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Kristine Ginsberg from Morris County, N.J. has some clear and concise advice for home sellers. Get your home in order before putting it on the market and you will knock the socks off the buyers touring. You need to be a stand-out to be a successful seller. Via Kristine Ginsberg (Morris County, NJ: Elite Staging and Redesign, LLC):
Preparing Your Home For Sale - The Top 10 Recommendations From a Morris County, NJ Stager
1. Walk through each room as if you were a buyer. Can you move freely about? If not, open up the space by  eliminating excess furniture, creating easy traffic flow throughout your home. When selling - less is always better!
2. If possible, use a short-term rental company and store personal items, excess furniture and personal collections – anything that takes away focus from the home’s architectural features and causes distractions – remember you are selling your home, not your lifestyle. (This will also eliminate stress later when it’s time to move.)
3. Clean, Clean, clean - It's the easiest, no cost project and this can't be emphasized enough - nothing turns a buyer off more than a messy, dirty or smelly home - this will send buyers running for the door - trust me on this one!
4. Master bedrooms and baths should appeal to both sexes - if yours is gender specific, balance it with some masculine/ feminine accessories - pillows, art, greenery, a well placed throw and use neutral bedding - your grandmother's homemade quilt isn't going to cut it!
 5. Painting the interior of your home is the greatest ROI (Return on investment) when selling. Is the color palate of your home uniform throughout with neutral colors? Keep in mind, you are appealing to the masses - choose taupes, beiges, creams and grays. Another bonus is these colors go with almost any decor. You can add pops of color using art, throw pillows, floral center pieces, plants and a well place throw.
6. Look at upscale hotels online– they are staged to appeal to the masses – clean, crisp, clutter free, updated. Outdated wall paper and boarders should be removed - this is one of the biggest buyer turnoffs and they often move on. In today’s market buyers want turnkey homes!
 7. Assume buyers will be looking in your closets, cabinets, attics and basements…because they will! Organize what you must keep, and store the rest. Buyers want to know your home has enough storage space to accommodate their stuff.
8. Fix broken screens, running toilets, door hinges, leaky faucets and door bells - Yes, I'm beating a dead horse, but these are big turnoffs and don't invoke any confidence that your home is well taken care of –the kind buyers are looking to buy!
9. Open all blinds, eliminate heavy window treatments and take down outdated vertical blinds that scream the 80’s. Let the natural light shine in - this cheers up and brightens the home, making it more spacious and airy – just what today’s buyers are looking for!
10. When selling it’s hard to be objective about your own home because your are too emotionally attached - consult a professional home stager to help you prepare your home for today’s market, giving it the competitive edge over your competition!
Home Staging Morris County - Kristine Ginsberg
Elite Staging and Redesign (201)602-2562
When you're looking to sell quickly and for top dollar, Elite Staging and Redesign of Morris County knows how to get the job done right. We will use proven techniques to create warm, inviting, updated spaces that will appeal to the masses. In today's competitive market, every home can use an edge and that's what Elite Staging is all about.
Home Staging Website: Elite Staging and Redesign
Morris County Staging Before/After pictures: Portfolio
Email: Kris@elitestagingandredesign.com
   
Glenn Roberts, SRES*
Lake and Company Real Estate
206-524-3665
Seattle Residential ~ I Do That
Licensed broker since 1985 offering spectacular service to buyers and sellers in greater Seattle, with particular interest in Green Lake, Ballard, Phinney Ridge, Wallingford, Ravenna, Bryant, View Ridge, Roosevelt and the University District.
*Senior Real Estate Specialist
Referrals from past clients and other agents always make me smile.
Back in the 1960's I read Raise High The Roof Beams, Carpenters by J. D. Salinger. In the opening pages of the story Salinger retells an old Taoist tale that goes like this:
Duke Mu of Chin said to Po Lo: "You are now advanced in years. Is there any member of your family whom I could employ to look for horses in your stead?" Po Lo replied: "A good horse can be picked out by its general build and appearance. But the superlative horse - the one that raises no dust and leaves no tracks - is something evanescent and fleeting, elusive as thin air. The talents of my sons lie on a lower plane altogether; they can tell a good horse when they see one, but they cannot tell a superlative horse. I have a friend, however, one Chiu-fang Kao, a hawker of fuel and vegetables, who in things ppertaining to horsesis nowise my inferior. Pray see him."
Duke Mu did so, and subsequently dispatched him on the quest for a steed. Three months later, he returned with news that he had found one. "It is now in Shach'iu," he added. :What kind of horse is it?" asked the Duke, "Oh, it is a dun-colored mare," was the reply. However, someone being sent to fetch it, the animal turned out to be a coal black stallion! Much displeased, the Duke sent for Po Lo. "That friend of yours," he said, "whom I commissioned to look for a horse, has made a fine mess of it. Why, he cannot even distinguish a beast's color or sex! What on earth can he know about horses?" Po Lo heaved a sigh of satisfaction. "Has he really got as far as that?" he cried. " Ah, then he is worth ten thousand of me put together. There is no comparison between us. What Kao keeps in view is the spiritual mechanism. In making sure of the essential, he forgets the homely details; intent on the inward qualities, he loses sight of the external. He sees what he wants to see, and not what he does not want to see. He looks at the things he ought to look at, and neglects those that need not be looked at. So clever a judge of horses is Kao, that he has it in him to judge something better than horses."
