Gene and Mylo believe that no two homes are the same. Each has its own story, its own collection of memories, and has played a hugely important role in the lives of those who have lived there. Selling a home is emotional and as such, should be treated with care and a deep appreciation for the connections your home has made with your life’s story. With over 35 years of experience listening to their clients and understanding what makes sellers and their homes unique, Gene and Mylo are able to tell the story of a property through a customized marketing approach.
They understand that selling a home is stressful and also a time commitment – so they go out of their way to eliminate anxiety by making the process both efficient and fun, and have the testaments to support their mission. With their extensive background and clout in Eastside real estate, an experienced team of professionals to provide unparalleled client support and the power of Windermere behind them, Gene and Mylo have positioned themselves as two of Bellevue’s top real estate agents.
Interested in learning more? Contact Gene and Mylo for a personal, one-on-one conversation or continue reading to learn the Steps to Selling Your Home.
Steps to Selling Your Home
Step 1 – One-on-One Consultation: The Interview
This is a chance for you to get to know Gene and Mylo and vice versa. Ask as many questions as you need and be prepared for Gene and Mylo to do the same. The goal is to provide you with all of the information necessary regarding Gene and Mylo’s long list of qualifications and answer any questions you have about the selling process in general. For Gene and Mylo, this is an opportunity to learn as much about you, your family, and your home as possible so that they fully understand the unique selling points of your home.
Step 2 – What Could My Home Sell For?: The CMA
Gene and Mylo will provide you with a comparative market analysis – or CMA – to show you what other comparable homes in your neighborhood are currently listed at and what has sold. They’ll then do a side by side comparison of the properties in the report and their unique features with those of your home to help determine what an appropriate listing price range would be. This data is for you to use when determining your final list price current landscape of the real estate market. Keep in mind that the listed sales price must be competitive from day one as the majority of showings will happen in the first few weeks.
Step 3 – Preparation Meets Opportunity: The Groundwork
As the old saying goes, “There’s no second chance to make a first impression” and that couldn’t be more true when listing your home for sale. Prospective buyers need to not only see that the home has been lovingly cared for, but need to be able to see themselves living there. Gene and Mylo will work with you to develop an action plan to ensure your property achieves both objectives the moment a buyer sees your home online or walks through the front door – addressing everything from curb appeal, to maintenance, refreshing and staging. Dedicating the time and energy to presenting your home in its best light will position it for a quicker sale and the best purchase price possible.
Here are some examples of easy things you can do to prepare your home for sale:
Exterior
- Keep the lawn edged, cut and watered regularly.
- Trim hedges, weed lawns and flowerbeds, and prune trees regularly.
- Check the foundation, steps, walkways, walls and patios for cracks and crumbling.
- Inspect doors and windows for peeling paint.
- Clean and align gutters.
- Inspect and clean the chimney.
- Repair and replace loose or damaged roof shingles.
- Repair and repaint loose siding and caulking.
- In Northern winters, keep walks neatly cleared of snow and ice.
- During spring and summer months consider adding a few showy annuals, perhaps in pots, near your front entrance.
- Re-seal an asphalt driveway.
- Keep your garage door closed.
- Store RVs or cars in need of repair elsewhere while the house is on the market.
- Apply a fresh coat of paint to the front door.
Interior
- Give every room in the house a thorough cleaning, as well as removing all clutter. This alone will make your house appear bigger and brighter. Some homeowners with crowded rooms have actually rented storage garages and moved half their furniture out, creating a sleeker, more spacious look.
- If pressed for time, hire a professional cleaning service once every few weeks while the house is on the market. This may be a good investment for owners who are busy elsewhere.
- Remove the less frequently used, even daily used items from kitchen counters, closets, and attics, making these areas much more inviting. Since you're anticipating a move anyhow, holding a garage sale at this point is a great idea.
- If necessary, repaint dingy, soiled or strongly colored walls with a neutral shade of paint, such as off-white or beige. The same neutral scheme can be applied to carpets and linoleum.
- Check for cracks, leaks and signs of dampness in the attic and basement.
