I always new that pricing and condition were key and I always stress that to my clients. This time it really paid off.
Here's the story. This past Summer I was in the grocery store with my 3 sons...which is always an adventure... and lady started talking with my sons or the other way around, I really can't remember. Anyway, I was just a few weeks into Brian Buffini's 100 Days to Greatness, so I was in the mode of meeting at least 5 new people a day.
The lady and I started chatting and she gave me a religious brochure and I in turn gave her my business card and stated that if she or anyone she knew ever needed to buy or sell a home, that I would love to help them. She immediately explained that she and her husband were considering putting their home on the market, but they had some personal things to take care of before they would make a final decision - maybe sometime in early Fall they would be ready.
She then proceeded to explain the type of loan she had, which was through the USDA Home Loan Program, I was slightly familiar with it, and that if she sold her home before a certain period that she would have to pay back some type of subsidy. Anyway, I offered to check into the program and find out what I could about her type of loan.
I immediately went home and mailed her a thank you card and also included one of my brochures as well as a Dress Your House For Success brochure. Well low and behold, a couple of weeks later, she calls me and says that she and her husband would like to go ahead and put their home on the market because her husband had just been laid off. Needless to say, I'm ecstatic because all of that walking up to strangers and striking up conversations had finally paid off.
I schedule the listing appointment, did my CMA and prepared my listing presentation and off I went to get the listing. Everything went smoothly. I asked for a tour of the home, took measurements while they told me about each room and then we sat down to discuss their MO. They needed to sell pretty quickly and was open to any and all suggestions that I had. They had previously read all of the material that I sent them, so their home was "show ready." After they signed the listing agreement, the husband tells the wife - who is frantic that she's going to have to keep her house spotless for an unknown amount of time - "not to worry and that we will have the home sold in 30 days tops."
Well it happend... on day 29 I got a call from a realtor who wanted to take his buyer to see the property. I was excited because we had only had one showing up until this point. Their showing was scheduled for 9am that morning and by 11am, they were calling me wanting to fax in an OFFER!!! Yippee!!! I thought, so here we go.
We get the offer and it's a fairly good offer. My sellers had some items that they were holding for negotiations and we countered back with those items and a slightly increased number. The offer was accepted the same night and now we have a closing scheduled for Nov. 24.
This has been the smoothest transaction that I've had thus far. The inspection went well, there were minor items that my seller agreed to repair. The appraisal has been completed and hopefully the lender doesn't request any other repairs to be made. So now I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that things continue to progress as well as they have.
I'm so used to transactions being worse than getting teeth pulled, that I'm a bit cautious about getting too excited. I just came off of a very challenging Short Sale, and to have a smooth transaction without all of the chaos, is a welcome event in and of itself.
Wish me luck.
P.S. Look for my Blog about the USDA Home loan Program.
11800 CR 313 - SALE PENDING!!!
MeLisa Minter, Realtor
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