When the horse arrived, it turned out indeed to be a superlative animal.
I recalled the story in the 1980's when I first began selling houses and noted the one letter difference in the two words. Over the years since then I've attended many training classes that seem to focus on how to be a successful real estate agent. Some of the early ones focused on selling techniques and closing maneuvers, but since the mid 1990's and the the advent of Buyer Broker Agreements there has been a shift and the emphasis is now on working with a Buyer in finding the best house possible for that person.
While state laws vary, in Washington, like many others, it is law, that a real estate broker give any new clients a copy of the laws governing that broker's actions. Here is Washington's Law of Agency.
  If you (or "u" in today's texting short cut) are looking for the perfect horuse, be sure to add and "r" as in Realtor® to your set of tools. Looking at pictures online, reading text on a flyer and even touring the property at an open house or with the listing broker are not guarantees that you're getting all of the insight necessary to make a wise decision. The first thing the wise shopper does is to interview brokers until one is found that you sense will be the Kao for you. And when you've found him, work with him to ensure that your real estate adventure is a success. Insist on a Buyer Broker Agreement that holds your agent of choice to work for your best interests.
Also published at Puget Sound Real Estate Professionals
Glenn Roberts, SRES*
Lake and Company Real Estate
206-524-3665
Seattle Residential ~ I Do That
Licensed broker since 1985 offering spectacular service to buyers and sellers in greater Seattle, with particular interest in Green Lake, Ballard, Phinney Ridge, Wallingford, Ravenna, Bryant, View Ridge, Roosevelt and the University District.
*Senior Real Estate Specialist
Referrals from past clients and other agents always make me smile.
Few cities, if any, appeared on the scene over night (remember, "Rome wasn't built in a day?). Even well planned cities have taken unusual twists and turns along the way from ground breaking to current habitation. And no two cities have ever taken identical paths. Builders of condominium complexes establish and record a comprehensive set of rules and regulations for the future use of that which they build, as required by law. But there is a point when the people who have purchased the various units have greater interest in the complex than the builder and the balance of power shifts. The owners start to amend the rules and regulations. The landscaping changes. When more owners are involved in the day to day process of maintaining the property, the better the property becomes.
 In many cases, when there is a predominance of rental units in the building, the property is not so well maintained. For this reason Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac require a high percentage of owner occupants or they will not accept the mortgage terms.
Cities usually have a cause attached to their location. A river allows for river transport of goods. The bay off an ocean demands a port. Mountain passes define routes, and where routes cross, trade has been going on for centuries.
 Once a town or city has begun to grow, interested parties make rules and set up enforcement policies on how the inhabitants should get along. And as towns become cities the management becomes more complex.
City management systems include mayors and councils and more rules and regulations are made. There comes a time when the managers start asking neighborhoods to reoprt on their wants and needs. There comes a time when city managers tell the neighborhoods that they must plan for the future. They ask the neighborhoods how they are doing and how they want to grow.
Some neighborhoods heed the call and engage. The people that live in these neighborhoods meet and talk and tell the city managers how things are going. Neighborhoods are made up of people. Some academics like to do studies and they come up with things called demographics. These academics go deeper into there studies and say that if this then that. They start forgetting about the people that live in the neighborhoods.
You may think I'm wandering, but I am not. Seattle has asked it's 37 urban villages to come up with plans for growth and greater density. The Roosevelt neighborhood has done that. The Roosevelt neighborhood has come up with a zoning plan that allows for greater density and allows for a density that sustains a new light rail station to be built there. But certain elements fo the city are aligned with developers who have decided that blocks which they control would be better suited to growth and that the people who live in the neighborhood are just being selfish is wishing to control home their homes are impacted.
It's a sad day when communities loose control to developers. Don't let it happen to you. If you live in a Seattle neighborhood, support Roosevelt's Plan for the future. And Roosevelt will support your cause when the going gets tough. Great neighborhoods make great cities.
Glenn Roberts, SRES*
Lake and Company Real Estate
206-524-3665
Seattle Residential ~ I Do That
Licensed broker since 1985 offering spectacular service to buyers and sellers in greater Seattle, with particular interest in Green Lake, Ballard, Phinney Ridge, Wallingford, Ravenna, Bryant, View Ridge, Roosevelt and the University District.
*Senior Real Estate Specialist
Referrals from past clients and other agents always make me smile.
