to selling your home a guide

Transcription

1 to selling your home a guide

2 Thank you for the opportunity to show you what we can do to sell your house! We know you're thinking about selling and we want to be the real estate team for you. Our knowledge of the market, honesty, and commitment to excellence will ensure your house is priced and marketed well, looks terrific, and sells quickly for top value in this market! From listing to closing, we will ensure the entire sales process goes smoothly and we will always keep you informed of what's happening along the way. And because we know your neighborhood and work here extensively, we can actively market to the types of buyers most likely to be interested in purchasing your house. This package contains helpful information for you, including an overview of the home-selling process, answers to frequently asked questions, and information about us and our marketing plan which we will customize to sell your property. We appreciate the opportunity to earn your business. Warmly, Jill & Team

3 it's all about you Your needs Your dreams Your concerns Your questions Your finances Your time Your life Our business continues to grow because we always keep our clients' best interest at the forefront of our minds. Our focus is on your satisfaction. We want to make sure that you have such a great experience working with us that you will always recommend us to your friends and family. And good service speaks for itself that's why so much of our business comes from repeat customers and referrals. We appreciate the opportunity to earn your business too!

4 the home-selling process Selling your home is a process. Our job is to help streamline that process and make it as smooth as possible for you. Here are the initial steps: 1. Talk on the phone, chat about your situation, determine your needs 2. Preview your home, conduct market analysis, and determine value 3. Meet, you learn about us, review market analysis, agree to work together, set price, and complete listing paperwork 4. We discuss staging and any deferred maintenance items we get your home ready to sell! 5. Schedule professional photographs 6. Initiate customized marketing plan and release your home to the buying public 7. Keep you informed about showings & buyer feedback 8. Receive and evaluate an offer, counter if necessary 9. Accept contract, receive earnest money 10. We are under contract time to find you a new home!

5 why Keller Williams realty Many people ask us if we work on our own or with a brokerage. Basically, every real estate agent must work under a licensed broker until/unless they become a broker themselves. A broker's license allows the licensee to operate a real estate office and additional experience and education is required in order to receive a broker's license. Brokers are responsible for the real estate activities of all salespeople licensed under them and all real estate activities are performed in the broker's name. Therefore, when you hire a real estate agent, your business relationship is officially with the brokerage that agent works with. In our case, we are independent contractors/agents working with Keller Williams Realty Boise and our licensed broker is Erica Hill. So if you have any complaints or kudos, Erica is who you send them to! Fortunately in our case, all feedback thus far has been positive! Many real estate companies can offer you some things. However, here are things ONLY Keller Williams can offer and the reason we continue to choose Keller Williams as our brokerage! Keller Williams Culture We are the only real estate company with a written culture (WI4C2Ts) an ethically based company culture focused on doing the right thing for the customer. This is the foundation from which we build our business. Highly Trained Agents Keller Williams has the best training available to agents this ensures the sale or purchase of your home will be conducted professionally. Keller Williams Listing Service (KWLS) This is an international web listing service that not only exposes your home to over 80,000 Keller Williams agents, but also all the major internet search engines. This ensures you have maximum internet exposure. Profit-sharing Company Keller Williams is a profit-sharing company. Because we know that the better an individual agent does, the better we all do, this ensures we are all working together for you. #1 in the Treasure Valley and #2 real estate company in North America Keller Williams Realty is the fastest-growing real estate company in North America! This is beneficial to you because we promote and sell many of our own listings you have an entire company of agents working to sell your home!

6 the Keller Williams Realty culture WI4C2TS Win-Win or no deal Integrity do the right thing Customers always come first Commitment in all things Creativity ideas before results Communication seek first to understand Teamwork together everyone achieves more Trust starts with honesty Success results through people Keller Williams Cares Keller Williams Cares is a 501-C3 non-profit that was formed to help not only our agents who are in need because of illness or disaster, but also an arm that gives our agents an opportunity to give back to the community. We voluntarily contribute money each time a transaction closes to assist this wonderful cause. Keller Williams agents across North America: Raised $5,000,000 for Hurricane Katrina Relief Raised more money than any public service organization Each office adopted a Keller Williams family Keller Williams agents locally: Support the WCA (Women s and Children s Alliance) WCA has received over $52,800 to date from KW Boise Donate an average of $750 per month from agent closings Boise Cares helps support local agents in need due to illness or other hardship

