Seller's Guide - ARC Realty

THE ARC REALTY Advantage

While a yard sign is the most recognizable (and still one of the most important) marketing tools for selling a home, that is barely the tip of the iceberg. Using the newest technology, consistent collateral, social media, traditional advertising, and an extensive agent network, ARC agents have proven successful in getting homes in front of the right buyers and agents for a speedy and profitable sale.

PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY

showcasing your listing

MARKETING KIT custom to your property

AUTOMATED SHOWING for personalized showing schedule

DIGITAL LOCKBOX for tracking and safety

Your listing on LeadingRE.com for exposure to out of town buyers

Plus:

ACTIVITY REPORTS

sent to you weekly

SOCIAL MEDIA EXPOSURE on all key channels

EMAIL BLASTS to all area REALTORS

750+ WEBSITES with your listing posted

$500K+ listings featured as luxury for exposure to high-end buyers

Home Buying & Selling Timeline

Find a great Realtor

Read reviews, talk to and meet in person with a Realtor to decide if they are knowledgeable and the best fit for helping you achieve your goal of home ownership. Having representation is important and there’s no cost to you to have this help!

Get pre-approved

Assess your situation

Do you have money saved? What are you comfortable spending monthly on a payment? Make a list of needs/ wants in a home.

6 Months

Selling

Find a great Realtor

Don’t just hire someone who’s offering to sell your home for the highest price. Ask how many homes they sell. How many years have they been in real estate? How are they going to market your home? How will they communicate and how often? How long did it take to sell their last 10 listings?

It’s best to choose a local lender and get a pre-approval letter before starting to tour homes.

Have your Realtor set up an MLS Saved Search notification

Homes are entered on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) so they are available there first before any other site! Your Realtor can set up instant notifications so you see homes before anyone else.

Start Looking

In-home tours are the best way to preview and choose a home. Give your Realtor notification and have them set up tours of your favorites.

3 Months

Know where you’re going

If you sell before you buy, where will you go? If you are building, will you rent? Will you buy before you sell? Talk to your Realtor about goals and next steps to strategize together.

Look at the calendar

Work with your agent on a timeline for selling your home.

Make small repairs

Take the time and effort to fix small items.

Deep clean

Whether you do it or you hire a cleaning service–deep clean your home, including floors, grout, windows, kitchen, and bathrooms.

Make an offer

Stay strong

It’s a seller’s market. Buying can be competitive and stressful. Trust your Realtor and keep your goal in focus.

2 Months

1 Month

Under Contract

Once your offer is accepted, you are under contract and in the critical part of the process.

3 Weeks

Contract to Close

This is a 30-day process and includes earnest money being deposited, resubmitting paperwork to the lender, home inspection, shopping for insurance, choosing a home warranty, and wiring funds to the closing attorney.

Final walkthrough

The day before or day of closing you’ll walk through the home one more time making sure any repairs were done and the home is still in the expected condition.

Closing Day

Yay! Time to sign and buy your home. This will take place at an attorney’s office during business hours and will take about an hour. Make sure any money you were supposed to bring is at the attorney’s office and you have a non-expired driver’s license OR passport with you. Depending on the contract you should receive keys today or 1-2 days after closing.

Stage your home

This means declutter. Showcase your house, not your stuff. Make sure you have curb appeal.

Get professional photos taken

Great photos of your home generate more interest and showings, which generates more offers.

List your home on a Wed, Thurs, or Fri

On weekdays, real estate sites get 20% more traffic than on weekends. WedFri is the optimal time to list for the most activity on your home on the 1st weekend.

1 Week

Be receptive to feedback

Your agent will likely review feedback with you weekly. Take it constructively and keep your goal in focus.

Review offers

When an offer comes in, your agent will present it along with a net sheet showing your profit on the sale.

Closing day

Time to sign and sell your home. This will take place at an attorney’s office during business hours and will take about an hour. Once everyone has signed, you’ll receive a check or wire transfer of your money from the seller. Depending on the contract, you may be already moved out and provide keys. Otherwise, you will do this 1-2 days post-closing.

Contract to Close

This is when an experienced agent representing you can make a difference. Negotiations continue during this 30-45 day window.

Contract to Close Explained

The Closing Process

Offer

You and your ARC agent

• Agent helps negotiate the offer

• Buyer and seller agree on price and conditions

• Agent sends signed contract to closing attorney

• The buyer orders mechanical and general inspections

• Buyer makes loan application (if applicable)

Contract

The Closing Attorney and/or Title Company

• Receives executed contract

• Collects title and tax information

• Reviews title and notifies all parties of any defects

• Title company issues title commitment

• Title commitment is sent to lender, ARC agent, and attorney

• Attorney receives closing instructions from lender

• Attorney consolidates all closing documents

• Closing occurs

Distribution of Funds

• All documents are recorded in the county clerk’s office

• Title policy sent to mortgagee and owner

Loan

The Mortgage Company

• Verifies all financial information on buyer

• Orders, receives, and reviews appraisal and property survey and flood certificate

• Compiles loan package and submits to underwriter

• Loan is rated by underwriter

• Collects and packages additional materials as requested

• Repackages and resubmits to underwriter

• Loan is approved

• Closing occurs

• Prepares and delivers loan documents and funds to closing agent

• Gets buyer approval

• Review final, signed documents from closing agent

Intelligent Pricing and Timing

Your best chance of selling your home is in the first two weeks of marketing. Your home is fresh and exciting to buyers and to their agents, which should bring in a flurry of interest. If you aren’t getting showings or offers, there is a chance you have overpriced your home. Since you can’t change the location, you should consider improving the home’s condition or lowering the price.