- Repair cracks, holes or damage to plaster, wallboard, wallpaper, paint, and tiles.
- Replace broken or cracked windowpanes, moldings, and other woodwork. Inspect and repairing the plumbing, heating, cooling, and alarm systems.
- Repair dripping faucets and showerheads. Buy new towels for the bathroom, to be brought out only when prospective buyers are on the way.
- Spruce up a kitchen in need of more major remodeling by investing in new cabinet knobs, new curtains, or a coat of neutral paint.
Step 4 – Experience Matters: The Photographer
Most buyers see your property online before they ever step foot in the home which makes clean, bright, professional photography that much more important. In an age where we are easily distracted on the Internet, it is crucial that your home catch the attention of casual and serious browsers alike and peak enough interest for them to schedule a tour. While photos alone won’t sell your home (that falls back to Step 3), they are a critical element in conveying your home’s unique value to the public. Gene and Mylo will provide a professional real estate photographer who’s an expert in emphasizing the most attractive elements of your home.
Step 5 – Telling the Story: The Marketing Plan
By now, Gene and Mylo know your home, its history and understand what makes it unique. As such, they will utilize their knowledge, team and Windermere’s vast branding capabilities to develop collateral and messaging that sets your home apart in a fresh, professional manner. They determine which media channels will be the most effective for your particular home and develop unique strategies to increase the reach of your listed property.
Step 6 – Putting Your Home on the Market: The Logistics
Once the listing paperwork is signed and the list date has been determined, Gene and Mylo will work with you to develop a calendar of events so you know exactly what activities will be taking place and when in the days leading up to your home’s the big reveal on the market. This calendar will reflect when the Windermere sign will be installed in your front yard, when the NWMLS key box will be on site, and when you can expect to see fliers and other marketing materials such as silent talkers (which are used to draw prospective buyers’ attention to key features of the house) posted throughout the home.
Step 7 – You’re House is Available for Sale on the NWMLS: The Showings
Your home will be listed on the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, also known as the NWMLS, and will be visible to all of Washington State’s licensed real estate brokers. Other sites like adamsrealestategroup.net, windermere.com, redfin.com, Zillow.com and Trulia.com syndicate listings from the NWMLS, expanding the visibility of your home to the general public. Once this occurs, and you will start to receive an influx of calls from agents with prospective buyers interested in touring, and you will really begin to reap the rewards of all of your hard work in preparing your home for sale. Gene and Mylo will teach you the dos and don’ts to be followed when your home is scheduled to be previewed in an effort to ensure that your home is presented in its best light the second buyers pull up.
Step 8 – Keeping You in the Know: The Importance of Communication
With the flurry of activity surrounding your home’s new listing, Gene and Mylo take extra care to make sure that you have detailed insight into the happening. From showings to agent feedback, listing reports and ongoing strategy updates, you can expect to have an open line of communication with Gene and Mylo throughout the entire selling process.
Step 9 – Selling Your Home: The Offer
Once an offer is received, Gene and Mylo will sit down with you in person to discuss the offer specifics and lay out the pros and cons to help you develop your negotiation strategy. With over 35 years in the business, Gene and Mylo have developed relationships built on mutual trust and respect with many of the agents on the Eastside and in Seattle, and by leveraging these relationships, are able to provide a calm, respectful negotiation process that results not only in the best price and contract terms for their client, but in the best experience possible.
Step 10: My House is Pending. Now What?: The Path to Closing
Now that your home is pending, there are a lot of activities taking place behind the scenes to make sure the transaction closes on time. Gene and Mylo will work with the title company and escrow agent to make sure you are aware of the transaction status and what signatures and documentation are needed from you and when. They will also help you with the packing and moving process by recommending moving companies to use and cleaning services to help you along the way. Now is a perfect time to let Gene and Mylo help you find the next property you want to call home.
Step 11: My House is Sold: The Last Step
Once you’ve received the call on your closing date from Gene and Mylo congratulating you on the sale of your home, the buyer will take possession of the property on the date and time noted in your sales contract. Then, it’s time to celebrate a successful transaction and the start of a new chapter of memories!
If you have any questions about the selling process, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