Rain Camp and the Active Rain 5th Anniversary Party starts today and ends Wednesday with a barbeque at headquarters.
I'm commuting today on my trusty Felt bike from Ride Bicycles in Roosevelt. This is not really a commuter bike, but I use it a whole lot more lately, especially when my destination can be reached on old rail beds converted to bike and walking trails.
Commute time - 50 minutes
Cost - $0,00
Parking cost $0.00
Rain Camp - Priceless.
Off I go
Glenn Roberts, SRES*
Lake and Company Real Estate
206-524-3665
Seattle Residential ~ I Do That
Licensed broker since 1985 offering spectacular service to buyers and sellers in greater Seattle, with particular interest in Green Lake, Ballard, Phinney Ridge, Wallingford, Ravenna, Bryant, View Ridge, Roosevelt and the University District.
*Senior Real Estate Specialist
Referrals from past clients and other agents always make me smile.
 Start With No by Jim Camp begins with a challenging proposition, one that most real estate agents will back off from. The author "explains why win-win is an ineffective, often disastrous strategy" and I'll add that he does so quite effectively.
I read this book with a closed mind and the fixed concept, that in real estate, negotiating to compromise is what gets most sales to the closing table. But soon I was confused. As I moved through the book I started to find nuggets that would be helpful in improving my skills as a negotiator. The final chapter consists of 33 "rules" that one should practice everyday to become and efficient fiduciary for their client.
I know the arguments for the win-win theory of negotiating. I know sales scripts and closing techniques. And yet I knew that some of what I had just read would be very helpful to me.
The only thing I could do was to read the book again, and this time with an open mind. Here a a few pithy statements of mine to help sum up the contents of this amazing book.
- Do not be needy.
- It's okay to be unokay...let the adversary bloom with confidence.
-
Yes and Maybe are responses that don't forward the negotiation. No tells you what aspects and conditions need to be discussed and resolved.
- For every negotiation you must have a Mission and a Purpose.
- You can't control the outcome, but you can control your behavior.
- Never close.
- Ask interrogative questions and then listen.
- Know your adversary's pain.
- Know your budget...it's okay to say No.
- Know the adversary's budget.
- Have an agenda before you start any conversation.
Would you like to be a better negotiator? Can you open your mind to something a little different than anything you've heard lately? Jim Camp's book, Start With No, has been an eye-opener for me. Usually I send my just read real estate books out to anyone who asks for them, but this one I want to keep and reread as I try to put into action the 33 rules to become a successful negotiator. It's okay for you to say "No". I'm good with that. Reading this book is not for everyone.
But I would like you to join the Active Rain Book Club and share with us some real estate specific books you've enjoyed lately.
Glenn Roberts, SRES*
Lake and Company Real Estate
206-524-3665
Seattle Residential ~ I Do That
Licensed broker since 1985 offering spectacular service to buyers and sellers in greater Seattle, with particular interest in Green Lake, Ballard, Phinney Ridge, Wallingford, Ravenna, Bryant, View Ridge, Roosevelt and the University District.
*Senior Real Estate Specialist
Referrals from past clients and other agents always make me smile.
What is Moving Link? It is a company in western Washington formed in 1997 to assist home sellers in locating the right mover for their needs with out having to contact every mover in town. Moving Linkis able to connect a seller with the right mover for them and facilitate a move any where in the country and probably anywhere in the world.
Why was this company formed? To make moving easier than ever before. The result:
- Single point of contact that works for you – not the moving company
- Client advocate to trouble shoot the moving service
- Volume incentive/leverage with the mover to keep costs competitive
- Easier way to compare bids
- Quality Assurance
- Un-biased consulting
And Best Of All: It costs the seller nothing extra. Why: Because the movers pay Moving Link the fee they would normally have to pay their own front man.
Moving Link has a great reputation and they keep it that way by constantly getting feed back from the people they have helped. Companies that fall short of the quality of service don't get recommended the next time.
Richard Harper, founder of Moving Link, recently sent me the following hints to safe money when moving and I am passing them on to you with his permission.
 Do it yourself Plan A - Rental Truck, beverages, and pizza go a long way and is the most cost effective way I know to move. Now, if you're older like me - oh, my back, my knees, my friends are all old, my kids either live out of town or can't afford to take time off work to help, Plan A won't work.
So, Plan B, you're thinking is to rent a truck and hire some experienced people to help. The cost of your plan B won't be much different from hiring a professional permitted mover in a competitive situation and is a lot less stressful.
Packing The more you pack the less the mover will charge you. Couple of thoughts: Start packing the non-breakable items first and if you run out of time, use the movers for the breakable items. It is pretty hard to break a box of books or linens! On a local move you will save time and money by "staging" your home for the mover. I know, I know, after listing your home for sale, the word staging isn't a fun word, but it can save you money.
