Charleston Real Estate Home Selling Guide…

The real estate market in Charleston, Dorchester and Berkeley counties is heating up!  Just as when you bought your home in Charleston, selling your home is a process…a series of steps.  When buying real estate your priorities and decisions will probably change to some extent and that is ok and expected; however, when selling your home most of your first decisions will affect the time, value, and overall success of your home sale.   We want to work with you and for you during your home sale, so please Contact Us.  You can learn more about who we are here; About Us.

Select a Licensed REALTOR that is Experienced, Knowledgeable, Tenacious, Professional, and Compatible with you.  Experience is not only knowing the mechanics of selling property, but also the ability to prepare and anticipate what might happen next.  Knowledge is different in that it can be is specific to an area or region.  Knowledge should also be an active process.  Most Real Estate Agents are comfortable with what they know from past experience, but we don’t believe in that approach.  We are active in the Charleston area real estate market…buying, selling, researching, participating, networking and previewing.  Tenacity is simple, but without it, it doesn’t matter how much experience and knowledge an agent has.  We possess the energy and drive to better sell your home, and our passion for real estate makes our persistence natural.  Professionalism seems obvious, but the truth is there are many licensed people in the world who just don't act professional.  From communicating, returning messages, completing documents, to face-to-face meetings.  Being a professional means respecting buyers, sellers, and colleagues through the transaction and beyond.  Finally Compatible, this means an agent who meshes with you and understand your needs and priorities.  We work hard for you as we represent you, so please remember us when you are ready to sell.  Please click here to read about Agency Relationships in (South Carolina) Real Estate.  This Agency Disclosure Brochure explains buyer relationships with their agents.  Check it out, the information is invaluable. 

CMA is a fancy way of saying we will help you compare the characteristics of your Charleston home to others active on the market or those that have sold.  Determining your properties market value is very serious and real, but it doesn’t have to be complicated.  If is fair to ask a REALTOR what your property is worth and they should be able to give you a confident answer, if not run.  However, before you ever list your home for sale with a Charleston real estate agent you should be provided a CMA, if not run faster.  Every home is different and valuing a home will never be an exact science, but a CMA will take into consideration; Location, Size, Beds & Baths, Features, Condition, Curb Appeal and Market Conditions to provide an educated estimate of current property value.  To get started and find out “What is My Home Worth?” by receiving a free Comparative Market Analysis - CMA Click Here.  There is No Obligation and No Risk!

Most all Real Estate Agents and Offices fall into one of two categories; Do Nothing (but list), or Over Promise / Over Hype.

The Do Nothing Agent: These agents take your basic information and “list it” in the computer with minimal detail and wait.  Sadly most home sellers don’t know there are “agent notes” that buyers never see.  These can and should be used to promote your home, give direction to your property, and explain special details about your home.  Most sellers also don’t know that the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors - CTAR system allows over 20 pictures, but the majority of agents only include a few!  These Do Nothing Agents don’t provide a CMA, nor do they get and give you feedback after another agent shows your home.  The Do Nothing Agent often promotes “years of experience” or a “wealth of knowledge” as a crutch to doing hard work and using new technology and resources.

The other type is the Over Promise / Over Hype Agent:  If you have been on any other web site you have probably seen it already.  The Over Promise / Over Hype Agent will list 10-20 “things” they must do, to convince you it’s the only way to get your home sold, or scare you into believing that one Social Media slip and you might not sell your home without their “skills”.  But here is the secret, did you know that even in the craze of social media that 87% of all homes are still sold through the Multiple Listing Service - MLS!  So why list 10 or more campaign ideas, when one of them has an 80+% success rate.  It’s simple; these agents don’t know how to differentiate themselves so they “say more, to sound better”. 

So how are we different?  We identify what works and expand on it! More efficient, better results.  We too use listing syndication to promote your home or property on websites all across the internet.  We will also focus on content; details, descriptions, key words & phrases and images, to best position your home with 87% of buyers.  But that is passive marketing.  We will also actively promote your home.  We directly prospect potential buyers who have shown interest in a home like yours with personal targeted campaigns.  Technology alone can’t and won't sell your home, person-to-person contact provides the advantage every seller needs.  When marketing your home we will do what matters, not wait and not pretend to do so many things.

• #5  Skimping on Listing Photos.
• #4  Not Preparing Your Home for Sale.
• #3  Inflexible or Being Home During Showings.
• #2  Making Small Price Reductions Again and Again.
• #1  Pricing Out of Your Homes Range.

This is a general overview of buying a home.   We would be glad to sit down with you go through each step in detail.  What Kind of Seller are You?  See our Infographic and find out if your Real Estate Age Profile matches you? 

2  Selecting A Real Estate Agent

First, you should choose a REALTOR that understands and agrees with your decision to sell.  This sounds obvious, but if your agent doesn’t understand your motivation, it is sure to lead to frustration as you get deeper into the selling process.  Second choose a person that displays integrity and professionalism.  Third, choose an Agent that has experience and determination and availability.  All three are a must, having two of three is not good enough  Finally, choose a REALTOR and Agency that have the resources and connections to support you and your sale. 

4  Preparation

Other than price and location {and picking us as your agent ;o) }, the next a single most important key to the successful sale of your property is preparation.  Seriously though, preparation is the difference between selling and having buyers not even get past the front door.  Keys to make your home ready for sale; Information: having the best information about your home from pictures and pre-inspections to flood / insurance estimates and taxes or HOA fees.  Repairs & Improvements: make repairs and changes to update your home.  Condition & Clean: remove, de-clutter, clean, and stage.  Availably: Be flexible and be ready.  Homes that are easy to show, get more visits and sells faster.

6  Managing Listing

This involves successfully communicating with you, the seller, and potential buyers during the time between Marketing and Negotiating.  This might seem like a quiet and slow period and at times it is, but a good agent will always be looking for opportunities and gather and share information to encourage and improve the selling process.  Simply sitting and waiting when meaningful action can be taken is lazy!  During this phase issues might rise that are purely administrative. 

8  Managing Offer

You have a contract, but you have not yet sold your home!  As with Offers & Negotiations, a good REALTOR will earn their money during this phase.  It is very easy for communications to break down, follow-up fail and dates to slip if your agent doesn’t continue to be active in the sale of your home even after the contract is signed.  A myriad of people, dates, and documents must be managed to ensure your home continues to sell and closes on time.  As your agent we will actively engage in and coordinate with Buyers Agent in; Requesting Loan Application, Scheduling Appraisal, Home Inspections, Disclosure Delivery, Repair Requests, Releasing Contingencies, Scheduling Closing, and more.