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Buyers Best Choice
Marilyn VanSteenberg
Phone:  (303) 738-1287
Fax:  (303) 738-1288

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Step by Step Guide to Selling Your Home

Congratulations! You have taken the first step to purchasing a new home, you called me!

Selling, buying and financing a home can be a very daunting task for anyone. The Solution is a step-by-step guide to help you through this process in the least stressful manner as possible.

I believe that you, the client, should have the best representation possible in all areas of these transactions. I also believe that the more information you have, the better decisions you can make.

First of all, you need an agent who will be devoted to selling your home. You need an agent that knows how to price your home, how to market it and how to negotiate for you.

Secondly, you need a financial expert who can give you all of the best options that will allow you to finance your purchase within your guidelines and needs.

And, thirdly, you need to search for a new home with an exclusive buyer's agent that will represent only you.

The question that is most often asked is: Won't I get a better "deal" if I use just one agent to help me sell and buy my new home? I'll pay less to sell my house if I use the same agent. The answer is simple, NO!

There are several reasons why it works better using two agents. One is the fact that your agents are concentrating on the transactions most important to you. Both agents are FOCUSED on YOU!

A good listing agent can generally sell your home for more money in less time. A good listing agent will charge a competitive percentage to sell your home.

You'll have ample time to work with me in finding your new home. As an Exclusive Buyer's Agent, I typically save you money. I'm not looking to make up the discount I gave you to list your house like the traditional agent.


Step by Step through the Process

  1. Overview of your property:
    Generally, the first two questions a seller has are, "How much is it worth?" and "What do I need to do to sell it?" The overview will answer the second question. Bev will meet with you and go through your home. She will point out areas that may be problems during the negotiation phase, or that prevent your home from looking its best. You will need to take a couple of steps back during this overview process and try to see your home from the eyes of another buyer. Do you remember what you liked when you bought it? Would you buy it now for the same reason? Remember the homes you liked because they were clean, bright, well-decorated, had a warm feeling, etc. You want the same for your home. After the meeting, you will receive a detailed list of specific items that need attention. This may be a very simple list that just suggests paint or furniture arrangement, or it may involve more complex issues such as replacement of a furnace or roof.

    Whatever the issues are, Bev and I will help you find the best service people, cleaning people, etc. to help your get your home ready to sell.

  2. Obtain a market analysis of the property:
    Now that you know what you need to do to prepare your home for sale, you need to know what it is worth. Bev Fischer will meet with you and prepare a Comprehensive Market Analysis. This analysis will include all of the "sold" properties in the past 6 months that fit the specifications of your house. It will also include the "active" properties. These are the homes that are currently on the market. These homes are your competition. The analysis will give you a range of prices. This range allows for the condition of your home versus the others.

    Bev will also discuss the various charges associated with selling your home. You may have seen advertising for "discount" brokerage firms, and you need to remember that you get what you pay for. Using The Solutions Group team, you will actually save money. First, you will have a home on the market that is meant to sell. The pricing, condition, etc. will be right at the start. At this point you will have an idea of how much you will net from the sale of your home.

    Either Bev or I will take to see your competition. This gives you can idea of how your home measures up to other homes.

  3. Meet with your lender:
    "I have all this equity, but what can I afford?" "Do I need to put all of my profits back into my home?" "What if I find my dream home before my home sells?

    Your lender has the answers. You need to make an appointment to speak with her/him. This can, in the beginning, be done over the phone in less than 30 minutes. The time spent will ensure that your mortgage will fit both your short and long term financial goals. Your lender will look at a wide selection of mortgage products to meet your payment needs. There are all sorts of creative ways to finance a new purchase. There will always be a loan that fits your needs. Ultimately, you will need to meet face-to-face with your and complete all of the necessary paperwork.

    A few of the items that you will be asked for are:
    • Lines of credit, credit card numbers, account numbers and balances
    • Social security numbers
    • Paycheck stubs
    • Bank statements
    • Investment statements

  4. Look at new properties:
    "I'm selling, I can buy a new home, but what if there is nothing I like?"

    I will work with you on finding a home that you like. I will search for homes that match your requirements, size, area, price, etc. and present you with a list of possible properties to see. Before you can really decide to sell, you need to know what is on the market. Granted, the same house may not be there when you have finally sold your home, but a home of equal or better will be there. Neither Bev nor I, have ever had a "homeless" client.

    After going through the first four steps, you should have a good idea of what you want to do next.

  5. List your home:
    When you are ready to list your home, Bev will meet with you again and discuss all of the pertinent details. She will give you a marketing plan that will be used to sell your home. Selling a home is just more than putting up a sign and putting the information in the Multi-Listing Service. Some of the marketing techniques used by Bev are:
    • Postcards will be mailed to about 200 of your neighbors
    • Open houses, if desired
    • Flyers
    • Presentation of your home to office agents at sales meetings
    • Presentation of your home at the Realtor Board of your area
    • Having a licensed appraiser measure square footage and do a floor plan of your home
    • Web exposure on all local sites, Keller Williams's sites, National sites, realtor.com and all other major real estate sites.
    • Advertising in local papers

    You should consider having a home inspection before you put your home on the market. This will cost you around $250.00. However, you will more than make up for it on the inspection negotiation side. You will have a very good idea of items if addressed before listing the property. Bev and I believe that you shouldn't have any surprises!

    The better your home "shows", the faster it will sell and the more money you will receive.

  6. Your Home is "For Sale":
    There are a number of items that need to happen at this stage of the process.
    • Arrangements are made for any animals that might deter the showing of your home.
    • Before you leave, make sure all of the lights are turned on and the blinds are open. This makes your home look very light and bright.
    • Turn the radio on to classical or light contemporary music. Make sure it is soft.
    • All beds should be made, towels straightened, laundry hidden, all walkways are clear of items (toys, shoes, etc.).
    • To make your home smell wonderful, take a cotton ball, pour some lemon extract on it and rub the tops of lights BEFORE you turn them on.
    • If you must be at home when a showing has been set, when the clients come to the door, take a walk around the block. Allow the prospective buyers the opportunity to discuss your home among themselves.
    • Do not try to sell the house yourself to buyers. You can weaken your negotiating position without realizing it.

  7. Your Home is "Under Contract":
    Once you have received and accepted an offer, this is the time to go find your new home.

    I will arrange to show you properties that fit your needs. I will ensure that you are looking only at homes that meet your criteria. You may need to look at 6 homes or 60 homes to find the right one. The important factor is that you buy the right home, for the right price, at the right time and for the right reasons.

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