Come on in and grab this:
✔️ Your Mortgage Documents (including a payoff estimate)
✔️ Your prior title policy (this will save you money on the order of the new title policy)
✔️ Homeowners Association Documents
✔️ List of home updates
✔️ Home Repair and Maintenance records
✔️ Age of Mechanicals and FAQ (average heating/cooling costs)
✔️ Copies of any pre-sale inspection reports
✔️ Tax records
✔️ Any permits or property surveys
THE MODERN AGENT ADVANTAGE (Read this before hiring an agent to sell your home)
Here’s what you can expect when working with someone who follows less traditional (aka more modern) methods when it comes to strategically marketing your listing
✔️ They utilize digital marketing strategies: They know how to position your home on social media in a way that will result in more eyeballs on your listing. They are also active on their social platforms which means they are continuously growing their network and are connected with agents all over the country.
With having an active social media presence on platforms such as Instagram, they have the ability to connect with and reach more millennial home buyers which make up the largest share of home buyers at 38%, according to a report done by the National Association of Realtors.
✔️ Modern Agents keep up with the latest design trends to give you the competitive advantage when it comes to prepping your home from sale. With their active social media presence, they have the ability to connect with and learn from interior designers right from the Instagram app on their phone!
✔️ Modern Agents know the importance of hiring a professional photographer to take their listing photos. They understand that the majority of buyers are first seeing your home online which means that is your first chance at capturing their attention. Blurry, iPhone photos aren’t going to create the same demand that professionally done photos will.
✔️ They have a quick response time as they communicate via text and email while on the go and at home. Many areas are experiencing very limited inventory and an abundance of buyers looking for homes. This puts sellers in the driver’s seat but if you’re not hiring an agent that does what is necessary to capture the most buyers possible, you could be leaving money on the table.
✔️ When a home hits the market, buyers want to get in immediately if it fits within their search criteria. Modern Agents have set up easy ways for other agents with active buyers to get their showings scheduled and make sure they’re not left waiting around.
Before you put your house up for sale, ask the agents you’re interviewing if they are following modern marketing methods that will put your home in the best position possible (not just in MLS)! Do you have a question about the marketing strategies I (as a modern agent) follow? Leave your questions below!
Make your internet time be productive! Take a break from the bleak news and have some home shopping therapy. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Home Staging Made Simple – Here’s your checklist:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Solid neutrals > bold patterns and colors⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
White linens for the bedrooms and bathrooms⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
New doormat and entryway rug for a fresh first impression⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Shelf styling like a pro (*search Pinterest for inspiration)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Pre-pack: take out half of everything in closets, cabinets and your pantry and pack it up!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Light your way to sold! Always have the lights turned on, the blinds opened up and bring in as much natural light as possible.
Invest in additional lighting for darker rooms and spaces.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Show off the lifestyle of your home – highlight your favorite rooms and what you love most about the house.⠀⠀
It’s Wednesday, you just walked in the door from a day at the pool. The kids are cranky and tired, you’re ready to relax in the AC UNTIL you remember you have a showing scheduled in less than an hour!
Incase you ever find yourself in a crunch (whether it’s guests coming on short notice or you have a last minute showing) here are my tips for getting your house “show ready” in 15 minutes!
1. Get yourself a last minute basket – Pick up an extra laundry basket from Target that is dedicated for “showing time”! Before you leave the house, you can do a quick scan of the house and throw in any scattered toys, dog dishes, magazines, any little things laying around that you want out of sight but don’t have time to put away. Then take it with you in the car!
2. Fluff the couch pillows – you know how they get when the kids, spouse or significant other has been laying or sitting there. Fluff them up to make the couch look good!
3. Light the candle – don’t overpower your house with all the smells but one simple candle on the kitchen counter adds a nice touch that also makes it feel homey!
4. Turn on every single light (including exterior lights, accent lights and lamps) and open all blinds and curtains. Seriously – all of them no matter what time of day it is! Your home shows best when it’s light and bright!
