GETTING TO
SOLD YOUR GUIDE TO SUCCESSFULLY SELLING YOUR HOME Enclosed you will find information regarding a comprehensive Home Selling System created to get your home sold fast and for top dollar, a list of questions you should ask ANY Realtor before you sign ANYTHING, a list of Real Estate Myths, and much more!
Dear Future Client, Thank you for reviewing this guide, we hope you find it informative. We have sent you these materials in advance of any meeting so that you can make the best decisions possible. At this point, We don’t know all of your particular needs and objectives, nor do we know your financial and family situation entirely. We do know that selling a home can be an extremely emotionally trying time, or a very exciting one. A good agents job is to provide you with enough solid information so you can make an honest, informed decision based upon facts not hype. As you look through this package, use the forms at the back to note any questions that you may have that we are always happy to answer. Please take your time and review all the information that has proven time and time again invaluable to the homes sellers that have reviewed this package before you including:
Our Proven Home
Selling System And Much
More
Selling your home is a complicated task, so it is crucial to have every possible advantage you can. Thank you again for your time, and we look forward to meeting with you.
Sincerely,
John Gafford Broker Owner Simply Vegas Real Estate
5 essentials that comprise the Formula for a successful sale.
The
Location Condition Market Terms Price Your home will sell for the highest profit and in the quickest amount of time when all the ingredients are combined perfectly. If only one ingredient is left out of the formula or is out of proportion to the others‌ Your home will take longer to sell and will COST YOU MONEY even if you have the best marketing in the world.
Location The pricing of your home must reflect its neighborhood, amenities and location. The better the location, the higher the acceptable price. School districts, high or low traffic, and highway accessibility, all need to be considered in determining the value of your home’s location. Other factors such as golf course frontage vs. interior lots, backing busy streets, views all matter. You cannot control the location of your home, you just have to be honest about it.
Condition The pricing of your home must accurately reflect its condition. The general upkeep and presentation of your home is critical to obtaining the highest value for your home. Over time we stop seeing the little defects in the areas we live every day. A great exercise is walk your home with a roll of blue painters tape and try to envision your home as if for the first time. Then place a small piece of tape on any imperfection. The amount of tape will show you just how much you may need to do to get your home ready for market. Also note the roof, plumbing, carpets, and any mechanics of the home all relate to condition. If you want top of the market pricing, the home must be MOVE IN ready.
Market Recession, inflation, interest rates, mortgage availability, competition, and the public’s perception of the general economy all make up the market. It may be a buyer’s market or a seller’s market. A challenge many Sellers have is they are too slow to respond to the changes often making decisions based on out dated thinking. This is the equivalent of getting in your car and driving looking in the rear view mirror. The pricing of your home must reflect the current nature of the market. A good agent can help you process all the factors that may affect you. In an appreciating market, price to where the market is going. In a depreciating or flat market, you cam set the market, or one of your neighbors can set it for you by being more aggressive. You can, however, take advantage of the market with the proper strategy.
Terms The more financing terms and options you accept, the more potential buyers there will be for your property. The pricing of your home must reflect the terms available. The easier the terms, the more valuable your property becomes. Two of the most popular creative financing solutions in Nevada is the Owner Will Carry and AITD. These are not for everyone, but in some cases can really increase value. (And this is where my team of professional Affiliates really shine-by offering a broad, full-spectrum of mortgage products and options to both you and all potential buyers!)
Price is the single most important factor when listing a home The consequences of making the wrong decision are painful. Nothing is more true than establishing a price for your home. Price it too high, and your home will sit unsold for months, developing the reputation of a problem property (everyone will think that there is something wrong with it). Failure to understand market conditions and miss-price your home can cost you thousands of dollars and cause your home not to sell… fouling up all of your plans. Homes sell when one thing happens. The home is priced based on a “Standard” that is easily understood and agreed upon by BOTH the Seller AND the Buyer.
“Your standard of value has to make sense to more than just you” Utilizing the best real estate data available and my our in depth knowledge of the market, we can analyse current market conditions in combination with your personal time requirements to identify the correct price range for your home. This will ensure you a pricing model that will be based on a standard acceptable to the market.
You can’t afford any “guesswork” in this critical step!
