Seller’s Guide
SELLER’S GUIDE Table of Contents HOME4INVESTMENT TEAM ......................................................................................... 3 REALTOR® Partners................................................................................................................... 3 Operations Team ........................................................................................................................ 3
SELLING WITH THE HOME4INVESTMENT TEAM ........................................................... 4 Team Members ........................................................................................................................... 4 About the Home4Investment Team........................................................................................... 5 Sales Statistics and Industry Averages.................................................................................... 6 10 Reasons to list with the Home4Investment Team .............................................................. 7
THE SELLING PROCESS ........................................................................................... 10 Pre-Listing Activities by Agent ............................................................................................... 10 Marketing Activities by Team .................................................................................................. 11 Listing and Web Marketing...................................................................................................... 12 Property Marketing Plan and Timeline ................................................................................... 16 When the Offer Comes In......................................................................................................... 17 Closing Activities After an Offer ............................................................................................. 18 Property Selling Process Diagram.......................................................................................... 19
PRICING YOUR PROPERTY ....................................................................................... 20 Factors That Affect the Value of Your property..................................................................... 20 Factors That Do Not Affect the Value of Your property ........................................................ 20 Dangers of Overpricing............................................................................................................ 21
PREPARING TO SELL YOUR PROPERTY .................................................................... 22 Broaden the Appeal of Your Property .................................................................................... 22 Less Is Definitely More............................................................................................................. 22 24 Simple Things to Make Your Property More Marketable.................................................. 23
CLOSING PHASES DIAGRAM .................................................................................... 24 CONTACT ................................................................................................................ 25
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HOME4INVESTMENT TEAM HOME4INVESTMET REALTOR® Partners Our REALTOR® Partners are by far the best in the business. Some of the local press our Ben Kinney & our real estate team has received this last year: •
The team is recognized by RIS Media as a power team in the United States.
•
Recipient of 2008 Realtor of the year & 2008 Realtor of the Quarter
•
Featured in the national real estate publication “Realtor Magazine” for receiving the prestigious national “30 under 30” annual award for top entrepreneurial realtors who are succeeding in the toughest of markets.
•
JD Merris - Elected as President of WC association of realtors & Ben Kinney elected on the Realtor board of directors
What does that mean for you? A lot of experience on your side of the negotiations in your real estate transaction. Experience alone is not enough to be successful. The entire team is dedicated to continuing education through both real estate seminars and regular in-house training. In addition, the team has earned multiple designations by studying the laws and practices of the real estate industry. All agents stay on top of the local market by viewing and comparing properties on a daily basis. They also continually study and research industry trends to determine what the market may hold in the future. There is simply no better qualified nor better prepared team of residential real estate specialists in town!
Home4Investment Operations Team With many years of experience in real estate, the team of managers assisting in the sale of your property is among the best! Countless details need special attention during a real estate transaction. Realistically, no one person can be effective in all areas of real estate, including market research, negotiating, marketing, graphic design, copywriting, and transaction details. Our team’s specialized managers focus solely on each phase of the real estate transaction and strive to be the best in the business at what they do. During the sale or purchase of your property, expect to be in touch with these dedicated professionals as they handle all aspects of the transaction.
Ben Kinney CEO—Owner
Jillene Snell Team Manager
Imparts knowledge and ensures each agent is well qualified to handle your real estate transaction. Assists in contract negotiations and broker issues. Is always available to answer questions.
Manages team production, bookkeeping and marketing. Reviews pending contracts and reminds agents/ sellers of their deadlines. Communicates with sellers when agent is not available.
Michaelle Crovisier
Kathryn Gilbert
Janel Warrington
Alex Larson
South Team Leader
South Manager
Administation
Webmaster
Over 10 years in the business—Kathryn is a experienced 3rd eye to review contracts, handle any questions, negotiate, and assist our agents with training and support.
Processes listings to make certain your property is marketed in all the places our team has to offer as well as create the virtual tour and compile reports to update you on your listing.
Creates and maintains over 200 websites so that your property can get the best internet exposure possible.
Team broker— Responsible for coaching, negotiating, hiring, and using her over 20 years of experience to lead our south team members
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MORE ABOUT THE HOME4INVESTMENT TEAM Mission
To be the market leader that provides an industry defining service which positively impacts our clients, our community and our lives. The following six guiding principles are the foundation of our beliefs:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
To provide a positive work environment and treat each other with respect and dignity. To give back to our community and encourage good stewardship of the environment. Embrace education by the giving and receiving of knowledge. To always be technologically advanced and innovative. To use a proactive approach to marketing and communication.