7 about Jill Giese & Associates Jill Giese - Team Leader, Pricing & Negotiations Specialist Jill trains and leads the JGA team and is focused on getting sellers homes sold! Jill s real estate business has grown substantially each year since beginning her career in 2005 and she consistently ranks among the top agents in the Treasure Valley. In her life before real estate, she worked in marketing and communications, and as a remodeling contractor. Jill has lived in the North End for most of the last twenty years. Other than a stint traveling in Europe and working for a dot-com in New York, she s been living and working in Boise. Her parents and siblings are all in the area and she currently lives with her cat, Riley. She loves biking, skiing, running, camping, films, reading, gardening, and many more of the great things Boise has to offer! Aaron Nelson - Executive Assistant As the Executive Assistant, Aaron is responsible for assisting Jill in leading and managing the team. Coming from a Portrait Studio and Journalism background, Aaron enjoys the fast-paced environment and the different day to day challenges he comes across. He is the hub of the team, answering the phones, coordinating appointments and making sure the day to day items are running smoothly. Feel free to fire off a funny joke when you get him on the phone. Aaron moved to the North End of Boise 3 years ago after checking out a couple states and deciding Idaho s vast public land access fit him well. In addition to his work with our team, Aaron enjoys mountain bike racing, snowboarding, relaxing with friends, and photography.

8 our team members - the details (cont.) Diana Sledzieski Showing Agent As a native Idahoan, Diana s love for Idaho, Boise and the surrounding area fuels her passion for helping buyers find and buy their perfect home. Her special talent is connecting with buyers to understand more than just their needs but their desires and how they really live in a home. Diana s professional background includes 23 years with HP in customer service, training development, and marketing programs & communication. She was also a private business owner of Inspired Spaces Design and Satya Marketing Consulting Services. When she s not searching for that perfect home or on showing appointments with buyers, you will find Diana spending time with her husband and family, including her Havanese dog Max, learning to play the piano, gardening, or walking or biking on the beautiful Boise Greenbelt. Angie Barbosa - Transaction Coordinator Angie Barbosa brings over 20 years of excellent client care and administrative assistant experience, with a background in the legal and real estate fields. She has worked with several other real estate teams in the past and knows what it takes to navigate your purchase or sale successfully from contract to close! With Angie managing your transaction, no detail will fall through the cracks!

9 what our clients say You make all other parties appear incompetent in comparison It s the way the experience should be. Who knew customer service still meant service these days?! Becca & Keith I would rate everything as excellent! Tamara Jill we wish you the greatest success. You are the best agent we have ever met. We will send business your way at every opportunity. Robert & Karen Jill and Kristin are serious and professional real estate agents that we highly recommend. Without Jill and Kristin our deal would have fallen through and we would not be in our new home now (unimaginable). Jill and Kristin made it happen for us. We couldn't have asked for better representation! Mark & Kristi Thanks for all you are doing & have done to help me in this process couldn t do it otherwise! Aileen Jill is extremely professional and very market savvy. She does a very thorough job and knows how to get results. She really does earn your business. Ann Jill s favorite client testimonial... YOU ARE A GOOD RELATER AUNT JILL! LOVE GRACE Grace Green, age 7 (and her parents and sister)

10 six selling myths uncovered Selling a house can be a bit like having a baby everyone gives you advice that may or may not be true for you. Following are six myths uncovered. Myth #1: You should always price your home high and negotiate down. Truth: It is difficult to obtain a reasonable offer on an overpriced property. If you list too high, you'll miss out on buyers looking in the price range where your home should be. Offers may not even come in, because buyers who are interested in your home are scared off by the price and won't even take the time to look at it. By the time you correct the price and list your home at its fair market value, you will have lost that window of opportunity when your home draws the most attention from the public and real estate agents the first 2-4 weeks it is on the market. To obtain proper market exposure, it is an absolute necessity to be competitive in price, terms, and condition with similar properties that are selling in the area as soon as you put it on the market. If you are serious about selling your home, price your property at market value and attract serious buyers. You will stand a much better chance of getting full-market value and your property will sell much more quickly. Myth#2: Minor repairs can wait until later. There are more important things to be done. Truth: Minor repairs make your house more marketable, allowing you to maximize your return (or minimize loss) on the sale. Most buyers are looking for homes that are ready for them to move into. If your home happens to attract a buyer who is willing to make repairs, he/she will begin asking for repair allowances that come out of your asking price. The amount of an allowance that you have to offer a buyer is usually more than what it would cost for you to make the repair (or hire someone to make the repair). Remember, buyers are comparing your home to other homes that are currently on the market. Your home should be inviting so that everyone who looks at it can see themselves living there. Myth #3: Once potential buyers see the inside of your home, curb appeal won't matter. Truth: Buyers probably won't make it to the inside of the home if the outside of your home does not appeal to them. Buyers and their agents often do drive-bys before deciding whether a home is worth their time to look inside. Your home's exterior must make a good first impression so that buyers are compelled to stop and come inside.

