BARBARA RIEL
253-514- 2504
THE RUNYAN GROUP
Let us help you make the move
THE LISTING PROCESS
- OVERVIEW OF PROCESS
- PREPARING TO SELL
- OUR SERVICES
- NOW THAT IT'S LISTED
- REVIEWING THE OFFERS
- WHILE YOU ARE PENDING
- THE CLOSING PROCESS
- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY
preparing to sell
Maximize your home's potential
A clean, neutral, and streamlined look help buyers to imagine what life would be like in your home. The action points below will help them be able to do that.
EXTERIOR
• Wash or paint the home’s exterior
• Paint the front door
• Keep the yard nicely trimmed
• Keep the lawn free of clutter
• Weed and freshly mulch garden beds
• Clean interior and exterior windows
• Apply fresh paint or stain to wooden fences
INTERIOR
• Remove personal items, excessive decorations & furniture
• Replace or clean carpets
• Get rid of clutter and organize and clean closets
• Apply a fresh coat of paint to walls, trim, and ceilings
• Replace outdated ceiling fixtures, and clean lighting fixtures
• Minimize and clean pet areas in the home
• Be sure that all light bulbs are in working order
FRESHEN THE PAINT & FIXTURES
• A new coat of exterior paint helps a home's curb appeal. It isn’t a low-budget item, but if you can swing it...DO IT
• If you can’t paint the entire home, paint the trim. This is a relatively simple thing to do and it helps give a home that wow factor
• Update exterior light fixtures. This can quickly give a home an updated look
• Put a fresh coat of paint on the front door
listing strategy
PRICING STRATEGY
Using a scientific market analysis in your area, we will price your home correctly the first time so that it will sell quickly.
If your home is priced at fair market value, it will attract the largest number of potential buyers in the first few weeks.
If a home is overpriced it will attract the fewest number of buyers looking to purchase a home. The majority of home buyers look at a lot of homes, and they quickly get a feel for the price range that homes sell for in a given condition and location.
ASKING PRICE
compared to
market value
10%
+15%
+10%
30%
*MV
60%
-10%
75%
90%
-15%
% OF BUYERS
in the market
*MV = Market Value
When most offers are received
ACTIVITY LEVEL
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
WEEKS ON MARKET
PROFESSIONAL STAGING
To make sure your home is shown in the best light to buyers, I will provide a professional staging consultation to ensure your home is ready to go on the market. A stager's job is to neutralize your home to appeal to the maximum number of potential buyers.
PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY
In today’s market, homebuyers are searching online first. It is imperative that the photos of your home are top-notch and of the best quality to catch the home buyer's attention and stand out from the competition. Having more eyes on your home is the fastest way to get it sold and sell for top dollar.
AGENT MARKETING
I am part of a very large agent network. I will reach out to this network to see if your home might be a great fit for one of their buyers. This agent network is key to connecting buyers with your home as 88% of residential sales involves real estate agents.
ADVERTISING & MARKETING
I know the importance of marketing a property. This is an area I heavily focus my budget on.
the art of staging
Staging a home is different then designing a home. The goal of hiring a stager is having a trained eye come into your home and look at it as a buyer would. This service is provided to create a clean, decluttered look so potential buyers can look at your home like a blank canvas to envision all their loved ones and belongings in the space for years to come.
88%
less time on the market
staged homes spent
20%
staged homes increased
sale price up to
BENEFITS OF STAGING
•LESS TIME ON THE MARKET
•INCREASED SALE PRICE
•HIGHLIGHTS THE BEST FEATURES OF THE HOME
•DEMONSTRATES THE HOMES FULL POTENTIAL
•CREATES THE WOW FACTOR YOU WILL NEED IN PHOTOS TO MAKE YOUR HOME STAND OUT
real estate photography
A picture says a thousand words
A listing's photos are often the first and sometimes only opportunity to attract a potential buyer. Most buyers are finding their homes online and photos are the first impression of your home. Pictures are the key to getting your home noticed, showings scheduled and therefore sold. As your agent, I will ensure that your listing will be shown in its best light. Many times a buyer has already decided if they are interested in your home just from the pictures online, without ever stepping foot inside your home.
videography
PROFESSIONAL
Video is the number one form of media for engagement
Real estate listings with video receive
more inquiries
403%
Videos attract
more traffic for nurturing leads.
