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Seller s GUIDE TO SELLING YOUR HOUSE WITH PEACE OF MIND Suzette Samuel EXP REALTY 470 909 0043
Meet Suzette Samuel YOUR LOCAL REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL About REALTOR contact 470 909 0043 info anrealty org https suzettesamuel ch ime me evaluation Suzette Samuel is the founder of A N Realty within the ExP brokerage licensed and located in the state of Georgia Born and raised in NY Suzette got her degree in psychology and was a case manager Suzette has been and still is very passionate about helping others In 2016 Suzette relocated to GA and took an interest into Real estate She assists clients through empowerment education and experience while fulfilling their dreams through real estate Suzette has been providing professional services in the industry since 2019 Suzette s clients receive exceptional communication fact based advice expert negotiation and most of all results Suzette is very passionate about assisting her clients with selling real estate in order to generate sustainable wealth while providing education guidance and assistance while getting homes sold quickly for top dollar When you re ready to sell it is important to work with a realtor who can provide advisement education on todays market and is an expert in negotiating As your real estate advisor she will do all the above as well as support you guide you and take the stress out of the home selling experience If you are in the market to sell she would love to be of some assistance REAL ESTATE IS NOT ONLY MY PROFESSION it s also my passion
5 EASY STEPS to sell your home 01 STEP 1 PREPARE Home tour research Listing Appointment Hire a real estate agent 02 STEP 2 PRE LISTING Establish a price Stage your property Marketing materials are designed and prepared 03 STEP 3 LISTING TIME Your property is officially launched on the market Buyer prospecting time Be prepared for showings and open houses 04 STEP 4 OFFER PROCESS Sales agreement Contingencies Under contract 05 STEP 5 MOVING OUT Closing preparations Moving Packing Closing day
01 prepare STEP 1 HOME TOUR RESEARCH LISTING APPOINTMENT Before we discuss the home selling process and your expectations I will tour your property and offer you my insights on what can help you sell your home Afterward we will sit down and discuss the approximate value of your property based on current market trends and recent sales in your neighborhood After our initial meeting I will prepare a Comparative Market Analysis CMA that includes sold prices of comparable properties in your area Once I am finished all my research and data collection we will meet again Based on all the data I collect and your needs we will establish a competitive listing price for your home We will also discuss the home selling process timelines and expectations from the sale to be on the same page and head towards one same goal as a team Additionally we will discuss my unique approaches to marketing your property so that you can rest assured that I will do everything possible to get your home sold for top dollar and fast HIRE A REAL ESTATE AGENT Sometime around our home tour and listing appointment you will have to decide who you want to represent you during the home selling process If you choose to hire me I will walk you through all the listing paperwork and we will get all the necessary documents signed to move ahead with putting your home on the market To help you decide here are some unique key services I offer all my seller clients top priority and attention to your property regular and timely communication with you active follow up of every buyer prospect work with you and for you to obtain top dollar fully customized marketing materials suggestions to increase your home s value
02 pre listing STEP 2 ESTABLISH A PRICE Pricing your home at the right price the first time is crucial to obtaining maximum exposure and selling your home quickly for top dollar Doing so will also help you save money and time Pricing a house correctly is mostly based on five factors the property s location its condition its improvements or upgrades its age and the market conditions experienced at the time of listing Therefore our experience and access to exclusive information from various sources will help us determine a competitive listing price to ensure optimal results STAGE YOUR PROPERTY Staging a house is the process of strategically arranging furniture and decor to make a home look its best while selling This may involve refreshing your belongings or moving all of your stuff out and renting furniture and decor to better suit the room s staging arrangements Our goal is to create a clean neutral and coherent look to help buyers imagine what moving into your home could look like To help we will give you personalized tips during our initial home tour and we will provide you with a home staging checklist for reference on the following page MARKETING MATERIALS ARE DESIGNED AND PREPARED While we go further into detail about our marketing strategy in the following pages we will have professional photographers take high quality photos of your home after staging your property At the same time we will have all our marketing materials professionally designed and customized to match and include the stunning pictures of your home Once all our marketing materials are designed we will download and prepare them for print Before listing day we will personally deliver some printed marketing materials to you such as property brochures Welcome to our listing signs and business cards That way you may set up for showings and help increase buyer turnout rates on offer day Aside from printed marketing materials we will also tackle the digital world by having professional Coming Soon and Just Listed property social media posts posted on all our social media pages and sponsoring them to reach more prospective buyers
