Listing Services

After you have interviewed a few agents and made the decision to list your home, there are a series of tasks your Listing Agent will need to complete. While each real estate agent has his or her own service plan, the majority of listing procedures are pretty standard. However, one distinct difference between myself and other agents, is that I make a point of keeping my customers updated on what I am doing to sell their home.

When you meet with your chosen agent to list your home, expect to spend an hour or so (depending on your level of questions) to complete the paperwork, finalize terms, negotiate commissions and discuss the marketing program.

When You Are Ready to List

One of the first things you will do together is draft a MLS® Listing Agreement. This legal contract provides prospective purchasers with:

A comprehensive, legal overview of your property:
- zoning
- lot size
- home size
- type of construction
- age of the home
The agreed-upon asking price
Details about the square footage, room dimensions, features
Exclusions from or inclusions with the sale
Mortgage details (only if an assumable mortgage)
Property Disclosure Statement details

This service is only available to real estate agents through their brokerage. The MLS® or Multiple Listing Service, is a database of all the homes for sale through licensed agents. Details about your home will be available to other agents and the public searching for homes in your area, in the range of your asking price. After the contracts needed to register your home on the MLS® are completed, you and your agent can move on to other issues.

Schedule Showings

In order to sell quickly, you need to let people have access to your home so they can preview what their money will buy. Second to Open Houses, showings are the best way to let people see how great your home really is. At this point in listing your home, you will need to arrange a mutually convenient showing schedule with your Listing Agent. Some people prefer to have showings at set times or specific days while others will take them as they come. If you choose set times or days, make sure prospects have a few options. You do not want to loose a sale because people cannot get in to see the property.

In preparation for showings, it is customary for the Listing Agent to provide an information sheet. This is a one page synopsis of your home that highlights lot size, room dimensions, features and upgrades as well as other MLS® information. Prospective buyers receive these sheets at Open Houses or showings and often refer to it while viewing your home. When it comes to creating a memorable information sheet, not all agent sheets are created equal. I really like to wow my clients and start by creating a full Property Book that features your home, the sellers disclosures, photos, community details and anything else a potential buyer may inquire about. This book is made available at all showings and open houses, and is a very useful tool when it comes time for offers--everything is already right there!

About Showings: When a Buyer Agent has a customer who is interested in your home, they will call your agent to make an appointment. If you are lucky, you will have time for any last-minute tidying, but since most showings come up last minute, be prepared to accommodate such inconveniences and keep the home looking its best. At a showing, your agent and/or the Buyer Agent will tour the prospective buyer(s) through the home. As I mentioned before, I create a Property Book and this will be made available to the Buyer Agent and his or her clients at the showing. This book will answer many questions the buyers may have about the property.

Warning - If anyone ever contacts you directly for a showing, ALWAYS take their name, number and find out how they heard about the property being for sale. Do not engage in conversation as you could be giving them valuable information without realizing it. When you hang up, immediately phone and give their information to your agent to follow up. There are many scammers out there who prey on eager sellers and gain entry to a home by calling the homeowners direct only to come back and rob it later. It is a standard industry practice that all lead calls come through your agent. The public knows it, and we know it. So, if someone contacts you direct, be very suspicious.

Under The Microscope?

It's all about first impressions from now on. Is your home clean and organized? Is there an odor? Stale cooking? Garbage? Pets? If there is, it will be a deterrent to potential buyers. Do not wait to deal with such issues! If you are priced competitively for the current market the phone will start to ring and you may not have time for any updating. If you have followed through on your agent's advice you should be all set and ready for showings and opens.

The Marketing Program

Now that you and your Listing Agent have covered the MLS® contracts, showings, open houses and prepared the home for resale, it is time to let your agent go to work. In the next few days after listing, your agent will be very busy processing the paperwork, making copies, gathering relevant listing documents and launching their marketing plan. You will have already worked out a convenient communication schedule and should hear from them shortly with an update on what has been completed thus far. From here on out, you and your agent should be in touch quite regularly to discuss the progress of your property's resale. When an offer comes in, things will really heat up, so hang on and get ready!

If you have any questions please fill out the form below and a representative will be in contact with you shortly.

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