So...You Want To Sell Your Home? What To Expect and More 

Selling your home is one of the most important decisions you will make in your life. How much is it REALLY worth? How long will it take to sell? How do you handle buyers making undesirable offers? Essentially my representation of you as a seller is to protect your interest thought your complete transaction. As we work together I will make your role in the transaction very simple and straight forward. I will take on the complex parts on your behalf and facilitate the sale of your home at optimal value with minimal aggravation.
One of the most important factors in marketing your home is its pricing. My goal is to sell your property in a timely manner at maximum value. The key word is "value". How do we arrive at a sales price for your home? As a realtor I have access to all of the properties that have sold in your area and what they have sold for. In addition I have data that shows what is currently on the market , how long it has been on the market, and what is under contract. These are all determining factors in formulating the sales price of your home. I will run a detailed analysis of your property to arrive at a realistic number based on the hard data I will provide to you and review together.
Many home owners have a pre-determined number in their head of what they consider their homes value is. This number could be higher or lower than what the market data shows. Using this analysis will be as close to an accurate picture of current market conditions and what your property should sell for. I will encourage you to be realistic in reviewing this data when suggesting a sales price for your home.
To sell your home at maximum value requires it to be in tip top condition. Make sure to visit the HOME STAGING section of the sellers tab to get more information and stats on this proven technique. I am an Accredited Staging Professional (ASP) and offer this service at no charge to my clients when marketing and selling their homes. Put yourself in the mind set of a potential buyer and seller and you will immediately see that your homes curb appeal is a prime factor in attracting traffic to your property. Removing clutter and packing away items that are not necessary are essential in getting maxim value and a swift sale. I will assist and educate you on this further at our firs meeting. Money you put into landscaping, painting, siding, clutter removal, etc is money well spent.
Once prospective buyers start to visit your home the first impressions will be the most important. I will coach you on improvements and staging methods that will be seen favorable to prospective buyers. Remember the way you market and sell your home is completely different than the way you live in your home. I will gladly refer reliable and dependable improvement contractor if needed to assist you with any necessary fix up's that are needed. With the hundreds of homes that I have sold over my years as a Realtor, this advice hopefully will be tempered by my experience and expertise to give you the maximum outcome with minimal improvements and expense.
Once your home is listed it will be most likely placed on a special lockbox that only realtors can access. In addition open houses will usually be scheduled as well as "brokers opens" which all the local top selling realtors will be invited to to preview the home and have lunch. Normally it is best you are not at home when these are scheduled.
After the home has begun to be shown, it will probably not be too long before we obtain a offer. Usually, these offers will come with a "buyer’s agent" representing the buyers negotiations who are making the offer. This offer is the first step which I will present to you with professional objective advice. Sometimes offers are higher and sometimes lower- this all is based on current market conditions. Some offers may have contingencies which I will provide advise on based on my professional opinion and experience. These negotiations are often quite delicate and I take this aspect of my role with great care in order to optimize your value as well as to ease tensions and the emotional aspects of the transaction.
The offer that is accepted will then become what is called a "ratified’ contract once all of the terms and conditions are agreed upon by both you the seller and the buyer. At this point a buyer will normally have requested a home inspection which historically is within 5-7 days. A professional inspector will look at everything in the home from the roof to the furnace. He will inspect the inside and the outside for defects in the property or items that need to be addressed by you the seller. In most cases inspectors will find some items that need to be repaired or replaced prior to settlement. This rarely is a deal breaker in the transaction as long as you the seller are privy to the possibility that such requests will be made.
The final step in selling your home is usually a month or so away sometimes longer or shorter depending on what terms and conditions are agreed upon. As you embark on one of the most important financial transactions of your life I would like to assure you that having me as your listing agent I will do everything in my power to sell your home for the best terms and conditions possible in the swiftest amount of time. I hope you will put your trust in me as your agent!
As top Montgomery, Frederick, Howard, Prince Georges and Northern Virginia area real estate professional with years of experience and a proven track record, it is my job to guide you through this complicated process from beginning to end. I want you to get the maximum value for your home, within YOUR time frame. Here are just some of the things that we will do to market and sell your home:
- Buyers want to buy your home for as little as possible! Through detailed comparisons between your home and recently sold homes, and other properties currently on the market, together we can determine what your home is really worth in today's market. In the industry this is called a Comparative Market Analysis or CMA. We will do this for you, for free.
- Buyers have their own timelines, which might not be yours! We make sure they don't waste your time by qualifying them as to their real ability to afford your home.
- More buyers interested in your home means more money in your pocket when it is sold. Our extensive marketing of your home assures you of maximum value. For example, this web site will market your property all across the web. It will appear on Yahoo Real Estate, Microsoft MSN HomeAdvisor, and other top national sites. We can place your home on our web site within a few minutes time!
- When we begin marketing your home, we will immediately notify all the buyers that we are helping find their ideal home. We'll also notify all the real estate agents in this area that we work with, who quickly tell their homebuyers. It is a powerful way to jump-start the sale of your home!
- You and I will walk through your home together. I will advise you how to present your property to maximize its selling price. Some improvements are worth it, and some are not! Be careful. Being and Accredited Home staging Professional who has earned the designation, I will give you tips on what will expedite the sale of your home. They are proven techniques and work! Even in the toughest of markets!
- Contracts are complicated, and intimidating. You don't want to go to a closing with some doubts. You will have the full benefit of my real estate experience and knowledge for a smooth and successful closing. I recommend that you do not sign on any dotted lines without asking us first.
You pay no up front costs for our services! So you can bet that we will work hard to get your home sold, for as much as this market will possibly bear. We will also work within your time frame and your needs. For example, sometimes it can be hard to sell and move out of your current home, and buy and move into a new home, all at the same time! We can help smooth this out.
 

Ask us ANY question about selling your home or property. Or request our FREE in-home presentation of how we would market your property in Rockville, Silver Spring and Gaithersburg! There's no obligation, and we promise to get back to you quickly...