingent on upon a satisfactory home inspection report from a licensed inspector.

Prior to completing the purchase of your property, the buyer will review every aspect of the property and satisfy any requirements outlined in the purchase agreement and any applicable amendments. This includes obtaining financing and insurance, reviewing all pertinent documents, and determining the condition of your property by conducting any inspections they deem necessary.

Depending on the outcome of these inspections, one of two things may happen. If all requirements are met and all inspections are satisfactory, the contingencies will be removed, bringing you one step closer to closing. If any documents or inspections are found to unsatisfactory, the buyer will request a renegotiation of the terms in the contract.

Should a renegotiation be necessary, our team of professionals will respond objectively and fairly to the buyer while acting in your best interest. We have extensive experience with all types of real estate transactions and guarantee our expertise and total commitment to every client, regardless of the situation.

Loan Approval

When selling your property, we recommend only working with buyers who can provide a lender’s pre-approval, approval letter, or written loan commitment. These are a better guarantee of loan approval than a simple pre-qualification from a lending institution or no documentation at all.

Closing Day

The closing date has finally arrived and the process of selling your property is almost complete. There are still a few loose ends to tie up before congratulations are in order.

Final Walk-Through Inspection

The final inspection takes place either the day before or the day of the closing. This is the buyer’s final review of the property before signing the closing documents. The purpose of the walk-through is to verify that everything is working properly and nothing has been changed or altered since the buyer’s previous visits. At this time, the buyer will also make sure that nothing has been left behind that wasn’t previously agreed upon.

Cancel Services and Utilities

All utilities and services to the property should be canceled once closing is complete This can be arranged in advance or taken care of immediately after closing. We will provide a list of useful numbers for the termination of utilities and services.

Prepare for the Unexpected

In most cases, by the time closing day arrives, everything is in place to successfully complete the sale of your property. Occasionally, an unforeseen issue can pop up at the last minute. The buyer may discover something broken during the walk-through or their financing could be  delayed. Whatever the problem, there is no need to worry. We have encountered these issues before and are thoroughly equipped to handle them quickly and efficiently.

Closing

The settlement statement summarizes and details the financial transactions enacted in the process. The closing agent will provide all the parties involved with a copy of this statement. The buyer, you and the closing agent will sign the statement, certifying it’s accuracy.

Should you be unable to attend the scheduled closing, usually arrangements can be made for you to participate remotely. This will depend on the circumstances and how far in advance notice of your absence is received.

Any funds received from the transaction can be wired electronically to an account at your financial institution or be issued to you in a certified bank check at the closing. As the seller, you should arrange to have all keys and any other important property information for the new owner at closing.