Exposure In a market where agents are leaving and production is down across the board we have managed to grow our business at an unbelievable level year after year. Our Team’s grasp of marketing and technology has created what RIS Media magazine calls a “Power Team.” Our team will sell over 170 units this year in Whatcom and Skagit counties. Our success comes from hiring the best talent available, aggressively marketing our listings, and working with the team so every member is a master of every aspect of their job. “Every deal we get, we have to work to get it and work harder to get it closed.” What we have to offer is this aggressive technology-enhanced approach to selling properties.” The result: Our sales were $33.5 million on 141 transactions in 2008, up over 200% from 2007. Ben Kinney and his home selling team is on track to double production again this year with a goal of 280 closed transactions.
Home4Investment Real Estate in the Media One of the most productive real estate teams in Washington. The media has started to get word of our success: Realtor Magazine: Featured as Realtor Magazines top 30 under 30 agents nationwide. RIS Media Power Team Report: Featured as one the United States top “Power Teams.” SHIFT Book by Gary Keller: Featured multiple times as “mega real estate agent.” Realtor Association: Realtor of the Quarter, Realtor of the Year, Incoming President of W.C.A.R, Board of Directors WCAR.
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SELLING WITH THE HOME4INVESTMENT TEAM Home4Investment Sales Statistics vs. Industry Average AGENT MARKETING FOR THEIR LISTINGS How much do agents invest in their listings? Ben Kinney and The Home4Investment Team 2008 Marketing for our Listings
$79,778
Real Estate Agents Nationwide in 2008
$810.00
According to National Association of Realtors, the average agents invested $810.00 in marketing their listings for 2008. However, our team invested $79,778 in 2008 to market our listings for a quicker sale. Which would your rather have working for you?
PROPERTY SOLD STATISTICS Ben Kinney and The Home4Investment Team YTD SOLD Properties Real Estate Agent Average Nationwide
142
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According to National Association of Realtors, the average agent completed 4 transactions in 2008. The Home4Investment Team has sold 142 properties! Your chances of selling a property for the most amount of money, in the least amount of time are much greater when you use the Home4Investment Team to list your property.
DAYS ON MARKET How fast will my property sell? Home4Investment Team Average Real Estate Board Average
88.5 Days
117 Days
According to Northwest Multiple Listing Service, homes are selling on average in 117 Days. However, our clients’ homes sell on average in 88.5 days—Quicker results! This means that your property will sell nearly 30 days faster when listed with our team!
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SELLING WITH THE HOME4INVESTMENT TEAM 10 Reasons to List Your Property with The Home4Investment Team 1. TEAM STATISTICS Agent Marketing and Investment in Listed Properties According to National Association of Realtors, the average agents invested $810.00 in marketing their listings for 2008. However, our team invested $79,778 in 2008 to market our listings for a quicker sale. Which would your rather have working for you? Property Sold Statistics According to National Association of Realtors, the average agent completed 4 transactions in 2008. The Home4Investment Team has sold 142 properties! Your chances of selling a property for the most amount of money, in the least amount of time are much greater when you use the Home4Investment Team to list your property. Days on Market According to the NWMLS, homes sell on average in 117 days. However, our clients’ homes sell on average in 88.5 days — Much quicker results!! Your property will sell faster when listed with our team.
2. REALTOR ASSOCIATION 80% of real estate sales are sold by 20% of the realtors. Out of the 20% of realtors, statistics show most of these agents are a member of the realtor association. Our presence within the realtor association has created more exposure. One of our top listing agents, J.D. Merris is the president of the County Association of Realtors with Ben Kinney serving as director. Ben Kinney
J.D. Merris
3. ONLINE PRESENCE Web Exposure We are committed to leading our industry in Web traffic. We continually seek new opportunities to direct quality, targeted buyers to our sites, tens of thousands of hits are generated and we capture over 750 qualified buyer leads each month. Your featured listing provides your property with a great amount of exposure to potential buyers. We receive inquiries from both local and out-of-town relocation buyers. We personally follow up with all Web leads, which produce an influx of buyers working with our team and potentially viewing your property. Online Partnerships Our negotiations with online real estate lead-generation companies have secured our team exclusive, qualified Web leads from people looking to purchase a property in Washington State. Through our partnerships, an average of 5,000 buyers are forwarded to our Web site each month to search for homes in Washington. Your listing on our sites will be one of the first listings seen by these potential buyers.
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SELLING WITH THE HOME4INVESTMENT TEAM 4. EXPERT MARKETING With a dedicated marketing manager, we have some of the best sales tools in the business. Our marketing reaches thousands in the Washington Sate area through targeted radio, television, newspaper, and magazine advertising. Through Keller Williams and our radio and television contacts, we are plugged into an extensive network of agents throughout the U.S. who send interested buyers our way. In addition to our widespread Web presence, the Interactive Voice Response System on our flyers and other advertising generates more than 750 buyer leads per month. We have superb virtual tours that are available to potential buyers on various Web sites. We have a constant stream of referral business and a database of more than 2700 potential buyers who receive information about all of our homes for sale. We place the homes we list on an area property tour and conduct open houses throughout the area every weekend.
