Michael Reese

About Us:

The Michael Reese Home Selling Team

We're not just claiming to be the best,

We have the numbers to back it up!

Number of listings we've sold in the past 12 months (as of October 1, 2006) - 129

Average number of days they spent on the market - 60

Average percent of asking price we received for our clients - 98.54%

Sell your home FAST, for the MOST MONEY with the LEAST HASSLE

If that's your goal, read on! But I must warn you that this information is rather lengthy. The reason? Because I want to arm you with every piece of information you need to learn how to be a successful seller in the DFW market.

You'll learn...

• About me and my team - what makes us different and more successful at selling homes than other agents
• About my Guaranteed Sale Program where I'll buy your home if I can't sell it in 120 days
• About my Smart Seller Program with flexible commission rates - you can even sell it yourself while you're listed with me and owe no commission
• How to choose the right agent and what questions you should ask when you're interviewing agents
• How to price your home to make the most money and sell it in your desired time frame
• How to stage your home so that potential buyers will fall in love with it

Let me tell you a little about myself before we begin.

When I first became a Realtor, I worked the way most "successful" agents work. I put in 70 hour work weeks to sell a handful of homes each month. Don't get me wrong, selling a handful of homes is GREAT considering that the average DFW area Realtor sells less than one home a month, but the workaholic lifestyle I was living to service my handful of clients was taking a toll on me.

Like most agents, I was running a one man show trying to be all things to all people and living in fear of the day that I started to drop balls and lost my good reputation. I knew that day was inevitable unless I changed how I ran my business, and so I did.

I started researching the top Realtors in the world to see if I could uncover the secrets about how they run their businesses. After all, they had reached a whole different level of success, and the simple fact that they were still alive was proof that they weren't killing themselves to get there!

Almost immediately I stumbled onto the name Craig Proctor. He's a real estate agent in a small town in Canada, and he has somehow become one of the top real estate agents in the world. In fact, he's been among the top ten Re/max agents in the world every year for the past decade. That's impressive no matter what, but it's especially impressive when you consider that there are only 50,000 people in the community in which Craig serves. That's only a fourth of the population that Plano has! In a community that small, this guy was beating out agents the most densely populated areas like Denver, Dallas and New York City.

I was so impressed with him that I immediately registered for a conference he was speaking at the following week. The conference was such an eye-opener for me. I'll spare you all the details, but the thing that intrigued me the most was that Craig was selling hundreds of homes each year, but only working a 40 hour week.

So needless to say, I knew this guy was who I wanted to learn from, so I ended up hiring him and his team to personally coach me and turn me into an elite agent and businessman. I went from a one-man operation to a 20-person company staffed with highly specialized employees who are all experts in the area of business they focus on. I'm now a partner with Craig, coaching other agents on new and better ways to practice real estate.

I'm now fortunate to be a part of the most successful and influential inner circle in all of real estate. Why does that matter to you? Because through this masterminding group, I've learned how to be successful at selling homes (like yours!) from the best of the best professionals out there like Jay Kinder, and Dave Jenks.

THE GUARANTEED SALE REVOLOUTION

Back in the old days, when people wanted to buy a new car they had to first sell their old car on their own. Somewhere along the way, a car selling genius figured out that he could sell dramatically more new cars if he would just buy the old cars from the sellers. So he tried it, it worked, and the modern day method of selling cars was born.

It's a gamble every time a dealership buys a used car because they don't know for sure how much they'll be able to resell it for, but it's a gamble they're willing to take to move one of their shiny new cars off the lot.

I'm telling you about car lots because they are a great analogy for the Guaranteed Sale Revolution taking place in real estate. It's a strategy that I, along with my inner circle of real estate gurus, have put into action with great success.

A Word of Caution! Other agents claim to have "guarantee" programs that aren't really a guarantee at all. They are intentionally complicated and are designed with so many loopholes that the agent will never have to worry about purchasing a home from a client.

On the contrary, my program is simple and straight-forward. If I can't sell your home in 120 days at a price acceptable to you, I'll buy it from you for a price that you and I have previously agreed on. Simple as that.

The Smart Seller PROGRAM

Another cutting-edge way that I do business is through my unique Smart Seller Program. Here's how it works...

Sell your property yourself, while it is listed, and pay no commission.

How you benefit: Having the ability to contribute and get compensated for your efforts. You can run ads and hold open houses if you wish. This, of course, does not apply to a buyer exposed to the property by my office or another agent

Cancel the listing if I'm unsuccessful at selling your home.

When we meet with you to list your home, we will bring along a report that shows how much similar homes in your neighborhood are selling for and how many days they are sitting on the market before selling. If we fail to sell your home for at least as much as the other homes are selling for, or as quickly, you can cancel the listing with us without any penalty.

No advanced fees of any kind.

You only pay a commission if I procure an offer that is acceptable to you.

"No Pressure" presentation.

I will never allow you to be "pressured" by the buyer's agent. All offers will be faxed or delivered to my office and will be presented to you by phone and fax with our recommendations, so you can make your decisions privately.

Flexible Commission Schedule

Many realtors have a very rigid commission schedule that is not in touch with today's fast-paced market. The Smart Seller Program offers flexibility for you to receive up to 3% of the commission back. The commission varies depending on when the house is sold, who sells the house and whether or not we are selling your next home.

How to choose the right real estate agent

7 questions you should ask when interviewing agents (and our answers!)