PURGE!! When packing, use the 3 second rule: If you hold something in your hand for 3 seconds or longer trying to decide if it should go in the move or not - you DO NOT need it!! Less to move... Less it will cost! - have I already mentioned the word purge? On a local move consider using the mover to move only the big items and you move all of the boxes and smaller items.
Moving There is a fine line between getting the highest quality at the most competitive price! Make sure you DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!! www.thebbb.org; www.utc.wa.gov; www.wmcmovers.com
Storage Self Storage? Portable Storage? Mover's Storage? What kind of storage is the most cost effective for you? How long will you be in storage? Look at your total cost not just 1 month of storage. What will it cost you to go into storage? Do you need access while it is storage? Is it important to your to maintain continuity in responsibility for potential damage? Answering those questions will guide you in the direction in which you need to head.
Bottom-line... the more you do - the less your move will cost.
I have no connection with Moving Link other than the knowledge that they give excellent service to their clients.
If you are moving from or within the greater Seattle area give me a call to help you with the marketing and sale of your property; and call Moving Link to make sure the heavy lifing gets done right.
Glenn Roberts, SRES*
Lake and Company Real Estate
206-524-3665
Seattle Residential ~ I Do That
Licensed broker since 1985 offering spectacular service to buyers and sellers in greater Seattle, with particular interest in Green Lake, Ballard, Phinney Ridge, Wallingford, Ravenna, Bryant, View Ridge, Roosevelt and the University District.
*Senior Real Estate Specialist
Referrals from past clients and other agents always make me smile.
Ken Harney writes and interesting post re Short Sale Fraud, but I didn't like the particular way it uses common terms. When he says
A comprehensive new study estimates they will lose more than $375 million this year alone when they sell undervalued houses to tag teams consisting of real-estate agents and investors
he seems to be targeting any and all real estate agents and investors. The article starts with "Are banks and distressed home sellers getting rooked" and they answer is, that they certainly are by a few unscrupulous agents and investors , but for the most part banks have screwed themselves by completely complicating the homes sale process with legal entanglements and ineptitude.
For two hundred years the real estate industry has been developing in this country and the industry has done all right, thanks. For years the banks have wanted to play a bigger role. Most of the industry has seen that having the loan originator, the title processor, the escrow closer, the realtor, the appraiser, and the inspector as separate unconnected businesses is a good thing and provides many levels of cross checking to keep fraud at bay.
There are big real estate companies which own title companies or have lending wings. Some companies even call themselves home and loan establishments in hope of convincing the consumer that one stop shopping is convenient and therefore better for the consumer.
 So what is going on with the banks and short sales. The bank gets to control the seller like a puppet on strings. A short seller's home can be put at a reasonable price and the minute the realtor discloses that it is a short sale, no savvy buyer that is buying a home to live in will touch it. Why? Because it will take 9 months or longer to close and these buyers are buying a home to live in now.
Besides taking nine months to close, the sale might not ever close. Why? Because the banks lose money on a short sale but if they foreclose, there is the insurance that will pay them for their loss. All of that time is wasted and the home goes into foreclosure.
So, about the fraud? The banks are totally inept at handling real estate transactions. Multiple listing Associations across the country have developed forms over the years that work regionally and within state and federal laws favoring neither the seller, nor the buyer, but anticipate bringing a mutually acceptable contract on real estate to closing. Banks on the other hand have taken the position that their obligation is to their stockholders, and the bank's attorneys have left no avenue unexplored on how to extract every dime from every real estate deal that they can get their hands on.
- Banks feel they are above the MLS rules and regulations, so each bank has it's own rules to be followed.
- Banks have no respect for anyone one so they pay everyone involved fees they would pay their entry level tellers.
- Banks have to have control, and they get it when the have the right to approve a short sale.
- Banks take forever to complete any task.
With all of these control issues the banks have created a system ripe for fraud and there are people who saw that and they became real estate agents and investors and are now all over the banks with their game. If any of these bounders is ever brought to trial and found guilty I am almost positive that you will find that as a whole these people got into the real estate industry after 2007, and that none of these people ever acted like a true real estate agent whose job is to help a seller market their home and to help a buyer find and buy a home.
Most agents have the best interests of their clients at heart. We've always had a few bad apples, like every profession. You know who the bank caters to by virtue of having investors. And that includes every big bank. Feel sorry for them if you must. I surely don't.
Also published on Seattle Real Estate with Glenn Roberts
Glenn Roberts, SRES*
Lake and Company Real Estate
206-524-3665
Seattle Residential ~ I Do That
Licensed broker since 1985 offering spectacular service to buyers and sellers in greater Seattle, with particular interest in Green Lake, Ballard, Phinney Ridge, Wallingford, Ravenna, Bryant, View Ridge, Roosevelt and the University District.
*Senior Real Estate Specialist
Referrals from past clients and other agents always make me smile.
Even people in Seattle wonder why Realtors earn so much for putting a sign in the ground. Mimi Foster explains what we do in great detail. She also links to her own post on what we do for buyers. Boith are very good reads.