Pricing Truths •
What you paid for your property does not effect its current value. Markets move, so does the price of your home, for good and bad.
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The amount of money you need to get out of the sale of your property does not effect its value. No potential buyer is ever going to use what you need to NET as a standard for considering your home or writing an acceptable offer. When buying your next home, you wouldn’t do this either.
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It’s impossible to make a smart decision about pricing your home without first establishing your BATNA. This stands for “Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement”. What this means is, you need to decide and understand what you will do if the home can not be sold. Will you rent it? If so, will you lose money every month? Will you just stay there? If so what is the effect on your life vs. the reason you wish to move? A huge mistake Sellers make is they want to “cross this bridge when they come to it”. This thinking can cloud reasonable judgement and push you to an unreasonable Standard of pricing.
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There is no line on an appraisal for sentimental value. This can be especially hard for people who personally designed or in some cases built their homes. You have to be able to separate your emotional connection to the home and it’s fixtures from the data at hand. In luxury homes, an independent appraisal is sometimes a very useful tool to help Sellers establish a better frame of reference.
Be aware that some devious agents will, at first, suggest a very handsome price. Then, after they have the listing and the house hasn’t sold, they’ll come back with a pitch to lower the price.”
Advantages of proper Pricing Standards
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By establishing a proper “Pricing Standard” and not attempting to “test” the market with an unreasonable price, there are many advantages. REMEMBER -The best possible result is to create a bidding war and drive the price up instead of trying to catch the market on the way down.
FASTER SALE: The proper price gets a faster sale, which means you save on mortgage payments, real estate taxes, insurance, and other carrying costs.
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LESS INCONVENIENCE: As you may know, it takes a lot of time and energy to prepare your home for showings, keep the property clean, make arrangements for children and pets, and generally alter your lifestyle. Proper pricing shortens market time.
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INCREASED AGENT RESPONSE: When agents are excited about a property and its price, they make special efforts to contact all their potential buyers and show the property whenever possible.
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EXPOSURE TO MORE PROSPECTS: Pricing at mar-
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HIGHER OFFERS: When a property is priced right, buyers are much less likely to make a
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ket value will open your home up to more people who can afford it. Buyer inquiry calls are more readily converted into showing appointments when the price is not a deterrent
low offer, for fear of losing out on a great value.
MORE MONEY TO SELLERS: When a property is priced right, the excitement of the market produces a higher sales price in less time. You NET more due to the higher sales price and lower carrying costs.
Drawbacks of improper pricing standards •
REDUCES ACTIVITY: Agents won’t show the property if they feel it is price is beyond any reasonable standard.
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LOWER ADVERTISING RESPONSE: Buyer excitement will be with other properties that
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LOSS OF INTERESTED BUYERS: The property can seem inferior in amenities to other
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ATTRACTS THE WRONG PROSPECTS: Serious buyers will feel that they should be
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are priced using a standard that is understandable to them. properties in the same price range that are correctly priced using a common standard. getting more for their money and submit lowball offers.
HELPS THE COMPETITION: Overpricing your home makes your competition look like a good deal.
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ELIMINATES OFFERS: Since a fair priced offers based on a fair standard will be lower
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CAUSES APPRAISAL PROBLEMS: Appraisers must base their value on what compara-
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LOWER NET PROCEEDS: Most of the time an overpriced property will eventually end
than asking price and may insult the seller, many buyers will just move on to another property and not offer at all fearing the Seller in “unrealistic”. ble properties have sold for. You have to sell a homes pricing standard three times. Once to an agent that brings the buyer. Then to the buyer. Then to the appraiser, they are normally the toughest sell. up selling for less than if it had been properly priced to begin with, not to mention the extra carrying costs.
“What’s wrong with this house?” This is exactly what every potential Buyer will say about your home if it sits on the market due to being over priced.
