Many sellers want to know how to maximize the value of their home. A few strategic improvements can reap big benefits when it comes time to sell. Our agents know which improvements appeal to buyers and which ones are a waste of money. We can walk through your home with you and identify what, if anything, should be done before you place your largest asset on the market. We can recommend trusted contractors, painters, flooring people and handymen to do any work needed. They show up, do great work and are reasonably priced.
We will help you understand the current market and how it affects what a buyer is likely to pay for your home. Accurate pricing is the single most important factor in the home selling strategy. Obviously you don't want to under price it but over pricing it can actually lead to a lower selling price than if it was priced correctly from the start. Even in today's market, buyers rarely make offers on homes they think are over-priced. After being on the market for an extended period of time, it can be difficult to get buyers interested in your property, even with significant price reductions. Selecting the appropriate price right from the start, not too low or too high, will create a sense of urgency on the part of buyers and lead to competitive bidding and a quick sale. With our deep knowledge of the local market and decades of experience, we can help you identify the optimum list price.
Our experience has shown that staging a home can have a significant positive impact on its sale price and the length of time it takes to sell it. Depersonalizing spaces, rearranging or eliminating furniture, editing decorations or adding accessories that create a homey, comfortable appeal are just some of what a stager can do for you. We provide a free consultation with an accredited staging professional and in many cases can include the staging of your home at no cost to you when you list with us. Let's meet and talk about it, there is no obligation.
Let's face it… the days of a buyer calling on a sign on the lawn or an ad in the paper are over. Every buyer today uses the internet to shop for homes. They decide which homes to view based on how they show on line. High quality photographs ensure that your home jumps off the computer screen and yells "buy me!" Our photographer uses the latest equipment and photo editing technology so that buyers can see all the best features of your home. Drone photography can be utilized to highlight the surrounding neighborhood. Virtual photography will enable a buyer to "walk through" your home on line so that only the most interested buyers need to tour it. Every home we list, whether a cottage or a mansion gets this premier package of photographic options.
We make sure local agents know your home is on the market. Every South Bay agent is notified right away. They receive an email with pictures, a description and a direct link to your home’s listing in our Multiple Listing Service so they can view the information easily. Each of these agents will be invited to view your home on a set day and time giving them the opportunity to view your home to determine if your home is right for their clients.
We will utilize the California Regional Multiple Listing Service to make your home available to every real estate agent in Southern California. Your home will also have Featured Listing status on the four most visited real estate portals, Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com and Homes.com. This will ensure that your home is listed at the top of every buyer's search results assuring more views and ultimately more offers.
Once your home is on the market, agents will contact you to arrange a showing. Keeping your home tidy and clean for each showing is essential. Vacating the property during showings will give buyers the opportunity to imagine themselves living in your home without feeling that they are intruding. They will be able to evaluate your home and discuss their thoughts openly with their agent. Make sure all the lights are on and take any pets with you. We use an electronic lockbox to give authorized agents access to your home in your absence. This simplifies the showing process and ensures that showing requests can be easily scheduled. With this system we can eliminate missed showing opportunities and minimize the inconvenience to you of showing your home.
Open houses are a fantastic way to show your home to many buyers in a short period of time. Scheduled on one or both weekend days, we will publicize it via email, direct mail and newspaper advertising. We'll utilize Facebook advertising to target people who are interested in buying real estate and have the right income level, geographic location and age range. With this powerful targeted advertising, our open houses regularly attract 50 or more buyers in a 3 hour period. This creates the perception that your home is a "hot property" making multiple offers likely.
This is the part you've been waiting for - you’ve got offers on your property! Now what? With decades of experience as real estate agents, we'll be able to discuss the pros and cons of each offer. The offer price is what most sellers focus on and rightly so, but there are other factors that should be considered also. The amount of down payment, length of escrow, and buyer contingencies are other important aspects of every offer. The reputation of the buyer's agent and the strength of the buyer's prequalification letter, proof of down payment and FICO scores are other factors we will help you consider. We know the red flags to watch for and we will be able to steer you around any potential problems toward a smooth and timely closing.
Once you have accepted an offer we'll "open escrow". The escrow officer will manage the paperwork involved in selling your home. They are the neutral third party that handles the paperwork and the many details involved. Recording the deed, managing the payoff of your existing loan and coordinating with the title company to record the deed are just a few of their responsibilities. They will also help the buyer sign their loan documents and the best part is they'll wire your sale proceeds into your bank account at close of escrow.
As you can see, the process of preparing your home for sale, marketing it effectively and guiding the parties through the sale process is complicated but exciting. The good news is that, with our expert advice, it will all come off without a hitch. We will maximize the value of your home assuring you the most money possible with a minimum of hassle and inconvenience. Contact us today, we are anxious to get started.