10 STEP PROCESS
The statistics tell us that potential sellers know an average of 8.4 Realtor’s; through church, kids sports teams, Facebook, Aunt Jessie. Seems like everyone is a Realtor…it’s so easy! Right? Not really. Let’s be clear, Not all Realtor’s are equal. The G-TEAM Realty Group Agents apply a systematic, business approach to helping our clients sell homes and it’s been extremely successful. The below 10 step process document has been assembled to outline our approach to helping sellers accomplish their goals.
1) Initial Phone Interview. Prior to providing a value assessment of your home or discussing a marketing strategy, we like to understand your situation. Why are you selling and what are your primary goals and expectations for the process? Job change? Upsizing? Right sizing? Growing Family? We will confirm the
tax information is correct regarding who is on Title, bedroom/bath count, and square footage are accurate. This information helps us prepare for our listing appointments and addresses the issues you are most concerned about. At the end of the call, we will set a time for a home tour and listing appointment.
2) Pre-Listing Package. Before our meeting, we will email or courier over a packet of information about our Team. This information will include our Listing Report Card that outlines our track record laying out percentage of list price to final close price for all of our past listings. Background and Resumes of our Team
Members. Community Real Estate Reports for average days on market, pricing history. Past Client Testimonials. Sample Client status Reports. Three Point Pricing theory. G-TEAM marketing investment and strategies. Many Realtors just show up to the listing appointment and request you make a decision
without careful study and analysis of your options. Our goal is that you make the best decision and are comfortable with your choice and are informed throughout the process.
3) Listing Appointment. The Listing appointment typically takes place in your home and should be completed during daylight time and not exceed an hour. During our meeting:
a. We will first request a tour both the inside and outside of the property. Please share any recent upgrades and/or improvements made to the property since purchasing.
b. We will provide guidance on possible improvements recommended prior to listing.
c. We will answer any questions that you may have from reviewing the pre-listing package.
d. Review 3 Pricing Strategies and Current Market Insight regarding Actives, Pending’s, Closed Sales
e. Discuss and Establish a List Price for the Home
f. Discuss positioning statement and WIN strategy for your home.
g. Review Proactive marketing plan and investment schedule
h. Review NET seller sheet and set expectations on all typical closing cost fees
After this meeting you may decide to execute the Exclusive Right to Represent Agreement or you may want to interview other agents. In either case, IF we feel we are unable to help you reach goals we will let you know that we are unable to enter into a listing agreement. A word of CAUTION, be wary of Agents who will overprice a listing to WIN your business.
4) Sign a listing agreement. In Virginia all sellers will also be required to sign a Residential Property Disclosure statement indicating there are no known defects with the house. The Listing agreement will include the agreed upon list price, date to go on market (usually on or before X date) by, and we incorporate our marketing plan as part of the listing agreement. We want you to know we will fulfill our investment schedule and will put it in WRITING. If you live in an HOA, we will order documents at this time. More on
this under step 9 – Contract to Close.
5) Market Preparation. This is where the MAGIC happens, but FULL DISCLOSURE can be stressful for sellers. If you are looking for top dollar for your home, our staging team will come in and execute a roomby-
room plan prior to photography. The goal of this plan will be to seduce the potential buyer. Maximize room size perception and fill the home with light. If you have been in a model home recently, you may recall how clean and orderly everything looks. The model home experience creates an environment that allows the potential purchaser to visualize what it would be like living in the home. This process of staging, decluttering is CRITICAL to getting top dollar for your home. Simple things like updating outdated lighting fixtures, taste specific paint colors, and removing distracting wall art or family pictures is a must. Let’s help
the purchaser visualize their family in your home. Do not let anyone tell you Step 5 is not important! Our hands-on approach is a difference maker.
6) Professional HD Photography Inside and Out. After the home is ready for market, we will schedule our professional photographer and aerial drone team to capture assets for our marketing team to use in presenting your home. Just like Realtor’s, not all PHOTOGRAPHERS are equal. Our team of pros are proven. Buyers are not only looking at the inside features, but also the exterior. Since internet marketing and pay for placement is a critical aspect in our marketing plan, the need for QUALITY images is critical to our success. We have this covered and will have all assets in our hands within 24 hours of shooting. These assets will serve as the foundation for your website, online advertising campaigns, syndication to all consumer sites, and our traditional media promotions. Details matter!
7) Go TIME – Live in the MLS. After your home is entered into the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), showings will begin. There is never a bad day to list your home, but middle of the week is preferred. Syndication can take up to 24 hours to reach consumer sites and we like to promote a Sunday Open House
the first week of going on the market. We utlize an online show request system that notifies our Team as well as you the seller on all show requests. No SHOWINGS take place without an approval; Period. A multi-step approach will be utilized to try and collect buyer feedback from the showings and be included in
our weekly seller reports. There is no better feeling than having multiple purchasers interested in purchasing your home and leveraging them against one another to get you the VERY BEST terms.
8) Offer Review and Evaluation. If we have priced the home well and it shows well, we will receive an offer within the first two weeks. We love when our marketing program creates a buyer feeding frenzy. You the seller benefit greatly. Instead of chasing the market, you are calling the shots and have the leverage. When an offer is received, you can accept it, reject it, or counter. We will provide guidance based on experience and always looking out for your BEST interests. Prior to presenting any offer, we ALWAYS contact the purchasers lender and conduct a phone interview trying to collect as much information to share with you regarding profession and buying power strength and provide you with this data when evaluating offers. After all parties have signed off, we have a RATIFIED contact and we are on the way to closing. After RATIFICATION is where good agents like us earn our keep.
9) Contract to Close. The G-TEAM will assign a seasoned transaction coordinator to assist with scheduling buyer home inspection, appraisal, Title paperwork, termite inspections, HOA covenant violations if in HOA. Our primary focus is to clear ALL contingencies and work towards a smooth, non-eventful closing as soon as possible. We will emphasize the importance of Property Condition per the contractual requirements. It is our opinion that the Virginia contract is slanted towards the Purchaser, giving them too many opportunities to void contract; Home Inspection, HOA Documents, Low Appraisal, Financing. The typical contract period is between 30-60 days. We will navigate the many deadlines, buyer requests, and negotiations. We commit to ALWAYS meeting the purchasers Appraiser at the house to make sure they are not overlooking any recent upgrades, neighborhood amenities that may impact the property value. LOW appraisal is never a desired scenario unless we are representing a Buyer. During the Contract to Close period you will be making arrangements to vacate the property the day before closing. Be sure to keep all utilities in your name under after closing has occurred to avoid any hassles.
10) Settlement Day. Seller settlement typically takes about 30 minutes. We will request a preliminary settlement statement from the Title company within a week of closing to review all numbers are accurate to avoid any last-minute surprises. Our goal is o meet your expectations that we outlined at the outset. Purchasers will conduct a final walk-thru usually the day of closing to ensure all repairs that were agreed to have been completed and property condition is the same as Date of Offer or Date of Home Inspection; whatever is called for in Ratified Contract. Make sure any automatic payments have been cancelled for HOA
dues or mortgage payments. Bring a voided check to closing to provide Title Company information where to wire proceeds to. In the unfortunate situation where money is required to close, a certified bank check should be made payable to Title company and be brought to closing. Congratulations on your Settlement and we always APPRECIATE referrals as over 90 percent of our business is generated by referral.