300%
of homebuyers watch video house tours
70%
Video gives a prospective buyer a true feeling of moving through a home, and is far more descriptive of a space than still images can ever hope to be.
Aerial
photography
Using aerial photography in real estate can show buyers a much more accurate depiction of what the property is actually like.
benefits
of having aerial photos:
Provides views of the entire property & land
The condition of the roof and other property features
The neighborhood and surrounding area, including the home’s proximity to schools & amenities
Developments or local districts that are supported by the buyer’s property taxes
tours
VIRTUAL
A virtual tour is a sequence of panoramic images 'stitched' together to create a 'virtual' experience of a location. Often it can be difficult to explain the flow of a home in the 40 photos that we are allowed to post.
THE BENEFITS
Utilizing cutting-edge technological solutions, we can narrow in on the most serious buyers. By using virtual tours we can give buyers a in-depth look at your home without disturbing you. Buyers that have viewed a virtual tour have a greater idea of what the home looks like.
They are interactive by design, which means users can see more than what can be captured in the 40 photos that the MLS listing service allows. The more invested in the interaction potential buyers feel, the more likely to take the next step in their purchase journey.
brochures
PROPERTY
Property brochures are a memorable marketing piece for buyers to bring home with them after a showing. These brochure outline every detail of your home seen and unseen. We love using these to show all the unique details, photos, neighborhood specs, schools, upgrades, and features your home has to offer.
NETWORKING
robust marketing
YARD SIGN
A sign will be placed in your yard unless you prefer not to have one. Your home will still be visible to realtors and potential buyers even if you are not comfortable having a yard sign
SUPERIOR ONLINE EXPOSURE
Buyers in today’s market first start their search online. We will
meet your potential buyer where they are...online! Not only will
your home be featured in the local MLS, but it will also be
syndicated to hundreds of other listing sites.
PROPERTY FLYERS
Highly informative and creative property flyers and a new owner informational book will be displayed inside your home.
LOCK BOX
Lockboxes are essential for the safety of all. They contain a key or access instructions to your home for viewing. The realtor requesting a viewng must have a confirmed appointment and the box relays information about the specific realtor that entered for the appointment. They may be programmed to block out specifc times/days to prevent entry.
SHOWINGS
When we list your home, we will be notified when a realtor would like to view or show your home to a potential buyer.
OPEN HOUSES
We strongly suggest open houses and broker opens. Many of our listing sell because a buyer either didn't have a realtor, or they didn't want to bother their realtor and so they saw the home at an open house.
ONLINE MARKETING
After your listing is published in the NorthWest Multiple Listing Service it will very quickly sindicate to every hould listing webservice such as Redfin and Zillow.
showings
A few tips to help your home showings go as smoothly as possible
FLEXIBLE
Be as flexible and accommodating to the buyers schedule as possible. We want to avoid having missed opportunities if at all possible.
INFORMED
Make sure everyone in the home is informed when showings are to happen so they can keep their spaces clean.
DAILY CLEANING
Keep up with daily messes. Wipe down kitchen and bathroom counters before leaving for the day.
ODORS
Avoid strong-smelling foods: Keep your meal prep as neutral and simple as possible.
FURRY FRIENDS
Keep pet areas clean. Clean up after your pets immediately and wash their bedding regularly. Hide pet food or litter. Not everyone is a pet person.
NATURAL LIGHT
Open blinds and curtains to let in natural light. Leave lights on before you leave for a showing.
TRASH
Try to empty trash cans nightly so that the home is fresh when you leave.
TEMPERATURE
Keep the room temperature comfortable. This demonstrates that the heat/AC is working properly.
