When you work with us, you can be sure that you will have our knowledge, expertise and negotiating skills at work for you to arrive at the best market prices and terms. We will keep you up-to-date on what is happening in the marketplace and help you consider the price, financing, terms and conditions of competing properties. With us, you will know exactly how to price and when to sell your property.
How Do I Optimize My Finances?
Deciding to sell your property demands a serious consideration of your current financial situation and future possibilities. With the help of our qualified agents, you will be able to effectively assess the cumulative impact of these changes, estimate potential proceeds of selling your property, and plan effective tax savings and estate planning strategies.
What To Look For In An Agent.
1. Education. The most important factor in choosing a real estate professional is their education in the real estate industry. One of our team beliefs is that education is a valuable tool to keeping us on the top of our game. Keller Williams is internationally known for the education opportunities that it offers its agents, and we take full advantage of these opportunities as well as outside training events and certifications. Our Team Leader, Nola Cady, has achieved special designations for working with both Seniors and Luxury Properties. We also pursue classes that make the most of all the changing technology tools available in real estate.
2. Experience and Expertise. Our agents all have deep ties to the communities in this area and have local knowledge of everything from hiking trails to micro-breweries to special events. We also work with a diversity of individuals, from first time homebuyers, to luxury property owners, to seasonal property owners. We can consult with you about your needs, and help you select a marketing strategy most suitable for your property. Real estate is not a “one-size fits all” transaction. Contact us for more information about how we would work with your property.
Our experience, and the volume of homes we sell give us great market insight to help guide you toward the right listing price.
3. Availability and Commitment. All our agents work full time in real estate and are accustomed to working evenings and weekends to accommodate the needs of our clients, so you can count on us to be available at the times when buyers are looking!You can always count on a prompt and regular communication from a Nola & Associates agent!
4. Rapport. We enjoy getting to know clients. Listening to your goals and needs helps us understand your unique situation and makes us a partner in the outcome of your home sale. Contact us to schedule a meeting to sit down and see if you feel we can strike a good rapport and work well as partners.
You can do a lot to increase the appeal of your property and to create a lasting impact on potential buyers.
What To Do To Prepare:
The following are a couple of factors to keep in mind when listing your property for sale:
- Curb Appeal.
Keeping your landscape pristine, and adding a few colorful annuals will create an immediate impact on potential buyers.
- Property Repairs.
Simple upgrades such as window repairs, polishing the doorknobs, and a fresh coat of neutral color paint in the most frequently used rooms will instantly brighten up the property.Your front door contributes to your first impression. Could it use a coat of fresh paint? We can consult with you about what types of small changes will have the most impact.
- Cleanliness and Staging.
Keep your property uncluttered, and well-lit from top-to-bottom. Pay attention to details: put away the kitty litter, place a vase of fresh flowers near the entryway, make the beds, and have your carpets cleaned. We also advise that you remove personal items, like pictures of family, so that buyers can envision their own family in the space. Our agents will scan the property before it is listed for sale to see how you can improve the staging of your property.
- Disclosures and Inspections.
We are very familiar with the legal procedures involved in disclosures and are ready to help you develop a thorough disclosure statement beneficial to both you and the buyer, as well as suggest home improvement measures to consider before placing your property on the market.
- Showtime.
Presenting your property to potential buyers is a job that we will take care of for you. We will provide you as much notice as you require for showings, but we urge you to be as flexible as possible to accommodate buyers’ schedules. Your agent will know what information will be most useful in representing your interests when speaking with prospective buyers.
The Price Is Not Always Right.
“The higher the price, the better the offer.” Do not let yourself be fooled by this popular misconception. Price is not always the determining factor when accepting an offer for several important reasons. The terms of an offer, such as cash vs. financing, or the need for a buyer to sell their home first could be important considerations. Our professionals will help you thoroughly evaluate every proposal without compromising your marketing position.
Negotiating The Right Way.
We take the ethical responsibility of fairly negotiating contractual terms very seriously. It is our job to find a win-win agreement that is beneficial to all parties involved. You may even have to deal with multiple offers before ratifying the one you judge to be the most suitable for you – and as your agents, we will guarantee a thorough and objective assessment of each offer to help you make the right choice.
The Initial Agreement and Deposit.
A purchase and sale agreement is a legal arrangement between a potential purchaser and the property’s seller. Part of that contract is an earnest money deposit that is held in escrow until the closing. The earnest money deposit serves to protect the seller from frivolous behavior on the part of the buyer.The Purchase and Sale agreement spells out specific terms for how that deposit protects the interest of each party.
Stick to the schedule. Once you have accepted an offer, you and the buyer will be given a timeline to mark every stage in the process of closing the real estate contract. Meeting the requirements on time ensures a smoother flow of negotiations and ensures that each party involved is not in breach of their agreements. During the process we will keep you updated so you will always be prepared for the next step.
Contingencies.
A contingency is a condition that must be met before a contract becomes legally binding. For instance, a buyer will usually include a contingency stating that their contract is binding only when there is a satisfactory home inspection report from a qualified inspector.
Inspections and Appraisals
Most buyers will have the property inspected by appropriate contractors within the time frame that was agreed upon in the contract. If the agreement is conditional upon financing, then the property will be appraised by a licensed appraiser to determine the value for the lending institution. This is done so that the lending institution can confirm their investment in the property is accurate.
Depending on the outcome of these investigations, one of two things may happen:
- Each milestone is successfully closed, and the contingencies will be removed, bringing you one step closer to the closing; or
- The buyer, after reviewing the property and the papers, requests a renegotiation of the terms of contract by either requesting the repair of issues raised by the inspection, or by renegotiating the purchase price.
It can be difficult to respond objectively and fairly to the buyer when a renegotiation is requested. This is when a professional listing agent can make a real difference in the outcome of the transaction. Your agent is a skilled negotiator and can be a neutral party and sounding board as you work through this step. Having dealt with various property sales in the past, we guarantee our expertise and total commitment to every customer, no matter what their situation is. This is where our experience can work for you as we can bring our knowledge from previous negotiations into play in finding creative solutions to any issues raised.
The Closing Agent.
Either a title company or an attorney will be selected as the closing agent, whose job is to examine and insure clear title to the real estate. After researching the complete recorded history of your property, they will certify that 1) your title is free and clear of encumbrances (e.g. mortgages, leases, or restrictions, liens) by the date of closing; and 2) all new encumbrances are duly included in the title.
Closing Day
Final Walk-Through Inspection.
More of a formality than anything else, the final inspection takes place the day before, or the day of the closing. The buyer visits the property to verify that all is in working order, and everything is the same as when the buyer last viewed the property. All items spelled out in the contract should be remaining, but all other personal items should have been removed, and the building should be broom swept.
Be Prepared.
We are ready to assist you should an unforeseen glitch pop up, even at this last stage. If something at the property breaks down or the buyers’ loan does not pull through on time, there is no need to worry. We have encountered these situationsbefore,and will be by your side to assist with getting things back on track.
Closing.
The closing agent will furnish all parties involved with a settlement statement, which summarizes and details the financial transactions enacted in the process. The buyer(s), seller(s) and closing agent will all sign this statement certifying its accuracy. If you are unable to attend the scheduled closing, then arrangements can be made depending on the circumstances and the notice that we receive. If you are receiving funds from the transaction, you can elect to either have the funds wired electronically to an account at your financial institution, or have a check issued to you at the closing. The seller should arrange to have all property keys and any other important information for the new owner at the closing, so that the purchaser may receive these items at this time.
