sell

1. Find a REALTOR®​

In selling your property, you want a licensed real estate professional. There is a major difference between agents and Realtors. Realtors are held to a higher standard of fiduciary and a strict code of conduct. Realtors also have access to the Georgia Association of Realtor forms that protects everyone involved in the transaction.

2. Prepare Your Property to Sell​

First impressions are everything when a buyer inspects your home, both inside and out. A property that is well maintained and move-in-ready usually sells more quickly and at a higher price. So figuring out what to clean, repair, or upgrade is essential to make for a smoother transaction and a more eager buyer. And when the inspection report comes in, the buyer will not have to worry about making the fixes, and so you won’t either.​

3. Properly Price Your Property​

Finding the right listing price is important. You don’t want to over price it where it discourages showings and offers. You also do not want to under price it and lose out on the potential worth of the property. We create a comparative market analysis (CMA) to estimate your property’s value. You could also pay for an appraiser appraise the property for another perspective of the worth.

4. List Your Property For Sale​

Completing the proper documentation (such as the Brokerage Listing Agreement, Seller’s Disclosure, HOA Disclosure, and copies of your deed or any transferable warranties) will help in listing the property on the multiple listing services (MLSs). Potential buyers will want to see these documents.

5. Market Your Property​

As part of any successful marketing strategy, the property will be listed on the multiple listing services (MLSs) along with professional photos of the property. Affiliated websites, such as Zillow, Realtors, and Redfin, will automatically exhibit the property on their sites.

6. Show the Property​

A buyer will want to see the property before buying it—period. Therefore, as much as it’s important to have your house available, it’s also imperative that your property be in showing condition. That means, whenever your house is scheduled for a visit, your property must be clean inside and out. Sometimes, especially if the house is vacant, staging the property would be recommended. Showings are usually conducted by buyer agents with their clients, and Supra electronic lockboxes are the mainstay of accessing properties.​

7. Negotiate the Offers​

Negotiating the transaction may be the most complex part of the property sale process. Negotiating well takes much learning and much practice. And most buyer agents, representing the buyers, will be experienced at it. Learning how to negotiate effectively in order to get what you want requires a carefully planned strategy of contingencies, concessions, and counters. When negotiating, keep in mind your needs and priorities. Make sure that a buyer is pre-qualified, or better yet, pre-approved by a lender before negotiations begin. You have a valid contract once all parties are in agreement and all paperwork is signed. Keep in mind that you can have a backup offer by another buyer if this contract fails.​

8. Due Diligence​

The due diligence period (usually 7-14 days) is where the buyer inspects your property to investigate its condition. If the buyer is unsatisfied with its condition, or for any other reason, then the buyer has the right to cancel the contract without repercussion. That’s why it’s so important to have maintained, repaired, and updated your property before marketing your home for sale. The inspection could very well undermine your sale efforts if you fail to prepare your property to sell (see step 2 above). However, if the buyer is satisfied with your property’s condition and wishes to move forward, then the sale moves on to the next step.​

The buyer may perform the following inspections on your property: general property inspection, termite, radon, mold, structural, and etcetera. Inspectors typically check major components, such as the property’s exterior, driveways, HVACs, egresses (driveways), roofs, gutters, plumbing, electrical, appliances, and more. A buyer may also want a survey to locate the property lines and discover any encumbrances. After the inspections, the buyer may wish to renegotiate to have you make repairs or lower the price of your property commensurably.​

9. Appraisal and Financing​

A buyer will need to secure financing with a lender in order to purchase your property, if applicable. This process may take up to four weeks, or more. So its important for the listing agent to keep in touch with the buyer’s agent during this process. During the financing period, the lender will conduct an appraisal, which will give an accurate estimate of the property. Should the property be appraised lower than the sale price, the buyer may ask for a lower price through negotiation or terminate the transaction.

10. Closing and Moving​

The buyer does a final walk-through of your property to make sure that any agreed-upon repairs are completed. You’ll want to coordinate with the buyer to switch your utilities. The closing finalizes the sale. You’ll need to bring any keys, key fobs, or remotes for doors, gates, mailboxes, garages, etc. You’ll also need at least two forms of identification and anything else the closing attorney asks you to bring. Since you’ve done everything necessary to bring the buyer to the table, you can sit back and relax as the buyer completes the paperwork.​