There are two primary factors that influence the sale of a home in the Sedona and the Greater Verde Valley, Arizona real estate market: Price and Exposure.
If your home is priced above current market values, you’ll find it difficult to make the sale. If your home is priced below current market values, others may question if your home has hidden defects. Calculating a fair, but profitable, price for your home within our real estate market requires special consideration.
Once you or your Realtor has priced your home, you’ll need to consider marketing strategies. After all, regardless of the asking price, if no one knows your home is for sale, it will be difficult to achieve your goals. It is important that you, or your Realtor, market your home to the largest possible buyers' pool.
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“My home is in Sedona or Greater Verde Valley.
Can I get it listed in the MLS if it is FSBO?”
MLS (Multiple Listing Service) is the service that lists all pertinent information about homes for sale. This allows Realtors to find and show your home quickly. Unfortunately, regardless of whether your home is specifically in Sedona, the Greater Verde Valley; or any other area, MLS listings are not available for FSBO homes. Local MLS listings are reserved for use by professional Sedona Verde Valley Association Realtors (SVVAR) salespeople only.
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Whether your home is in Sedona, the Greater Verde Valley areas matters little. If you list your home FSBO (For Sale By Owner), you may save the price of a Realtor’s commission, but you’ll quickly spend more time and energy trying to do it all yourself.
Contrary to popular belief, there is much more to selling your home than sticking a sign in the yard and placing an ad in the local newspaper.
The two most common problems you’ll face include:
1. Limited Exposure to the Sedona, the Greater Verde Valley area Real Estate Market
While you can purchase ads in your local newspapers, homes in Sedona, the Greater Verde Valley area, or any other area are not allowed in the MLS listings if they are FSBO. Local MLS listings are reserved for use by professional SVVAR real estate agents only.
2. Attracting Serious, Qualified Buyers
Often times, people who visit FSBO properties are not qualified buyers, are looking for deals, or are just “kicking tires” and aren’t yet ready to buy. Do you know how to qualify them and ask the proper questions?
Additionally, our real estate agents will provide the services below for you -- allowing you to live your life with minimal interruptions:
Analyze property values and market conditions and calculate the best price for your home.
Develop an effective marketing strategy.
Prepare, schedule, and run ads.
Produce handouts and flyers.
List your home in the Sedona Verde Valley Realtors MLS (something FSBO’s can’t do).
List your home on widely known Web sites for additional exposure.
Pre-qualify buyers to ensure they aren’t wasting your time.
Stay home to hold open houses or show your property at the buyer’s convenience.
Understand and prepare legal documents and disclosures.
Follow up with regard to the buyer’s mortgage application and approval.
Coordinate inspections and appraisals.
Collect all buyer and seller legal documents and ensure they are in proper order.
Follow the entire escrow period to be sure inspections and items are completed.
Follow through as necessary to close timely. You get paid
Further information is available in my Real Estate Library. Close this window and click on the link in the main menu for a complete database of articles to assist you.
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“Do all Sedona, the Greater Verde Valley real
estate agents have the same sales plan?”
No… they don’t. You’ll find most real estate agents in the Sedona, the Greater Verde Valley area have the same goal… to sell your home. But we don’t all go about it in the same way.
Over the past 9 years, I have developed a strategic plan for selling homes that has been proven to work time and time again.
1. Set Up an Initial Meeting to Inspect Your Home and Answer Your Questions
About “How to Sell My Home.”
You can get six excellent tips for making a faster sale and find out what you should fix (and not fix) prior to selling by reading the articles in my Real Estate Library.
2. Prepare a Marketing Plan Specifically To Sell Your Home.
Property in the our real estate market has specific details that must be addressed. I’ve encompassed everything we need to sell your home fast in my Aggressive Marketing Plan. (Please refer to my main menu to read this information!)
3. Signing of Listing Agreement.
You will sign an agreement listing my team and me as your Sedona, the Greater Verde Valley real estate agents. This agreement will outline the selling period time frame, the listing price, and the agreed upon brokerage fee.
4. Prepare Your Home to Be Shown.
In the our real estate market, it is important that your home shows well. Develop a routine that will allow you to pick up and be prepared to show in a reasonable period of time without undue stress.
Here are some “must do’s” before every showing.