5. BUSINESS VOLUME The amount of business a team produces is important on two levels. First, to some extent it reflects their level of experience. More importantly, it enables the team to produce a large number of quality buyers for any given property. An agent who has 150-plus “for sale” signs around town at any given time is going to receive countless inquiries from potential buyers. Even if the property they are calling about does not meet their needs, a successful team will turn that prospect into a client and present other listings to them, which will include yours.
6. SPECIAL PROGRAMS Ask your listing specialist about the following programs that can help your property sell quickly and for top dollar: Move-Up Program We love to reward our customers for repeat business and referrals. When you sell your property with us and purchase a new construction home with one of our builders we will refund 3% back to you for closing costs or as an added bonus. Optional Service Program Preparing your property for sale can be a daunting task, but it’s worth it. The more preparation you do, the more profit you’ll get from the sale of your property. This innovative make-ready program handles all the details for you—including but not limited to cleaning the carpets and windows, repainting, and home staging—enabling you to focus on moving to your new .
7. EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION, AND MARKET KNOWLEDGE Our team has helped hundreds of families relocate in the past few years, and although our experience is important, we do not rely on it strictly for our knowledge base. Continuing education is imperative in our business as contracts, laws, and the market continually change. We have strong involvement in team training, have personal mentors and coaches, attend multiple educational conferences and actively work toward attaining our real estate designations. Our team members hold the [GRI (Graduate, REALTOR® Institute), SRES (Seniors Real Estate Agent Specialist), CRS (Certified Residential Specialist), ABR (Accredited Buyer Representative), and CCIM Candidate] designations. Furthermore, the large number of clients we work with keeps our fingers on the pulse of the entire market.
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SELLING WITH THE HOME4INVESTMENT TEAM 8. STRONG REPUTATION AND HONEST ADVICE We believe strongly in treating others as we would like to be treated and continually focus on it in our business practices, as well as in everyday life. Because we treat all clients, vendors, associates and other agents with the respect we feel they deserve, we have built a reputation for being professional, knowledgeable, and a good resource in the business. We are often looked to by area publications for market information and are happy to be an information source for many media outlets. One of our most admirable and effective qualities is our honesty. We work diligently to compile market research to produce the recommended list price for your property. Other agents often tell sellers that they can list their property for more money. It’s true and so could we; however, statistics show it will not sell and in the long run. You will be losing more valuable time and money by pricing higher up front ‘just to see what will happen with the market’. If you price accurately in the beginning, your property will sell for closer to the list price in fewer days. Following is a real-life illustration of two homes that our team listed with similar features including exact floor plan, square footage, year built, and upgrades. These homes were listed for sale within one month of each other, with very different sales statistics. EXAMPLE—Recommended List Price: $205,000 Initial Final Days on List to Sales Price List Price Sales Price Market Price Ratio Reductions Property A
$219,000
$187,000
196
85%
2
Property B
$205,000
$203,000
18
98%
0
In summary, homes that are listed accurately from the beginning will sell faster and for more money than those homes that are over-priced and have to face multiple reductions in price.
9. WORKING WITH A TEAM VS. AN INDIVIDUAL AGENT A single agent, who is actually an independent contractor, cannot afford the help to make sure all the details are being taken care of and the property is being marketed correctly. For the same commission a seller would pay one agent, you can hire an agent with a team, like us. Your agent is still responsible for marketing, selling, and communication, but we have a team of experts doing approximately 500 tasks it takes to complete a transaction. That allows us to do what we do best – attract more buyers, market more homes, sell your property for top dollar, and provide you with superior service. Because our team of professionals answer the telephone 7 days a week, there will always be someone to assist you with any questions you may have.
10. PREFERRED SERVICE PROVIDER PROGRAM We work hard to develop relationships with area vendors who provide the best service in town. Our clients receive preferential pricing from our preferred vendors and also get priority treatment. Our preferred service providers include lenders, title companies, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, flooring, and many more. See our preferred service provider list at the back of this booklet for a complete listing.
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SELLING PROCESS Pre-Listing Activities by Agent MARKET RESEARCH The only way to accurately price a property for sale is to know the competition. Most agents will simply review properties in the Multiple Listing Service without actually viewing the properties to determine a fair market value for your property. Property features and conditions vary greatly, and it is imperative to physically view all of your potential competition. Our team does this before we meet with you to recommend the ideal list price. We also continually study local trends in our economy that may influence our real estate market, and therefore the salability of your property.
PRESENT LISTING PACKET AND COMPARATIVE MARKET ANALYSIS (CMA) We will review all information contained in the Seller’s Guide and promptly address any questions, suggestions, and concerns you may have about listing your property for sale. We will also review our CMA, which includes not only properties for sale, but also pending, expired, or sold listings that are comparable to your property from the past 6 to 12 months.
DETERMINE HIGHEST MARKET VALUE FOR PROPERTY After reviewing the CMA together, we will determine the highest market value for your property. You may or may not decide to list your property for the highest market value, depending on your sales objectives. We want to list your property in the market, not above the market.
