Kathy will showcase your home to the largest audience of homebuyers through the industry's leading technology and digital marketing programs that are built around telling the story of your home.
Check out Kathy's Listing Consultation to discover the advantages of working with Kathy.
Putting your home on the market can be a stressful process, especially when changing market conditions and the uncertainty of home buyer expectations make it difficult to know what to expect. Fortunately, Kathy uses her experience and expertise to guide you smoothly through the complete Home Selling process. Kathy uses the following steps to help to prepare you so you can get a clear understanding of what to expect and sell your home for the best price possible.
What do you want to accomplish with the sale of your home? Do you want to make a certain amount of money that you can put toward a larger or nicer home? Do you need to sell it as soon as possible to facilitate a move to a new city or area?
Does your home require some minor updates to capture more potential buyers? Once we understand your goals, we can better prepare you and your home to achieve success. It all starts with working together to achieve your goals.
Just because you think you can afford a certain payment every month doesn’t mean the mortgage company will agree. Before you get your heart set on a home, let's talk to a mortgage professional to find out what amount you can qualify for. I have direct connections to some of the best mortgage lenders and can provide you with recommendations if needed. This will also be an advantage when we go to make an offer on a home. A mortgage pre-approval letter or proof of funds for cash buyers is a must have when submitting an offer.
I will develop a marketing strategy that is perfect for advertising your home. This involves listing the home and then driving the right people to that listing through social media campaigns, agent-to-agent referrals, traditional media, or SEO advertising. I create a marketing campaign that aims to get the most possible traffic to your listing in the first three weeks after becoming a client.
This should be the most enjoyable step of the entire process (other than moving in!). I will arrange showings of homes you’re interested. Take notes about what you like and don’t like, and make sure to pay attention to details. Turn light switches on and off, open and close doors, and run the faucets in various rooms. Don’t limit your inspection to the home itself. Make sure to take time to explore the neighborhood and keep an eye on traffic at certain times of the day, the parking situation, and how close it is to necessities like schools and grocery stores.
Receiving an offer is an exciting part of the process, but it doesn’t mean the journey is over. I will evaluate each offer and make sure the party making the offer is prequalified or pre-approved by a mortgage lender and that their offer is acceptable to you. If the offer is too low, you can make a counter-offer or offer other ways to bridge the gap, such as covering some or all of the closing costs, making repairs, adjusting the move-in date, or leaving some appliances or fixtures for the new buyer.
Once we deem the offer is acceptable, I will review the proposed contract to make sure it’s all in order and includes the necessary components such as deposit amount, down payment, financing, inspection rights and repair allowances, contingencies, settlement date, and a list of fees and who will pay them. When both parties have agreed to the terms, I will prepare a final contract for you to sign.
You have accepted an offer and we are now very close to the end of our selling journey. But first, you and the buyer must make a list of what needs to be done before closing. In some cases, your home may need to be formally inspected, surveyed, and appraised. In other cases, major or minor repairs will need to be made before the house can close. I will head up efforts to develop and execute this list, get each action item paid for by the correct party, and make sure everything is in order by the closing date. A few days before the closing date, I will call the company closing the transaction to make sure everything is ready to go. If you haven’t done so already, you also need to make arrangements to move out of the home so the new buyer can take possession.
You’ve reached the last step in the seller’s process. When you close on a home you are selling, you are legally transferring ownership of the property to the new buyer. I will meet with the company closing the transaction to sign the final paperwork and go over any issues that have not yet been taken care of. During this time, I will also help you make plans to handle final details such as canceling utilities, cable, and lawn or trash services, changing the name on accounts that the new owner is retaining and ensuring the new owner has instructions for all appliances that will remain in the home.
Once you have sold your home, you’re free to take the next step on your journey. Whether this is relocating to a new city, moving into a larger home, or downsizing and enjoying your life as empty-nesters, knowing all your selling responsibilities have been taken care of will help you achieve peace of mind for your new path.
Since all real estate is local, Kathy has prepared the latest Community Market Reports for many of the local neighborhoods. Click on a neighborhood below to find out the latest real estate trends.
Address 400 S Old Woodward Ave., #100 Birmingham, MI 48009
Address 400 S Old Woodward Ave., #100 Birmingham, MI 48009
