Preparing for a successful home sale
Hello, Welcome! I welcome the opportunity to earn your business and I am confident my experience, approach and proven results will exceed your expectations. As your trusted partner in the sale of your home, you can expect me to provide many services, including: • Accurately pricing your home. • Enhancing the perceived-and real-value of your home to sell for the highest price possible. • Providing leading-edge marketing to include enhanced online exposure, professional staging, expert photography, and a customized plan specific to your home and market area. • Securing a qualified buyer. • Helping navigate through the potential challenges of home inspections and lender appraisals. • Congratulating you at the closing table and ensuring all i’s have been dotted and t’s crossed. Regardless of the price of your home, when you hire me as your REALTOR®, both you – and your home – will be prepared for a successful sale!
Ask Sara Lee: saralee@soldbysaralee.com | M: (678) 575-2258, T: (404) 541-3500, F: (678) 348-7612
About Sara Lee Sara Lee is a respected member of the Atlanta residential real estate industry. A Georgia native and an Atlanta resident since 1991, Sara Lee began her real estate career in 2005, following 15 successful years in marketing, development, sales and consulting working in the non-profit sector. Immediately out of the gate, Sara Lee earned recognition as one of the “Top Agents” in her real estate office and continues to receive these same accolades today. After earning her Georgia Broker’s License in 2008, Sara Lee co-founded a popular, intown Atlanta real estate office, successfully managing 20+ active agents, until merging with industry leader, Keller Williams Realty, in 2012. The wealth of experience Sara Lee gained serving as a Managing Broker has proven to be invaluable to her clients. Sara Lee’s commitment to superior service along
with strong negotiation skills has helped garner a following of loyal and repeat clients. Sara Lee is very proud of the fact that over 95% of her business is generated by referrals from happy clients! By continuing her education in many areas, including buyer services, luxury homes, new construction, “green” building and energy conservation, to name a few, Sara Lee is able to provide expertise in many areas. With an extensive marketing background and interest, Sara Lee strives to be ahead of the curve, leveraging the latest technology to further sales. Sara Lee is driven to give back to others in the community and has been fortunate to host and facilitate various charitable events in Atlanta over the years. Sara Lee is a 2008 graduate and member of Leadership DeKalb, a founding Board member of Athena’s Warehouse, a member of the Speaker’s
Bureau for the Atlanta Beltline Partnership, a volunteer Ambassador for the Atlanta Dream, and supports many other organizations, especially non-profits involved with animal rescue and adoption, as well as those serving the needs of low income women and children. Sara Lee is a 1991 graduate of Valdosta State University with a BFA in Communications/ Public Relations. There she served as Chapter President of Chi Omega, Secretary of the Student Government Association and a volunteer Student Orientation Leader.
Ask Sara Lee: saralee@soldbysaralee.com | M: (678) 575-2258, T: (404) 541-3500, F: (678) 348-7612
A successful track record Sara Lee has a successful track record of connecting sellers with quality home buyers. Her years of experience, as well as her detail-oriented, organized and action-centered approach, bring proven results! •
Sara Lee knows how to present and market a home for a timely sale – Sara Lee’s 2014 average “Days on Market” for listings was only 31 days – 44% better than average in the “intown” Atlanta market .
•
Sara Lee knows how to price, market and negotiate a property for top dollar – Sara Lee’s 2014 average “List Price to Sale Price” for listings was 98.96%!
•
Sara Lee has consistently ranked in the “Top 5 Individual Agent” category at Keller William Realty Intown (120+ real estate agents) since joining the brokerage in 2012.
•
Sara Lee successfully exceeded $100 million in residential real estate sales in only 10 years, most recently closing over $13M in sales volume in 2014.
