Territorial and water view from Seattle home

SELLING YOUR HOME - A complete overview of the home selling and marketing process:

Market Analysis. Yup. You get mail, phone calls, bombarded with TV ads offering a “free comparative market analysis” Get one! Get two! You may even want to check on “Zillow” just for fun - which basically delivers tax info with a percentage of increase based on area.

Then, of course, call me and I’ll see your home, do the study and deliver one to you as well. A realtor’s job is to give the seller current sales and market data with averages, price per sq ft, days on market and pertinent info so the seller can decide on their own. We often give a range of where we think the house should be priced, but the person who ultimately prices your home is YOU.

Make your decision on the realtor based on the reputation of the agency, quality of presentation and the right “connection”. It’s important to have confidence and in the individual you have trusted with such an important process.

Next, your realtor does a walk through to make suggestions on what should be done to deliver the highest price in the least amount of time. “Paint this room, fix that tile, plant the garden, etc.” Don’t be surprised if that project you’ve been wanting to do for 8 years is not on the list.

Then - Ready, Set, GO!

OK, now you are ready to list. Make sure you have connected with your agent about showings, access, how much you want to be involved, and how you want your agent to communicate with you (email, phone).

One week before listing:

  • Final Walk through with suggestions for staging (more on that when we meet).
  • You make a date for when you’ll be ready for pictures. If you work with me, I need at least 2 full days in-between the photography and the day your FOR SALE sign goes up.
  • Day 1: listing agreement signed, I supply you with a marketing calendar. Ad submitted for the following Sunday Open House.
  • Day 2: I like to hit the market on Monday. Your home appears on the MLS (MUltiple Listing Service). FOR SALE sign goes up, printed fliers in box out front (if appropriate), “House Book” placed in your home, “Silent Talker” signs placed around home, Monday Tour for Windermere Agents.
  • Day 3: Tuesday morning tour with 30 Agents from my office - to spread the word quickly!
  • Day 4: Broker’s open house (for any agency). (this is flexible based on area) 11am-1:00pm.
  • Day 5-7: The biggest exposure happens in these first days - when agents who attended Broker Open House's show your home to their interested clients.
  • Day 8: Sunday - Open House to the public.

You can “Live in the View!”