WHO WE ARE: SIMPLY VEGAS REAL ESTATE • Simply Vegas is the largest boutique firm in the state of Nevada. We have 260 agents, and we are #3 in total listing volume (the top two companies have over 4000 agents combined, and the fourth place company has over 800). So as you can see we are a company full of top performers. Why is this important to you? We are the only firm in Las Vegas that has serious hiring standards, unlike other brokerages that will hire, really anybody. All of our agents are vetted to ensure minimum experience and service standards. • We have a larger market share than any Keller Williams, Sotherby’s, RE/Max, Coldwell Banker, or Century 21 • Simply Vegas did the largest single transaction in the history of Las Vegas 187mm- the Veer Towers acquisition. Why should matter to you, isn’t one of the largest hedge funds in the world trust in our firm with their transaction should you? • We sell more homes over 2MM than any other firm. Why is important to you is we only know one way to sell homes. We don’t dumb down our service based on the price of the home you’re selling. It doesn’t matter to us if you are selling a $2 million house or $200,000 house the level of service will be exactly the same; it’s the five diamond Sachs Fifth Avenue level of service.
The Gafford Group • The Gafford Group, we are in the top 1 % of all REALTORS nationwide, we sell more homes in a month or even a week sometimes a week than most agents do in a year. See experience matters, we negotiate more deals with more people than just about anyone, this will give you an edge when it comes time to get you the best deal.
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Honesty & Integrity at all times and in all situations. Continually improving our services to exceed our client’s expectations. Continuing to seek the most modern technology for our clients. Tirelessly pursuing team growth while reaching well-formulated goals. Work with only the most enjoyable agents and coworkers.
What our clients say......
I wanted to personally thank you for your professionalism while bringing our new home to a successful close. While this purchase is our primary residence, being a real estate investor both domestically and internationally, I knew this was going to be a difficult purchase when we started. Additionally, I was travelling internationally on my business half the time and literally getting text updates in Dubai said a lot about you and your firm’s service! You had about everything going against you from the start given we were buying a short sale, with both a 1st T.D. and 2nd T.D and requesting a purchase price over a million dollars less than the existing notes. Yet you prevailed! -Greg McTee - Decisive Ventures, Inc.
“I’ve bought and sold homes with John Gafford, you should to” - Randall Cunningham NFL Legend
“I’ve dealt with a lot of REALTORS before, and John Gafford is the best! He has sold many homes for me and the reason I live in a beautiful home now is because of him. Whatever you do, call John Gafford!” -Arnauld Briand- Owner and Executive Chef - Ventanno
Introducing our “Smart commission plan”
Would you let someone have access to your bank account because they promised you they were good with money? NO of course, you wouldn’t. When you hire a real estate agent and agree to a fixed commission figure based on what they promised you at a listing presentation, it’s the same thing. One of the reasons agents are seen as less than trustworthy is most will agree to whatever a Seller wants at a listing presentation just to get the listing. (This is especially true for the price) The agent then comes back at the Seller with the old stand by “You need to lower it”. That’s a great strategy for an agent and a nightmare for you. Here’s why. The agent is only is only giving up a small percentage of the reduction vs. you giving up the whole thing and that’s a pretty easy phone call for that agent to make. What do they care?..... you agreed to it up front.
With our Smart Commission Plan.…. Our Commission percentage is based on the ultimate SALES price of your home, NOT the List price. Q: What About Those List for 1% Agents? A: Remember, you don’t pay any commission if your home does not sell. Many of these “discount” agents tout advanced technology and great results, the stats just don’t support their claims. A recent study showed a large ”List for 1%” agent in NV had only a 43% success rate at selling the homes they had listed. Conversely, our entire Simply Vegas office averaged just a 16% failure rate. One of the oldest adages in business is, you get what you pay for. There is no incentive for them to spend more or work harder than the bare minimum.
Pay for results not Promises Smart Commission Plan (continued) It also protects you from catastrophe. Should your neighbors decide to sell their home for 10% below market value and it tanks the value of your home. We would take the loss together. For example: Say a $500,000 listing had to be reduced by $50,000 because of a new foreclosure down the street. Your are losing FIFTY GRAND! How much is the agent losing? THEM Assuming they took your listing at a flat 6% and offered 3% co-op. (There are no set or standard commission rates this is strictly an example). They are losing 3% of $50,000 which is $1500. They are still going to make $13,500. US Depending on the matrix we use on our sliding scale, this may drop us down 2% of the ENTIRE SALE PRICE or 2% of $450,000 which is $9000. That’s real savings to you that goes right back to your bottom line. Simply put, we put our money where our mouth is in a way no one else does. We truly are in it together when it comes to the sale of your home.