Via Mimi Foster - Realtor Colorado Springs (EPIC Real Estate Group Real Estate Colorado Springs):
Previously I posted a list of What Realtors Do for BUYERS. Many of you subscribed to my blog in anticipation of the follow-up roster, and many of you have emailed me wanting to know when I was going to post the subsequent What Realtors Do for SELLERS. Since I posted it last week as things were quieting down for the Memorial Day weekend, very few appear to have seen it, so here is a reprint.
 One of the ways that I use this is in a Listing Presentation. Not that I expect ANYONE to actually read it, but just the shear volume of it is daunting, and the idea is to let the Client know that we are not just putting a sign in their yard when we take a listing. If you are mailing it to a Seller or using it in a Listing Presentation, or however you might choose to use it, here is an accompanying COVER LETTER that I use to go with it.
This list was compiled prior to the advent of Short Sales and pre-Foreclosures and eContracts, and while I continue to tweek it, there could very easily be a LONG list of additional items. If you have the fortitude to actually READ this list, PLEASE feel free to add more items in the Comment section, and I will, in turn, add those to this list so that the list is more complete. Again, you have my permission to use this as you see fit.
REALTOR® SELLER SERVICES / TASKS INDEX
PRE LISTING: A lot goes in to getting ready for the initial listing appointment. After an initial phone call, we will verify City Records and previous sales, do a thorough Market Analysis, prepare documentation. This process generally takes several hours before we even meet with a prospective Client.
- Make appointment with Seller for listing presentation
- Pull property City and tax records
- Pull old MLS listing, if applicable
- Order Owner & Encumbrance Report
- Research property's current use and zoning
- Research and verify legal description of property
- Pull comps on Active, Sold, Pending, Withdrawn, Expired, and Cancelled Listings
- Research "Average Days on Market" for property of this type and location
- Prepare Comparative Market Analysis
- Print Map of property and comps
- Prepare Agency Disclosure
- Prepare Listing Contract
- Prepare Seller's Property Disclosure
- Prepare Closing Instructions
- Prepare Lead-Based Obligations of Seller
- Prepare Lead-Based Paint Disclosure
- Prepare Mold Disclosure
- Prepare Square Footage Disclosure
- Prepare Seller's Request for Verification of Loan Information
- Prepare Showing Instructions
- Prepare Pre-Listing Packet
- Order delivery of Pre-Listing Packet
- Confirm time to meet with Seller
- Inform Seller to have a copy of their key made for the lockbox
LISTING APPOINTMENT: Meet with Seller to discuss market, pricing strategy, and options. Determine financial and time needs. Would working together be mutually beneficial? Prepare Net Proceeds for Seller. Discuss Staging of the property. If proceeding, fill out paperwork.
- Give Seller an overview of current market conditions and projections
- Discuss Comparative Market Analysis
- Discuss pricing strategy based on professional judgment and market
- Discuss goals with Seller to market effectively, including schedule for selling
- Explain role in taking calls to screen for qualified Buyers
- Discuss safety of lock box
- Discuss Agency
- Discuss Contract and all other disclosures
- Discuss availability of Home Owner's Warranty
- Have Seller sign all paperwork
- Assist Seller with completion of Seller's Property Disclosure form
- Discuss things that need to be done in home
- Staging Packet to Seller
- Get loan payoff information
- Show Centralized Showing Service to Seller
- Have Seller choose preferred flyer template
- Get copies of leases, if applicable
- Ask for floor plan, upgrades, special features, detailed list of amenities
AFTER LISTING APPOINTMENT: Place sign, lockbox, directionals. Take measurements and pictures (after Staging). Verify all information and enter into MLS. Design flyers, do all internet input to multiple sources, design eProperties site, make web page, show property to prospective Buyers, discuss property with other agents, Broker Open, if applicable.