DETERMINE SALES OBJECTIVES We will determine how much profit you wish to make from the sale of your property, and also determine when you want or need to move. We cannot meet your sales objectives if you do not share them with us. We are working as a team to get the highest price possible in a time frame that works best for you.
COMPLETE LISTING AGREEMENT AND SELLER’S DISCLOSURE Once you are comfortable with our listing process and together we have determined the right list price for your property, we will review and complete the listing agreement. The listing agreement is a standard contract that all members of the Realtor Association use when listing homes for sale.
HOME STAGING CONSULTATION Staging your for sale is one of the most important ingredients to a timely and well-priced offer. Start by completing the recommended tasks to prepare your home for sale in this booklet. Additionally, we will walk through your home with you to provide recommendations for improvements. We help many families buy and sell homes each year, so we know what sells and what doesn’t.
PLACE SIGN POST AND SIGN IN YARD We will place a for sale sign in your yard with an attached flyer box. We provide a phone number for interested buyers that is answered 7 days a week during normal business hours. It is important to keep this sign in clear view for “drive-by” buyers. We receive multiple inquiries from buyers due to our for sale signs, so you wouldn’t want to block it with a parked car.
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SELLING PROCESS PLACE LOCKBOX ON HOUSE The best way to sell your home is to make it as easy as possible for other agents to show. By placing a key to your home in a lockbox on your house, we are able to track who enters your home and at what time, thus enhancing security. Listings that are available for showing “by appointment only” receive on average 75% fewer showings.
COMPLETE SELLER’S HOMEWORK In the prelisting packet, there are several forms that need to be completed to start the sale process of your property. They include the Seller’s Disclosure Statement and home staging & preparation checklist.
COMPLETE PROPERTY PROFILE Your listing agent will tour your property and make note of the most effective ways to market the property. They will gather detailed information to include in the NWMLS listing.
Marketing Activities by Team PHOTOGRAPH PROPERTY FOR FLYERS, INTERNET, AND VIRTUAL TOURS Because over 80% of buyers now use the Internet to begin their new property search, we believe it is imperative to have a high-quality virtual tour of your property available online. We will visit your property to take still photographs and potentially 3 to 5 panoramic shots if possible to enhance our marketing. If there are any particular views that you would like to have included in the photography, please be sure to notify us before the photographs are taken.
CREATE FLYERS We create interior color flyers and exterior black and white flyers that will be made available for potential buyers. We appreciate your input for the content of these flyers, as you know your property better than anyone. Also, upon request, we are happy to provide a PDF proof via e-mail for your approval.
CREATE INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE (IVR) RECORDING Our progressive marketing includes providing a recording of details about your property for potential buyers to hear. The phone number to dial and code to enter are listed on the front of the property flyer for your property. In addition, a sign rider (see photo below) will be attached to your for sale sign in front of your property. We cross-market all of our listings, meaning your property will be featured on the back of flyers at other properties all over town. In this way, your property is marketed at 50-60 additional property listings at all times. Our IVR system produces an average of 200 potential buyers per week.
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LISTING AND MARKETING PLACE LISTING ON MLS We will submit your property to the Northwest Multiple Listing Service. This service will list all of the details of your property, including list price and showing instructions. More than 25,000 real estate agents in Northwest Washington State subscribe to the Multiple Listing Service and use it to locate homes for their clients.
PLACE LISTING ON HOME4INVESTMENT OWNED WEB SITES Approximately 97% of buyers now use the Internet to shop for their next property, so your property’s Web presence is critical!
www.Home4Investment.com With hundreds of thousands of hits per month, our Web site has become a cornerstone of our business. We invest heavily in searchengine optimization strategies to ensure that our Web site is one of the highest-ranked results when buyers search for real estate in Northwest Washington. With innovate technology like Over the Web Agent, our site is among the best in the industry. Our goal is to attract buyers and keep them interested by providing relevant and accurate information about listings and the market. We capture contact information from a majority of the visitors to our site so our agents can contact them personally to present your listing. Increasing quality traffic to our Web site is a top priority, and we see the results!