5. Close the toilet seats – just telling you incase you forget (a lot of people do!)
6. Tell Alexa to play some background music that sets a classy, relaxing or inviting mood.
7. Keep containers of cleaning wipes in the kitchen and bathrooms so you can quickly wipe down countertops.
There you have it, your house will be ready for a showing in no time! Before I go, I wanted to let you know about my showing prep checklist! I packaged up all the tips I give my sellers when prepping for a showing, into a PDF checklist and I’m sharing it for free! It’s the list they follow to make sure their house looks it’s best before buyers arrive.
When a buyer wants to schedule a private tour of your home, you want to make sure your home is showing at it’s absolute best (think of it like a first date)!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The first step is to transform your home to create an experience for the buyer(s). It’s important to paint a picture that will allow the potential buyers to picture themselves living in your home. We want them thinking about Saturday morning coffee and pancakes at the breakfast bar and family movie nights on the big comfy sectional they’re going to buy for the living room!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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This means removing distractions, highlighting the home’s best features and making your home shine before the buyers arrive! The best way to optimize the showing experience is to create a checklist (or request mine which has all the juicy tips I learned from experience ready for you to implement)!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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If you’re seeing the crazy low inventory we’re experiencing (and how it’s putting seller’s in the driver’s seat) and you want to learn more about putting your house on the market, send me a dm and let’s schedule a virtual seller consultation!
What To Expect When You’re Inspecting
When you are buying a home for the first time or the 8th time, you’re likely to run into many processes that you have or haven’t been through before. One of the most important parts of the purchasing process is your property inspection. It may seem daunting, but if you know your role and the role of others, it can make the process less stressful. Here is what you should expect for each role and step in the property inspection process.
Why Have an Inspection?
The reason for having a home inspection is to find out more about the condition of the home. All homes undergo wear and tear over the years so we need to make sure there are no potential major issues and be able to resolve any that may come up. Please note- an inspection and an appraisal are NOT the same thing! Inspections are not required- yet highly recommended- to make sure there are no hidden defects on a home. An appraisal is ordered by a lender (or by a buyer if paying cash) to ensure the value of the home is equal to the sales price.
The Buyer
Your job will be to learn about the property during inspection. Before the inspection, you should prepare by looking over the property disclosures or any other documentation that you’ve received up until that point. Make a list of any questions or concerns you have and address any issues that the listing agent may have pointed out. Ask your agent what the typical inspections are for your market and make sure you set aside an hour or two for the inspection.
The Buyer’s Agent
Your agent should be with you and help to walk you through the inspection. Your agent should know what to look for during inspections and be able to let you know what is important and needs to be addressed before the transaction is complete and what is a quick fix and not necessary to repair. If you are not able to attend the inspection, the buyer’s agent will be there.
The Listing Agent
In most cases, the listing agent will not be present for the inspection. The buyer’s agent and listing agent will negotiate after the inspection and work together to get the major repairs remedied.
The Inspector
You will hire the property inspector as the buyer. You can get a referral from your agent to find a licensed inspector in your state. The inspector is there to explain what he/she sees as a potential issue (big or small). They are not there as a contractor and will not be fixing the problems, simply inspecting the property and overall state of the house. They may recommend further evaluation in specific areas by a licensed contractor that specializes in that particular area. Just because further evaluation is recommended doesn’t always mean that there is a major problem. It’s to make sure there isn’t a problem or address one.
The Cost
An inspection around this area should be anywhere from $250-600. The variation on cost is generally based on the size of the home. Cheaper isn’t always better, however, very expensive isn’t either.
The Report
A report will not be limited to but should cover the following below.
After the report is issued, there might be items buyers want to be remedied, but shouldn’t expect. These will include items that are minor.
Here are a few examples:
Final Thoughts
A home inspection is an essential process in a home sale. As a buyer, you should never waive a home inspection if at all possible. The amount of money a home inspection costs (in the grand scheme of things) is well worth it.
If you are unsure about anything make sure you ask the home inspector any unanswered questions that you may have. It is not unusual to read the inspection report and discover you’re unsure about something. You have your trusted team to help you through the process!
