The Selling Process
1. Meet with realtor to establish course of action
When selling your home, you want a realtor with experience, honesty and integrity. Jon meets all of these criteria and more. With over ten years in the real estate business, Jon sets the bar as far as honesty and integrity in the business. He will ensure that you receive the best possible service and the best price for your home without compromising his principles.
After viewing your home, Jon will research and help determine the value of your home through several means. He will compare your home to the homes that have sold in the neighborhood over the last few months, which will be a great indicator as to the price your home should garner on the open market. Jon will provide all the listing paperwork to you in advance, and will review said paperwork with you on the next appointment.
Jon will provide a weekly update with web traffic statistics, real estate agent feedback and any other pertinent information via your preferred communication method.
2. Create checklist of items to do before selling
In the initial meeting, Jon will walk through your home with you notating any areas that need improvement prior to going on the market. These include both larger items such as "remove bed from living room" and smaller tasks like "touch up paint" or "deep clean carpet."
3. Staging consultation
Jon will provide a stager to come and view your home and offer tips and suggestions for improving the look and feel of your home. The stager will walk through your home with you highlighting certain areas to consider, and will offer the service of performing all of their recommendations for an additional fee. It is completely up to you as to whether you utilize these services or not. You may be able to accomplish many of the recommended changes on your own. Because curb appeal is such an important aspect of the buyer's experience as they see the home for the first time, Jon will work with you to increase the overall presence of your home both inside and out.
4. Professional photography
Jon provides a professional photographer to take pictures of your home to help maximize the exposure on the internet. A majority of buyers filter through homes without ever leaving their desk just by looking at online photos. Through quality photography, Jon helps you increase the potential that the buyer will want to view your home at an open house or through their agent.
5. Marketing activities with identification of buyer
Jon makes it a priority that the home is ready for the market on Day 1. This includes posting photos and descriptions on the NWMLS, Johnlscott.com website, print and virtual advertising, and sending an e-flyer to all agents in the area. The information is auto-populated to all competitor websites such as Windermere.com, Cbbain.com and remax.com. Jon will also conduct a catered broker's open, open house and network with his peers in the realtor community.
6. Receive offer(s)
Once you've received an offer and signed the contract to sell, it's important to note that this is a binding agreement and not easily changed. Jon will help navigate you through contingencies, earnest money, timeframes and the negotiation of your sales contract.
7. Negotiations and offer acceptance
Jon makes negotiation a top priority! He believes that negotiation isn't just about price, but about the entire experience of purchase or selling a home. Price is one of many different moving parts of any real estate transaction, but it isn't the only one. Jon ensures that you end up on top after the deal is done. Once mutual acceptance has been agreed upon, Jon facilitates all the paperwork, making sure that the lender, title, escrow and you receive all the paperwork associated with the transaction.
8. Navigate through contingencies
If the buyer disapproves the inspection for some reason, Jon puts his negotiation skills back to work. He finds out what is important for the buyer, and what's important for you, the seller. Through careful give and take, Jon finds the common ground that suits both you and the buyer so everyone walks away feeling it's a win/win situation.
9. Closing appointment
Closing usually occurs in the office of the Escrow company. The Limited Practice Officer (LPO) will review the documents necessary to transfer title to the buyer and where to disburse funds. They will notarize all documents and answer any questions you might have.
10. Settlement and key transfer
The day of closing has many moving parts, which include the transfer of money from the buyer/lender to you, the title transfer from the you to the buyer, and the exchange of keys. You must deliver the keys to the buyer no later than 9:00pm on the day of closing. However, most keys are delivered as soon as the recording numbers occur with the state, which can happen no later than 5:00pm on any given business day.