LIVE.COM WEBSITES The Home4Investment Team owns over 750 domain names throughout the United States to attract out of state buyers and sellers to the homes we have for sale increasing the ability to sell your property quickly. These websites all begin with www.Live_______.com. An example of some of NW Washington city sites: www.LiveBellingham.com www.LiveSeattle.com www.LiveBellevue.com www.LiveTacoma.com www.LiveKirkland.com www.LiveBothell.com www.LiveIssaquah.com www.LiveEverett.com www.LiveSnohomish.com www.LiveAnacortes.com www.LiveSedroWoolley.com www.LiveBlaine.com www.LiveFerndale.com www.LiveLynden.com www.LiveEverson.com 12
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LISTING AND MARKETING www.Rbosold.com One of Home4Investments TOP RANKING websites on Google for Real Estate searches. www.BenKinney.com Our real estate team has multiple websites that rank on the top page of Google for real estate searches. This is another website that received exceptional traffic and where potential buyers and sellers can view your property listed for sale. www.Zillow.com Zillow.com is an online real estate service dedicated to helping buyers and sellers get an edge in real estate by providing them with valuable tools and information. Each one of our properties is listed for sale on this website which is one of Google’s top real estate sites. www.Trulia.com This is where buyers and sellers find listings, maps and comparable properties all in one place. The Home4Investment Team advertises each one of their properties on this well-visited website. www.NWrealestate.com Provided by our local board of REALTORSŽ, this site provides visitors direct access to all homes entered in our local Multiple Listing Service. www.KW.com In order to be successful in working with buyers, each Keller Williams Realty office maintains a large inventory of existing and new homes for sale. Keller Williams also broadcasts our listings on sites such as Trulia and Zillow and many other amazing online sites. You have a high quantity of high-quality agents representing your best interests.
SHOWING FEEDBACK When we received notification that an agent has shown your property for sale, we immediately call that agent to retrieve showing feedback. If we do not reach them, we email and call until we reach them to obtain valuable feedback which we pass on to you as the seller. Providing you with this feedback help determine if the property needs additional updating on its overall presentation and will enable us to better determine where we stand in the current market value of your property as perceived by other realtors and buyers.
SHOW LISTING ON PROPERTY TOUR Some parts of town and the surrounding areas have a property tour for local real estate agents. This gives us an opportunity to show your property to a host of other agents who represent other qualified buyers on a daily basis.
STATUS REPORTS Your listing agent and listing manager will keep you up to date with verbal and e-mail status reports throughout the listing process. You will be notified of any feedback from showing agents, and you will receive periodic statistical reports detailing how many people have shown an interest in your property through the Web and other venues. In addition, we will also keep you abreast of changes in the market that may affect the sale of your property.
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AGGRESSIVE INTERNET ADVERTISING JUST
14
A FEW OF THE
OVER 200 LOCATIONS WHERE WE MARKET OUR PROPERTIES
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AGGRESSIVE INTERNET ADVERTISING JUST
A FEW OF THE
OVER 200 LOCATIONS WHERE WE MARKET OUR PROPERTIES
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SELLING PROCESS Property Marketing Plan and Timeline The Home4Investment Team has proven their marketing process generates results! Our refined strategies and processes are designed to sell your property fast and for top dollar. Countless details must be completed to successfully get your property on the market for sale. Our experience has taught us that it is best to have 10 days from the time you sign the listing agreement to the time your property is fully marketed. This period allows us to properly pre-market your property by targeting potential buyers before it even hits the MLS! Our ideal marketing timeline is as follows: Marketing Activity
Work Days
Listing Entered on NWMLS
1
Listing Agent Collects Property Details for Marketing
1
Photography taken for marketing
2
Sign and Sign post placed in yard
2
Keybox installed on Home
2
Flyers Delivered to Property
2
Virtual Tour Complete
2
Listing Available on Home4Investment Web Sites
2
Listing Emailed to realtors in area
2
Buyer agents to call potential buyers for property
3
Schedule Realtor’s Office Property Tour
TBD
Schedule Open House
TBD
* Most other websites such as trulia.com or zillow.com pull listings directly from the Northwest Multiple Listings Service (NWMLS); this process may take up to three days.
When the Offer Comes In Once a buyer has decided that they wish to buy your property, their agent will write an offer for the property using promulgated forms that are standard in our industry. At your first available opportunity, your listing agent will meet with you to present the offer. He or she will review the terms of the offer with you and recommend whether to counter the offer, accept the offer, or reject the offer and under what terms. Once you and the buyer agree to the terms of the offer, we proceed to closing the transaction.
COMPLETE AND REVIEW SELLER’S ESTIMATED CHARGES The several charges involved in selling your property vary based on the type of loan secured by the buyer. You will have charges from the title company for closing fees, commission fees, and possibly portions of the buyer’s closing costs as well. We will review in detail all of the charges you can expect to see at closing and what your estimated net proceeds will be from the sale of your property.
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SELLING PROCESS Closing Activities After an Offer RECEIPT CONTRACT WITH TITLE COMPANY We will deliver and receipt the offer with the title company within 48 hours of all parties signing and agreeing to the terms; at this point, the offer becomes a contract. The title company will send copies of the preliminary title commitment to you.
CONFIRM PAYOFF ON CURRENT MORTGAGE NOTE To ensure a smooth closing, we will confirm that the title company has all the information they need about your current mortgage loan including payoff information.
CONFIRM LOAN APPROVAL, INSPECTION, AND APPRAISAL ARE UNDERWAY Our team will work with the buyer’s agent and lender to ensure that all approvals and underwriting are being completed in a timely manner for the closing date. We will also confirm that the buyer has arranged for a property inspection and that the lender has ordered the appropriate appraisals.