HOME STAGING checklist To stage your home and get it ready for launch day consider doing the following Remove personal items A few personal things on display is acceptable but we want to make sure we leave enough room for a prospective buyer to picture themselves living in the home not you These items include pictures awards personal collections personal paintings etc Deep clean the entire house Don t forget to clean all flooring and pet areas as well Decorate your home with neutral colors If you plan to paint or replace rent d cor items consider choosing neutral colors to brighten up the living spaces Great color schemes to choose from are light grays and whites for main areas and soft blues and greens for bathrooms Clear all items from countertops except for d cor items Remember to remove all toiletries in the washrooms and all items on kitchen countertops However consider leaving a vase of flowers in the bathroom and a luscious bowl with fruit in the kitchen to add touches of color Declutter declutter declutter Unless you have a minimalist lifestyle you have likely accumulated many items during your stay in the house As we aim to create an open and clean space inside your home it is crucial to remove as many unnecessary items as possible Furthermore a decluttered home maximizes your home s space which can give the impression to the buyer that your home has more square footage than it has in reality If you have no space for storage consider renting a short term storage bin or locker Keep the lawn manicured and watered regularly Don t forget to trim hedges weed flower beds and prune trees regularly as well Also keep the lawn free of clutter and add fresh mulch to garden beds Make all beds and style them Tip add multiple coherent d cor pillows to make a bed look more comfortable and sumptuous Organize closets If you have regular closets try to make it look as organized as possible If you have a walk in closet remove as many items as possible to make it look very spacious Wash or paint the home s exterior A fresh coat of paint on the exterior of your home will make your property s curb appeal stand out This is not really a low budget job if you can we recommend doing it Remove or hide any trash recycling or compost bins in all rooms Add a new or clean welcome mat on your front porch and hang a beautiful wreath on your door Depending on your front porch s size consider adding outdoor pots with plants as well to finish off a warm look To freshen up your front door add a fresh coat of paint Hide ALL cords from electronics Also consider hiding or removing any unnecessary devices such as video game consoles Add clean towels in the bathroom and place them neatly You can also add rolled up towels to create a more spa look When you pair an item do so in 1s 3s or 5s The eye appreciates these pairings Try giving a fresh coat of paint to your home s interior If this is not possible paint the trim to provide a pop of color throughout the house
REAL ESTATE photography pre shoot exterior Clean up the landscaping trim bushes and mow edge lawn Close garage doors Pressure wash driveway walkup checklist bedrooms Make beds and tidy up the rooms Remove any personal photos and items Store away toys clothes devices and valuables Remove children s toys and patio furniture Remove yard clutter Remove cars from driveway bathrooms Clear countertops completely Keep toilet seats and lids down general Leave all lights on and turn off any ceiling fans Turn off any devices including TVs Open all blinds and curtains Remove plungers and cleaning items Clean all glass surfaces and mirrors Hang clean towels neatly and remove rugs Remove all personal items i e soap shampoo etc from tubs and showers Declutter the entire home remove any excess furniture and any other items Touch up paint Deep clean the entire home kitchen Clear countertops completely Empty sinks and store dishes away Empty and hide garbage bins Remove all magnets from refrigerator Remove or hide any pet food accessories or kennels
OUR MARKETING strategy PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY Since the internet s growth more buyers have been using various real estate home search engines to find their next home Therefore real estate photography is an essential marketing strategy for sellers so we invest in professional photographers to take stunning pictures of your home Properties that look visually professional and aesthetic will entice buyers especially millennials scrolling through the web to click on those homes rather than poorly presented homes Additionally listings that have professional photography tend to sell faster on the market sell at a higher price point attracts more international buyers and attracts more buyer leads to visit the homes in person NETWORK MARKETING Investing time to create relationships with other real estate agents and