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.