NEGOTIATE TERMS OF AMENDMENT After the buyer has completed an inspection conducted on your property, they will most likely submit a list of corrections to be made as an amendment to the original contract. At this point in the negotiations, we will recommend that you either accept this amendment as written, counter the list of corrections to be made, or reject the amendment.
SELLERS TO ARRANGE FOR REPAIRS AND SERVICES If you choose to accept the terms in the amendment, you may have to make some repairs to your property. We will provide you with recommended service providers and vendors to contact for repairs.
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SELLING PROCESS
SELLERS TO ARRANGE FOR DISCONNECT OF UTILITIES You should contact your utility companies and notify them of disconnection of service. Make the disconnect date the day after the closing on your property. A listing of utility companies in your area is provided at the back of this guide.
REVIEW TITLE COMMITMENT A copy of the Title Commitment for the property will be delivered to you, our team, the buyer, and the buyer’s agent. We will review the document for you, looking for signs of any liens that will not be satisfied by closing proceeds including tax liens and mechanic liens. Among other items, we will also review the Title Commitment for evidence of non-resident alien status. Any of these items could interfere with our ability to close on the sale of your property if not remedied in a timely manner.
ARRANGE FOR CLOSING We are continually in contact with you, the buyer’s agent, the title company, and the buyer’s lender during closing preparations. We will coordinate everyone’s schedules and arrange for a mutually acceptable closing time.
REVIEW HUD 1 DELIVERED BY TITLE COMPANY We will review the final paperwork provided by the title company prior to closing to ensure that you receive all entitled proceeds.
STATUS REPORTS You will receive verbal and e-mail status reports as needed and as appropriate. Our team will not leave you wondering about the next step in your selling process.
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SELLING PROCESS Process Diagram Start Phase Two
Start Phase One
Order Appraisal
Market Research and CMA Initial Consultation Information About Brokerage Services Determine Sales Objectives and List Price
Mortgage Company
Send Loan to Underwriting
Loan Approval Listing Agreement Sends Title report
Home Staging Tips
Marketing & Virtual Tour
Title Search
Seller to Arrange to Cancel Utilities
Showings
Receive Offer on Property
Title Company
Mortgage Company Delivers Final Loan Documents to Title Company Negotiate Terms of Offer Title Company Prepares HUD 1 Statement
Initial Contract Buyer Brings Cashier’s Check or transfers money for Closing Home Inspection Option Period: 7-10 Days
Amendment
Negotiate Repairs
Transfer Ownership
Option Period Expires
Proceed to Phase Two
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PRICING YOUR PROPERTY Multiple factors influence the real estate market and, more specifically, the fair market value of your property. A buyer wants to get the best possible price and terms when buying your property while you, the seller, want to get the best possible price and terms from the buyer. There is a happy medium, and a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) defines this middle ground. It is crucial not to overprice your property. The CMA that we have prepared for you will help to determine the list price that will allow you to sell your property for top dollar without pushing yourself out of the market.
Factors That Affect the Value of Your Property Location — Is your property in a desirable location? Is your property situated near high power lines, railroad tracks, or other undesirable objects? Competition — What are other comparable homes in the area selling for? We will evaluate active, pending, sold, and expired listings from the past 6 to 12 months. Supply and Demand — How many homes are available for sale in your area and in your price range? If there are many, you will need to lower your price to attract a buyer. If there are few, you can likely raise the price and still find a buyer. Mortgage Market — What are the current mortgage interest rates? Economy — Is the economy strong or in a recession? Condition — Have you kept your property in good condition? Is it in move-in condition for a potential buyer, or will they need to make repairs or replacements before moving in? Style — Does your home have a livable floor plan that flows easily? Does it seem open and airy or choppy and dark?
Factors That Do Not Affect the Value of Your Property Your Cost and Needs – Although you want to make a profit or “break even” on the sale of your home, the buyers in the market are not affected by your financial situation. Your Personal Aesthetic Improvements – If you recently repainted your entire home a pale yellow to suit your taste, this may not be desirable to a potential buyer. Reproduction Cost – This is a dollar figure that is calculated by insurance companies to establish the cost of re-building the structure from scratch. Although it is useful for new construction homes, it has little value in setting a sale price for an existing home. Assessed Value – This value is used by the government to charge property taxes. No matter how often the assessed value of your property is reviewed, it is difficult to keep this value in line with the market value and therefore is not a dependable guide. Your Emotions – You cannot charge a buyer for sentiment. Similarly, don’t under price your property just to get rid of it in a stressful situation such as divorce.
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PH: 877-512-5773 | www.Home4Investment.com
PRICING YOUR PROPERTY Dangers of Overpricing The number one goal in pricing your property for sale is pricing it right from the beginning. This will get you the best price in a reasonable amount of time. A property that is priced right when it first goes on the market is shown 50% more often than one that is overpriced. A new listing is exciting, is shown more than older listings, and generally sells for a higher price than older listings. Properties that are priced too high when they are first introduced to the market attract fewer buyers, fewer showings, and fewer offers.
