Seller's Guide - How To Sell Your Home In San Luis Obispo County

What To Expect During The Sale Of Your Home

This Seller's Guide will give you a chance to know a little bit about the process and plan to get your home sold in 45 days or less for the highest price the market will bear, which is your home's Fair Market Value. The information on the following pages is intended to give you an overview of exactly what it takes to get your home sold in today’s market, and how Zoe can help you achieve it. The first step in gathering facts and data is to request a Comparative Market Analysis of all the "Comps," or homes which have recently Sold or are For Sale in your neighborhood.

Request Your Comparative Market Analysis Report Here

You can expect Zoe to be a candid, up front, no nonsense professional. Together, you will look at the facts to determine the best pricing strategy designed to sell your home for the highest possible price. Final pricing will always be subject to your approval. You can expect excellent customer service from Zoe, with prompt responses, focused attention on you, solid results, and great negotiating skills on your behalf. 

Seller's Guide Overview

• Step By Step: How a home sale works.
• Accurate Pricing: How to determine the sweet spot price for your home so that it will sell in 45 days or less, with multiple Buyers fighting each other to own your home.  It's much more fun to be the Hero than have Buyers perceive you as the adversary.
  
• Marketing Plan: How to go far above and beyond the Marketing basics to bring your home maximum exposure to potential Buyers.
• Zoe's Commitment To You: How Zoe's promise to you makes her different than other agents.

---

Step By Step: How a Home Sale Works

How does the process of selling your home work? Here's a road map of the journey from Start to Finish:

• Request your free Comparative Market Analysis from Zoe.
• Review the Comparative Market Analysis together for proper pricing.
• Complete some simple standard paperwork for our listing agreement.
• Zoe will schedule the photographer, video crew, and determine the listing date and price with you.
• Zoe recommends hiring a home and/or pest inspector to fully ascertain the condition of your home to avoid surprises later on during the inspection period.
• On the chosen date, we launch your home live on the MLS, send out our marketing blast, and we’re off!
• Potential Buyers will see your home all over the place on their computers and phones! 
• Our Marketing will reach Buyers through their Social Media, Agents, Market Update emails, Zillow, Trulia, Redfin, and all other online real estate sources.
• We will hold traditional Open Houses to invite multiple Buyers to come take a look at your home.
• Agents will also schedule showing appointments and bring their clients to your home.
• Next, interested buyers will make an Offer. 
• Proper pricing leads to multiple Offers at once, which creates a bidding war between buyers. When Buyers fight each other over price, you get to be the Hero who selects the next owner of your home.
• We will examine the Offers closely to see if they meet your needs. Price, terms, and financial qualifications of the Buyers will be considered.
• If needed, we will make a Counter Offer to one or all parties requesting changes in price or terms.
• When we receive a match on the price and terms that work for you, we'll Accept the Offer.
• Next, we open Escrow, which is the process of gathering all legal documents and money.
• The Buyer will deposit their Earnest Money into Escrow.
• There are 3 Major contingencies in most transactions: Inspection, Appraisal, and Loan contingencies.
• Cash Sales generally have fewer contingencies.
• There is usually a 17 day Inspection Period in which the Buyer satisfies themselves as to the condition of the property. 
  
• Once inspections are complete, the Buyer may send a Request for Repairs asking you to complete repairs or credit them for the cost of repairs at the close of Escrow.
• Once an agreement has been reached, the Buyer will remove their Inspection Contingency. Reaching this point is a big step, and means the Buyer is most likely going to purchase your home.
• If the Buyer is obtaining a Loan, an Appraisal of the property is required.
• In order for the Buyer's loan to be approved, the Appraisal must come back "At Value," meaning equal to or greater than the purchase price. Reaching this point is the next big step forward.
• Before the Buyer's Loan Contingency can be removed, their loan underwriters must give approval. This is the final hurdle before the loan can be funded.
• Now that all contingencies have been removed, we are on the Home Stretch!
• The Buyer's Loan will be funded 1-2 days before the scheduled closing date.
• Once all the funds (including the down payment) are in Escrow and all Documents are signed, our Escrow Officer will dot the i's and cross the t's before sending everything to the SLO County Clerk Recorder.
• Once we have confirmation of the Recording, you home is officially sold! 
• Profits from the sale are generally wired to your account within 1-3 Business Days.