Guarantee yourself the MAXIMUM RETURN POSSIBLE
The gafford group Buyer portfolio The Gafford Group have a unique system to attract buyers and ensure that each buyer will be properly assisted in finding a home.. My team has a system that focuses specifically on assisting the large inventory of buyers that our innovative marketing strategies produce. Each buyer is interviewed to determine the features and specifications that they are looking for in a home. That data is then entered into a computer system that will list the homes that match the buyer’s criteria. Buyers are given the features and benefits of those homes that meet their criteria, and will be assisted through each step of the process. We focus all our efforts on finding a buyer for your home, unlike traditional agents who passively wait for a buyer to come along. The system allows us to give exceptional service to a large inventory of buyers. As a result of this we very often find our own Buyers for our listings.
WE VERY WELL MAY ALREADY HAVE THE BUYER FOR YOUR HOME
Marketing Homes Online •
WORLD WIDE DISTRIBUTION Our listings syndicate to hundreds of real estate aggre-
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TOP RANKED WEBSITES The Gafford Group owns and maintains many websites
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NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIFIC Our websites are designed to be as “local” as possible. We
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gators. From Zillow to any Real Estate companies website around the globe, if they carry Nevada homes, yours will display. This will cast the widest possible net for buyers for your home. designed to feature your home and attract buyers. We specialize in search engine optimization and many of our sites rank #1 for important key phrases including “ Luxury Homes In Nevada”. We capture hundreds and hundreds of Buyers a month and always feature our (your) listings first. drill down pages for the specific neighborhoods in Southern Nevada allowing Buyers to find your home, through us FAST
INTERACTIVE 3D VIRTUAL TOURS We spend more money on our virtual tours than anyone. We are the first Real Estate company in Nevada to own a Matterport camera. The 3D tours we create are the ultimate tool to get your home SOLD
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SOCIAL MEDIA Our twitter and facebook accounts are followed by thousands. Because
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VIDEO MARKETING Your property will be converted to video and syndicated to every
of the high quality of our posts (our listings), they are very often re-shared to millions of potential buyers But we also utilize advanced targeting to serve your home directly to potential buyers as they scroll through their news feed.
major video site. Video is the fastest growing segment of internet interaction, and your home will be right in the mix
When Buyers search Online, they WILL find us.......... Will they find you?
CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY
We utilize the most cutting edge to sell your home. Currently we are the only brokerage that owns a Matterport camera and John Gafford was the inventor of the ReelTour system. Marketing on the cutting edge is the difference between success and failure, between dollars and cents.
Matterport 3D -The BEST virtual Tour available. The same pictures as the MLS scrolling with bad classical music is NOT a virtual tour. We create a FULL 3D render of your home allowing potential buyers to walk through your home virtually from anywhere in the world. This unique feature will bring more buyers and more offers.
ReelTour - If your home is on Lockbox, don’t worry we will still be there every time to show it personally with Reeltour. Our tablets guide perspective buyers through your home selling it’s best features and capture instant feedback from potential buyers while they are still in your home! This combination of sales and feedback will sell your home faster.
The Gafford Group Spends More On New Technology To Help Our Clients Sell Their Homes.
What to expect when we Sell your Home Pre Appointment This is when we research not your homes values but any potential title or tax record issues which could affect the salability and marketing of your property. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
Research property’s ownership and deed type to ensure smooth closing. Research property’s public record information for lot size & dimensions. Research and verify legal description. Research property’s land use coding and deed restrictions. Research property’s current use and zoning. Verify legal name(s) of owner(s) in county’s public property records. Research sales activity for past 6-18 months from MLS and public records databases. Research “Average Days on Market” for property of this type, price range, and location (using not just MLS but Corefact data as well). Research competitive properties that are currently on the market. Research competitive properties that have been withdrawn. Research competitive properties that are currently under contract. Research expired properties that did not sell during their time on the market. Research competitive properties that have sold in the past six months. Call agents, if needed, to discuss activity on the comparable properties they have listed in the area. Prepare our “Comparable Market Analysis” (CMA) to establish fair market value based on the comps standard and deliver it to your home.