industry professionals pays off when it comes to listing your home I will personally reach out to all my wonderful colleagues and tell them about your home to spread the word This will make your listing known around their networking circles boosting your property s visibility ADVERTISING MARKETING Other than the marketing strategies listed above we will place signage on your lawn and around your neighborhood host open houses create a personalized email campaign distribute stunning customized property flyers and promote your home all over our social media networks What other techniques do we use to promote your property Networking Signage including a lawn sign Email marketing Custom designed property flyers Open Houses weekends weekdays Social Media marketing more Where do we promote your property online Realtor com Zillow YouTube Trulia Facebook Instagram Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn more WHY MLS When your home is listed on Multiple Listing Service MLS all the property information photos and other details are published nationally This means that your property is exposed to prospective buyers from all over the country and international buyers Additionally licensed real estate professionals in your area will be notified whenever your property gets listed Therefore they will have the chance to immediately book a viewing appointment for their qualified and interested buyer clients
03 STEP 3 listing time YOUR PROPERTY IS OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED ON THE MARKET The day you have been preparing for is finally here On launch day your property will be officially posted online and appear as an active and new listing on MLS From this day until an offer has been accepted many real estate agents will be making showing requests So get ready to leave your home on short notice and for a few hours at a time Now a common question we get from sellers is When is the best day of the week to launch our listing One thing to remember is that whenever we list a property we strive to obtain multiple offers on your home to ensure you get the best price for your home To do this it is vital to get as many showings compacted in the shortest amount of time as possible Weekends are the peak days of the week where people are often most available to view homes Therefore if we list early on in the week and receive an offer immediately from few buyers who went to view your home you will not be giving a chance to those who are mostly available on weekends to view the property This is because you will have to decide on the offer you have already received Therefore we recommend launching your property closer to the weekend more specifically on a Wednesday or Thursday to ensure maximum buyer exposure and get as many viewings as possible within a few peak days BUYER PROSPECTING TIME Starting on launch day we will go full out on exposing your property to prospective buyers Consistent exposure of your home will be spread across all our social media platforms We will place targeted Facebook and Instagram ads and customize the audience according to the types of buyers we aim to attract We will also personally reach out to our real estate professionals networks and share your listing with them so they know of your property for any interested buyer clients they may know Additionally all scheduled events including open houses will be completed until a sales agreement is negotiated and accepted BE PREPARED FOR SHOWINGS AND OPEN HOUSES Once we launch your property real estate agents will start contacting us to make showing appointments Depending on your property and market trends you may experience many showings in a short span or occasional ones In any case it is crucial to be prepared for showings and open houses Here are some tips to help you during this time Be flexible to prospective buyers schedules to avoid missing out on a strong offer Get everyone in your household on the same page to be all informed when showings are happening to help them maintain their spaces clean and tidy Get your entire household to vacate your property to avoid making buyers feel uncomfortable and leaving them an empty space to visualize themselves living in your home without added pressure Create a mood by setting a tone that accentuates your property s features Examples include light a fire if you have a fireplace even if it s summer create a romantic atmosphere by placing two clean champagne glasses on a table with a bottle of champagne turn on some soft music at a low volume like in stores turn on any decorative water features such as fountains drape sensuous materials such as chunky knit blankets over your chairs and sofas
SHOW YOUR HOME READY IN Make the beds one hour Throw all your clutter in a laundry basket and take it to your car Put up your show towels Create light in the house by opening curtains and blinds and turning on ALL lights Empty all garbages into a garbage bag and put it in an appropriate room or take it with you Vacuum all carpets Clean all glass and mirrored surfaces Sweep the front porch and shake out the door mat to remove debris Clear kitchen and bathroom countertops except for decorative items Close all the toilet seats Wipe down all countertops Secure your pets or take them with you Sweep and mop all hard surfaced floors Put laundry away or take it with you