11 six selling myths uncovered (cont.) Myth #4: Your home must be every buyer's dream home. Truth: If you get carried away with repairs and replacements to your home, you may end up over-improving the house. There is a point where improving your home doesn't pay off. The key is to consider what competing properties feature and look like. We will go through your home with you in detail and determine what it makes sense to repair and replace and what doesn't. We'll also show you competing properties so you'll know what you're up against! Myth #5: When you receive an offer, you should make the buyer wait. This gives you a better negotiating position. Truth: You should reply immediately to an offer! When a buyer makes an offer, at that moment in time, they are ready to buy your home. Moods can change and you don't want to lose the sale because you have stalled in replying. Myth #6: You are better off selling your home on your own and saving money on the commission you would have paid to a real estate agent. Truth: Statistically, many sellers who attempt to sell their homes on their own cannot complete the sale without the service of a professional real estate agent. Homeowners who succeed in selling their home by themselves usually net less than if they had a real estate agent working for them. The National Association of Realtors surveys consumers every year, including homeowners who succeeded in selling their home without a real estate agent. Over 70% of these homeowners say that they would never do it again. You visit a doctor when you're sick and take your car to a mechanic when it needs repairs. It makes sense to contact a real estate professional when you are preparing to sell your biggest asset!

12 translating buyer comments at showings what they say The buyer thought the house was too small They liked the house but bought a new home They liked the house but bought a different one They didn t like the carpet They thought the yard was too small The home needs too much work They didn t like the floor plan Too much updating for the buyer They want a master bedroom downstairs They prefer a north/south orientation what they mean The buyer found a larger home for the same price Buyers will pay 10-15% more for a new home They found other homes that are better values The seller should replace the carpet due to age, color, or condition They found homes with larger yards for the same price The seller may need to make some repairs or reduce the price If the floor plan is odd or difficult to decorate, the price must be reduced to compare with homes the same size and room count Their taste suggests the home is not up to today s colors and trends, so the price must be discounted to allow buyers to make updates They want privacy from the second bedrooms; they don t want to climb stairs; buyers will pay more for a main-level master They don t want any morning or late afternoon sun exposure In reality, you should add the words for the price to the end of most potential buyers feedback about a home!

13 our marketing plan overview Our marketing plan is designed to get your property the maximum amount of exposure to your key target audience in the shortest period of time. Our background in marketing has taught us to focus on what works to get your home sold. Agent-to-Agent Marketing Our primary target audience is the agent population. Over 90% of properties are sold via an agent, so this is our most important audience. Our marketing to agents focuses on: High Tech & Micro-Targeting Facebook enewsletter Property-specific video KWLS Who We Know Networking Premarketing Keller Williams and other agents, locally and nationally The Basics Well-priced Terrific staging and easy-to-show Excellent photos and compelling description Direct-to-Buyer Marketing Our secondary target audience is the potential buyers themselves. While we still do the basics, our primary focus is on new media activities directly targeted to potential buyers. High Tech & Micro-Targeting Craigslist Facebook enewsletter Property-specific video KWLS Who We Know Networking Premarketing The Basics Visible signs, directional signs, and a 24-hour information rider with buyer capture Phone calls we call daily to find buyers for our listings and homes for our buyers

