.jpg)
Full Service Real Estate
We will guide you through every step of the process all while saving you money.
Save You Money
Our goal is to provide an outstanding experience while saving you money through market expertise and skilled negotiation
​
Excellence In All We Do
Our mission is to approach every aspect of our work with the same level of excellence that we would hope to receive.
Integrity
We are committed to providing real estate services with the highest level of integrity and customer service.
Step-by-Step Guidance for Sellers
​
Pricing is the most critical factor in the sale of real estate. Price a home too high and the property will sit on the market for months with little to no interest. Price a home too low and you risk leaving money on the table. Your Rivers Realty agent has the experience and market awareness necessary to advise you of where to price your home to maximize its value and minimize its time on the market.
​
​
A Rivers Realty agent will meet you in your home for the initial consultation. The purpose of this visit is to evaluate the property’s condition and identify the positive and negative characteristics of the home. The goal is to highlight the positive and minimize the negative characteristics of the property. Your Rivers Realty agent will discuss these characteristics with you and develop a plan for how to best market your home.
​
​
The condition of your home is the second most important factor influencing the sale of your home. Most homeowners form an emotional attachment to their home making it difficult to see your home from the buyer’s prospective. We will help you identify the major and minor defects that need to be addressed so you can focus your resources where it counts. Your Rivers Realty agent will provide the guidance you need to make your home look its best and maximize its selling potential.
​
​
Today, most home searches begin online. If your home is listed with dark, low-quality photos, most home buyers will pass on your home without ever scheduling a showing. Bright, high-resolution photos that feature your home in the best light (figuratively and literally) will entice potential home buyers to see your home in person. Therefore, professional real estate photos are an absolute must for selling in today’s market.
Initial Consultation
Pricing Your Home
Preparing to Sell
Photos
​
​
Your Rivers Realty agent will develop a marketing strategy based on your goals and the features of the property you are selling. Marketing tactics frequently include personally networking with other agents and reaching the public through the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), search engines, virtual tours, open houses, and flyers. We tailor our approach to fit your home and focus on marketing techniques that will lead to a successful sale.
​
When showing your home, it is vital to make a great first impression. Most buyers make their decision to purchase or walk away from a house based on how they feel and whether they can see themselves living there. The careful orchestration of sights, sound, and scents can help to create the feeling of “home” in a potential buyer. Your Rivers Realty agent can help you create a warm, inviting atmosphere that will have potential buyers envisioning a future in your home.
​
​
In a real estate transaction, there are many negotiable items in addition to the sales price. Commonly negotiated items include the contract closing date, length of the option period, financing terms, amount of earnest money, and closing costs. We will explain and help you to evaluate any offers on your home. Negotiations may go back and forth with the buyers a few times before the details are ironed out. However, your Rivers Realty agent will serve as your advocate throughout the process advising you on how to best respond to meet your goals and sell your home.
​
​
Once the negotiations are complete, the buyers will have the property examined by an inspector. The inspector’s role is to locate any imperfections in the home (no matter how large or small) and inform the buyers. It is common for the buyers to ask for some repairs to be made after the inspection. Your Rivers Realty agent will work with the buyer’s agent to address any concerns and keep the process moving forward.
​
​
Prior to closing, there is a flurry of activity going on behind the scenes. Buyers must quickly complete a series of required steps to obtain the final loan commitment, and the title company must complete their due diligence prior to closing. Your Rivers Realty agent will stay in touch with the title company and the buyer’s agent to help ensure a smooth transaction.
​
​
On closing day, you will meet at the title company where the escrow officer will go over the documents requiring your signature to finalize the sale of the home. After you and the buyer have signed all the documents, the title company will alert the banks involved to initiate the transfer of funds. Once the funds have been transferred, the home is officially sold, and you will receive the he proceeds from the sale. Your relationship with your Rivers Realty agent does not end at closing. We will be there to help you with any future real estate needs.
Marketing Your Home
Showing Your Home
Offer & Negotiation
Property Inspection
Contract to Close
Closing
Step-by-Step Guidance for Buyers
​
Purchasing a home involves dozens of individuals, most of whom you will never meet. Your primary advocates throughout the home buying process will be your Rivers Realty agent and your lender (mortgage broker). Your lender is the person responsible for securing a loan so you can purchase a home. Rivers Realty agents have worked with many lenders over the years and can help you choose one that suits your specific needs. Other key individuals involved in your transaction will be the property inspector, the insurance agent, and the escrow officer.
