Seller's Guide

Hey, thank you for stopping by! I am passionate about creating content to help anyone interested in selling a home like a Pro. Over the years I have watched sellers and realtors alike struggle to sell a property for various reasons. On this site you will find tips, and tricks that I have gathered over the last 10 years while working in Real Estate. My hope is that you leave into the world equipped and excited with your new-found knowledge.

Selling a house can feel overwhelming at times. We gather personal items over the years in every room and manage to shove knick-knacks into each closet and under the stairs. But who can blame you, this is our attempt to create a home and lets face it, we never buy a house with selling it in mind, do we? So, we personalize each room to fit our lifestyle. Now, this is where sellers commit the mortal mistake of thinking that when selling their home, buyers will want each space exactly as they have created. They then put the house on the market without much effort and end up hearing crickets outside instead of a car lineup of potential buyers. Now, I remember thinking the same way when I had the opportunity to list my first property. Put it on the MLS and they will come, so I thought. Reality hit me when weeks passed and no one showed up to view and, definitely, not to buy the house. It was only then that I realized that I needed to create a product that would be desirable to buyers. Why do you think that we love watching HGTV? It's because each room on every remodeling episode of your favorite Fixer-Upper has been curated to appeal to every, or at least most, home buyers in America. So, before you get overwhelmed, you must divide your house into rooms

Let's Break It Down:

It's time to divide and categorize your spaces.

1. Master bedroom
         A. Master Closet (Do not neglect your closet ya'll) 

 2. Master Bathroom
 3. Guest Bedroom
         A. Guest Closet

 4. Guest Bathroom
 5. Living Room
 6. Kitchen
         A. You must also organize your fridge and kitchen cabinets
 7. Pantry
 8. 10- Family Room.

Now, the real fun begins! It's time to organize and clear each room of personal items and declutter. This will take time and preparation. Perhaps, it's time to change that mix-matched rug by the front door, or add a few deco pieces to your coffee table. Take it one room at a time and your house will be ready to sell in no time.

If you have struggled with selling your home please share with me and ask any questions that you might have.
Happy Selling. :)

Marketing is Key:

A Realtor will rely on the Multiple Listing System (MLS) in order to list and sell your house. The MLS will automatically feed all other real estate sites such as:  https://www.zillow.com/ or  https://www.realtor.com/

Now, when you hire a Realtor to sell your house you are expected to pay the brokers’ fees of 6% of the sale price. This fee is standard nationwide with all brokers. I do find that Realtors work extremely hard, and if they know their craft they will bring a load of value to you while taking all the work that comes with selling off your plate. However, you are still reading this blog because you are trying to sell your house without a realtor. If that is so, you need to work like a pro and list your own property on all nationwide platforms to sell real estate. This might also come with a fee charged by the website. You want to start with the major sites listed about. They will feed all the others for you automatically. One important aspect to remember is to attach your contact information to the property online. Buyers want an easy way to access you, so add your phone number and email for easy reach. You could set up a temporary phone number for the sale through Skype, for example. You can also have a designated email address for incoming messages about the property. You want to be available if a buyer has a question or wants to schedule a showing.

Once you have uploaded your pictures to the major real estate platforms and your house is live, it's time to get ready to sell it like a pro.
Happy Selling. :)

Sneak Peek Inside

The best calling card for your house begins with crisp and professional pictures. Having each room photoshoot ready will make this process a lot easier. Now, if you are a photographer and can guarantee the pictures will be amazing, go for it and save some money by taking your own photos. However, I strongly suggest that you hire a real estate photographer to take photos, video, and possibly drone photos and video. All this should cost you around $200-$500 and worth every penny. Imagine if developers sold a project with photos taken from their iPhone? Not so great, right? Well, it is up to you to create a beautiful first impression for your buyers. This always starts online through different real estate sites.

Before your photographer arrives, be sure to remove all items from the kitchen countertop as well as in each bathroom. No one wants to see your toothbrush hanging out on the counter or towel drying on a rack. Remove all items from sight! This will make a huge difference when buyers are choosing a home to visit solely by the online presence.

Now that you have beautiful photos, it is time to display them online. You want to create an experience for the buyers as they browse your pictures. So, start with the picture of the front of the house and work your way through the home in order. This will give the buyers the sense of walking through the property without ever setting foot in the home.

Selling a house is not an easy task. However, if you follow my simple steps, you will be able to sell your property like a pro.
Happy Selling. :)

To Hire or Not to Hire

There is always that moment when you feel that you can do all the work yourself, you go then! I think this is true to an extent and there is a lot during the sale of your property that you can do yourself. However, creating a sales contract might not be one of those items to check off the list yourself. Now, if you are an attorney or have expertise in creating and writing contracts this might be your lucky day. That is not true for most of us. So, I suggest hiring an attorney to draw up, review, and execute the sales contract for you. This will cost you around $800-$2,500 depending on your market and attorney. Make sure you contact a Real Estate attorney that has serviced your market and is familiar with the real estate laws of your state & county. There are many sites that can assist you in finding an attorney near you. Here are some to consider: https://lawyers.findlaw.com/ , https://www.lawyers.com/ .

Meeting your attorney in person is also a good idea, in my opinion. During your initial visit, set out your expectations and what you would like him/her to assist you with. Be sure to have the sales contract written up and ready to go prior to placing the house on the market. That way you are not working on drafting the contract while negotiating with a buyer. Once a buyer wants to submit an offer on your house, you want to be able to focus on that negotiation process and not on writing up a legal contract. Now, most contracts contain standard language that apply to the state you live in. Therefore, this process should be simple and painless after you have picked your attorney.

Write it and they will come, is what I like to think. Get your legal documents in order and you will be ready to sell it like a pro in no time.
Happy Selling. :)

Some Sales Contract Pointers to Be Aware Of:

1. Inspection Period (Buyers will be allowed to inspect the property before committing to the sale. So, consider what your allowable inspection period will be. A 7-10 day period is agreeable to most buyers).
2. What types of financing will you consider? Some buyers will not engage with an FHA or VA buyer. 
3. Which party will pick and pay for title insurance? This can already set by your county. So, discuss the options with your Real Estate attorney. 
4. Other items to consider are the initial and second deposits, escrow agent and appraisal period.