Seller’s FAQ: When is the best time to sell a house?

Traditionally, you may hear Spring and Summer are the best times of the year to sell a house. Yes, even in Arizona. In my experience, anytime is a good time to sell. I agree that Spring and Summer do tend to produce more buyers. Although there may be less buyers the rest of the year, those buyers do tend to have more motivating circumstances to buy. Just like there will be various reasons for you to sell, there will always be buyers with many various reasons to buy. To determine the best time for you to sell, you should evaluate your own needs and various reasons you need to sell your house. Don’t just rely on other seller’s FAQ’s.

Seller’s FAQ: Why should I list my house for sale with you?

Real estate transactions are typically one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll experience in your life. You should hire my team for the same reason that many sellers have used us over and over again. Sellers know they can depend on us to get them the most money, in the shortest amount of time and with the fewest problems. Our Seller’s Pre-List Plan and Home Marketing systems offer benefits ordinary agents do not. When hiring anyone to perform such a serious job for you, experience should weigh heavily in your decision. Who wants to be a surgeon’s first patient? All offers will only be presented to you by us alone which prevents other agents from pressuring you into a rash decision. It’s tough for a seller not to transmit emotions or reactions to another agent. That alone could cost a seller. We are confident in our experience to provide a superior level of service and care. If we do not, we don’t deserve your business.

Seller’s FAQ: Why shouldn’t I hire an agent who will reduce their commission?

Do you know what frightens me about this question? First of all, many agents will take a listing for less commission because their first goal is to get the buyer leads that will come from it. Secondly, the weakest negotiator in any transaction is the one who has to have the deal. Are you hiring a strong agent if they are willing to discount their fees? Would you want that person negotiating on your behalf? By asking your agent to discount their fees, are you not implying you’ll settle for discounted service as well? Are you also implying that you do not value their experience, continued education and service they are about to provide? Sellers don’t just need an agent to sell their house. Sellers need an agent to sell their house for more money in less time and in a way to not come back and haunt them after closing! We are experts at pricing properties by analyzing supply and demand in the current housing market as well as using comps.  Sadly, there are many agents who need the sale more than you do.  If the offer doesn’t make sense, you can count on us to tell you so. You wouldn’t work hard to develop a team with systems that made your job more lucrative for your boss and agree to a pay cut, would you?  Hire me to sell your house and you have my team and I working hard for you.

Seller’s FAQ: Why do you sell so many houses?

Experience, product knowledge, doing the little things efficiently, effective marketing systems that maximize the amount of exposure of your property, and our skilled team all add up to positive results and most positive reviews and testimonials. Through our drive and passion, we manage to excel.

Seller’s FAQ: Why do your houses sell so fast? Do you price them too low?

No Way! Most of our listings sell at full price because it is our business to know the market and list houses accordingly. Our listings typically sell faster than the average agents because of the excessive marketing we do. Of course, all agents have access to the same market information. The difference is in the evaluation of what that information means to the marketing of a house that matters. X-rays mean nothing until a competent doctor evaluates them. Similarly, knowing what the market is doing in any area affects both the valuation and marketing time. Factors like area, demand, condition, pricing, and accessibility all affect a home’s time on market.

Seller’s FAQ: What is your marketing plan?

Your house will get maximum exposure through our massive online syndication. Our yard signs throughout the community connect us with buyers in all price ranges and areas as well. Our mailing ads and signs also reference our website, resulting in additional contact. Here buyers can view our “featured homes” in addition to shopping the broader market. Our presence on Realtor.com insures maximum property exposure to buyers throughout the country. Even small details, such as multiple digital photos of homes, increase the attention we attract to our homes. Marketing to the agent community is very important. Remember there are over 26,000 agents that we want to think of us first when preparing to show properties to their buyers. Our reputation alone opens doors to possible buyers because agents want to work with us on the other end of their transaction.

Seller’s FAQ: If I list with you, will my  house be on the internet?

Absolutely!  Your house will be prominently featured on Realtor.com, the number one real estate website in the world, as well as AOL.com and MSN.com. To increase buyer interest in our properties we’ve secured a featured homes position. Per Realtor.com our listings are viewed twenty times as often as a regular listing on Realtor.com. According to the National Association of Realtors Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, over 70% of home buyers used the internet when starting their home search process.

Seller’s FAQ: If we list with you, will we be on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS)?

Again, absolutely! Any agent who does not place your house on MLS is doing you a huge disservice. With over 26,000 agents in the valley, it is important to tap in to that agent base of buyers. Also, if you are not on MLS you cannot appear on Realtor.com, the number one real estate site on the internet.

Seller’s FAQ: Why should I use a team vs. a single agent?

Because times have changed. No one agent can be everywhere at the same time. Let’s suppose an agent has a relocation buyer in town. For three or four days they have to be with just that one buyer, a dream scenario for the agent, but not so for you. They are unavailable to show your house, they are unavailable to get feedback on showings, they are unavailable to negotiate contracts or inspection reports, and so on. Also, most agents are either great at people skills or great at paperwork. Rarely will they excel at both. Unfortunately, today’s real estate marketplace demands that the agent possess all of these skills. Under a team scenario such as ours, we have specialists. We have three Buyer Agents who only show property. We have a full-time Listings Manager whose main job is to keep you informed of activity and feedback on showings. We have a full-time Contracts Manager whose main function is negotiating contracts. Additionally, we have a full-time Office Administrator along with two full time Transaction Managers to handle all the details of the transaction. Each is an expert at that specific job. Simply, we can and do provide a higher level of service to our clients than most agents can even conceive of providing. Imagine that you’re a quarterback of a football team. Would you rather have 1 player on your team or the power of 17 that you have with our team?