---

Accurate Pricing: How To Determine The "Sweet Spot" Price For Your Home

Did you know that there's a "sweet spot" price for your home so that it will sell in 45 days or less, with multiple Buyers fighting each other to have you pick them?  It's much more fun than having Buyers perceive you as the adversary, and it's better sport too. You get to be the Hero who selects the next owner of your Home, and pass the mantle of care, love, and responsibility to the buyer of your choice when you choose an accurate listing price based on Fair Market Value. Finding this "Sweet Spot" price is the main objective of having Zoe prepare a Comparative Market Analysis for you.

Request Your Comparative Market Analysis Report Here

The truth is, NO ONE can tell you exactly what your home will sell for. There are lots of opinions, but only one set of facts regarding the "Comps," or homes that have recently sold in your neighborhood. These recent sales determine Fair Market Values for your neighborhood. We will examine the facts of record together and determine a pricing strategy designed to sell your home for the most money possible in the shortest time. The TRUE Fair Market Value is determined when someone says, “I’ll buy it!” Then and only then is the fair market value determined. Let’s look over the three most common strategies to price your home as close to Fair Market Value as possible...

Pricing Strategies:  “As Is”

The property is sold without benefit of any repair work paid for by the seller that is either required or recommended in any inspection reports. Buyers may have any and all inspections deemed necessary to satisfy themselves as to the condition of the property. The buyer pays for the inspections! This is a good strategy for a short sale, if there is little or no equity in the property, or if the seller finds themselves short on cash. The result is that almost always you end up selling for less money than Fair Market Value, since fewer Buyers want to move into a Fixer-Upper, and the cost of necessary repairs or updates is subtracted from Fair Market Value.

Pricing Strategies:  “Traditional Sale”

This strategy is called “traditional” because you ask for more than Fair Market Value, and then negotiate downward until Fair Market Value is reached. It calls for doing all of the normal and usual activities that eventually lead to a sale on your home, such as obtaining the proper Inspections and completing all necessary repairs before the home is placed on the market. Zoe will recommend certain steps to be taken to ready your house for the market. These might include cleaning, painting, sprucing up the landscaping, etc. Some small, inexpensive steps can increase your home’s value enormously. It is essential that automatic price adjustments occur every 15-30 days to maintain market momentum. An adjustment of 5-10% after 30 days will usually result in a sale shortly thereafter. The result is a much longer marketing period requiring price reductions, finally leading to a Fair Market Value sale in 90-180 days.

Pricing Strategies:  “Quick Sale”

This is a very effective strategy for getting your property sold because when a home is priced at or below fair market value, it usually sells quickly.This pricing strategy makes it easy to get the attention of the other agents in the county, resulting in more showings. This generates one or more offers from agents who wait for properly priced homes to show their best clients.This is by far the most effective strategy to get your home sold fast and for the highest realistic price the market will bear. The result is a quick sale, usually with multiple Buyers all fighting each other instead of You, leading to a solid offer and a straightforward transaction at Fair Market Value. 

---

Marketing Plan: Above And Beyond The Basics

Marketing done well increases exposure of your home to as many potential Buyers as possible. Zoe will ensure that the greatest number of people see your home in its best light, increasing the likelihood you will receive more offers that are closer to your asking price. Zoe does everything other agents do, including a yard sign, entering your home into the MLS, etc... and MUCH MORE! Here's a list of Marketing activities Zoe will take care of on your behalf:

• Professional photos will be taken to show your home in the best light.
• Our team will create 2 gorgeous websites which will be emailed out to all 3000 agents in the county, one branded with Zoe's name and one unbranded for other agents to market to their buyers.
• Our team will create videos of your home for social media and boost those posts for ultimate exposure.

There’s No Place Like Your Home

To get the Marketing process started, tell Zoe the things you love about your home! Only you know the special features of your home and what makes it unique. What do you love about your home? What makes your home different and why should Buyers consider it as their potential new home? We'll incorporate the things you love about your home into all our Marketing materials.

• What do you love most about your home?
• Home features you have enjoyed the most?
• How would you describe your home to a buyer? 
• What type of person or family would enjoy your home?

