Selling a home in today’s market takes more than putting a For Sale sign in the yard and an Ad in the paper.  A listing and selling strategy or plan is needed to get the best price in the shortest amount of time.

AARP runs commercials on TV that play on their slogan that basically states “if one person could get it done alone, you wouldn’t need AARP”.  Well…if your home were the only home on the market, you wouldn’t need us.

When you place your home on the market you immediately enter into a competition with many other homes throughout the area.  However, price, size, style, location, age, and many other factors, make each home unique to a prospective buyer.  The trick or “selling strategy”, therefore, is to identify and stress the positive attributes of your home and get complete, accurate and detailed information about your home and its attributes out to as many prospective buyers as possible.

What We Do:

Although there are many things we do from the time you list your home right through the closing, our major objectives boil down to:

• help you establish the “right” selling price for your home
• identify and present the positive attributes of your home
• find a qualified buyer that is looking for what you have and
• complete the details needed to close the deal.

How We Do It:

Home Value Market Analysis

We have the tools to prepare a comprehensive detailed analysis of the home sales taking place in your area.  In the real estate industry, this is called a Comparable Market Analysis or CMA.  This analysis looks at comparable home sales to determine what a qualified buyer may be willing to pay for your home.  Before we list your home we review this information with you to determine the “correct” asking price for your home.  If priced too low you will not receive full value for the sale and if priced too high the house could be on the market for a long time or not sell at all.  We will provide and discuss this information with you, however, the final decision of what price to ask for your home is completely up to you.

Pre-Inspection

Before listing your home we will conduct an inspection tour and advise you of any decorating or fix-up items we feel should be addressed before showing your home.  These items are usually minor in cost but major in the impact they have on potential buyers. 

Multiple Listing Service (MLS)

The Birmingham Area Multiple Listing Service is a powerful tool used by almost all of the real estate brokers in the area.  After working up the listing information with you, and with your permission, we will list your home in the MLS giving your home immediate exposure to hundreds of real estate agents and potential buyers in the area.

Agency Networking

Immediately after listing your home, we personally contact other real estate agents in the area of your home to advise them of the listing and generate interest and activity.  If necessary, we will invite them to a special agent open house with door prizes and incentives to generate special interest in your property. 

Advertising

Even with the power of the Internet, people still pick up the newspaper and home sales magazines to look for a home, therefore, we provide advertising in the Birmingham News and a selected local home sales magazine.  You should also keep the following point in mind. 

When someone calls the office regarding an ad they saw for a home other than yours, it may turn out that your home is a better fit for that buyer, therefore, the advertising that a real estate company does for any client in many ways benefits all clients.

For Sale Signs and Info sheets

A professional For Sale sign and information sell sheets in the front yard will be used to identify and promote your home to potential buyers and other real estate agents in the area.

Electronic Lock Box

The electronic lock box is used by most real estate agents in the area and offers a secure way to allow agents and prospective buyers to view your home with your permission but not your presence. 

Open House

An open house can be beneficial in attracting and securing a buyer, however, if your home is in a remote area or on a quiet street with little traffic; getting people to your open house can be difficult.   A coordinated ad program and the networking power of the MLS and associated real estate organizations will help us assure the success of this event. 

Home Warranty (especially valuable for marketing older homes)

 A home warranty plan can be purchased and offered to potential buyers to assist in securing the sale.  This option will be reviewed in detail with you at the time of listing.

Negotiation, Legal Documents & Closing

Most buyers will make an offer below your asking price and have other requests for you to consider.  We will present all offers to you and negotiate in your best interest to get the best deal for you.  Once an offer is accepted, we prepare the legal documents and work with the closing attorney, mortgage company, title company, buyer or buyers agent and others to bring the deal to closing.  At the closing we are with you to advise and guide you through the process.

© Copyright 2004 by Ralph Freda