- Copies of all documents
- Prepare Seller Net Sheet based on List price
- Measure interior rooms
- Measure exterior of home
- Take interior pictures after Staging
- Take exterior pictures in good weather
- Select best pictures, crop, and download
- Put in yard sign and directionals
- Get extra key and install Lockbox
- Enter listing to MLS and verify all information
- Download best pictures to MLS
- Download disclosures to MLS
- Make copies of disclosures
- Leave several copies of disclosures at property
- Check MLS for Matching Buyers
- Design flyers for Matching Buyers to mail to Realtors
- Input Seller into Management System
- Assist Seller in Staging home for maximum price and quickest sale
- Make Showing Sheet for front desk
- Design mailers and postcards to Realtors
- Design and print flyers
- Design "Just Listed" cards and "Pick Your Neighbors"
- Mail Realtor, Neighbor, and Matching flyers/cards
- Design, print, and deliver flyers
- Compile list of completed repairs and maintenance items Seller has done
- Verify HOA fees and disclosures, if applicable
- Mail copy of Contract to Seller - include MLS printout and projected Seller Net Sheet
- Call in HOW, if applicable
- Listing to www.Realtor.com
- Listing to www.RealtyCOSprings.com
- Input listing into Centralized Showing
- Input listing into eProperties and all related information
- Make "Special Features" cards
- Calculate average utility usage for last twelve months
- Set any number of showings
- Return all phone calls - weekdays and weekends
- Verify with Seller after first few that Showing Instructions are being followed
- Add daily activities to eContracts
- Call Seller weekly to keep updated
- Reprint and supply flyers promptly as needed
- Input all showings into Centralized Showing and eContracts
- Discuss feedback regularly with Seller
- Discuss Open House
- Show house any number of times to prospective Buyers
- If interested, get Buyer pre-qualified
- Do CMA every four weeks
- Call Seller with strategy if CMA different
- Amend/Extend if monetary change
- Change MLS, if applicable
- If price changed, send out email BLAST to previous Agents who showed home
- Reprint flyers
- Deliver flyers
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS: Thoroughly review and discuss all offers, review Buyer's financial qualifications and details of offer, prepare Net Sheet for Seller with offered numbers, negotiate and renegotiate as many times as it takes, sign offer or counter.
- Receive and thoroughly review all offers submitted
- Pre-negotiate with other Agent before writing, if applicable
- Discuss Buyer's financial qualifications, terms, and times
- Discuss exclusions, dates, etc. with other Agent
- Review Contract Addendum thoroughly
- Evaluate offer(s) and prepare a "Net Sheet" on each offer for Seller
- Discuss offer with Seller
- Negotiate the offer and options
- Get pre-qualification letter
- Sign offer or prepare Counterproposal, if necessary
- Prepare and convey any counteroffers, acceptances, or amendments
- Acceptance Deadline Time
- Renegotiate however many times necessary and finalize
- Make applicable copies
- Convey signed copies to other Agent
AFTER CONTRACT SIGNED BY ALL PARTIES: Make sure all Contracts and disclosures signed properly. Deliver Earnest Money and Contract to Title Company, order Title Commitment. Order payoff from mortgage company, meet all deadlines, coordinate inspections and appraisal, explain moving and closing issues with Seller.
- Order Title work
- Make copy of Earnest money and Contract
- Deliver check and Contract to Title Company
- Notate dates on calendar
- Send date sheet to Seller
- Do necessary paperwork for unusual conditions
- If Seller and Buyer both our clients, do Change of Status Notice
- Copies of leases and damage deposit receipts, if applicable
- Order payoff
- Seller's Property Disclosure Deadline
- Inspection Objection Deadline
- Resolution Deadline
- Property Insurance Objection Deadline
- Change status on MLS and print to verify
- Review all paperwork for signatures
- Get all necessary signatures
- If mail-out, get instructions and addresses
- Notify Title Company of Mail out
- If POA needed, get original from Title Company
- Get POA signed and notarized
- "Under Contract" info letter to Seller
- Signed copies of Contract to Seller
- Remind Seller to notify Utility Company to stop service and do a "final read"
- Discuss with Seller advantages/disadvantages to continued showings
- Discuss what happens if other offers come in between Contract and Closing
- Change showing instructions in Centralized Showing
- Referral agent needed for Sellers new location?
- Resolve any Title Disputes
- Resolve any Off Record Matters
- Deliver unrecorded property information to Buyer
- Have Seller notify Utilities, phone, cable, etc.
- Mail "The Moving Guide" with Change-of-address forms to Seller
- Set up closing time
- Call Buyer's Agent and coordinate closing time
- Verify closing date and time and make all parties aware
- Mail time-verification of closing and directions to Seller
- Assist in solving any Title problems (boundary disputes, easements, etc.)
- Assist in obtaining Death Certificates, if applicable
- Cleaning needs (e.g. carpet, kitchen, etc.) upon move-out
- Discuss mover and time-frame for move-out with Seller
HOME INSPECTION: Make arrangements with all parties to coordinate inspection. Thoroughly review inspection report with Seller. Discuss items, willingness and advisability to fix, estimate of costs. Make arrangements with appropriate contractors and vendors to have items fixed.
- Set up Inspection
- Coordinate time with Seller, Agents, Buyer, Inspector
- Review Notice of Unsatisfactory Conditions with Seller
- Help Seller negotiate Inspection Objections
- Help Seller with repair estimates or a credit at closing
- Copy of Inspection Notice to file
- Verify prior to closing that all repairs have been made
- Get copies of repair receipts
- Fax copies of receipts to other Agent
THE APPRAISAL: Do current Market Analysis on property value. Coordinate and meet with Appraiser. Make sure appraisal done in timely manner. Options if appraisal is low. Any appraisal conditions? Coordinate fixing items, if noted. Schedule final inspection.