​
​
In a world of smart-phone-wielding millennials, most home buyers begin their home search online well before contacting a real estate agent. However, it can be extremely beneficial to engage a knowledgeable real estate agent at the beginning of your search to help guide you through the entire process, which will minimize stress and frustration. Rivers Realty agents have significant experience representing both buyers and sellers and are in the business because they love helping people. Take advantage of their expertise and engage them at the start.
​
​
After you have met with your Rivers Realty agent and selected a lender, the next step will be to obtain a pre-approval. Most listing agents and sellers require a buyer’s pre-approval letter or proof of funds (if paying cash) before an offer is deemed complete. A pre-approval letter reassures the seller that a buyer is ready, willing and able to buy before accepting an offer and removing their home from the market.
The lender will present various financing options and give you an estimate of your monthly payments and funds needed to buy a home. After checking your credit, debt, assets, and income, the lender should be able to provide a pre-approval letter stating your loan approval amount. Then, we will be able to submit the pre-approval letter with your offer to reassure the seller that you are qualified to purchase their home.
​
​
At Rivers Realty, we tailor the home search to fit your specific needs. We work with you to pinpoint exactly what you are looking for in your next home. Then, we set up an automated online search based on that criteria to alert you when properties that meet your needs hit the market. Let us know when one of the properties looks like a potential fit, and we will arrange a time to view the property.
Additionally, we can schedule property tours in which we view multiple homes in the span of a few hours. This approach can help you to narrow down your search very quickly and is particularly beneficial if you have a short timeline.
​
​
Once you have identified the property that meets your specific needs, it’s time to make an offer. Your Rivers Realty agent will help you make the right offer for the chosen property based on recently sold comparable properties and market conditions. Price is only one of the many negotiable components of an offer. Your agent can work with you to craft an offer that will optimize your offer’s chance of being accepted by the sellers.
Negotiations with the seller can vary from a quick acceptance of the offer to a complex and lengthy back-and-forth negotiation, especially on properties that have seen high levels of interest and multiple offers. The key is having a seasoned agent who can help you navigate the process and come out on top.
​
​
Once your offer has been accepted and the house is under contract, the next step will be to schedule a licensed property inspector. This step can be one of the more stressful parts of the buying process. The property inspector’s job is to point out flaws and potential issues in the home, and the idea that your dream home has flaws can be difficult to accept. Because no house is perfect, the key is being able to differentiate between the small and large issues. Your Rivers Realty agent and your property inspector will be able to help you distinguish the major from the minor issues to enable you to make an informed decision.
All of this will take place during your negotiated option period (typically 7-10 days). The purpose of an option period is to allow time for the property inspection, negotiation of repairs, or termination of the contract if an insurmountable defect is revealed. Typically, any amendments or cancellations must be completed in writing by midnight of the last day of the option period.
​
​
Your lender is going to require proof of a homeowner’s policy on the new home. Home owner’s insurance protects you and the lender in the event of catastrophic damage to the house such as a fire, earthquake or tornado. If you have not already selected a homeowner’s insurance provider, now is the time. Your Rivers Realty agent can recommend several homeowner’s insurance providers. Additionally, you may want to consider purchasing flood insurance (standard homeowner’s policies don’t cover flooding) on your new home.
Many buyers also choose to purchase a home warranty. A home warranty is an optional policy that covers the home’s major systems such as the air conditioner breaking down or if the dishwasher stopped working. It is important to read the details of a policy to ensure you understand what is covered and what is not.
​
​
As the closing date nears, the lender will order an independent appraisal of the property. The appraiser will come up with an assessment of the value of the property based on multiple factors such as the property condition, features, and comparable homes sold. Rarely does the appraiser’s opinion of value match the sales price perfectly. It is very common for the appraisal to come in a little above or a little below the contracted price, particularly in a “hot” real estate market. In the event the appraisal comes in a little low, there are several options that your Rivers Realty agent can guide you through.
​
Unless the sellers provide an existing survey (and no structures or property lines have changed), a new survey is typically required by most lenders. The survey is a depiction of the property boundaries and dimensions of existing structures on the property. The survey clarifies exactly where the property boundaries are and what is being included in the purchase. Because of the importance of this document, many buyers choose to have a new survey completed even if an existing survey is provided.