PERSONALS
Make sure you place all valuables and prescriptions out of sight and in a safe place.
VACATE
Having a seller present can make buyers feel awkward. We want to make the buyers feel at home and stay awhile.
offers
Price is just one of many considerations when deciding which offer is best for your home. Here are some of the other factors that matter
CONTINGENCIES
The fewer contingencies on an offer the better. Shorter time periods are also valuable.
ALL CASH BUYER
A cash offer is usually more appealing than a finance offer as the seller doesn’t need to worry about the bank approving the loan.
PRE-APPROVAL
Assures home sellers that the buyer can get the loan they need.
LOAN TYPE
A conventional loan is often the least complicated. This is an appealing choice for sellers. An FHA loan can cause delays because they require certain repairs and approvals.
CLOSING TIMELINE
You might need to close quickly to move on to the next adventure, or you might need to extend the closing to allow time for the next home to be ready. Choosing the offer with the closing time that fits your needs will be most attractive to you.
CLOSING COSTS
Sometimes an offer comes in high, but the buyer asks you to pay a percentage of the buyer’s closing costs.
BUYER LETTER
If you care about the future of your home, a buyer letter could assure you that you’re selling to someone who will love the home and your neighbors as much as you did.
REPAIR REQUESTS
If the home needs some repairs, but you don’t have the time or money to do them, a buyer who is willing to do them for you might be what you need.
OFFER PRICE
Of course, price matters too! If a high offer will cost you more in closing costs, repairs, or other factors—then it probably won’t be the better offer.
NEGOTIATIONS
AFTER AN OFFER IS SUBMITTED
WE CAN:
•Accept the offer
•Decline the offer
If the offer isn’t close enough to your expectation and there is no need to further negotiate.
•Counter-offer
A counter-offer is when you offer different terms to the buyer.
THE BUYER CAN THEN:
•Accept the counter-offer
•Decline the counter-offer
•Counter the offer
You can negotiate back and forth as many times as needed until you can reach an agreement or someone chooses to walk away.
OFFER IS ACCEPTED
You will sign the purchase agreement and you are now officially under contract! This period of time is called the contingency period.
Now inspections, appraisals, or anything else built into your purchase agreement will take place.
home
WHAT IS INCLUDED
Roof & Components
Exterior & Siding
Basement
Foundation
Crawlspace
Structure
Heating & Cooling
Plumbing
Electrical
Attic & Insulation
Doors
Windows & Lighting
Appliances (limited)
Attached Garages
Garage Doors
Grading & Drainage
All Stairs
INSPECTIONS
FAQ
INSPECTION TIME FRAME
TYPICALLY 10-14 DAYS AFTER SIGNING THE CONTRACT.
NEGOTIATIONS USUALLY HAPPEN WITHIN 5 DAYS
COSTS
NO COST TO THE SELLER. THE BUYER WILL CHOOSE AND PURCHASE THE INSPECTION PERFORMED BY THE INSPECTOR OF THEIR CHOICE.
POSSIBLE OUTCOMES
INSPECTIONS AND POTENTIAL REPAIRS ARE USUALLY ONE OF THE TOP REASONS A SALE DOES NOT CLOSE.
COMMON PROBLEMS
COULD BE FOUNDATION, ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING, PESTS, STRUCTURAL, MOLD, OR RADON
UPON COMPLETION:
BUYER CAN ACCEPT AS IS
BUYER CAN OFFER TO RENEGOTIATE
BUYER CAN CANCEL CONTRACT
CLOSING THE SALE
what to expect
Closing is when funds and documents are transferred in order to transfer ownership of the property to the buyer. The escrow officer will look over the contract and find out what payments are owed by who, prepare documents for closing, perform the closing, make sure all payoffs are completed, the buyer’s title is recorded, and you receive payoffs that are due to you.
