CONSIDER SELLING YOUR HOME? Thinking of selling a home? Ramos Realty is ready to talk to you, and help you with this process. It is important for you to know that there are many things that need to fall in place in order to have a successful transaction. These are some of the frequent questions asked by most clients planning to sell a home: Keywords:: General Questions How much do you charge? We charge a negotiable commission, which is usually a 6% fee for providing the service of selling your property. This fee is usually divided into two equal portions. The first 3% goes to the agency that finds a suitable buyer, and the other 3% stays with our agency. The service fee covers the advertisement in the different media channels, office services, and the agent’s fee. What is the market value of my property? Professional real estate agents have access to the tools and information that allows them to properly set a value for your property. The Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) is one the main steps that a professional agent follows to reach a listing price. Finding the right price for your house is a crucial point, and it will determine the success of selling it. Overpriced houses will sit in the market for months without attracting potential buyers. The longer a house sits on the market, the less attractive it becomes; people tend to think that something must be wrong with a house that does not sell quickly. Your agent will help you in determining a fair price for your property, based on what similar houses in your area have sold for. Many times, you may have your own opinion on how much your house is worth based on your personal opinion, or based on what other neighbors are selling their homes for. Keep in mind that until a house is sold, the asking price is not too relevant, as your neighbor’s house might be overpriced. If your house is not receiving much attention, or offers are not presented, your agent may suggest a price adjustment after some time. Although, we offer our professional advice, ultimately, you, the owner, are the one who determines the value. How are you going to advertise my property? We advertise listings on several local newspapers, and publications. We also use local radio stations for advertisement. In addition, we use one of the most powerful advertising tools, the Multiple Listing Services (MLS). The MLS is a computer system available to all the Real Estate agencies in the area. By advertising your property in the MLS, we are exposing it to hundreds of realtors, and their clients. We also place our agency sign in your property. Research shows that most of the phone inquires come from people driving by your property who saw the sign. For this reason, we endorse and encourage the use of a sign. Should I allow a lock box in my property? Copies of your keys are kept inside a lock box, which is usually placed on the door. Agents are the only ones that have access to the lock combination or to the electronic device to open these lock boxes. Lock boxes are one of the most convenient ways to show your property without requiring you to be present for the showings. You need to keep in mind that the easier you make it to show your property, the faster it will sell. Many times, owners are concerned having strangers walking in their homes when they are not present. Keep in mind that prospects visiting your home are accompanied by professional agents at all times. Also, many times, prospects may feel uneasy checking the property when the owners are present. Next