What Every Seller Should Know

 Never be afraid to

ask questions  

Selling your home can be a

daunting experience to say the least. 

The disclosures alone are cause

for counting sheep. 

Working with the right Real Estate Professional is the key to a successful transaction. A good Agent will take all the stress off of their clients. They will negotiate the contract to insure the best possible price, terms and buyer qualifications for your property. They will market your property to potential buyers and Agents. They will be there to field calls, show your property, accept and present the offers, open the house for inspectors, termite and other contractors for needed repairs. All of this and so much more....  They should have full knowledge of the contracts and how to qualify the buyer.  They must work closely with Lenders, Escrow and Tittle companies in order to make the transaction smooth. They must work well with other Agents.  I can't tell you how hard it is to work with the unworkable.... and trust me they are out there in full force.  An unworkable Agent can cost you the sell. What is most important to remember, everyone is out for the same goal - sell the property - have a smooth transaction - close escrow...  The only way this can be accomplished is: COMPROMISE...  Without compromise the transaction will be stressful and have a greater chance of falling out.  All parties involved should work together to solve any problems that may arise and a good Agent can and will solve all problems themselves without compromising the sellers best interest. This sounds so simple but it really isn't.  Problem solving is a good Real Estate Professionals number one assets, without it they are just order takers.

The best way to find a good Real Estate Professional is referral, referral, referral... Check with friends, family and co-workers that had positive experiences with their Agents and give them a call. If you don't know anyone that can give you a good referral, check with your local Real Estate Office and ask for the broker, they will refer you to a top agent. (or you can call me)

A good Agent works with both Sellers and Buyers and don't let a Listing Agent tell you otherwise. 

It's a Sellers Market right now and property is selling quickly. This may sound great but there are more Escrows falling out now than ever.  A good Agent will not be able to stop that completely, but they can ask the right questions and qualifications up front to hopefully not have that happen. Unfortunately, there are mitigating circumstances that we can not always predict that will cause a property to fall out of escrow. i.e.: lost job, death, job transfer, hidden Title or Judgements that the buyers don't even know about.  These unfortunate things do happen, but a good Agent will be ready to get your home back on the market quickly in-order not to loose time. 

Contingencies: The Seller can have a contingency to purchase a new home or theirs does not sell. This is a safe way to ensure that you will not be left in the cold.  A good Agent will not have a problem and actually suggest it to their clients.  Not everyone want to have a contingency, but instead prefer to sell, close escrow then look for the new property... Your Agent will Kiss you, so pucker up. 

Taking a contingency on your property: Ok this is a double standard, I know.  You want a contingency on finding a place but the home you want to buy, the Seller won't take a contingency on you selling your property... It sounds unfair, but if you really think about it. Why should they, they have six other offers.  Just like you don't want to wait for someone to sell their property in order to buy yours,  not in a hot market like we have now, which actually sounds backwards. If the market is so hot, then the property will sell quickly and everyone wins, right?  Hopefully, but it doesn't always work that way. The only way that will work is to price the property under market value to start a feeding frenzy on your property. But do you really win out? Actually the answer is Yes.

The number one best advise that a Listing Agent can give you is: Don't put the cart before the horse. Sell your property first, contingent or not, then start looking for a new home.