Are You a First Time Home Seller? “What To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent.” A Series - Part 2 The Initial Visit

If you missed Part 1 of this series, you may want to read it before reading part 2.

Note: This discussion assumes that your property is in Oklahoma. If you live in a different state, some of this may not be applicable to you (abstracts of title, Oklahoma Transaction Broker Law, to name a couple).

I am writing to “home selling newbies” but even if you’re not a newbie and you’ve sold a house before, hopefully you’ll find some helpful information in this series.

You’ve decided it’s time to sell, you’ve called me (or another real estate agent) and set up an appointment for them to come and view your property and visit with you about listing it.

That appointment time has come.

During this initial visit to your house (not thinking in terms of your “home” now because we are going to be objective and now you should be thinking “I have a house for sale” instead of “I own a home”):

Talk to me:

· Tell me what you are trying to accomplish with this sale.

· Tell me the time frame that you are operating in to get the property sold.

· Do you need me to help you find a new home in our area or help you find an agent in a different town that you are moving to?

· Do you have a mortgage(s) on the property? Who with and how much is owed? I will need the name of the lender(s) and the account number(s) when/if we list the property. Are you current on the mortgage(s)? If not, what is the situation with it? Are there any other encumbrances on the property?

· Is the property subject to probate proceedings, foreclosure, divorce proceedings or the jurisdiction of any court? If so, there are other people who have a say as to whether the property can be sold or not.

· Are you current on the property taxes?

· Do you have an abstract for the property? Is it a complete or supplemental? If there is one and you do not have it in your possession, where is it stored? Has it ever had an attorney’s opinion done on it?

· Has the property been surveyed? If so, do you have a copy of the survey? If not, who does? Having this may save you some money.

·What type of utilities services the property? If it is a well, where is it located, does it supply plenty of water, and has it been tested? If it is a septic system, what size of tank is it, how many feet of lateral line are in the system. If it is a different type of system, we will need the info on it.

I will provide to you information about how we take care of our clients and listings:

· Marketing strategies – internet, flyers, mail-outs, local newspapers, etc. When/if we list your property, we will go over a marketing plan specific for YOUR property.

· Staying in touch with our clients via phone, email, text, etc.

· How the current market is for your type of property and what that indicates in terms of time on the market etc.

During this visit, I WILL NOT:

· Provide a list price range. I will do a CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) after this visit and will get back with you on it, as to what the market indicates for pricing.

Other information that I will provide to you:

· I will bring a Transaction Broker Disclosure Form with me, go over it with you and ask you to sign it. It explains the Oklahoma Transaction Broker Law and what you can expect from a Transaction Broker. By signing it, you are indicating that we did go over it and that you have been provided a copy of the disclosure.

This does not obligate you to list your property with us. It is to make sure that you understand the way most Oklahoma real estate licensees operate. They can also operate as a Single Party Broker and I will explain the difference between the two. If you and I decide that we want the Single Party Broker Relationship, then we will deal with that when/if our office lists your property.

· I will bring with me the current information sheet from the county tax assessor to compare that with your information, such as legal description, size of property, size of house, date the house was built and any additions added on, names that are on the title, and amount of yearly taxes. I will leave a copy of this with you. Having correct information helps me be more accurate when I do a Comparative Market Analysis.

· I will go over a Property Condition Disclosure Form, explain it and leave it with you to be filled out. Whether you list with us or with someone else, you will need this form.

· If your house was built before 1978, I will ask you about lead based paint and will provide you with a Pamphlet about Lead Based Paint.

· I will provide to you a Pamphlet published by the State of Oklahoma covering various things involved in selling or buying property in Oklahoma. I will ask you to initial one copy of the pamphlet for my file so I know that I provided you with a copy.

· I will provide to you a Pamphlet about Equal Housing Laws.

· I will provide you a generic list of things to do to get your house ready to sell (de-clutter, clean, weed the flower beds, etc), but also as we walk through the property, I will be making a list of suggestions specific to your property about sale preparation and staging. I will leave you a copy of this list.

· I want to see the property, all of it, or as much as is reasonable. Sometimes on a very large acreage that is not possible but I would like to see as much as is possible. I will be making notes and making a list (see above). My husband and I work together. He will be taking photos, LOTS of photos..

· I want to know about it. I want to know what you believe are the best parts and points of the property.

· I want to know about the immediate area, why you’ve enjoyed living here and what you did not like about it, if anything.

· I want you to tell me anything that you think I need to know that I did not ask about.

I will then go away… and do my thing. I will be working on the CMA for you.. which is next in this series.

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Life in Southeast Oklahoma is GREAT! If you're looking for a home or land in my part of the country, give me a call: Judi Barrett, broker, Integrity Real Estate Services, 580-212-5946

Or visit one of our websites:

Integrity Realty

Integrity Real Estate

Lake Raymond Gary Homes

Fort Towson Homes

Valliant Homes

McCurtain County

Choctaw County

Broken Bow Lake

Lake Raymond Gary

Raymond Gary Lake

Commercial Property List

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Judi Barrett

Broker - Integrity Real Estate Services
Our Name Says It All.
Real Estate Services You Can Trust.
580-212-5946