14 our marketing plan high tech and micro-targeting Our marketing focuses on what works. We ve invested in what we believe is the future of real estate marketing: a great website with buyer capture and a suite of technology tools to drive traffic to our listings on that site. all sources feed back to our buyer capture site... Craigslist: We advertise your property directly to potential buyers via Craigslist ads four times daily and those ads link back to our listings on our website. Facebook: We promote your property to targeted buyers and our own extensive networks of friends and fans numbering in the 1,000s. We also have created Facebook ads that allow us to drill down to that micro-target demographic for a specific property and drive traffic to that specific listing. enewsletter: Our weekly newsletter goes out to over 2,000 friends, realtors, and clients. It then links back to listings, our buyer search site, seller information and more. where we register and track potential buyers... Our site is very sticky. We collect pertinent buyer information from new visitors when they are prompted to create accounts. Once they register, we can see what they view, listings they save, and send them messages about specific properties....and they end up coming back again and again! In a recent month, we had 30,436 page views at and each visitor viewed 9.2 pages on average. We take new registrants and put them on a 10- day communication plan to cement our relationship with them so that when they are ready to buy, we re ready to help them buy YOUR home.

15 our marketing plan high tech and micro-targeting facebook Jill has 1,879 friends on Facebook who we subtly market to We ve also created an interactive business page for Jill Giese and Associates, where we post listings, real estate news, Boise happenings, green tips, and more We can also do direct, micro-targeted ads specifically for your home to help reach niche audiences on Facebook. Once we drill down to the target demographic for your property (maybe it s year olds in Ada County who love the outdoors and entertaining, and are looking to upgrade), we can show it directly to those people, prompting them to contact us to view it in person. On our company page we have 429 likes and through those supporters we are connected to an audience of over 130,000 people Each week, we reach thousands of people directly with news, updates and our listings!

16 our marketing plan high tech and micro-targeting enewsletter Weekly update on real estate news, Boise happenings, green tips, and much more Sent to over 1,000 realtors nationwide Sent to over 1,100 past and current clients, friends and neighbors Open rate: 29.2% since July 2009; real estate industry average newsletter open rate is only 16.4% Features all our listings, links to our search site, and more!

17 our marketing plan high tech and micro-targeting craigslist We post over 100 ads a day on Craigslist driving traffic to our website at We track the page views and link click-thru rate by embedding a tracking code on our ads Not only do we track our raw numbers views and click-thru but we also constantly weeks to improve efficiency by increasing our click through ratio which is the key to identifying those micro targets We re always using our tracking data to improve the number and quality of buyers who see your home! property-specific video We can create property-specific short videos for your property When we make these videos, we focus on highlighting the lifestyle your home offers, including amenities, neighborhood characteristics, and visuals that help potential buyers imagine how your house will live We then syndicate this video across all our online marketing efforts, including Facebook, our newsletter, and our website.

18 our marketing plan high tech and micro-targeting comprehensive web exposure Comprehensive web exposure is critical! The Keller Williams Listing Service (KWLS) allows us to enter details about your property online. Not only does the information go out to over 80,000 Keller Williams agents in North America, but it populates all the major internet search engines to ensure you have complete internet coverage for your property. Here are just some of the websites where people will find your home.

19 our marketing plan who we know real estate agents We do considerable networking and premarketing with agents within Keller Williams and with other agents both locally and nationally. We have a personal network of nearly 1,000 realtor friends with whom we communicate weekly. Some feedback we ve gotten from our realtor friends: Thank you for your help! You are wonderful. Barb I just wanted to let you know how impressed I am with what you did for the E Boulder Heights place. There is no doubt that I made the right choice in referring it to you. Rachel Thanks for your hard work. You are a great facilitator and I know the team will accomplish great things. Mark If your ears were burning tonight, it s because we were talking about how much we like and respect you. Just wanted you to know! Tracy Good job, Jill I really appreciate that. You went way beyond the call of duty! Ellie I wanted to thank you for the time you spent with us the other day. I was very impressed with your mentor ability. Scott

20 our marketing plan the basics competitive price There is a saying in real estate that 80% of marketing is price! It doesn t matter how beautiful your home looks or how well it s photographed, or how much marketing we do, if it isn t priced right, no one will view it on the internet, no one will come to see it, and no one will buy it! Our experience and expertise ensures your home is priced right and will sell quickly, which ensures you ll receive top dollar in this market. excellent staging/condition The process of preparing a house to put it on the market from simple clean-up and clean-out to extensive repairs and improvements always directly impacts how quickly a home will sell and for what price. In this market, it may determine if it even sells at all! We ll provide guidance and assistance through our preferred service provider list to help you get your home in tip-top shape so it will sell quickly for top dollar!

