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Home Selling Experience
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When you're thinking about selling your home, the first step is to enlist the help of a specialist. Just as we rely on professionals like dentists, CPAs, electricians, and physicians for services outside of our expertise, a seasoned real estate broker in your local area is the expert to turn to when selling your home.
What we offer
With more than 14 years of experience in the real estate industry, Miguel Portales offers his clients the benefit of his expertise and network of contacts. Because each listing is unique, he tailors his marketing strategies to highlight the distinctive features and selling points of that particular property.
Miguel's comprehensive marketing strategy encompasses all the vital communication tools necessary for a successful home sale. He utilizes signage, professional photography, 3D Virtual Tours, videos, print advertising, and internet marketing in tandem to maximize awareness and create a powerful visual impact. Given that more and more buyers and relocating families use the internet to search for available properties, Miguel harnesses technology and the reach of the internet to announce and promote your property across more than ten top real estate websites.
What to expect when selling your home?
Selling a house can be daunting and stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. I’m sharing this 15-step checklist to help you make your home-selling journey smoother and, hopefully, successful.
Knowing what to expect can help ease any anxiety and better prepare you for a more hassle-free transaction ahead.
Please keep this checklist handy throughout the process and, as always, reach out with any questions.
15 Steps when selling your home
Collect all relevant documents related to the property, including the deed, tax records, property survey and any warranties. You’ll want to have copies of utility bills, property tax records and homeowners association information readily available.
2. Gather Important Documents
By having a home inspection conducted early in the process, you can get a jump on making any necessary repairs. This critical step can also help us price your home appropriately.
3. Get a Pre-Sale Home Inspection
We’ll work together to conduct a thorough market analysis to determine an appropriate listing price. We’ll consider things like your estimated mortgage payoff amount, estimated expenses, recent sales of similar properties in the area and any unique features of your home.
4. Determine a Competitive Price
If you have a home warranty, you’ll want to check if the warranty is transferable to a buyer. This may make the home sale more desirable to buyers who want to have that peace of mind with their purchase.
5. Home Warranty
You’ll need to complete a written property disclosure, informing potential buyers of the condition of any previously undisclosed details about the property’s condition and any known issues with the neighborhood. This is where you’ll note things like roof leaks, mold or other known defects.
7. Seller Disclosures
Once the house is under contract, we can fit a lockbox on your door to provide access during showings and for other sale-related appointments.
6. Lockbox
If your home was built prior to 1978, then you’ll need to fill out a lead-based paint disclosure, informing potential buyers of the presence of any known lead-based paint or lead-based paint hazards in the home. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the seller or landlord must also disclose information such as the location of the lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards, and the condition of the painted surfaces.
9. Lead-Based Paint Disclosure
We’ll work together to create a compelling listing description that highlights the property’s best features and includes high-quality, professional photography that showcases the property’s interior and exterior.
11. Create The Listing
To help your listing stand out from the competition and engage buyers, we’ll want to prepare high-resolution photography and rich media of your home. In addition to still photography, options include interactive floor plans, virtual tours, aerial photography and more.
10. Prepare Home Photography
Once the listing is live in the MLS, it will also show up on Zillow to help start generating views and showings of your home.
12. Live on Zillow
Similarly, if you’re a member of a Homeowner Association (HOA), you’ll also need to provide the buyer with HOA rules and regulations, fees, assessments and any current litigation involving the HOA.
8. HOA Disclosures
Last but not least, take the smell test! Walk through your home and remove any sources of foul odors.
Take the Smell Test
We love your furry friends, but experience has taught us it’s best to keep them out of the house during showings.
You might consider hiring a pet sitter for showing days before prospective buyers tour the home.
Make Arrangements for Pets
Whether painting the front door or powerwashing the exterior of the house, there are many ways you can help boost your curb appeal. At the least, try to keep the lawn, bushes and trees trimmed to give the exterior a well- maintained appearance. For an extra touch, add fresh flowers, potted plants or a welcoming doormat to create an inviting entrance.
Enhance Curb Appeal
If needed, there are several options you can take to stage your house. You can use a professional staging service to provide furniture, tasteful decor and artwork to create a welcoming atmosphere and highlight the best features of each room. Or, you can use a virtual staging service, such as Listing Media Services, which enhances listings with highly realistic virtual furniture, rugs and decor to complement your home’s unique style.
Stage the Home
Deep-Clean
You’ll want to deep-clean the entire house, including carpets, windows and all surfaces. Clean and paint all baseboards, walls and surfaces where grime and dust tends to collect. In general, try to keep the house tidy throughout the showing time frame to accommodate last-minute showings.
Declutter
Remove any unnecessary items from each room to tidy the space and make rooms appear more spacious.
Many people donate unwanted items or move to storage.
Fix any noticeable issues such as leaky faucets, broken tiles or damaged walls. Also consider making updates or improvements that can increase the value of the property.
Make Repairs and Improvements
Remove or secure valuable items, sentimental belongings and personal documents. Ensure that important documents, such as passports or financial records, are stored in a safe place.
Organize and Secured Valuables
Remove photographs and any other personal artifacts that may make it hard for prospective buyers to visualize themselves living in your home.
Despersonalize the Home
We’ve prepared a separate checklist of tips to help you improve your home’s showing potential.
13. Seller Open House Checklist
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Review and Negotiate Offers
Review offers received from interested buyers carefully. We’ll work together to negotiate terms and conditions to maximize the selling price.
15. Prepare for Closing
Upon accepting an offer, we’ll need to work closely with the buyer and the buyer’s agent to respond promptly to any questions and to complete all necessary paperwork and inspections. At the time of closing escrow, we will meet at the title company office to go over and sign all of your escrow closing package docs. You’ll need to bring your driver’s license/ID.
Get a Pre-Sale Home Inspection
By having a home inspection conducted early in the process, you can get a jump on making any necessary repairs. This critical step can also help us price your home appropriately.
Moreover, Miguel's extensive knowledge of the market and his vast network of cooperating Realtors® ensures that your home will receive the ideal amount of exposure to achieve a swift and hassle-free sales transaction.
If you're ready to sell your home, get in touch with Miguel today to schedule a FREE Listing Consultation!
This document is an agreement between you and me, your agent, granting me the exclusive right to sell your house. This contract outlines the agent-seller relationship during a real estate transaction and the terms of our agreement, like duration of the listing and compensation.
1. Listing Agreement
Moreover, Miguel's extensive knowledge of the market and his vast network of cooperating Realtors® ensures that your home will receive the ideal amount of exposure to achieve a swift and hassle-free sales transaction.
If you're ready to sell your home, get in touch with Miguel today to schedule a FREE Listing Consultation!
14. Review and Negotiate Offers
Review offers received from interested buyers carefully. We’ll work together to negotiate terms and conditions to maximize the selling price.