Home Sellers
A home is more than just a stucture — it’s where you've put your physical and emotional roots for an extended period of time. While the process of selling your home can be very emotional, you cannot afford to become emotional. You need to look at the transaction as a business deal and work towards getting the most you can from your investment.
Step 1. Select Your Realtor
What Should You Expect From The Real Estate Agent Selling Your Home?
Our Personal Sevice Promise
Easy Exit Listing Guarantee
Step 2. Preparing Your Home for Sale
The Location and Condition of Your Home Affects Its Saleability
Tips To Help You Sell Your Home
Cleaning, De-cluttering and Repairing Guidelines
When It's Time To Show Your Home
Moving Checklist
Step 3. Pricing Your Property
Determining Fair Market Value
The Perils of Overpricing
Step 1. Select Your Realtor Back to Top
What Should You Expect From The Real Estate Agent Selling Your Home?
The Morris Realty Team believes you should expect more than a sign in the front yard. We believe that our responsibilities to you — the seller — are:
- To provide you with excellent service and support;
- To help you price your home according to the prevailing market conditions;
- To expose your home to as many potential buyers and their agents as possible;
- To fully represent your interests in the negotiation phase of the contract process; and
- To ensure that all of the steps necessary to complete the contract unfold smoothly.
We are so confident in our ability to provide exceptional service that we back our commitment with our Service Guarantee. If you do not feel that we have met your service expectations once the sale of your home is complete, tell us about it in writing and we will refund to you our portion of the sales commission.
Our Personal Service Promise
CLIENT-AGENT RELATIONSHIPS: At the beginning of our relationship with you, we will explain our client-agent obligations, noting that you are our employer and pay our fee.
STRUCTURING THE SALE: We will advise you on the most advantageous way to offer your home for sale, reflecting varying terms and conditions of sale. This “structuring” may include a conventional sales approach, mortgage takeover or assumption, owner financing, rent-to-own or other methods of sale.
QUALIFIED LISTINGS: We recognize that only a “qualified listing” provides you with the basis for the most comprehensive and effective marketing plan possible. This can be defined as a home listed with:
- Complete and accurate details;
- Well-motivated clients;
- Competitive price by market analysis; and
- A term sufficient to market the home.
MARKET ADVICE: We shall advise you weekly on buyer activity and interest, local market conditions, and other factors that may affect the sale of your property. We will provide you with an updated Market Value Analysis, if warranted by increased or decreased market activity.
OVERPRICED HOMES: We will advise you that we cannot properly represent nor professionally service listings that are overpriced, as we must be able to substantiate and defend our client’s “BEST PRICE”.
PREPARING THE HOME: We will advise you on how to prepare your home to show it in the most positive manner. We will not gloss over glaring physical defects and will make recommendations as to how they can be corrected.
MAXIMUM MARKET EXPOSURE: We will expose your home to the largest number of potential buyers possible. Normal marketing channels shall include uploading all the information about your home onto the realtors multiple listing service as well as numerous public web sites; holding agent tours in order to give agents affiliated with other companies a chance to preview the home; hold open houses for the public; and send out direct mail pieces promoting the home.
APPOINTMENTS AND NEGOTIATIONS: We will ensure that all negotiations by interested parties and other agents are coordinated through us, the listing agents.
COMMUNICATION: We will establish consistent communication with you, either in person, on the telephone or via e-mail, and will commit all understandings to writing. We will advise you on prospective buyer reaction and the merits of all offers, including the amount of “earnest money” that should be secured as a deposit and what contingencies may be considered unreasonable.
SPECIAL RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: We will provide you with special relocation assistance if moving out of the area. This shall include vital community facts on the area into which you are moving and setting up a competent service-oriented real estate agent in your area.
Easy Exit Listing Guarantee
We Promise To:
- Conduct multiple marketing activities seeking the sale of your property at a price and on terms acceptable to you;
- Keep you up-to-date on all the activities surrounding the sale of your home;
- Assist in the drafting and negotiation of offers, counter-offers, amendments and addenda to the real estate contract pursuant to your objectives;
- Receive & present in a timely manner any written offers and counter-offers; and
- Provide necessary assistance to satisfy your contract obligations and to facilitate settlement of the purchase contract.
