Signature Seller's Guide

Sell With Confidence

YOUR GUIDE TO SELLING WITH A SIGNATURE AGENT

Simple, Effortless & Certain

When selling your house, the process can be both exciting and overwhelming. When you work with a Signature agent, they will ensure you receive the best possible price for your home along with making the selling process stress-free.

This guide provides a basic overview of what to expect when selling a home and how your Signature agent can help so that you feel more confident in your real estate journey.

Tips For Home Sellers

1. Clear the Clutter

Before you put your home on the market, clear the clutter that’s accumulated over the years. Tackle one room at a time, and divide your items into three piles: keep, donate and toss

2. Get Packing

Although you don’t want to pack all of your belongings, it helps to start boxing up the items that you want to keep, but won’t use for a while, such as out of season clothing or sporting equipment. Also, think about packing away sentimental and valuable items. Packing up your belongings will help potential buyers picture themselves living in your home and also prevent your valuables from damage.

3. Research the Local Market

Knowing how much the homes in your neighborhood are selling for and how long they stayed on the market

can help you gauge your home’s value and estimate a time frame for the sale. Call your Signature agent for a free market analysis of your home.

4. Repair and Improve

Boost your home’s curb appeal by doing minor repairs and improvements inside the home and out. Tackle any necessary repairs, paint your walls a neutral color and replace light fixtures or appliances that are damaged or out of date. And, don’t forget to clean – potential buyers can’t enjoy the view if the windows are too dirty to see through.

5. Be Realistic

While it’s good to get a feel for the local market, be realistic about the selling process. Having realistic expectations for your home sale will help to relieve some of the stress of selling.

NUMBER 2 REAL ESTATE COMPANY FOR CLOSED SALES IN NYS*

$3.6 BILLION IN CLOSED SALES VOLUME

46 AVERAGE DAYS ON MARKET FOR CLOSED LISTINGS

1,625+ AGENTS ACROSS LONG ISLAND

5,669 NUMBER OF CLOSED SALES

The Signature Story

Our family of professionals is committed to success – and proves it every day by providing home buyers and sellers with the highest level of personalized service and support. It’s a positive approach that moves us forward. Today, we are the fastest-growing real estate company on Long Island.

Real Estate The Way You Want It To Be

Owners Peter Morris and Kathy Viard share a visionary strategy focused on clients, community and carefully targeted expansion that has propelled us into Long Island’s fastest-growing real estate firm.

Peter and Kathy’s involved leadership is at the heart of Signature Premier Properties’ success. They’re committed to providing their agents with the guidance, tools and support to meet your needs.

They understand that for most of us, buying or selling a home is a big deal. They know that there is a real hunger for a locally owned, nonfranchised, independent real estate model. Our company is built on delivering knowledgeable, personalized guidance and professional advice throughout each stage of every real estate transaction. By fulfilling this promise, our firm has grown, and each community we move into consistently rewards us with command of its local market share.

IT’S PERSONAL

Our agents are the foundation of our firm. Our Signature team is a family of like-minded professionals — always growing while supporting each other and our clients’ success. Each Signature Premier Properties agent has demonstrated affection for and knowledge of their community, and a clear talent and enthusiasm for buying and selling real estate. For them, helping others find that special place to call home is a deep personal calling.

By working in a non-competitive environment — free of the red tape that defines large franchises, our team is able to offer individual personalized service. They are equally comfortable working with ever-evolving social media platforms and traditional marketing strategies. Their goal is always the same — help you meet your needs and objectives.

Yesterday — and Today

The Signature Story began in a little house in Huntington Village in 2007. Our team of homegrown professionals live where you live; we’re your neighbors. Our devoted attention to you and your needs has allowed us to continue to expand into communities where we live, work and play.

Today, you’ll find our offices not only in Huntington, but all over Nassau and Suffolk counties. Our signposts are proudly displayed across Long Island, and we love it when you tell us, “I see your signs everywhere.”

Signature Story is Your Story.