Online Marketing Statistics

• Online Marketing done right is the single most important activity to bring you a solid Buyer!
• 92% of Buyers find their home online
• 96% of those search for properties
• 3% search for an agent
• Buyers are 900% more likely to find a home on the internet than in the newspaper.
• Buyers are 3400% more likely to find a home on the internet than in magazines.
• “Featured” homes are viewed 10 times more often than standard listings
• Listings with multiple photos are viewed 330% more often

Video Marketing

Zoe and her team will create a professional video of your Home, and blast it out all over Facebook and Instagram! The video below has been viewed over 2,600 times on Facebook by potential buyers in SLO county. This property (1532 Phillips) sold above listing price with multiple offers.

Social Media Marketing

Social Media is simply communicating with your Network of friends, family, and business associates. Zoe has built a sizable and loyal Social Media following here in SLO County! Whenever she has a new listing, or a successful Closing of Escrow, she will post about it and all of her friends and followers will be able to see what she's up to. When she lists your home for sale, everyone in her Social Media Networks will know about it.  Professional photos, Videos, and 3D walkthroughs will be available for everyone to view, dramatically increasing your home's exposure to Buyers locally, and even nationwide. Her content is a fun mix of business, family life, cooking, and SLO Lifestyle, so her followers enjoy seeing what she's up to on a daily basis. You can check out Zoe's business pages on Social Media by clicking on the logos below.

3D Matterport Marketing

---

Zoe's Commitment To You

• Provide her professional services to you on a full time basis›
• Prepare a Comparative Market Analysis on your home and review it with you in person
• Communicate to you responsibly, honestly, and frequently› 
• Counsel and explain all pertinent real estate documents in advance of any transaction›
• Advise you of any necessary repairs and how you may best prepare your home for successful showings.
  
• Coordinate inspections:  termite, contractors, well, septic, etc.›
• Utilize every resource in marketing your home, both Online and Offline.
• Review and counsel you on all offers, counter offers, and multiple offers›
• Professionally and personally handle all offers and negotiate the best terms for you›
• Provide you services that match the unique way you want to be served with an emphasis on technology›
• Oversee paperwork throughout the transaction, escrow, and closing
• You will not only have her advice as a resource, but the collaborative knowledge of all Taylor Hoving Realty Group agents and their collective experience.
  

Your Commitment to Zoe

There are many advantages of working with Zoe as your listing agent. When you are ready to work with Zoe, please be willing to commit to the following:

• To communicate responsibly and honestly›
• To willingly provide pertinent information as needed›
• To promptly inform her of all changes in timing, requirements, or other critical information which might affect the transaction› (eg. change in move-out date, etc)
• To submit all required information immediately in order for us to communicate accurately with Buyers and their Agents
• To enter into contracts in good faith and make every effort to adhere to all negotiated contingencies, terms, and conditions›

Next Steps

Zoe would love the opportunity to serve you with excellence! If you're comfortable and ready to move forward, the first step is to contact Zoe for a Free Comparative Market Analysis report today! She'll hand deliver it to your home, and review it with you to see what amount you could reasonably expect to sell your home for. This simple meeting takes only 15-30 minutes. She'll also review this Seller's Guide with you, and bring along the standard agreements so you can move forward if you'd like to.

Request a Comparative Market Analysis Report Here

---

Frequently Asked Questions

What are your main questions or concerns about Selling Your Home at this time? Zoe will be happy to sit down with you in person to answer all your questions, so that you can feel comfortable moving forward with selling your home.

• Lengthy Listing Period?
• Security?
  
• Broker Compensation?
  
• Showing Procedures?
  
• Advertising?
  
• Open Houses?
  
• Hiring Wrong Agent?
  
• Internet Exposure?
  
• Lack of Communication?
  
• Pricing Strategy?
  
• Closing Escrow?
• Any other concerns you may have?

---

---

Contact Zoë

Call Or Text:  805.903.2258

email: zoevangundy@gmail.com

---

Follow Zoë On Instagram and Facebook

---

 Cal BRE License #01925583

Realtor with Taylor Hoving Realty Group

567 Camino Mercado, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420

35 Squire Canyon Road, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

All Content Copyright © 2019 Peter and Zoe Van Gundy, REALTORS®