21 our marketing plan the basics effective signage We will place a nationally recognized sign on your property as well as directional signs nearby, pointing people to your house. We will also place a 24-hour information number on the top that buyers can call anytime to receive recorded information about your home. We then receive an and text message with their contact information so we can follow up with them to schedule a showing. phone calls We call daily to find buyers for our listings and listings for our buyers. We are working hard to not just sell your home to any buyer, but to find the very best buyer for your home. Our combined list of people with whom we communicate on a weekly basis numbers in the thousands. We know how to talk! And we know how to talk to potential buyers about YOUR home and why they should buy it.

22 our marketing plan the basics terrific photographs Check out these before and after photos! What a difference professional photography makes! Here are three different listings we took over from other agents and successfully sold. We utilize the best photographer in the business to make sure you receive the best exposure possible. Other agent Us! Other agent Us! Other agent Us! easy to show It doesn t matter how awesome your home is if agents can t easily get in to see it, it won t sell. If you were a busy real estate agent, would you want to go to a lot of trouble to see a property? Ensure your home is as easy to show on as close to a moment s notice as you can provide.

23 our marketing plan old school tactics what we don t generally do 1. Weekly open houses 2. Flyers 3. Print ads These three traditional tactics do more to generate buyer leads for the listing agent than they do to sell the home. We believe in targeting your marketing to buyers who want your home. Print advertising, open houses, and flyers don t allow any targeting to the subset of buyers for whom your home makes sense. These types of old school media, according to research, aren t the ways most people find their homes these days. Serious buyers are using the internet more than anything else (even agents!). We did a year-long test where we advertised our listings in the Keller Williams Idaho Statesman insert. We did not sell a single home this way! When all is said and done, we want to expose your property not to the most number of people, but to the most number of people who want to buy it! Since our goal is to sell your home quickly and for top dollar, the most important marketing question we want to answer is: How do buyer s find their homes?

24 our marketing plan how do buyers find their homes? Sources of Buyer Information The top two information sources for buyers are the internet and their real estate agent. That s why that s what we focus on. More than 50% of buyers rarely or never use more traditional or old school sources of information such as open houses and newspaper ads. Usefulness of Information Of those who have used open houses or newspaper ads to learn about available properties, far fewer than half say those sources of information are very useful, whereas over 80% say the internet and their real estate agent are very useful. Where Buyers Find the Home They End Up Purchasing In 2011, 40% of buyers found the home they purchased online. 35% found it through their real estate agent. Compare that to 2% from a newspaper advertisement and you ll see that we focus on effective marketing communications that will sell your home!

25 superior client communication You can be confident we will keep you informed throughout the sales process. You will have your own personal seller website where you can view all marketing and showing activity 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This ensures you always know what's happening with the sale of your property. Also, each time your property is shown, you ll receive an letting you know. The agent who showed your property will get an requesting feedback. And when they provide it, you ll receive a copy of that feedback as well.

26 how you can help Many sellers want to know what they can do to help insure their home sells quickly. Price competitively 80% of marketing is pricing your home properly, this is crucial in this market! Stage your home to be appealing we are experts at helping our sellers get their homes ready to sell! Complete all suggested repairs & cleaning Hide valuables (also prescriptions) Keep marketing information out for prospective buyers Leave the premises for showings it is hard for potential buyers to imagine themselves living in your home if you are there! Turn on all lights, open blinds, and tidy up before leaving for showings Refuse to discuss terms with prospective buyers or their clients Call us with any questions we are here for you! What you control Property condition in this market, homes with flaws don t sell Availability for showing it is important to be accommodating to agents who want to show your property Price! What you don t control Competition the current available homes on the market will somewhat determine where you will price your home. This is a supply and demand business. The more supply, the lower the prices. Whether it s a buyer s or seller s market Interest rates When the perfect buyer walks through the door