Initial Meeting with You 1. 2.
Gather information from you to help assess your needs. Tour the property with you and obtain information that will help us to prepare the listing, advertising and marketing materials. Questions will include: What type of improvements have you done to your house in the past five years? What other features of your home make it attractive to buyers? (Type of cabinets, flooring, decks, pool, fireplaces, etc.) What do you think the home is worth? How much do you owe on the property?
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Assess your timing. Assess your motivation. Assess your immediate concerns. Discuss your purchase plans and determine how the Gafford Group can assist you in your next purchase (local, new home construction, investment, or relocation) or if we can research and find a qualified agent to assist you in your new location. Prepare you by asking you to gather home information: to have copy of deed, current tax bill, copy of a survey, copy of your title policy available (this could potential save you money if you purchased less than three years ago). Establish your BATNA (best alternative to a negotiated agreement) Discuss goals with you to market effectively. Present and discuss the Gafford Group’s Program to market your home the most effectively and bring the most buyers to you in the shortest amount of time. Establish your valuation standard. Review current appraisal, if available. Present Comparable Market Analysis (CMA) Results to you, including comparable solds, current listings and expired listings. Review our “Smart Commission Plan” and offer pricing strategy based on professional judgment and interpretation of current market conditions. Assist you in strategically pricing home to enable it to show up on more MLS Searches. Explore method of pricing your property at its comparable value to bring the most buyers to your property quickly. Explore the option of marketing your home with an incentive of buying down points on the buyers’ loan; potential results are: you retain a higher agreed upon price (which results in more proceeds to you) and the buyer saves on monthly payments and a tax credit. Prepare an equity analysis to show you expenses, closing costs and net proceeds. Come to an agreement as to Value and List price. Explain the use of the Seller’s Property Disclosure Statement you will complete, and that will be presented to the buyer of your home. This will help you avoid devastating setbacks and preserve your legal rights. Select charitable donation location. Review, explain and sign all clauses in Listing Agreement (and addendum, if applicable). Compile and assemble formal file on property
Pre Marketing Phase 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Have our Stager perform Interior Décor Assessment. Introduce our Seller’s Concierge. Schedule photo shoots and 3D tour shoot. Confirm lot size via your copy of certified survey, if available. Obtain copy of floor and pool plans, if available. Identify Home Owner Association manager, if applicable..
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Verify Home Owner Association fees, if applicable. Verify security system, current term of service and whether owned or leased. Compile list of repairs and maintenance items and assist you with any repairs. Prepare showing instructions for buyers’ agents and agree on showing time window with you. Obtain one set of keys which will be inserted in the lockbox (if applicable). Review results of Interior Décor Assessment and suggest changes to shorten time on market. Perform exterior “Curb Appeal Assessment” of subject property. Review results of Curb Appeal Assessment with seller and provide suggestions to improve saleability. Provide you with home showing guidelines (If applicable) to help have the home prepared for appointments. (I.e. Lighting, soft music, etc.) . After staging, oversee the photo shoots of the inside and outside of your home for marketing pieces, advertisements and the Internet. Explain marketing benefits of a Sellers Home Owner Warranty with you. Assist you with completion of Sellers Home Owner Warranty application. Submit Home Warranty application for conveyance at time of sale. Set up home warranty, if you choose, to protect your home during listing period and for 12 months after the sale to reassure buyer of the quality of your home. Install hi-tech lockbox to allow buyers and their agents to view your home conveniently but does not compromise your family’s security. (If applicable). Write remarks within the MLS system specifying how you want the property to be shown. Prepare showing instructions for buyers’ agents and agree on showing time window with you. Prepare detailed list of property amenities to have readily available at your home, to include in Marketing Booklet, and assess market impact Prepare MLS listing. Proofread MLS database listing for accuracy – including proper placement in mapping function. Our marketing department will create advertisements and printables. Create a marketing property brochure of features and lifestyle benefits of your home for use by buyer agents showing your home. This will be prominently displayed in your kitchen or dining room. Immediately submit digital photos of the interior and exterior of your home to the MLS at the same time listing is input allowing buyers and agents to view pictures when narrowing down homes they will actually tour. Prepare REAL-TOUR tablet tour if property is on lockbox. Notify hundreds of agents at Simply Vegas. Promote your home pre-list via our company intra web and to our companies thousands of potential buyers. Maximize showing potential through professional signage. Simply Vegas has one of the most recognizable logo and trademark in Las Vegas real estate.