Asking price compared to market value
Percentage of potential buyers who will look at the property
+15%
10%
+10%
30%
Market Value
60%
-10%
75%
-15%
90%
HOW MUCH IS YOUR PROPERTY WORTH? Only as much as a buyer is willing to pay. Correctly priced properties sell faster and at a higher price. Please keep in mind that unless a buyer is paying all cash, a property must be able to appraise for the sale price. A lender will not loan money on a property that is over the market value for an area when compared to similar homes.
SOME SELLERS’ APPROACH: “We want to price high, because buyers can always make a lower offer.” In many markets, 30% of overpriced homes do sell the first time and 70% don’t. Even though you may not have to sell, remember that you are competing with sellers who do!
SELL FOR TOP DOLLAR If your goal is to sell your property at top dollar, overpricing will work against you. If your property sits for months on the market, it will likely sell below market value. A price adjustment should be made if your property is not sold within 30 days.
PH: 877.512.5773 | www.Home4Investment.com
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PREPARING TO SELL YOUR PROPERTY Broaden the Appeal of Your Property Walk through the house and pick out things that would enhance the value of the property if they were different. You’ll be better able to prioritize this way. For example, repainting a child’s bubble-gum pink bedroom may attract more buyers than something not as apparent, such as replacing an old dishwasher. You can direct a potential buyer’s eye away from something negative or toward something positive. Use artwork or a room’s own features such as a fireplace to capture a buyer’s attention. There is a fine line, however. You want buyers to be able to appreciate the room and not just focus on the items in the room. Remove any furniture that tightens spaces. If a couch or chair forces you to turn your body as you walk by or just makes a passage appear smaller, get rid of it. Everybody wants more space. Rid the house of personal effects, and don’t forget simple things like magnets on the refrigerator. Small distractions to the buyer’s eyes will disturb their thinking, preventing them from picturing the house as theirs. You want the rooms to look well-decorated and spacious, but avoid turning the house into a perfect property. Try to balance the brand-new look with some of its lived-in warmth. Potential buyers often feel uncomfortable in bedrooms and bathrooms because they are, by definition, personal and private places. To counter this reaction, make bedrooms and bathrooms look like a model home (toss the lived-in feel out the bathroom window). Clear off all surfaces of the bathroom – removing simple things like toothpaste and soap. Put out nice, fresh towels instead. The goal is to make these rooms comfortable for buyers. If the buyers feel comfortable, they’ll linger and picture themselves in the house.
Less is Definitely More REDUCE CLUTTER Clean out closets, pick up clutter, and pare down what’s inside. That goes for those treasured family photos and mementos too. The reason? Besides adding a spacious feel to the home, pared-down surroundings can help potential buyers better envision themselves and their family photos in the house. Pack away items and special collections usually displayed in cabinets and hutches, and move a few pieces of furniture out of the house. This will help buyers to better see where their furniture might go in the house. Don’t forget to keep the house clean every minute it’s on the market. This takes great effort, but the buyer may need to see it in the next five minutes, and you’ll need to be prepared.
TONE DOWN YOUR CREATIVITY So you like your house to “say something” about your personality. Well, it’s time to tone it down. Go buy some plain-vanilla paint to cover those red-and-purple walls in your bedroom–it’ll make a difference when you’re trying to sell your property. Many buyers can’t see your Picasso genius (and can’t get past the splatter-paint in the living room) to visualize colors they’re more comfortable with. If you’ve got an Italian fresco on a living room wall that stops people in their tracks, they may lose sight of the rest of the property’s wonderful features. If you’re resistant to do anything about it, ask someone you trust to give you an independent view of your property. Your listing agent will tell you if the house looks cluttered or if any colors are too bright. Some may see bright colors as gaudy. Listen to their answers and take their advice.
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PH: 877-512-5773 | www.Home4Investment.com
PREPARING TO SELL YOUR HOME 24 Simple Things to Make Your Home More Marketable INTERIOR
Have carpets cleaned and re-stretched or replace if worn or dated. Clean or have house cleaned (top to bottom, baseboards and ceiling fans). Pack away all small collections and jewelry; “little hands” have taking ways. Put out the “oil” air fresheners in entry, kitchen and bathrooms the day it’s going on the market. Wash windows inside and out (home will look newer and cleaner). Arrange all closets to be presentable. Fix all minor repairs, nail holes and touch up paint. Touch up all painted trim where needed. Replace all burned out light bulbs! Use a higher wattage in rooms with only one light fixture. Brasso/polish all doorknobs and hardware in all rooms (an absolute must for older homes!). If you have brass fixtures, it’s worth the investment to replace them. Leave out some family photos. This suggests “a happy and loved home,” not “we can’t wait to leave this house!” Remove stuffed trophy heads and/or animal collections of any kind. It’s a PC thing, and it “themes” your home…you don’t want buyers referring to your home as “The Cow House!” Limit toys to one toy box and pack the rest away. If you don’t have enough room to put them all away, the buyers will see that they won’t have room either (this also makes picking up for showings much faster). Put away any boxes. The only things that should be on the floor are furniture!