27 presentation of offers When an offer is generated on your home, I will do the following: Present the offer to you personally Have the cooperating broker share buyer qualifications Go over every item in the contract with you so you thoroughly understand what the buyers are offering and what they are asking for Prepare a seller net sheet so you know how the offer lines up with your financial needs When offers are presented, I'll use this checklist to determine if this offer is accurate, complete, and in your best interest: Are the terms clear and complete? Is the anticipated loan realistic? What is the interest rate not to exceed %? Is the buyer to go back through their existing lender? What is the number of days to qualify for and obtain the loan? Ensure the loan contingency is to be removed in writing. What is the requested date of closing? Are there any variations in payment of typical closing costs for buyer and seller? What personal property is included and/or excluded? Inspections What are the associated time limits? What repairs, if any, are to be made; by whom and with what dollar limitation, if any? Are there signatures by all buyers named in contract? Who pays the homeowner association dues? Is it a contingent offer? What are the number of days to sell? Does it correspond with the closing date? Do the timeframes make sense? Which broker is acting as the principal? Are there multiple counter offers that need to be sent? Is there clear understanding by buyer and seller of costs to be incurred, payments to be made, and estimated net revenue to be realized from this transaction? When evaluating offers, keep in mind that you shouldn't be offended by offers you receive someone has said they want to own your home! Now it's a matter of negotiating a win-win situation.

28 preparing for the offer In slow economic times, offers to purchase routinely come in low, whereas in healthy economic times, offers are closer to the asking price. Do not be offended by any offer received. Be offended by buyers who tour your property and don t submit an offer! When we receive an offer, we can do one of four things: ACCEPT. Signed by all parties, dated, and delivered Congratulations, you re on your way to having your property sold! REJECT. Unconditional unfortunately, your home is still on the market. COUNTER. Any change to the contract constitutes a counter offer. You are now in the renegotiation stage. NO ACTION. Equals rejection. Your home is still on the market. In reality, we can either accept or counter. If we reject or take no action, the negotiations are over and your home is still on the market. If we are not satisfied with the terms of an offer, we will counter with what is acceptable to you. Now that we ve received an offer, my experience and training in negotiations will ensure we get the most money and best terms possible. This is why you ve hired a professional!

29 inspections Inspections and potential repairs are the number one reason sales don t close. Typically, buyers have a certain number of days in which to inspect the property and indicate what they want the seller to change based upon these mechanical and structural inspections. This is another critical negotiation period! We strongly recommend all sellers get a pre-listing inspection to catch major issues upfront and we have negotiated an excellent price with our inspector to facilitate this. HOW SELLER SEES THEIR HOUSE HOW BUYER SEES THE HOUSE HOW INSPECTOR SEES THE HOUSE Save Yourself Time, Money, and Disappointment Do Deferred Maintenance Now and get a pre-listing inspection!

30 processing your sale Once we have an accepted contract, our work is just beginning! Here are some of the things we'll do to ensure your transaction concludes successfully. This is just an overview. The list we use is two pages single-spaced! Open file with title company Coordinate with the other agent to ensure inspection is scheduled and requested repairs are completed Coordinate with lender to ensure loan-approval process is going smoothly Coordinate with title company Review title commitment Ensure appraisal is conducted and received by lender Coordinate signing & possession to accommodate move Schedule signing and attend Ensure funding occurs when required & inform client Coordinate the closing and move-in dates so that they are as convenient to both parties as possible During this time, you ll be hearing a lot from our transaction coordinator, Angie Barbosa. Angie's job is to manage all of our transaction details from the time a seller or buyer goes under contract until they are happily closed with either money in hand or new home in their lives. That sounds so simple. However, given it can take ten phone calls to schedule an inspection and just as many to schedule a closing, it's a super big deal.

31 our 100% satisfaction guarantee Entering into a listing agreement with a real estate agent can be a risky business. Every sales representative will promise the world when it comes to selling your home, but how many of them can back that up with solid performance? According to a recent survey, more than 80% of home sellers were dissatisfied with the performance of their agent, even if that agent sold their property. However, most listing agreements lock you into long-term commitments and lengthy broker protection periods with heavy cancellation fees. In other words, with other companies it's an agreement your agent can get out of, but you can't. We're offering you a way to work with us that is totally risk-free! We write in our listing agreements that the agreement may be cancelled at any time with 48-hours written notice. Our pledge is to provide you with the highest level of service in the real estate industry and our commitment to this pledge is 100%. Your right is to evaluate whether we live up to this standard and to cancel your agreement with us at any point, if we fail to deliver the service we promised. Thank you for your business!