Recognitions/Certifications/Designations/Memberships Keller Williams Realty Intown Atlanta: Top 5 Individual Agent, 2012, 2013, 2014 Sanctuary Real Estate: Top Team 2008-2011 Dwellings Real Estate: New Agent of the Year 2005; Top Overall Agent 2006 EcoBroker®; ABR: Accredited Buyer’s Representative; CSP: Certified New Home Sales Professional; Luxury Home Marketing Specialist; Member: Atlanta Board of Realtors®, Georgia Association of Realtors® and National Association of Realtors® - 2014 stats retrieved from Broker Metrics/FMLS data
Testimonials “Last summer as we began searching for a new home, we had a long list of requirements in terms of location, style, size, and floorplan. Sara Lee was doggedly persistent in helping us find exactly what we were looking for and never gave up the search. When we finally found the perfect house, one that was already well under construction, she helped us throughout the remainder of the construction process and often acted as the go-between between us and the contractor. When it came to selling my own home, Sara Lee had a contract on it the first day it went on the market! What I found most impressive about working with Sara Lee though was that she was always prompt in returning e-mails, phone calls and texts; resourceful in solving problems; and patient in guiding us through each step of the buying and selling process. If we ever decided to sell our new home, our first call would be to Sara Lee Parker.� ~ 2013 Home Buyer & Seller, Decatur, GA, $450,000 & Druid Hills,$1M+
Sara Lee was the most professional and experienced realtor I've worked with in Atlanta in 25 years. I come from a family of Realtors, mortgage brokers and builders so I have very high expectations. She was super responsive, always polite and a great negotiator. I couldn't have been more pleased with my experience selling my house. ~ 2015 Home Seller, Atlanta, GA
Testimonials “Sara Lee Parker is a true professional. Her expertise, enthusiasm and diligence far exceed expectations in today's current real estate market. Sara Lee represents the 'best of the best" in real estate experts. Working with her was a pleasure. Selling my home was a very time sensitive matter. Sara Lee was able to secure a contract on my home within four days and close on the transaction well within my timeline. I am extremely pleased with her professionalism as she went above and beyond my expectations.” ~ 2014 Home Seller, Decatur, GA, $775,000 “I knew Sara Lee before working with her. I'm always nervous working with friends because you fear they may not work as hard, but that not the case at all. Sara Lee was quick and professional. Thankfully she guided me through the process of preparing the house for listing. Once the house was listed we had an offer within 4 days. Sara Lee stuck by me every step of the way and was helpful all the way through closing. I would highly recommend Sara Lee!” ~ 2014 Home Seller, Inman Park, $325,000
How homes sell Understanding how buyers evaluate homes The marketing I do to promote your home has only one purpose – Get potential buyers in the front door! Once the buyers reach your front door, the job of marketing is over. Now it is a competition in Features and Price. Your home must stand out as one of the top 2-3 best values in your immediate marketplace. • If your home has more features that appeal to buyers ~OR~ if your home is priced lower than the comparables, your home will stand out as the better value. Period. • If your home lacks the features that buyers desire, your best option is to compete on price.
City View – great feature!
Ask Sara Lee: saralee@soldbysaralee.com | M: (678) 575-2258, T: (404) 541-3500, F: (678) 348-7612
Pricing your home No amount of marketing can sell an overpriced home. Many sellers are tempted to list their home with the agent who quotes the highest price. Please keep in mind, the agent doesn’t set the price, the seller doesn’t set the price: The market will set the price of your home. For unique properties or ones where finding comparable market sales poses a challenge, I will pay for a pre-listing appraisal by a respected and qualified, third party appraisal firm to help set our listing price. Factors that Influence Market Value • Supply & Demand • Economic Conditions • Asking & Selling Prices of Competing Homes • Your Home’s Condition • Buyer’s Perception of Your Home Factors with Little or No Influence on Market Value • The Price the Seller Paid for the House • The Seller’s Expected Net Proceeds • The Amount Spent on Improvements
Ask Sara Lee: saralee@soldbysaralee.com | M: (678) 575-2258, T: (404) 541-3500, F: (678) 348-7612
Looking at the numbers Why determining the correct selling price is so critical to a successful home sale •
•
•
•
PRICE
The National Association of Realtors reports that “Market Value” Pricing attracts the most buyers and that buyers buy with “Market Value,” not above it. 60% of buyers who want to buy a house with your features will visit when your house is priced within market value. Only 30% visit when your house is priced 10% above market. In other words, 70% of buyers who could purchase your house won’t even see it. It’s essential that your home be priced correctly from the start.
15% Above 10% Above Market Value 10% Below 15% Below
SELLER ASKING PRICE
10% 30% 60% 75% 90%
% BUYERS WHO WILL LOOK AT PROPERTY
Preparing your home to sell You only get one opportunity to make a positive first impression with potential buyers. Well staged homes look better, photograph better, show better and sell faster than non-staged homes. Staging is positioning the home to appeal to the psychological needs of buyers by creating a series of impressions that build an emotional connection to help buyers imagine living in the home. An AOL Money & Finance poll revealed that 87% of respondents said home presentation makes the difference in most sales! When you list your home with me, I will provide a consultation with a professional stager to help us prep your home for the market! If there are repairs to be made, I can recommend qualified, professional service providers to help address.Your home must be in top condition to command the highest price.
Ask Sara Lee: saralee@soldbysaralee.com | M: (678) 575-2258, T: (404) 541-3500, F: (678) 348-7612
Marketing your home It’s time to show off your home! The marketing of your home will reflect an established history of how buyers search for, and purchase, homes. • More than 95% of buyers start their home search on the Internet. • More than 85% of all home sales in Atlanta are cobrokered. This means there is a listing agent who represents you, the seller, and another agent who represents the buyer of your home. As a result, marketing to Realtors® is one of our most productive activities. • The most effective way to get the attention of productive agents and prospective buyers is through accurate pricing and great photography.