04 offer process SALES AGREEMENT STEP 4 Once a buyer tours your property and decides they would like to purchase it the buyer s representative will prepare an offer and send it to us After an offer is submitted we will sit down and go through the offer together Although it may be tempting to go with an offer that has offered the highest sale price we will also have to consider other sales agreement factors contingencies financing condition closing timeline buyer letter and repair requests Once we have discussed an offer you will decide how you want to move forward You can accept the offer decline the offer or counter offer which occurs when you want to negotiate on the sales agreement terms If you choose to counter offer the buyer would have to decide whether they wish to accept decline or counter the counter offer After negotiations if one party agrees with the offer we will finalize all signatures The buyer will have to bring the deposit to secure the contract Now any inspections appraisals financing approvals or anything else will take place A buyer can hire a professional home inspector to review your property s condition closely It typically takes 1 4 hours Suppose the inspector finds anything significant that needs to be repaired In that case they may counter bid on the sale contract which you may accept decline or counter offer An appraisal is often requested by the buyer s mortgage lender to ensure that the buyers are not overpaying too much for your property No matter the result I will assist you in making the right moves if required to make any moves All conditions have deadlines by which the buyer will have to waive the contingencies to make the sales agreement firm and proceed with the transaction UNDER CONTRACT The under contract period begins after the buyer and seller finalize and sign the sales agreement During this period a binding agreement exists between a seller and a buyer involving a property When a property is under contract the seller may not enter into another contract with a different buyer as the buyer is now obligated to purchase your home A property is still considered under contract with contingencies and the contract firms up once all conditions are waived CONTINGENCIES Contingencies or conditions are found in most sales agreement contracts The most common ones included in a contract include home inspections and appraisals
more about home inspections Q when does a home inspection usually take place A Although home inspections can take place later usually the appointment takes place within a week after signing the contract Q how much does the service cost for us sellers A Good news Buyers choose and purchase a home inspector s services so they incur the whole cost Therefore there is NO COST to you the seller Q what happens after an inspection in terms of negotiations in an inspection WHAT IS INCLUDED Basement Foundation Crawlspace Roof Components Doors including garage doors Electrical Attic Insulation Appliances select Windows Lighting Stairs Grading Drainage Structure Exterior Siding Plumbing Attached Garages Heating Cooling A Negotiations usually happen within a few days of the home inspection appointment If there are any issues with the property that the home inspector finds the buyer can Accept the house as is Back out of the transaction Negotiate They can offer you a lower sale price or ask you to fix the issues before closing day
05 moving out STEP 5 CLOSING PREPARATIONS MOVING PACKING At this point the buyer s lending approvals have been met and closing documents have been ordered The closing appointment has been scheduled and now it is just a matter of preparing for the big day While you wait for closing day to arrive don t forget to plan and prepare for your move into your next home As you prepare for closing day make sure you have completed the following duties Secure your seller documents Deep clean your house Turn off all valves switches after moving out Cancel your insurance policies Change your address on subscriptions bills banks etc Transfer your utilities to your new home Collect all house keys remotes gate keys pool keys and mailbox keys for the buyer CLOSING DAY REFERS TO THE DAY THAT FINALIZES YOUR PURCHASE AT CLOSING FUNDS AND DOCUMENTS ARE EXCHANGED TO TRANSFER OWNERSHIP TO THE BUYER AFTER CLOSING YOU WILL RECEIVE ANY REMAINING FUNDS FROM THE SALE OF YOUR PROPERTY CLOSING DAY Closing day is here The buyer will have a final walk through of your property 24 48 hours before closing This is to ensure that you have left your home in the same condition as they purchased it except for minor wear and tear Closing typically takes place at your lawyer s office You will need to bring some documents with you including Valid government issued ID All house keys garage door openers mailbox keys pool keys etc Cashier s cheque to pay for closing costs Any outstanding documents requested from your lawyer or lender Both the buyer and the seller will incur closing fees For the seller these fees typically include Lawyer s fees Real Estate Commissions Title Insurance Home Warranty Any unpaid survey or assessment fees Any outstanding taxes fines or claims against your property Any mortgage discharge fees congrats FINALLY YOUR HOME IS NOW OFFICIALLY SOLD AND YOU ARE READY TO BEGIN A NEW CHAPTER
LET ME HELP YOU SELL YOUR HOME Suzette Samuel 470 909 0043 info anrealty org https suzettesamuel chi me me evaluation