Seller’s FAQ: Shouldn’t I pick an “area specialist” to sell my house?

There are agents who focus primarily in one geographic area or neighborhood. But buyers come from all over the valley and country, not just from that small neighborhood. So an area specialist usually really means “listing agent” in the area. Many years ago the real estate business was successfully composed of lots of small “boutique” offices – where companies did specialize in a certain area or part of town. But computers, the Internet, and cell phones have changed that aspect of the real estate business. Now the important points in selecting an agent are experience, track record, and marketing skills.

Seller’s FAQ: Once I have reviewed your listing package, then what?

Contact our office by email or phone, and we will set up an appointment to have one of our listing specialists meet with you at the house. We will tour the house, go over current market activity in your area and educate you on values. We will make recommendations for maximizing your profit and increasing your speed of sale.

Seller’s FAQ: How long does it take to get my house on the market?

Once we have a signed listing agreement and a spare key, we can have your house on the market within 24 hours. However, it usually takes a day or two for the sign company to professionally install the sign.

Seller’s FAQ: Can I save more money if I buy and sell through you?

Absolutely! If you are selling more than one house or plan to both sell and buy (new or resale) ask for a copy of our Client Rewards Program. We will mail or email it to you immediately!

Seller’s FAQ: What are closing costs?

Closing costs are fees paid for commissions, lender fees, escrow fees, HOA fees, property taxes, title insurance and prepaid interest. Buyers and Sellers each have their own fees, however, who pays some of those fees may be negotiated. We will run the contract fees through the actual title company or if outside of business hours, we will use an estimated calculation through a title service of the costs before you make a decision to accept, reject, or modify the buyer’s offer.

Seller’s FAQ: Do I need an appraisal?

In most cases, it is not necessary to get an appraisal prior to sale. There are three different types of appraisals: FHA, VA, and conventional. Currently, the most common appraisal is the conventional appraisal. Once your home is under contract, the lender for the buyer will determine what appraiser they will allow to do the appraisal. A current appraisal can be unusable by the buyer’s lender – even if it is the right “type” of appraisal – because the appraiser is not approved by the lender. Or if the seller orders a conventional appraisal, and the buyer is getting an FHA loan, here again the conventional appraisal is unusable. So ordering an appraisal prior to sale can end up being an unnecessary seller expense. However, when a property is so unique that pricing can be difficult, an appraisal can guide sellers towards proper pricing. We say “guide” towards proper pricing, since we have seen many homes sell above as well below appraisal price. If you have a question on whether you should obtain an appraisal on your home, please feel free to contact us for counsel.

Seller’s FAQ: How do you set the price for my home?

You may feel pricing your home above market value will give you negotiating room. Others have felt the same way. What we’ve found is the price must be right out of the gate. It is detrimental to have your home sitting on the market becoming, “stale”. We will meet with you to review a complete market analysis of your home, evaluate supply and demand for the area, and examine property condition. At that point, we can guide you to the correct range of pricing.

Seller’s FAQ: I’m out of town. Can you handle the transaction for me or will I need to come back to town?

We can take care of all the details from start to finish without you needing to come to town. We have handled sales with clients living as far away as Kuwait. We simply need a key and an email address to get started.

Seller’s FAQ: My home needs some repairs. Do you know any service people that can help?

We have a number of service people whom we have used in the past and are happy to recommend to you.

Seller’s FAQ: I don’t have any money to fix up my home. Can you still sell it in its current condition?

Absolutely! Just like any home, we will simply evaluate the condition issues, supply/demand in the neighborhood, and pricing relative to those factors.

Seller’s FAQ: How long is your listing agreement for?

For ease of paperwork, we typically use a six month period. But remember, unlike most agents, you are free to cancel anytime.

Seller’s FAQ: I am currently listed with another agent and want to cancel. Can you get me out of my listing agreement with them?

Unfortunately, if you signed a listing agreement with another agent, you are bound by that agreement. You certainly can approach the broker or agent to address your unresolved issues. Our “cancel anytime” policy towards listings does not give us the authority to cancel other agents listings.

Seller’s FAQ: What if my plans change and I don’t need to sell my house?

You may cancel your listing at anytime. There is $350 charge to recoup a very small portion of advertising and admin fees and no hard feelings.

Seller’s FAQ: Will you be representing me or the buyer?

We always represent the seller on any home we have listed for sale. The real question is whether we will be representing the buyer as well. In the event that we have a buyer for your home or another Keller Williams agent does, it would fall in the category of “Dual Agency”. In that scenario, unless you have instructed us in writing otherwise, Keller Williams would represent both parties.

Seller’s FAQ: Will you make a flyer for my house?

Yes. We prepare a high quality, multiple photo, full color flyer on your home. It is your choice to have us place flyers outside the home in a “take one” box. Statistically, flyers out front discourage buyers from calling. If we cannot directly speak to the buyer, it is nearly impossible to take that opportunity to sell them your home. We always place the flyer inside the home to highlight the home’s unique features and as a visual reminder for the buyer.

Seller’s FAQ: Can I have my sign as well as yours on the property?

The only marketing right you give up when you list with us is your own for sale sign. Having another sign could potentially interfere with agent showings. In order to comply with Realtor rules, we can only have one sign on the property.