Why Use a REALTOR® to Sell

Selling a Home or Property

A REALTOR® can free a seller from the time, effort and details involving the sale of the property. They can establish the fair market value and can advise when seller financing might be in your best interest. With an interest in bringing both buyer and seller together, a REALTOR® can help negotiate a satisfactory agreement between the parties. Before the first showing and beyond the final sale, you'll get the expertise and service you look for in a real estate professional who knows how to sell your home or property.

A REALTOR® does a lot of homework in order to sell your home or property. The property is listed, ads are placed, inquiries are handled and appointments for showings are arranged with your convenience and best interest in mind. With the aid of a Multiple Listing Service, a REALTOR® can list a home or property and work with other REALTORS® to assure a wider range of prospective buyers.

For more tips, visit http://www.realtor.org/home_buyers_and_sellers/index.html

SELLING... SELLING... SOLD!

All the steps to a smooth and successful sale and closing

A successful sale begins with choosing a REALTOR® to list the property. Your REALTOR® can be depended on for:

Special knowledge of local market value
A database of ready and willing buyers
Maximum exposure of the property on the market
Marketing expertise and targeted advertising
Linked to Multiple Listing Service, national and local networks, relocation companies and affinity groups
Money-saving negotiating skills
Protection against flaws in the documentation
Money-saving protection against fee overcharges
Follow-through to closing

The agent's personality and professional specialties (see Designations link) need to be a good match for your needs. Consult Choose the Right REALTOR® to find that good match.

Your REALTOR® works with associates to represent many buyers and sellers at the same time, the advantage of numbers
Your REALTOR® has no emotional attachment to your property, improved negotiating position
Your REALTOR® handles time-consuming paper work and phone conversations with buyers, bankers, appraisers, inspectors, title people and others, your time is your own
Your REALTOR® is an expert on the local market, and can assist you in getting the best price in the shortest possible time

TAKE THESE STEPS TO ENSURE A SMOOTH SUCCESSFUL SALE AND CLOSING:

Gather information for a Home Facts File (see link at left) to ensure that selling points are not overlooked during the valuation, marketing or showing. Fill it in and give it to your REALTOR®, who will use it as supplementary marketing information for potential buyers
Prepare the property for listing, guided by your REALTOR®. Whether the preparation involves remodeling, renovation or simple cleanup, the object is the same: to prepare the house so that it says "Buy Me" to someone willing to pay your asking price
Agree on a listing price with your REALTOR®. Pricing is specialized work at which REALTORS® excel. Your property is compared in features and price to similar properties available and sold recently in your market. The available properties are your competition. Buyers will compare your property to the others in regards to price, selling terms, location and condition. Sold prices tell REALTORS® what buyers are willing to pay for properties similar to yours, and guide the appraisal and lending process. An accurate selling price helps avoid disagreements with banks and mortgage companies on how much they will lend.

The agent's work notches up in intensity once the selling price is established. The For Sale sign goes on the front lawn. He or she determines the best marketing plan to bring the property to the attention of prospective buyers. Typically, the agent advertises it in newspapers, magazines, on the Internet. REALTORS® also have the exclusive ability to list your home in the West Penn Multiple Listing Service, promoting your home to over 6,000 REALTORS®. He or she also brings your home to the attention of relocation companies, corporations, affinity groups, fellow REALTORS®, apartment tenants and to companies that frequently need housing for incoming staff.

Appointments are made for showing, which moves the process back into your hands:

Make sure that your home is kept ready to be shown at all times in case of short notice from your agent. It is spring-cleaning time before a house goes on the market, regardless of the time of year. Use the Viewer-Readiness List (see link at left) as a guide to make your home a pleasant viewing experience for potential buyers. It is a good idea to have as few people and pets around as possible when the home is shown.
Keep the Home Facts list and paperwork that supports the list items on hand during showings. Tax and utility bills, and documents for work done are frequently requested by potential buyers.

Within a short time there should be offers to review with your REALTOR®, who will be ready to recommend accepting, countering or rejecting offers. Factors that come into play at this stage are your eagerness to sell, the buyer's eagerness to buy and market circumstances (a glut or a shortage of property like yours.)

With negotiations finalized, your REALTOR® coordinates with the other professionals involved in the transaction, such as title insurance, appraisers, mortgage specialists and home inspectors. Your REALTOR® ensures that all deadlines related to the sale are met or extended as needed. He or she monitors the process until the moment final signatures are on the documents at the closing table.