Ask Sara Lee: saralee@soldbysaralee.com | M: (678) 575-2258, T: (404) 541-3500, F: (678) 348-7612
Photography is key After staging is complete, your home will be professionally photographed and your onlineVirtual Tour created. With more than 95% of buyers using the Internet to search for homes, professional photography is essential to any comprehensive marketing plan. More people will view your home online than will ever visit it personally. Getting, and holding, their attention online with appealing photography is one way to increase the probability of an in-person showing.
Ask Sara Lee: saralee@soldbysaralee.com | M: (678) 575-2258, T: (404) 541-3500, F: (678) 348-7612
An extended partner network With our Keller Williams Realty and MLS syndication partnerships through ListHub, your home can be found on an extended network of over 900 websites around the world. Here are some examples:
Keller Williams advantage On February 9, 2015, Keller Williams announced it had become the largest real estate franchise by agent count in the world! Already the largest real estate company in North America, Keller Williams has 32 offices in Georgia alone. Your listing will receive additional exposure to Keller Williams’ vast network of highly collaborative agents, each with their own connections, providing a rich resource of prospects, buyers and referrals! Your home can also be found by thousands of unique daily visitors to the Keller Williams Realty website (kw.com). Plus – the KW Mobile app gives users instant access to over 4 million homes!
Ask Sara Lee: saralee@soldbysaralee.com | M: (678) 575-2258, T: (404) 541-3500, F: (678) 348-7612
Sara Lee advantage With Keller Williams’ vast online network, and Sara Lee’s extensive personal network, developed through years of cultivating successful agent partnerships and client relationships, your listing with Sara Lee is at a clear advantage in today’s marketplace. In addition to my outstanding online reach through the Keller Williams’ network, I personally maintain a database of more than 250 top Atlanta real estate agents to whom I will market your home via email and personal phone calls.
Ask Sara Lee: saralee@soldbysaralee.com | M: (678) 575-2258, T: (404) 541-3500, F: (678) 348-7612
Social Media marketing Your home will also be marketed on leading social media, such as Facebook,Twitter, and LinkedIn via my personal and business networks, as well as paid advertisements promoting new listings, open houses and more. Follow me at: • Facebook.com/SaraLeeParker • Twitter.com/Living_Atlanta • LinkedIn.com/in/SaraLeeParker
Ask Sara Lee: saralee@soldbysaralee.com | M: (678) 575-2258, T: (404) 541-3500, F: (678) 348-7612
Featured listing My listings are also featured in my blog and email newsletters and distributed to my network of past clients, friends, and colleagues — yet another avenue for additional exposure to find your buyer. Follow my blog and learn more about me at my website: SaraLeeParker.com
My listings are also showcased on both Zillow.com,Trulia.com and Realtor.com through additional paid advertising and “premiere agent” marketing agreements for added exposure. Read more reviews and learn more about me on Zillow: http://www.zillow.com/profile/saraleeparker/
Ask Sara Lee: saralee@soldbysaralee.com | M: (678) 575-2258, T: (404) 541-3500, F: (678) 348-7612
What else to expect In addition to the services we’ve covered, you can always expect me to provide the following: • Attentive one-on-one service. • Regular communications regarding every aspect of the home sale from any changes in the market to monitoring the activity of competing homes and advising as to how we should re-position your property to remain competitive. • Assistance negotiating offers, preparing contract documents, and navigating through the buyer’s due diligence, home inspection, appraisal and financing periods. • Attending the closing to ensure all contract provisions have been met and that you are fully satisfied with the results of your sale.
Ask Sara Lee: saralee@soldbysaralee.com | M: (678) 575-2258, T: (404) 541-3500, F: (678) 348-7612
Preparing for our meeting So I’ll best be able to serve you, please have the following documents ready for our meeting: q A copy of the Warranty Deed obtaining your home’s legal description (likely in your original closing paperwork.) q If applicable, your Homeowner’s Association information — condo docs, bylaws, current budget and financial, and any other additional information regarding your HOA. q A survey of your property, if you have one.
If you have trouble locating these records, just let me know when we meet. I can help!
Ask Sara Lee: saralee@soldbysaralee.com | M: (678) 575-2258, T: (404) 541-3500, F: (678) 348-7612
Thank you
Thank you for the privilege and opportunity to work with you. As always, don’t hesitate to call me if you have any questions. I look forward to meeting with you and helping you achieve a successful sale. Sara Lee Parker, Associate Broker, Keller Williams Realty Intown | 621 North Avenue NE Suite C-50, Atlanta, GA 30308 Ask Sara Lee: saralee@soldbysaralee.com | M: (678) 575-2258, T: (404) 541-3500, F: (678) 348-7612