- Set up appraisal
- Coordinate time with Seller, Agents, Buyer, Appraiser
- Do current CMA for appraiser
- Meet appraiser with CMA
- If VA, make sure CRV ordered and completed
- Track Appraisal Deadline
- Verify appraisal completed and satisfactory
- If appraisal low, discuss options with Seller
- Discuss any conditions on appraisal with Seller
- Schedule final inspection on appraisal conditions, if applicable
- Verify all conditions met prior to closing
TRACKING THE LOAN PROCESS: Track the Buyer's loan progress with other Agent. Make sure all dates and deadlines are met. Keep Seller apprised of current situation. If Contract falls, begin from the beginning. Release of Earnest Money if within Contract dates.
- All paperwork to Lender
- Make contact with Lender and verify Buyer information
- Loan Application Deadline
- Buyer's Credit Information Deadline
- Disapproval of Buyer's Credit Information Deadline
- Existing Loan Documents Deadline
- Existing Loan Documents Objection Deadline
- Loan Transfer Approval Deadline
- Contact Lender weekly to ensure processing of loan approval is on track
- Notify Seller of loan approval
IF CONTRACT FALLS: Begin from the beginning. Sign all documentation to terminate, and Release of Earnest Money if within Contract dates. Reinstate on MLS and all internet sites. Reissue flyers and start marketing process again.
- Fill out all necessary paperwork
- Re-input into MLS
- Sign Release of Earnest Money forms
CLOSING PREPARATIONS AND DUTIES: Schedule a walk-thru with all parties. Confirm that all dates are being met, confirm if mail-out, POAs or other documents needed. Review closing documents and verify that all figures are correct. Deal with all last-minutes crises, make sure Seller brings keys, ID and GDOs.
- Schedule walk through with Buyer, Buyer's Agent, Seller, Vineyard Properties
- Verify with Seller how proceeds of sale being received
- If mail-out, verify correct mailing address
- Confirm mail-out with Closer
- Title Deadline
- Title Objection Deadline
- Survey Deadline
- Survey Objection Deadline
- Document Request Deadline
- CIC Documents Objection Deadline
- Off-Record Matters Deadline
- Off-Record Matters Objection Deadline
- Right of First Refusal Deadline
- Property Insurance Objection Deadline
- Coordinate Possession Date and Possession Time
- Prepare disbursement authorizations
- Notify Title Company of any Amend/Extends or date/money changes
- Last minute bills and receipts faxed to Closer including HOW, if applicable
- Make sure Closer has all addenda, correct price, rents, or applicable credits
- Discuss closing figures with Closer
- Check final figures for accuracy
- Call Seller and discuss final figures 24 hours prior to closing
- Remind Seller to bring picture ID, keys, door openers, receipts, etc.
- If not receiving proceeds at closing, discuss Seller's need for Cashier's Check
- Deal with all last-minute crises
- Check file for any unsigned documents
- Coordinate this closing with Seller's next purchase and resolve timing issues
- Have a "no surprise" closing so that Seller receives proceeds at closing
POST SALE: Enter the sales data to MLS and records for County. Remove signs, directionals, and Lockbox. Make sure file is completed and have it copied to disc. Change MLS to SOLD
- Change MLS to "SOLD"
- Enter sales data for County Records
- Scan entire file to disc
- Store hard file at outside location
- Copy HUD-1 and put in pre-addressed envelope
- Remove sign, directionals, and brochure box
- Remove lockbox
- Mail out disc of all paperwork to Seller
- Mail out HUD-1 to Seller the following year for taxes
What Realtors Do for Sellers was written by Mimi Foster
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If you would like to Search for Homes in Colorado Springs, CO, or for any of your other real estate needs, please contact your Colorado Springs Realtor
      
Selling homes throughout Colorado Springs, Old Colorado City, Manitou Springs and surrounding areas with a Specialty in Victorian and Vintage Homes in
Downtown Colorado Springs
Glenn Roberts, SRES*
Lake and Company Real Estate
206-524-3665
Seattle Residential ~ I Do That
Licensed broker since 1985 offering spectacular service to buyers and sellers in greater Seattle, with particular interest in Green Lake, Ballard, Phinney Ridge, Wallingford, Ravenna, Bryant, View Ridge, Roosevelt and the University District.
*Senior Real Estate Specialist
Referrals from past clients and other agents always make me smile.
Ravenna-Roosevelt May 2011 Market Report
The 16 closings in May was double that of the 8 closings of residential property in the Ravenna and Roosevelt neighborhoods of Seattle during April. Surely a good sign that the people who took the plunge actually made it to the closing table. Active listings have been pretty steady for the past three months coming in currently at 33 . We still could use more inventory in these neighborhoods. There are buyers out there looking for homes.