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Install a Simply Vegas sign in front yard when allowed by Home Owners Association. Provide you with signed copies of Listing Agreement and other listing paperwork.
On the Market and Continued Marketing 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19.
Add property to the Simply Vegas Active Listings list; provide information in three locations in office for Realtors® when potential buyers call for details. Offer Realtor® tour, if applicable, to provide you with professional feedback and additional ways to best promote your home. Offer a Broker’s Open, if applicable, to promote your property to local Realtors® and their customers, to maximize showings. Prepare targeted mailing and contact lists based on most likely to buy demographics. Mail Just Listed Postcards to promote the value of your home over others on the market. Create, print, assemble, and mail compelling flyers to hand deliver and/or mail to target customers, to stimulate calls on your home. Order additional media buys for property (magazines, etc) if applicable Contact local regional media contacts RJ, Luxury Magazine, Weekly, etc. about potential stories (If applicable). Advise Network Referral Program of listing. Blast property to our Buyer database of over 8000 clients. Over 90% of all inquiries come from the Internet. Ensure syndication of your home to hundreds of Internet sites: Realtor.com, NVDreamHomes. com, Truila.com, Google.com, Zillow.com, and all Major Brokerage sites. Set up targeted re marketing ads through all forms of social media, (Facebook, Pintrest, Twitter , etc.). Pre-qualify all buyers whom our agents will bring to your home before showings to avoid wasting your time with unqualified showings and buyers. Capture feedback from Realtors® after all showings all showings. Analyse analytics of all online views and make adjustments as needed. Prepare a biweekly market analysis update. This will include: a. Any activity in your neighborhood (i.e.: New homes on the market, homes that have sold etc) to keep you informed about key market conditions within your area. b. Changes to current laws, interest rates, and insurance conditions as it relates to the housing industry, and specifically how it impacts the sale of your property. c. Feedback from showing agents with you to determine if changes will accelerate the sale. Notify you immediately of any offers, potential offers, or needs. Reverse prospect for Realtors working with interested and capable buyers matching your home, then email copies of your home listing information for them to review immediately. Discuss marketing ideas with our “Mastermind” group of top Realtors from across country.
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Deliver copies of advertisements and marketing material of your home to you for your review. Use other marketing techniques; such as offering free reports to multiply chances of buyers calling in, discussing, pre-qualifing for and touring your home. Deliver copies of advertisements and marketing material of your home to you for your review. Promote your home to top Realtors in other areas. Southern California in particular. Provide Open Houses with a licensed Realtor® (at your request). Handle paperwork if price adjustment needed.
Negotiating on your behalf 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Receive and review all Offers to Purchase contracts submitted by buyers or buyers’ Agents to determine best negotiation position. Contact buyers’ agents to review buyer’s qualifications and discuss offer Evaluate offer(s) and prepare a “net sheet” on each for you for comparison purposes, if requested. Counsel you on offers. Explain merits and weakness of each component of each offer. Confirm buyer is pre-qualified by calling loan officer. Obtain pre-qualification letter on buyer from loan officer. Negotiate highest price and best terms for you and your situation. Prepare and convey any counteroffers, acceptance or amendments to buyer’s agent. When an Offer to Purchase Contract is accepted and signed by you, deliver signed offer to buyer’s agent.
From Contract to Closing 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
Email or hand deliver copies of contract and all addendums to closing title company. Ensure buyer’s earnest money deposited into in escrow account. Deliver copies of fully signed Offer to Purchase contract to you Send copies of Offer to Purchase contract to lender. Advise you in handling any additional offers to purchase that may be submitted between contract and closing. Follow loan processing through to the underwriter. Contact lender weekly to ensure processing is on track. Relay final approval of buyer’s loan application to you. Coordinate buyer’s professional home inspection with you. Review home inspector’s report. Assist you with identifying and negotiating with trustworthy contractors to perform any required repairs.