1. TRANSFER FUNDS
The transfer of funds may include payoffs to:
• Seller’s mortgage company as well as any
lien holders
• Local government, if any property taxes are due
• Third-party service providers
• Real estate agents, for payment of a commission
• Sellers, if there are any proceeds from the sale
of the home
2. TRANSFER DOCUMENTS
The transfer of documents may include:
• The deed to the house
• Certificate of Title, Bill of Sale, and other real
estate-related documents
• Signed closing instructions and/or settlement
statement (HUD 1)
• Receipts (if needed) for completed repairs, per
sales contract
3. TRANSFER PROPERTY
The transfer of property may include:
• Recording of the signed deed (completed by
third-party) at the county courthouse
• Post-closing agreement, if the seller will need to
rent back home for the specified time frame
• Exchange of keys, garage door opener, security
codes and/or devices, appliance manuals, etc.
• Homeownership legally transfers to the new owner
when the signed deed is recorded at the seller's
local county courthouse.
YOUR COSTS
Seller commonly pays:
• Mortgage balance & penalties
if applicable
• Any claims against your property
• Unpaid assessments on your
property
• Real estate agents, for payment
of a commission
• Title insurance policy
• Home warranty
WHAT TO BRING
Sellers need to bring to closing:
• A government picture ID
• House keys
• Garage door openers
• Mailbox and any other spare keys
AFTER CLOSING
Keep copies of the following for taxes:
• Copies of all closing documents
• All home improvement receipts
CANCEL POLICIES
Once title transfer has occurred contact your insurance agent to cancel your policy so you can receive a refund of any prepaid premiums.
CLOSE ACCOUNTS
Cancel utilities and close those accounts. Keep a list of phone numbers for each of your utility and entertainment companies.
CHANGE ADDRESS
Let everyone know your new address. Submit a change-of-address form to the post office.
TURN EVERYTHING OFF
Turn off valves to the sinks, toilets, appliances, and water heater. Turn off all light switches and fans. Lastly, call the electric company.
DOCUMENTS
Secure all closing documents as well as the contract and closing documents. Keep them in a safe place.
GATHER HOME PAPERWORK
Put together a packet of manuals, receipts, and any warranties as well.
CLEAR OUT PERSONALS
Move out your personal belongings completely. Check all drawers, cabinets, and closets.
CLEAN
Ensure that your home is completely clean upon leaving the home. Clean the cabinets, refrigerators, and other appliances inside and out. Thoroughly clean out the garage. Schedule trash pick up prior to the day of closing. Leave your home the way you would like to find it if you were the buyer.
INCIDENTALS
Leave all house keys, remotes, gate keys, pool keys, and mailbox keys in a drawer in the kitchen.
FLOORS
Vacuum and sweep floors one more time
LOCK UP
Ensure all blinds are closed, and lock the windows and doors.
FINAL
steps
FOR SELLERS
Client Testimonial
"If Quality of Service is the unit of measurement used by you to determine who you enter into business with, Barbara Riel, is the person for you...
At the time we met Barbara, we’d given up on Real Estate Agents. She gave us her card and advised that she would not be calling us, but that she would be available should we want to get into any house we found. We liked that approach. Then we actually called her. At that first house we visited is when we discovered Barbara is actually an Engineer who sells houses. She was able to educate us on houses unlike any other Realtor had in the past. After visiting a few houses with us, Barbara was able to help us streamline exactly what we were looking for. Then it became Barbara’s show. She begin sending us houses every day. Each better than the last. Barbara and I were in a competition to find the right house for my family. Barbara took a very stressful time in our lives and actually made it a joyous and memorable occasion. Needless to say, Barbara Riel became much more than a Realtor to our family. She became a friend.
Four months after meeting Barbara Riel, we finally closed on our dream home. You would think the story would have ended there. Well, for most Realtors, it would have. However, we’re not talking about a Real Estate Agent. We’re talking about a very special Person, a Wife, a Mother, a Friend and an Engineer, who just happens to sell houses. Buying a house is a very stressful time in anyone’s life. Barbara Riel is that friend you want by your side throughout that journey. "
Thomas H. Bell Jr.