Email me at angi@angelalaskowski.com or call me at 618-550-9060 to schedule your listing interview appointment today or to request a comparative market analysis (CMA) for your home or investment property

Steps For Selling a Home

 1) Choose a Listing Agent

• A listing agent will represent you and have a fiduciary responsibility to look out for your best interests.
• Interview Agents and meet with at least three neighborhood specialists and then you will see why you should call The Linda Frierdich Real Estate Group to list your home!
• Negotiate your listing agreement, including the listing period - the shortest time frame you should consider is 3 months as it takes time to get the marketing plan in full effect.  We recommend at least 6 months and 12 months as the longest.

 2) Get Home Ready for Sale

• Prepare your home for showing by cleaning, decluttering and improving curb appeal.
• Hire a professional stager to stage your home, or ask your real estate agent for help in staging.
• Make repairs before selling.
• Remove or secure valuable to protect your home while your home is on the market.
• If you have pets, make alternate plans for your pets during showings.

3) Figure Out How Much Your Home is Worth

• A seller's biggest mistake is to overprice.
• Price your home in-line with sold homes identified in a comparative market analysis.
• Consider whether your market is hot, cold, or neutral, and price according to the market temperature.

• You or your agent should identify the sizzling selling points and choose advertising words to  create a sense or urgency and "buzz" and therefore get buyers to schedule a showing.
• Approve your agent's marketing campaign
• Tweak marketing to increase traffic and showings.
• Create a web presence. Your agent should saturate the internet with photographs and description of your home.

6) Showing Your Home

• If you're wondering about lockboxes vs. appointments, you'll get more showings if you let agents use a lockbox.  Ask me and I'll explain their functionality and how they are secure. 
• Follow the top 10 home showing tips. You've got only one chance -- and sometimes only 3 seconds -- to make a good first impression.
• Prepare for an Open House and use the approach sparingly.
• Your Agent should provide feedback in a timely manner so you can adjust your price, condition or marketing campaigns accordingly.

 7) Receive Purchase Offers and Negotiate

• Even if you receive a lowball offer negotiate by issuing a counter offer.  Don't ignore any offers.
• Ask for a kickout clause or first right of refusal if the buyer's offer is contingent on selling a home. Consider making a counter offer contingent on you buying a home, if market conditions warrant.
• Don't be afraid to make a full-price counter offer if you are priced competitively.
• If you are priced right, prepare yourself for multiple offers.

 8) Title Insurance

• Your agent or transaction coordinator will order a title policy.
• Write down the contact information for the closing agent and title company.
• Select a date to close based on when the buyer's loan will fund.
• Ask for a receipt for the buyer's earnest money deposit.  

9) Appraiser Appointment

• Clean the house the day before the appraiser arrives.
• If you receive a low appraisal, ask your agent about alternatives.
• You are not entitled to receive a copy of the appraisal because you did not pay for it.
• If the buyer decides to cancel based on an appraisal, you can offer to lower the price to accomodate the appraisal price.

 10) Cooperate with Home Inspection

• Prepare your home for inspection - make sure it is not cluttered and neat so the inspector doesn't have any difficulties.  Also, repair any minor things you are aware of so the inspector doesn't start getting picky with the little items.  A home inspection is meant to find the major health, safety, and financial issues with your home - not the purely cosmetic challenges. 
• Ask your agent to provide you with a sample home inspection report so you will know which items an inspector will want to see.
• Expect that the inspector will want access for an attic inspection, crawl space inspection, and will be looking for any signs of moisture in the basement; prepare those areas for inspection.

11) Obtain Seller-Required Inspections

• If you are in a municipality that requires occupancy inspections and permits, it will be your responsiblity to set-up and pay for such inspection.  Fees range from $25 - $100 depending upon the city.  Some of the towns that require occupancy inspections in our area are:  Columbia, Millstadt, Dupo, Cahokia, Belleville, Fairview Heights, O'Fallon, Shiloh

12) Negotiate Request for Repair

• Just as you did with the negotiation of the purchase price, you have the right to negotiate on the inspection response.  You can accept, reject, or counter the buyers' request.  If you reject or counteroffer, the buyer has the right to terminate the contract with full refund of earnest money.  You are entitled to a copy of the home inspection report, if the buyers request repairs.
• If you do not choose to make repairs, a buyer might instead accept a closing cost credit.

13) Sign Title & Closing Documents

• You will be required to be completely moved and the home in "broom-clean" condition before you are able to sign closing documents
• Bring a valid picture ID.
• Your property deed, reconveyance, and deed of trust will record in the public records.

  Consider the Process a TUG OF WAR

With us, you get the benefit of well-tuned systems, a personalized approach, and someone available to answer your questions. Using the TEAM approach is how we are able to do 10 times the business of the average solo agent.

1. Set listing appointment.

2. Physically preview the property.

3. Measure for accurate square footage.

4. Visit with sellers about home details.

5. Take photos of property.

6. Do market analysis.

7. Revisit with sellers on pricing, marketing plan.

8. Get paperwork prepared for sellers to sign.

9. Obtain tax and legal information on property.

10. Enter property information into the Multiple Listing Service (MLS).

11. Distribute information to all agents in office.

12. Prepare and print flyers.

13. Initiate the comprehensive marketing plan.

14. Write the ads for magazines.

15. Put up signs, flyer boxes, and lock boxes.

16. Place ads in all magazines.

17. Field incoming calls from our ads.

18. Return calls from the 24-hour hotline.

19. Meet with buyers and pre-qualify buyers.

20. Show potential buyers.

21. Fill out all contract forms.

22. Present contract to seller over the phone.

23. Write counteroffer, if necessary.

24. Negotiate the offer until accepted or rejected.

25. Check flyer boxes and keep them filled.

26. Communicate progress information with seller at least every 2 weeks during listing period.

27. Keep sellers informed on progress once the offer is accepted.

28. Keep everyone headed to closing. This requires many phone calls to the lender, buyer, seller, agent, title company, termite company, appraiser, home inspector, etc.

29. Coordinate home inspection.

30. Negotiate repairs.

31. Coordinate appraisal.

32. Work with appraiser if appraisal is low.  This critical piece requires expert handling!

33. Send paperwork to title co. and closing agent.

34. Work closely with the closing agent to get the property closed.

35. Coordinate termite inspection.

36. Coordinate repair issues from appraiser and home inspection.

37. Coordinate loan and title requirements.

38. Set closing time acceptable to all involved.

39. Attend closing.

40. Put up Sold sign.

41. List in MLS as closed.

42. Do final paperwork after closing.

43. Store the file.

44. Put buyer and seller in database.

45. Make copy of HUD—1 statement to mail to the seller in January for tax purposes.

46.   Pick up signs, flyer boxes, and lock boxes.

47.  Coordinate getting the keys to the buyer.

48.  Coordinate the transfer of utilities.

49.  Coordinate use of our moving van.

50. Provide moving boxes to help with the move.