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Status
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#
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Low $
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High $
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Average
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Median
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Days on Market
|
|
Active
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33
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170,000
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775,000
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493,004
|
459,000
|
59
|
|
Pending Inspection
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10
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159,950
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528,000
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335,070
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355,00
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36
|
|
Under Contract
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19
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144,500
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839,500
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471,579
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425,000
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39
|
|
Sold
|
16
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300,000
|
640,000
|
442,538
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415,000,
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30
|
Last month there were 25 listings pending inspection or otherwise resolved and just waiting to close. Now there are 29 such properties, so expect June totals to be up slightly.
For in-city Seattle north of the ship canal the statics include 219 closed sales in April, 469 pending sales (up 130) and 912 active listings up 121 since last month. Absorption rate is now 4.2.Still a sellers market.
This report includes single family homes, townhomes and condominiums.
If you live in the Seattle area, and in particular the North Seattle and the Ravenna or Roosevelt areas, give me a call and let’s discuss how to resolve your real estate issues.
Glenn Roberts, SRES*
Lake and Company Real Estate
206-524-3665
Seattle Residential ~ I Do That
Licensed broker since 1985 offering spectacular service to buyers and sellers in greater Seattle, with particular interest in Green Lake, Ballard, Phinney Ridge, Wallingford, Ravenna, Bryant, View Ridge, Roosevelt and the University District.
*Senior Real Estate Specialist
Referrals from past clients and other agents always make me smile.
For my hometown sports fans and real estate noodlers, this piece from John MacArthur in the DC area explains why Washington and Seattle are good to go. Well, the Nationals have some work to do...just saying.
Via John MacArthur Licensed Maryland/DC Realtor (ReMax Realty Centre): This morning's Washington Post ran a story titled "Home prices take a double dip". The story was stock coverage about the most recent Case-Shiller report. The big news was that the long forecast "double-dip" in prices seems to have occurred. There were only two exceptions, Washington DC and Seattle, Washington.
Ken Rapoza at Forbes.com shared "You know that $400,000 house you want to buy; offer them $350,000. If they don’t take it now, they will soon enough." That is an understandable reaction to housing prices that have begun to fall again. The advice probably won't work in the DC area and it won't work in Seattle either.
Jobs are the steroids that create a booming housing market. DC has jobs. The Seattle area has jobs. One has the Federal Government and the other has the defacto internet government. While the rest of the nation suffers from "steroid" loss (see Barry Bonds, Manny Sosa, Mark Mcguire, et al), these two areas continue to perform at Jose Bautista like levels.
Now, home sales and baseball games do have a lot of similarities. Both need two sides to complete a transaction. Both support large networks of ancillary services. Both have designated officials overseeing the transaction. Both keep records of what transpired and both have "second guessing" Monday morning quarterbacks discussing what happened, what might have happened and what should have happened. Both begin a season of hope in the spring and languish through the dog days of summer.
Home sales need cash to be completed. Baseball needs a bat and a ball. Available cash is dependent on the ability of the borrower to repay the debt ( don't believe advertising, if you need a loan the underwriter will determine your credit worthiness and this can change from one lender to another). A bat and a ball is dependent on the front office's determination of how much supplies the team will need ( don't believe their lavish lifestyle is any indicator of quality of equipment because this can change from team to another).
Right now, the majority of the country does not have a strong enough economy (see jobs) to support home sales at a level pace. The future does seem to hold the possibility of yet another dip when the back log of foreclosures hit the market. As for DC and the Seattle area, the Federal Government continues to grow faster than the fat kid stuffing twinkies in his mouth and Seattle remains the closet capital of the free world (think about it, control of the internet is a bit more powerful than drones flying over Afghanistan).
All of this being shared, please note, prices everywhere took a free fall from 2006 to 2009. If your average price in 2006 was around $250,000 and in 2009 it was around $175,000, small ups and downs that keep you around $175,000 do not represent any worthwhile gain. You may have waited another two years but if you sell, you will still be out the $75,000. Simple terms... If you lost a dollar last year and this year you bounced back with a 5% gain, you still only have a nickel and the lost 95 cents is still gone.
Hats off to Case-Shiller. They have discovered a way to make money in a dreadful housing market. If the reports depress you, turn to the Sports section. Jose Bautista is still cranking out non-steroid aided home runs, the long hot summer lays before us and somebody will emerge as a champion
Glenn Roberts, SRES*
Lake and Company Real Estate
206-524-3665
Seattle Residential ~ I Do That
Licensed broker since 1985 offering spectacular service to buyers and sellers in greater Seattle, with particular interest in Green Lake, Ballard, Phinney Ridge, Wallingford, Ravenna, Bryant, View Ridge, Roosevelt and the University District.
*Senior Real Estate Specialist
Referrals from past clients and other agents always make me smile.
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Glenn Roberts - Seattle Residential
Seattle,
WA
More about me…
Lake & Company Real Estate
Address: 7801 Green Lake Dr N, Seattle, WA, 98103
Office Phone: (206) 524-3665
Cell Phone: (206) 478-3665
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