We are confident that our work will meet your expectations. However, if at any time you’re not satisfied with our service, professionalism or marketing efforts, you can exit from the listing by calling or e-mailing us that you want to cancel. No hassle. No questions asked, guaranteed!
While a written agreement is required by law, there’s no reason that you have to be locked into a long term listing agreement. With The Morris Realty Team’s Easy Exit Listing, you can eliminate the anxiety associated with listing your home.
2. The Process Of Preparing Your Home For Sale Back to Top
The Location and Condition of Your Home Affects Its Saleability
Think back to when you purchased your home -- what were you looking for in general and what drew you to this one in particular? Someone is out there probably looking for the same things you were.
CONDITION: While your home is not new, it will be new to the buyers. You can expect a higher return on your investment if the buyer needs to do little or no work to move in and call it home.
- Fresh Exterior Paint?
- Fresh Interior Paint?
- Well-Maintained Lawn and Shrubs?
- Good Overall Curb Appeal?
- Neutral Décor?
- Walls and Floors in Good Condition?
- Free of Clutter?
- Abundant Light Throughout Property?
- Major Improvements Professionally Done?
LOCATION: Obviously, there is nothing you can do about the location of your property, but it does factor into the current market value.
- Attractive Neighborhood?
- Amenities Available?
- Proximity to Public Transportation?
- Access to Major Transportation Routes?
Tips To Help You Sell Your Home
Keep it uncluttered: It will look neater and larger. You want to convey a spacious feeling.
Keep it clean: This creates the impression that your home has been well cared for. Fresh paint and a good scrubbing give surfaces a fresh look.
Keep it repaired: Fix it before the buyer inquires about it. The need for repairs can make or break a sale.
Keep it neutral: Get rid of distracting colors and personal accessories. Neutral colors and simple décor help someone visualize their own belongings in a room.
Keep it dynamic: Make your home memorable! From fresh flowers to fresh clean smells, your house should be inviting.
Showtime!: Make a final check of every room. Put away toys, clothes, food or other “left out” items.
When It's Time To Show Your Home
- Open all drapes and shades, turn on all lights;
- Pick up toys and other clutter;
- Make sure beds are made and clothes are put away;
- Give carpets a quick vacuuming;
- Add some strategically placed fresh flowers;
- Open bathroom windows for fresh air;
- If using potpourri, avoid heavy scents;
- Turn off the television and turn on music at a low volume;
- Make a fire in the fireplace if appropriate;
- Put pets in the backyard or make other arrangements for them;
- Make sure pet areas are clean and odor free;
- Make sure all trash is disposed in neatly-covered bins; and
- Make sure the temperature is comfortably cool in summer, warm in winter.
3. Pricing Your Property Back to Top
Determining Fair Market Value
Making a good decision on price means a shorter marketing time and the highest possible return on your investment.
First, consider the current market conditions:
- Today’s Real Estate Market;
- Today’s Mortgage Market; and
- Economic and Other Factors.
Then consider the conditions in your local area:
- Competitive Environment;
- Appraised Value and Fair Market Value of Your Home;
- Comparable Homes Recently Sold in Your Area;
- Comparable Homes Currently For Sale in Your Area; and
- Comparable Homes That Failed to Sell in Your Area.
Keep in mind:
- There is no “exact price” for real estate. In actuality, the market determines value.
- Fair market value is the price for goods or services at which a willing buyer would buy and a willing sell would sell.
- In real estate, the location and size of a piece of property account for the majority of value. Amenities and quality contribute less.
- Realize that the costs of major improvements such as landscaping, decks and swimming pools are always more than added value.
Finally, work with your realtor to:
- Study and understand the Comparative Market Analysis which will include a range of prices being paid for homes similar to yours in the area.
- Determine the best asking price based on the current market conditions.
The Perils Of Overpricing
- It makes other homes more attractive and can actually help sell the competition.
- Many potential buyers won’t even look, thinking the home is out of their range.
- Properties left on the market for an extended time become shopworn. Buyers, aware of lengthy market exposure, attribute this to overpricing or believe there is something wrong with the property.
- Overpricing lengthens marketing time and invariably results in a lower selling price than would have been otherwise obtained.
- Since an appraisal is often required in financing a property, it is futile to price a property for more than market value.
7521 Virgina Oaks Drive
Gainesville VA 20155
(703)652-5760
