Planning the Sale

You will still need to do some homework and planning to ensure you receive top dollar on the sale. Here is a summary of the process:

• With the help of your real estate agent, review the latest real estate market trends and determine the right selling price.
• Estimate the amount you’ll make from the sale.
• Review financing options available to potential buyers.
• Arrange for inspections.
• Make any necessary repairs.
• Get the house in showing condition.
• Review the offers your agent presents to you.
• Close the deal.

Selling with a Professional at Your Side

Once you have decided to sell, your next step is to hire a real estate agent to help sell your house. Given the complex personal and financial decisions involved, enlisting the help of an experienced and objective real estate professional can save you time, frustration and potentially thousands of dollars.

If you’re considering selling your home on your own, ask yourself the following questions: Are you prepared to buy advertising space? If not, can you afford the time it will take to sell your house with only a sign in the yard? Are you willing to stay close to home for days, weeks, and maybe months to show your house? Do you know the up-to-date ways to market your home on the internet? Do you possess the necessary knowledge to answer buyer’s questions, negotiate a contract or close a sale?

If you answered “No” to any of these questions, enlisting an Integrity Real Estate agent will provide the following services:

• Assist with pricing the house properly, based on a Comparative Market Analysis.
• Provide a detailed marketing plan.
• Screen potential buyers for financial qualifications.
• ASP Staging Realtors providing suggestions in making your property more attractive to potential buyers.
• Access the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), which exposes your house to all cooperating member brokers.
• Expose your home to potential buyers on www.integrityrealestatepro.com, the most trafficked franchisor real estate website.
• Virtual tours on all properties.
• Show your home, with your permission.
• Answer buyers’ questions.
• Present all offers.
• Negotiate on your behalf.
• Facilitate the closing process.

SELECTING A REAL ESTATE AGENT

Since you’ll be working closely with your real estate agent, it’s critical that you not only select someone who has a great selling record, but also someone with whom you are comfortable and trust. Look for a solid track record, but also a professional manner and someone who listens to your needs.

Ask friends and neighbors who have recently sold homes for recommendations. However, a referral from a family member or friend doesn’t guarantee a perfect match! Regardless of how you acquire an agent’s name, it might be worth interviewing at least a couple before you make a final decision — or at least arming yourself with some criteria to review with any agent who has been recommended to you.

Check the selling history and credentials of any prospective agent. Interview them about the techniques they would use to price and market your home. Be cautious of anyone who suggests they can get an unreasonably high sales price. An agent might use a high listing price to secure a contract, only to seek a lower price later, after little traffic is generated at the initial price level. Meanwhile, you’ve lost what can be the most critical time period in selling a home — the first 30-60 days.

Is your agent a Full Time Agent? The number of transactions an agent is handling monthly or yearly gives you an indication of how committed the agent is to their profession. Is the agent only part time, just dabbling in real estate sales — or is the agent a full-time professional whose livelihood depends entirely on the ability to successfully close real estate transactions? Leaving these questions unaddressed may cost you time and money causing you much frustration.