PRICING CORRECTLY your key to success

Pricing a home above market price can have a direct and negative effect on the amount of time it takes to sell and the ultimate selling price. Overpricing prevents buyers from ever seeing it, while a fair market price can bring more offers and competing bids.

FAIR MARKET VALUE an art and a science

The listing price should be based on a well-researched market evaluation judged by comparable homes sold in the area and an assessment of market conditions. The value can be impacted by a wide range of factors, the biggest being location, size, and condition.

Selling your home quickly is the goal. Everyone’s home feels special to them, which makes it tempting to put a higher price on it believing you can always come down later. That’s a serious mistake. Intelligent pricing isn’t only about getting the most for your home - it’s also about getting your home sold as soon as possible while maximizing value.

Complete Marketing Package

We know the value of consistent marketing of your listing across multiple platforms, both web and print. Through our best-in-class marketing system, your listing will be presentation ready from day one with a full suite of print materials and digital tools to make the right impression. Presenting a house for sale the right way involves more than just curb appeal–ARC Realty boosts your web appeal and presentation materials to get more views in less time.

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Curb Appeal

Your home’s exterior is essential to attracting potential buyers, even before they get out of their car. Curb appeal is the view from the street that gives buyers the first chance to fall in love and keeps them thinking about the house long after the showing.

The goal is for buyers to love your home even before they get out of their car.

POWER WASH SIDING AND BRICK

PRUNE OR REPLACE PLANTS

MOW, EDGE, WATER, AND WEED LAWN

PAINT / CLEAN DOOR

CLEAN GUTTERS

REPLACE SHINGLES

PAINT AND CAULK WINDOWS

REPAIR OR REPLACE CRACKED PAVERS REPLACE FIXTURES

First impressions are essential.

The exterior of your home should be in pristine condition – clean, cleared of clutter, with no visible repairs needed. A broken step, overgrown bush, or abandoned toy in the yard can spoil both the home’s appearance and the buyer’s experience.

Eye-catching updates:

• New welcome mat

• Fresh flowers in pots

• New house numbers

• Polish door hardware

• Hang a seasonal wreath

• Hide garbage and recycling

Prepping to Sell your Home

Declutter and clean.

Once your home goes on the market, real estate agents may call to show your home anytime, even if you’ve listed preferred showing times in the instructions. Keeping your home in showing condition can be challenging. Here are some tips for presenting your home in the best light:

ELIMINATE CLUTTER

The less cluttered your home, the better it shows. Consider renting a portable storage unit that can be stored until it’s time to deliver it to your new home.

GET IN THE HABIT

Wash dishes immediately after meals. Clean off countertops. Make beds in the morning. Keep pet toys and beds washed and smelling fresh.

REMOVE BREAKABLES

Figurines, china, crystal, and other breakables should be packed and stored away.

REMOVE TEMPTATIONS

Store valuable jewelry and collectibles in a secure location like a safety deposit box or a safe. Secure prescription medicine and private financial documents.

CLEAN OUT THE GARAGE & ATTIC

Buyers want to see what kind of storage is available. Utilize a storage unit if possible so buyers are able to see the spaces.

Fix, paint, and update: Replace anything old or broken that can easily be found at the hardware store such as electrical coverings, fixtures, hardware, or air vents.

A fresh coat of paint can dramatically change a room. Consider repainting rooms that show the wear of everyday living such as kitchens, dens, and kids rooms.

It pays to stage your home.

When you list your home for sale, it becomes a product rather than your personal retreat. You want potential homebuyers to be able to envision themselves living in the home, which can be difficult if your family’s personality is still evident.

When done correctly, staging can not only set the right emotional tone for buyers about the home, but can also help highlight the most attractive features. Staging can potentially make you money, too: 77% of listing agents said a well-staged environment increases the dollar value buyers are willing to offer.

Staging can also shorten the length of time your home is on the market, with agents reporting that their staged homes were going under contract faster than those without.

We can set you up with a professional stager and work with you through the in-home consultation where they will walk through your home with you, review the property, and provide a report with their advice for the home.

Their report will typically include advice on de-cluttering, storing items, reorganizing furniture placement, and possibly changing out paint colors. The stager may also give tips for improving curb appeal.

The most common rooms that are staged are the living room, kitchen, master bedroom, and dining room. The cost of services provided will vary depending how much assistance your home will need.

77% of listing agents said a well-staged environment incr eases the dollar value buyers are willing to offer.

ONLINE MARKETING to over 750 websites

We are members of the industry’s most extensive online marketing program resulting in exposure of your listing on up to 750 different sites!