The Ward Team will provide you with the following services in addition to the exclusive listing agreement to assist you in selling your property.
We promise to review the types of seller agency relationship available to you, as well as the types of agency representation available to potential buyers.
We will present you with a customized marketing plan designed specifically to YOUR home. Methods of marketing include Web site exposure, local print media, and marketing to top agents in our area and more.
We will provide you with a current Right Price Analysis (RPA) based on recent sales and properties under contract. This will enable us to come up with both a suggested list price, as well as a more aggressive list price for your property.
We will review various financing alternatives presented by potential buyers of your property and discuss the impact of each type on your sale.
We will furnish you with an estimate of the proceeds you can expect from the sale of your property.
We will offer experienced advice on how to make changes to enhance the appeal of you property to potential buyers.
We will promote your property to professional brokers and sales associates in our area.
We will enter pertinent information into our local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) in a timely manner.
We will make information about your property available to both local and out of town prospects.
We will distribute promotional materials on your property to key market areas to attract potential buyers.
We will place a For Sale sign in a prominent spot on your property, to assist in generating phone calls to our office from prospective buyers.
We will present your mandatory disclosure form regarding the condition of your property to all potential buyers. You will inform us of any changes in the property in order to keep the form current.
We will provide you with a weekly report on all showing activity and both agent and buyer feedback. This will determine if any changes are required to expedite a sale. You will also receive a monthly internet report from www.realtor.com that will show the activity on the web.
We will review all purchase offers as they are presented. We will negotiate on your behalf to reach a purchase agreement with favorable terms and your protection in mind.
We will monitor and inform you of the progress of your contract as it moves towards the closing stage, including the satisfaction of all contingencies and conditions.
We will contact you after the closing to follow up on any remaining details or service needs.
Every bit of prep work you do helps you get the most return from your investment.
If you have a mortgage on your current home, give your lender a call to check the payoff on your mortgage. Knowing your payoff amount will be very beneficial when pricing your home.
The Ward Team will help you determine value as a courtesy, but you might take it a step further and order an appraisal.
Things you will need to consider are real estate commission, closing agent or attorney fees, prorated property taxes, property deed preparation, and home owner association fees.
Make all needed repairs unless you want the house to be regarded as a fixer-upper. If anything is broken, it gives potential buyers a reason to offer you a lower price. These include mold and mildew damage, damp basements and crawlspaces, deteriorating roofs or chimneys, inadequate or old electrical systems, heating and cooling systems, unstable or cracked foundations, and broken appliances.
Get rid of the clutter! Clutter is a major turn off for home shoppers. You have made the house you are trying to sell yours. Buyers want to be able to see it as theirs. This is really hard to do if all of your personal items are in the house. Make your house attractive to the majority of buyers. Make the mental decision to "let go" of your emotions and focus on the fact that soon this house will no longer be yours.
Pack up any collections including knickknacks, books, records, etc. You're moving anyway!
No matter how hard it may be, take down family photos. Buyers find it hard to imagine themselves living in your house if you have pictures of your family on the wall.
Clean off kitchen counters. Anything that you use daily can be put in a small box or storage container in a cabinet or pantry.
Stack dishes neatly and arrange spices. This may sound a little trivial but buyers are going to want to look in your cabinets. Do you want unsteady piles of plates or neatly stacked serving pieces?
Rearrange and clean out closets. Buyers will certainly be checking out the storage spaces in your home to see if they are adequate.
If you want to take your curtains, hardware or appliances with you, take them down or replace them now. They could become a deal breaker later if a buyer wants them and you can't bear to part with them!
If you haven't already bought or closed on your new home, you will need a place to store everything you are packing up. Homes also show better with less furniture in them. They look less cluttered and larger. Since you've packed up books and records, pack up and store the bookcases and storage units too!
Take leaves out of tables; remove unused chairs, couches, and storage units. Leave just enough furniture in each room to demonstrate the room's purpose in the house.
Fresh paint will make any room look better. Neural colors may be uninteresting to you, but remember, appeal to the majority of buyers! You don't want buyers leaving your home with the only memory being the horrible orange paint (which you thought was a beautiful Tuscan clay color) in the bedroom!
Make it look (and smell) brand new! Shampoo carpets, wash windows inside and out, dust for cobwebs, re-caulk tubs, sinks, and showers, vacuum, wax floors, wash mirrors and countertops, hang fresh towels and wash cloths, bleach grout, replace worn out rugs, and air out rooms that smell musty, like pets, or cigarette smoke.
Don't forget about the outside! Keep your lawn mowed, plant flowers or arrange them in planters (yellow is a great color for buyers), trim the bushes and clear the sidewalks. On the patio or deck, make sure all furniture is clean and inviting. Overall, ensure your curb appeal is at its best. If buyers won't come in, you can't sell them your house!