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Attempt to clarify and resolve any conflicts about repairs if buyer is not satisfied. Attend the appraisal and provide comparable sales used in market pricing to appraiser. Follow-up on appraisal. Assist seller in questioning appraisal report if it seems too low. Coordinate closing process with buyer’s agent and lender. Update closing forms & files. Ensure all parties have all forms and information needed to close the sale. Confirm closing date and time and notify all parties. Assist you with planning your move with our Sellers Concierge. Assist in solving any title problems (boundary disputes, easements, etc.). Research all tax, HOA, utility and other applicable pro-rations. Request final closing figures from closing agent. Receive & carefully review closing figures on the closing statement to ensure accuracy of preparation. Review final figures on your closing statement with you before closing. Forward verified closing figures to buyer’s agent. Request copy of closing documents from closing agent. Confirm buyer and buyer’s agent have received title insurance commitment. Provide “Home Owners Warranty” for availability at closing. Review all closing documents carefully for errors. Forward closing documents to absentee seller as requested. Review documents with closing agent. Audit file for accuracy. Assist in scheduling the closing date for you and all parties. 35. Set up final walk- through of your home for buyers and their agent. Coordinate closing with your next purchase and resolve any timing problems. Arrange possession and transfer of home (keys, warranties, garage door openers, community pool keys, mail box keys, educate new owners of garbage days/recycling, mail procedures etc.). Have a “no surprises” closing. Request positive reviews and a letter of recommendation. Request referrals. Help you relocate locally, or out of area with highly experienced Network of agents across the globe - you are sure to have the highest quality agent to help you on both sides of your move to make it worry and stress free.
HOME SELLING MYTHS
MYTH: The Gafford Group sells a lot of real estate. Perhaps they are too busy to pay attention to my listing.
TRUTH: Just as great restaurants are always busy and superior doctors have a heavy patient load, The Gafford Group’s success in marketing and selling homes has resulted in a busy schedule. But like good restaurants and doctors, the Gaffords have assembled a team of top-notch people to assist with all of the details. The result is outstanding customer service and support. The long list of satisfied clients speaks for itself.
MYTH: A “discount” broker can do just as well and save me money.
TRUTH: “Think it’s expensive to hire expertise? Wait till you hire incompetence”. Successfully marketing a property in our competitive marketplace takes skill and resources. All of the promotional costs such as photos, brochures, printing, signs, advertisements, staging consultations, direct mail, etc., are paid for by the Gafford Group. How will a discount broker offer such a complete marketing campaign? Does the discount broker have a team to personally tend to your specific needs? Do they have a proven track record of success, or are they just using the lower commission to try to win your business? Do they have the expertise to guide you through the problems that often develop during the closing process? Remember that you only actually pay a brokerage fee if and when your property sells. Many sellers have found that their commission with a discount broker was really zero, because their property never sold! It is interesting to note that no discount brokerage has a dominant market share in any major city in the country.
MYTH: I should select the agent that suggests the highest list price.
TRUTH: This is the oldest scam in real estate sales: Tell the seller what they want to hear, compliment the home, and agree to list it at an unrealistically high price just to get the listing. Then, after you have the listing for a few weeks, start telling the seller that they need to reduce the price. The Gafford Group doesn’t play any games. We provide a well researched computerized market analysis to determine the true realistic price that your home will bear in today’s marketplace. The decisions of which agent to list with and what price to ask are two completely separate deci-
sions.
Never select an Agent based on the price they suggest, rather, select your agent based on their CREDENTIALS and MARKETING PLAN, and then decide on price together! MYTH: Property condition is not that important to buyers, A “Lived In” home is OK.
TRUTH: WRONG! A property in superior condition will sell faster and for a higher price than a home in average condition. Buyers purchase properties that are most appealing, and a home in great condition with a reasonable asking price always tops the list. Sellers that invest in necessary repairs and keep their home clean and fresh always reap the rewards!
MYTH: Empty homes are harder to sell than occupied homes.
TRUTH: Depends-Vacant homes often sell faster for several reasons, but again it all depends on condition. A vacant home that is clean, in good repair, and priced fairly will sometimes sell fast because the rooms will appear larger without furniture and clutter, buyers can easily visualize their furnishings in the home, and most agents prefer to show vacant homes because they can go anytime without worrying about making appointments, etc. However, depending on the size of the home sometimes proper staging can go a long way.