The

The Home Selling Process

STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS FROM START TO FINISH

DECIDE ON SELLING

START SHOWING YOUR HOME & HOLDING OPEN HOUSES

CONTACT YOUR SIGNATURE AGENT

DETERMINE THE VALUE OF YOUR HOME

PREPARE A PERSONALIZED HOME MARKETING PLAN

LAUNCH YOUR HOME ON MLSLI & OTHER NATIONAL/LOCAL WEBSITES

VERIFY TAXES & CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY

STAGE & PHOTOGRAPH YOUR HOME

FIND A BUYER & CONFIRM QUALIFICATIONS CLOSING!

NEGOTIATE OFFER & TERMS/ ACCEPT AN OFFER

CONDUCT HOME & TERMITE INSPECTIONS

EXECUTE THE CONTRACT WITH YOUR ATTORNEY

FINAL WALKTHROUGH BEFORE THE CLOSING

TITLE SEARCH ORDERED BY THE BUYERS ATTORNEY

RECEIVE WRITTEN MORTGAGE COMMITMENT

WORK WITH A BANK TO APPRAISE YOUR HOME

Prepare Your Home For Showings

Exterior Front & Back

• Remove cars from the driveway

• Sweep walkways

• Pick up sticks, leaves, and branches

• Put away all garden tools and supplies

• Remove all hoses

• Straighten and arrange deck furniture

• Clean pool area

Main Areas

• Remove personal items and family photos

• Open shades and blinds

• Replace burnt out light bulbs

• Empty wastebaskets

• Hide pet dishes, toys and beds

• Tidy up or put away all children’s toys

• Turn all lights on

• Vacuum carpets and sweep floors

• Turn off televisions

• Remove all publications and mail

• Display attractive books

• Minimize knick-knacks

Kitchen & Dining Room

• Remove all items from refrigerator doors

• Store food away in cabinets

• De-clutter the counters

• Put away small appliances

• Hide soaps and cleaning items

• Hide dish towels and sponges

• Clear sink of dishes

• Organize items on open shelves

• Place bowl of fruit on counter

• Straighten and push in all chairs

• Set the table for dinner

• Add a vase of flowers

• Add a bottle of wine and glasses

Bedrooms & Bathrooms

• Make the beds

• Arrange decorative pillows on the beds

• Put away all clothing and shoes

• Clean under the bed

• Clear all surfaces of clutter

• Make bathrooms sparkle

• Hang freshly folded towel

• Clear counters of toiletries

• Clean mirrors

• Close all toilet lids

• Remove all items from bathtub and shower

Strategies To Sell Your Home

HELPFUL STRATEGIES TO MAKE YOUR HOME STAND OUT

Pricing It Right

The most important factor to consider when selling your home is determining the right price. Your Signature Premier Properties agent will provide you with accurate and current market data to position your home properly to stand out from the competition and to net you the most money in today’s real estate market.

The First Impression Is The ONLY Impression

You never have a second chance to make a first impression. No matter how good the interior of your home looks, buyers have already judged your home before they walk through the door. It’s important to make people feel warm, welcome, and safe as they approach the house. Spruce up your home’s exterior with inexpensive shrubs and brightly colored flowers.

Always Be Ready To Show

Your house needs to be “show-ready” at all times – you never know when your buyer is going to walk through the door. Read our list of tips to prep your house for showings.

Take The Home Out Of Your House

This means to de-personalize your home. The more personal items in your house, the less potential buyers can imagine themselves living there.

Don’t Over Upgrade

Quick fixes before selling always pay off. Instead of a mammoth makeover, get a new fresh coat of paint on the walls. Clean the curtains or go buy some inexpensive new ones. Replace door handles and cabinet hardware, make sure closet doors are on track, fix leaky faucets, and clean the grout.

Light It Up

Maximize the light in your home. After location, good natural light is the one thing that every buyer cites they want in a home. Take down the drapes, clean the windows, and cut the bushes outside to let in sunshine. Do what you have to, to make your house bright and cheery – it will make it more sellable.

Conceal Your Pets

Not everyone is a dog or cat lover. Some buyers don’t want to walk in your home and see a bowl full of dog food, smell a litter box, or have pet hair stuck to their clothes. Focus on your home and not your pets.

Half-Empty Closets

Storage is something every buyer is looking for and can never have enough of. Take half of the items out of your closets then keep everything neatly organized. Be sure to keep all of your closets and cabinets clean and tidy.

ADDITIONAL NOTES