Home

What to expect when selling

Once the listing paperwork (usually one or two short pages!) has been received by our office, your listing will be entered into the MLS system usually the same day!

Realtors may begin to call you the same day you are listed in the MLS.  Remember the MLS system is instantaneous and Realtors have the ability to store their buyers criteria in the MLS, so once your house is active, they will start calling!

Okay, so now you have appointments set up to view your home.  Luckily you have chosen to go with our MLS flat rate company so there is no need to call us when setting up appointment times.  Everything is scheduled on your own time. 

Before your first showing there are certain forms and disclaimers you should have ready to hand out to any Real Estate agents or buyers interested in your home. This is the property Disclosure/Disclaimer Statement.  Don't worry, it will be available to you once listed in our forms library.  Be sure to print and fill out several copies. 

There are a few things that you should try and remember when dealing directly with  Real Estate agents showing your house. 

• The less you say, the better.  It is sometimes difficult, if not impossible, to keep from offering opinions or information that you think makes the house more appealing.  However, it is usually hard to guess the factors that are important to each potential buyer.  Here are some examples of everyday subjects we recommend staying away from and why.
  • How many children there are in the neighborhood. Even if the buyer has children, you have no way of knowing whether they would like a lot of children or none at all in the area.
  • How great your neighborhood church is.  Religion can be a touchy subject no matter who you are speaking to!
  • How quiet the neighborhood is. They may want a more social atmosphere.
  • The 'newness' of particular items in the home. The term "New" is a relative term. What you consider new, may be old to others. For example, an item that is 2 years old may be new to someone who has lived in the house for 15 years, but it may be old to a buyer who thinks of new as anything less than 6 months old.
  • Information on existing warranties. They may expire before the new owners close on the house, or they may not be non-transferable.  It may also imply that something could be wrong with your appliances or house. 
  • How many showings you have had.  If you have had a lot of showings or no showings at all, buyers may wonder why no one else is "jumping" at the home.   
  • You may want to avoid even talking about the little things like the beautiful birdbath in the backyard or the flowers that bloom every month.  These things could be misinterpreted. The buyer may not want bird "messes" or may be allergic to flowers.
  • We also suggest not offering reasons why you are selling.  The death of a family member, you've outgrown the house, the home is too small for you, your recent divorce, etc can all be interpreted in many different ways which may result in the loss of a sale. 

• Now you have shown your house and have a contract offer.  If the buyer is working with an agent, the agent will write up the offer and deliver it directly to you.  If the buyer is not working with an agent, either you or the buyer may write up the contract offer.  Once listed with us, you will have access to our complete, self-explanatory, contracts and forms library.
• Now you have a contract offer on your home, what now?  If you decide that you would like your contract reviewed, any title company or settlement attorney can review the contract for you.  If you plan on using that company for your settlement, they will usually do this free of charge.
• Once you have accepted a contract and it is signed by all parties, you will need to notify us within 2 days.  By law, as your listing agency, we are required to maintain all documents related to the sale of your home for 3 years after settlement.  This is generally a copy of your sales contract and a Hud-1 settlement statement (given to you by your settlement company right before or at settlement).  To notify us of a contract on your home, you will need to fax a copy of the sales contract to our toll free number and complete a simple Under Contract form, found in our forms library.  The Under Contract form gives us vital information we need in order to process your sale for closing. Remember, if you don't notify us, your home will stay active in the MLS until it expires.  This can cause many problems with Realtors and their potential buyers wanting to view the home.  It can be frustrating to find your dream home and discover that it is really under contract.
• Now the home inspections take place. Home inspections are conducted by the buyer for the benefit of the buyer. There is no reason for you to get involved. Generally, a contingency is created in the sales contract to allow the buyer and the buyer's inspector to visit your property within 3-5 days to inspect the property for deficiencies. If any are found, an addendum with requested repairs will be provided to you and you may agree to repair certain items before settlement, decline to repair, or agree to a cash allowance. Once all contingencies are removed, you are on the way to settlement!
• Finally the day of settlement has arrived which is often very easy for sellers. At the settlement table, the attorney will go over with you your settlement statement.  They will explain the distribution of proceeds and have you sign over the title. That's it! You can usually collect your money within a day or two once the sale has been recorded. Don't forget that we will need a copy of the Hud1 settlement statement right after settlement!  Most settlement company's are happy to fax a copy to us at your request. 

 Back to Home Page