KITCHEN Remove all kitchen appliances not used daily and only leave the functional kitchen décor items out. Keep all food items off the counter and off the top of the refrigerator. Remove all magnets and papers from the front of the refrigerator and move only what you “can’t live without” to the side of the refrigerator. This will make the kitchen feel bigger. Replace old stove drip pans, and for older stoves, add new burner covers; it helps it look newer.
BATH Put all loose stuff on bathroom countertops under the sink for easy use. Only leave out the pretties! Everything else must go under the sink cabinets; this gives the appearance of more storage. Remember to wipe down the mirrors; it doubles everything good and bad!
EXTERIOR Remove solar screens from the front of home; dark screens make a home seem unfriendly and cold. Place the screens in eye view in the garage so the buyer will see them. Plant flowers in pots outside by the front door and along sidewalks and landscaping beds, if needed. Freshen mulch in landscape beds. Power wash patios, walkways, and driveway.
GARAGE Clean out the garage & remove all the “extras”. Leave only tools, lawn equipment, bikes & cars. It’s key to show that at least one car does fit in the garage. If both sides of the garage are full, rent a mini-storage to put all the extra stuff that is to be removed from the house and garage. If the house and garage are stuffed full they will assume you’re moving because the house is too small!
WARNING PETS: They should go with you for all showings. If it isn’t possible and you are gone during the day, consider a crate, kennel or dog run while the house in on the market. Over 50% of buyers are allergic, dislike, or are afraid of pets. This is the #1 reason buyers won’t buy or even enter a home with a pet! SMOKERS: Over 75% of buyers will not buy a home that they think has been smoked in! Two reasons: one, for PC reasons and two, allergies. Freshly painting the entire interior and new carpeting are your best chance for top dollar! Plus, do not smoke in the home while on the market, and remove any ashtrays or other signs of smoke. A home that has been smoked in is the #2 leading reason why buyers don’t buy.
PH: 877.512.5773 | www.Home4Investment.com
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HOME4INVESTMENT CONTACTS & PHASES OF TRANSACTION Your listing agent manages the entire sales process and is continually marketing your property within the real estate community. Your agent and team managers will contact you regularly throughout the sale of your property. If you have a specific question, it is most effective to contact the team manager assigned to the portion of your property sale that you have a question about. For example, if your question regards the marketing of your property, such as when the virtual tour of your property can be viewed online, contact our team manager anytime. If you have questions regarding the closing process once your property is under contract, your agent is the expert. When you have general questions, our team manager can provide you the answers. You have a team of professionals whose sole purpose is to sell your property for top dollar and provide you with superior service. Because we have a team of people working for you, there will always be someone to assist with any questions you may have. You can always reach a member of our team by calling 360.312.5847 during business hours or 877.512.5773 after hours or on weekends.
PHASE 1
PHASE 2
Team Listing Agent
Transaction Manager
• • • • • •
Market Research Listing Appointment Determine Sale Price Listing Agreement Property Preparation Photography
• • • • •
Property Marketing For-Sale Sign Order Virtual Tour Showing feedback & tracking Market statistics for property
PHASE 3 Team Buyer Agent • • •
PHASE 4
PHASE 5
Team Listing Agent
Listing Agent & Transaction Manager
• • • •
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Hold Open Houses Answer calls from our 24-hour recorded information line. Contact potential buyers regarding your property.
Negotiate Sale Order Inspection Process thru Escrow & Title Work with lender on financing
• • •
Negotiate Repairs Final Walk-Through Closing and transfer or property
PH: 877-512-5773 | www.Home4Investment.com
CONTACT
Ben Kinney and THE HOME4INVESTMENT TEAM 3800 Byron Ave Suite 148, Bellingham WA 98229 benkinney@kw.com
www.Home4Investment.com Home4Investment Real Estate Divisions: • • • • • •
Residential Condominiums Vacant Land Resale's Luxury Homes Short Sale/Foreclosures
• • • •
Commercial Real Estate Business Opportunities Condominium Conversions Various Large Scale Projects
Thousands of New Construction Homes are: • Managed • Marketed • Staffed • ...and ultimately SOLD!
Home4Investment Locations: Keller Williams Realty Seattle 4452 California Avenue SW Seattle WA 98116
Keller Williams Realty Marysville 1027 State Ave Suite 102 Marysville WA 98270
Keller Williams Realty Everett 500 SE Everett Mall Way Suite B200 Everett WA 98208
Keller Williams Realty Bellingham 3800 Byron Avenue Suite 148 Bellingham WA 98229
PH: 877.512.5773 | www.Home4Investment.com
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