Before Each Showing…
1. Straighten Every Room…Check counters, floors, halls, and stairs. Pick up or remove newspapers, mail, toys, clothing, glasses, and dishes.
2. Turn On All Lights…This will help your home appear bright, open, and airy.
3. Open All Drapes & Blinds…The natural light will also help things look bigger and brighter.
4. Kitchen…Make sure all the countertops are clean and clear. Wipe down appliances and make sure dishes are put away. The sink should be clean and clear.
5. Clean Air…Keep air fresheners in living areas. Fresheners with scented oils work great.
6. Heating/Cooling…Make sure your home is cozy warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It will make the buyers more comfortable.
7. Bathrooms…Clear counters and put out a fresh set of attractive towels.
8. Entryway and Front Yard…It’s the first and last impression that the buyers will have of your home - make it a good one! Check it regularly for cleanliness and attractiveness.
5. Immediate Implementation of Marketing Plan.
We will begin calling to schedule times to show your home to prospective buyers. I’ll have your home listed in the MLS and on various Web sites, complete a Virtual Tour, set up ads in numerous newspapers, and in other real estate marketing publications.
6. The Showing - What Do I Do?
All Realtors will give you the same advice… BE GONE! I agree. Once you have gotten your home ready to show let the Realtor do his/her job. Each Realtor knows his buyers best and will highlight the strong points that will appeal to these buyers. By not being at home during the showing, buyers will honestly comment what they like and dislike about your home. I will collect feedback from my own showings and those of other Realtors. If common dislikes are mentioned, we can look at making adjustments to make your home more appealing.
7. A Buyer Presents Us With a Contract.
At this point in the process we have three options.
A. Accept the offer as written and your home is SOLD.
B. Make a counter offer, negotiating price, closing, possession dates, etc.
C. Reject the contract altogether.
As your Realtor, my team and I will advise you about each and every offer you receive. By Arizona law, it is mandatory I present all offers received to you.
8. Home is Under Contract.
Once your home is under contract, many things begin to take place. I’ll be there as we go through each step, making sure everything is in place. I’ll handle all the details to ensure your closing comes off without a hitch.
For a detailed description of what happens after you accept a contract:
1. The buyer submits a formal application to the mortgage company. The mortgage company secures documents from the buyer to make sure they qualify for funding.
2. The mortgage company orders an appraisal of your home. This is to ensure the lender that your home value is equal to or better than the sale price.
3. Contingencies are dealt with. Normally most buyers will put a contingency in the contract for a professional home inspection. This inspection is usually performed within two weeks of the sale contract. The inspection is used to determine if there are any major problems with your home. If issues or problems are found, the buyer and seller can agree upon a possible settlement (seller repairs the problem, seller reduces the house price, or the buyer accepts the house as-is).
4. The buyer’s mortgage loan is approved. After buyer is approved, a loan documents are drawn and sent to the Title Insurance company. The closing typically takes place 30-45 days from the contract date. The Title Company will have performed a title search to make sure there are no title problems. Normally title insurance is issued to protect buyer and seller if a problem has been overlooked. The cost for the title insurance is normally paid by the Seller.
5. The Buyers Realtor orders the termite report. This is a clearance letter from a licensed pest company showing the home is free and clear of termites and other infestations per state and local laws.
6. A survey of the property is performed if required by the lender or the buyer. A survey is a pictorial diagram of the lot and the house; it shows set back lines, property dimensions, easements, driveways, pools, etc.
7. Repairs from the home inspection are completed. The buyer has an opportunity to re-inspect any repairs made prior to closing. This is called the “final walk through” before closing.
8. The seller normally moves out of the home the date of closing unless otherwise specified in the sales contract.
9. CLOSING - The happy day! Closing normally takes approximately one hour. The buyer signs all the documents relating to their mortgage. The seller signs the deed over to the new buyer. The seller turns over the keys and garage door openers to the new buyer. The seller gets paid (less his mortgage payoff and selling expenses). The buyer gets to take possession of their brand new house that day.
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HOMES INDEX
Many home sellers get stuck between the possibility of selling their homes themselves and hiring someone to sell it for them. If you’ve been searching for answers to the “How to sell my home” question, and you’re in the Sedona or the Greater Verde Valley, Arizona real estate market, you’ll find them here.