​
​
In the final weeks before closing, your lender will work to finalize the loan and may request additional documentation from you. It is important to return the items in a timely fashion to ensure you close on time. Once underwriting is complete and your lender issues a full approval, they will send instructions to the closing department. These instructions will then be forwarded to the escrow officer at the title company. The escrow officer handles the closing and preparation of the final closing statement.
It is important to know that the lender will perform a last-minute credit check and verification of employment, which has caused many buyers to lose their financing just prior to closing. Any major purchase you might be considering needs to be discussed with your lender prior to the transaction. New debt or a reduction in your cash reserves could negatively impact your final loan approval.
​
​
On closing day, you will meet at the title company, where the escrow officer will go over the documents requiring your signature to finalize the purchase of the home. After you and the seller have signed all the documents, the title company will alert the banks involved, asking permission to fund the loan. Once the loan has funded (the money has been transferred), the house officially becomes your home. Your relationship with your Rivers Realty agent does not end with the purchase of your home. We will be there to help with any future real estate needs.
Where to Start
The Team
Pre-Approval
The Search
Offer & Negotiation
Property Inspection
Insurance & Warranty
Appraisal & Survey
Final Approval
Closing
About Us
Full Service Real Estate
We will guide you through every step of the process all while saving you money.
Save You Money
Our goal is to provide an outstanding experience while saving you money through market expertise and skilled negotiation
​
Excellence In All We Do
Our mission is to approach every aspect of our work with the same level of excellence that we would hope to receive.
Integrity
We are committed to providing real estate services with the highest level of integrity and customer service.
Adam Rivers, M.B.A.
REALTOR®, Agent
Adam typically sells $18+ Million per year in real estate. His seasoned experience, sharp instincts, and ability to anticipate market trends enable him to lead and create opportunities for both buyers and sellers in ever changing markets. As a native Texan and McKinney resident, Adam is an expert in the Collin County market and knows how to close a deal.
Krystal Rivers, B.S.N., RN
Office Manager
Krystal was raised in a military family and moved to a new location every couple of years. Consequently, she has a great deal of personal experience from the buying and selling perspective of home ownership. She is a Registered Nurse with 10 years of experience caring for Oncology and Medical-Surgical patients. Now, she applies her unique skill set of multi-tasking, time management, organization, and meticulous attention to detail in the behind-the-scenes management of Rivers Realty.
.jpg)
Adam Rivers, M.B.A.
REALTOR®, Agent
Adam typically sells $18+ Million per year in real estate. His seasoned experience, sharp instincts, and ability to anticipate market trends enable him to lead and create opportunities for both buyers and sellers in ever changing markets. As a native Texan and McKinney resident, Adam is an expert in the Collin County market and knows how to close a deal.
"This represents an estimated sale price for this property. It is not the same as the opinion of value in an appraisal developed by a licensed appraiser under the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice."
Rebate Offers
Adam Rivers from Rivers Realty occasionally offers commission rebates to certain groups and individuals. The rebate offer must be mentioned when first contacting Rivers Realty. Rebate eligibility is at the sole discretion of Adam Rivers and Rivers Realty.
​
Buy and Sell with Adam Rivers
Have Adam Rivers from Rivers Realty represent you in a completed real estate purchase and listing transaction and receive the corresponding commission rebate at closing.
Location & Price
Rivers Realty primarily serves the Collin County area. Properties must be within Collin County for rebate eligibility. The contract sales price on the property must be $250,000.00 or greater with Rivers Realty receiving 3% commission or greater for rebate eligibility.
When & How Do I Receive the Rebate?
​You will see the rebate on your closing statement from the title company. The rebate amount is taken from the commission Rivers Realty receives from the transaction and is applied as a credit on your closing statement (reducing the cash that you will have to bring to closing).
Disclaimer
Rivers Realty reserves the right to alter or cancel rebate programs at any time for any reason. Program eligibility will be determined by Rivers Realty on a case-by-case basis. The program is void where prohibited by law. Program eligibility is subject to the approval of the parties to the transaction. Program savings are limited to what is allowable (for example lender/mortgage restrictions) within each transaction, and Rivers Realty is not responsible for amounts that exceed those limitations.
​