MYTH: Pricing a home for sale is a mysterious process.
TRUTH: Your home will sell for what the market will bear. To determine the range of value for your home, it takes a solid knowledge of the market. And because every home is unique, your home will sell more near the high or low end of the range depending on its specific attributes like location and condition. The Gafford Group utilizes a computer database along with years of experience to help you decide where to set the price. It is not simple, but it isn’t mysterious either.
gafford group gives back For us it’s not just about the money, it’s what the money can do. One of the missions of the Gafford Group is to make the world a better place one sale at a time. How do we do this? Simple. Starting in 2015 The Gafford Group donates a portion of the commission from every listing we sell to one of four charities. The best part is you get to decide which one! At the time we take the listing you will select the charity on your charitable donation delegation form. Great deals are great but giving back is awesome. Here are our selected charities and what they do: Keep Memory Alive Committed to improving the lives of patients and their families as they navigate the extraordinary challenges of brain disorders. Donations to Keep Memory Alive exclusively support Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, which treats patients with Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s and Parkinson’s disease, as well as frontotemporal dementia, multiple sclerosis and multiple system atrophy. Safe Nest Serving Southern Nevada since 1977, Safe Nest is Nevada’s largest and most comprehensive charity devoted solely to domestic violence issues providing safe shelter for families of domestic abuse. Three Square Together, we can feed everyone! It’s not just our motto, it’s the philosophy that drives everything we do. Without the help of caring members of our community, we would never be able to accomplish our goal of providing three square meals a day for the hard-working people in Southern Nevada who just need a helping hand to make ends meet. Habitat for Humanity Habitat for Humanity Las Vegas builds “simple, decent, affordable homes for working families in partnership with God and our community.” We believe in giving families a hand-up, not a handout. Not only does purchasing a home from Habitat benefit a family financially, it also provides a permanent, safe place for them to live and grow.
Things to consider when selling your home When you work with The Gafford Group, we want to act in YOUR best interests. We’re eager to have you share your concerns & expectations about the sale of your home.
Please take a moment to complete the survey below‌
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Suggested Questions for Listing Agents 1.
Do you work as a full-time Realtor速?
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How many potential buyers and sellers do you talk with in a week? A month? Of those you speak with, how many actually contact you as opposed to cold calling?
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How many buyers are you currently working with?
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In what ways will you encourage other Realtors速 to show and sell my home?
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What can you tell me about the real estate market in this area?
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What price do you recommend for my home, and what is it based on?
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What are your average days on market?
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What is your list to sales price ratio?
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What kind of advertising do you do? May I see some samples?
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How often will my home be advertised, and where?
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How do you attract buyers from outside the local area?
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Will you prepare a marketing brochure for my property? May I see a sample?
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Where and how will the brochures be distributed, and to whom?
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Do you have a system to follow-up with other agents and brokers so that we get valuable feedback after every showing?
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How often, and in what way will I be kept informed?
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Are you associated with a national referral network that refers their buyers to you and gives you the opportunity to refer me to the top agent in the town or state I may be moving to?
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Do you have a Team to help with the details, or are you a one man / woman wonder show & do it all yourself?
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How will you market my home through the Internet or Virtual Tours?
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Do you have a Specific Marketing Plan designed to sell my property quickly and for top dollar? How does it go beyond placing a sign in my yard, and uploading to the Multiple Listing Service?
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May I see a copy of your last listing as it appears to other Realtors on the MLS? (Called a “Detailed Report�)
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Where do you rank against the other Realtors in Southern Nevada?
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How many homes have you sold in the past 6 months? Year?
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Do you have references that I may call?
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What happens if I am not happy with your service?
Questions Selling your home is a complex process, and it’s only natural for you to have some questions and concerns. Please don’t hesitate to ask any question that you may have. When it comes to selling your home, there is no such thing as a dumb question!
Please note any questions you have, so that we can address them during our meeting: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9)
When you purchased this house, you did so for very specific reasons. Reasons that might sell it as well!
If... someone was looking at your home, what specific things would you want to point out to him or {HIS/HER}?