•1. How many homes have you sold in the past year?

•· As of 9/21/06, our team has sold 129 homes in the past year. That comes out to an average of one home sold every 2 . 8 days! When you ask other agents this question, make sure they don't pad the number by including all of the homes they sold TO a buyer instead of just what they sold FOR a seller.

•2. What's the average amount of time one of your listings is on the market before it sells?

•· For the past year, our average number of "Days On Market" is 60. That's dramatically lower than the average for the DFW metroplex.

•3. How does your average sale price compare to the list price?

•· For the past year, our team has averaged selling homes for 98.54% of the seller's asking price. We've achieved this level of success because the agents on our team who work with sellers are experienced and talented. They're expert negotiators who will work tirelessly to get you every penny possible for your home.

•4. How will you market my property?

•· According to the National Association of Realtors, the top way buyers find out about a home they want to see is on the Internet. Since 77% of the surveyed buyers said they began their home search this way, our team has chosen to sink a lot of our marketing budget into the online arena. We hire a professional photographer to take still photos of your home, we have a professional virtual tour done on all of our listings, and we pay for premier placement on ALL of the top real estate sites including Realtor.com and DallasNews.com. In addition to online marketing, we also market your home the old fashioned way - in print - and our marketing director will make custom brochures for the display box that you will have in your yard.

•5. Do you have a Team or do you work alone?

•· By now you know the answer to this for us! We are very proud to have a team of the most elite real estate professionals in all of Dallas/Ft. Worth. It's simply the best and most effective way to do business. Imagine going into a restaurant where the hostess also takes your order, cooks the food, serves you, and cleans everything up. One person doing everything doesn't make sense in the restaurant business, and it doesn't make sense in real estate either.

•6. How many buyers are you (or your team) currently working with?

•· Hundreds. We have an entire division of our team that does nothing but assist buyers in their home searches. Also, if a buyer calls in about one of our listings, we have a hotline that is answered by a staff member 7 days a week. All of our buyer's agents will be informed when we put your home on the market so that they can show it to any of their clients who are looking for a home like yours.

•7. How will you make sure my needs are attended to?

•· In addition to top-notch agents, we also have incredible staff members who will make sure that all of your needs are met. From our listing managers to our closing coordinator, we have people in place to walk you through the home selling process one step at a time. You'll be communicated with on a regular basis and balls won't get dropped. That's a promise!

PRICING YOUR HOME

the first step in determining the asking price for your home is looking at a Comparative Market Analysis. The CMA is a report that we create that shows all of the real estate activity in your neighborhood for the past six months.

The first thing it shows is all the homes that are currently on the market (known as ‘actives'), what their asking prices are, and how many days they have been on the market so far. We look at actives because they are your current competition.

The report also shows the homes that have gone on the market in the past six months that ended up expiring (known as ‘expireds'). We look at these because it shows us what prices per square foot didn't end up procuring a sale.

Finally and most importantly, the CMA shows all of the homes that have sold in your neighborhood in the past six months (known as ‘solds'). We look at how much per square foot similar sized homes with similar features have sold for, then we multiply the average dollar per square foot by the number of square feet your home has. That gives us your current market value which is incredibly important in determining how to price your home. If you have certain upgrades that need to be taken into account, the value of them will be added in and the current market value will be adjusted.

Once the current market value of your home is established, together we will come up with a pricing strategy based on your needs. If you need to sell very quickly, we can price it at or slightly below market value for a fast sale. If you don't need to sell quickly, we can start with a higher asking price and adjust it later if necessary. Whether we price your home above, below, or right at market value is your call - I'll simply give you all of the data you need about your neighborhood to make an informed decision.

STAGING YOUR HOME

How to make buyers fall in love with what they see

What more could you want than to get your home sold for top dollar in short order without any hassles? If you take a moment and read through the following suggestions before you put the property on the market, you'll be on your way to a successful sale.

Our goal is to simplify, depersonalize, and de-clutter the home in order for it to show larger and brighter, giving a more spacious feeling to potential buyers. These steps will provide you with an advantage over the competition. Many items will need to be removed to storage and packed for moving. This is important and should be considered as merely giving you a head start on the move to your new home. It is important to attract as many qualified buyers as possible. In preparing your home for sale, it is eminent to envision your home through a "buyer's eye". Fact is, people purchase what they see, not "how it's going to be". Now is the time to make your home as buyer-friendly as possible. It needs to be cleared from top to bottom in order to help it sell for the most amount of money.

The list of things below will help your home show larger and brighter and give a more spacious feeling to potential buyers, giving you an advantage over the competition.

General

•· Start by airing out the home. Most people are turned off by even the smallest odor. Odors must be eliminated, especially if you have dogs, cats, or young children in diapers, or if you are a smoker.

•· If it has been over a year since the carpets have been cleaned--or if they really need it-now is the time to do it. Bare floors should be waxed or polished, as well. Replace when necessary.

•· Clean and wipe down all stained woodwork including doors and cabinets with a wood maintenance product such as "Old English" or "Liquid Gold."

•· Replace or clean A/C filters. Clean all A/C vents and intake grids.

•· Keep A/C set no warmer that 75 degrees and heat no cooler than 70 degrees.

•· Use an air freshener in each room (Glade Oil "Plug-ins" work well, but try to avoid floral scents as they can be too strong, vanilla is pleasing to most) or fill the house with the pleasant aroma of cinnamon or other fresh scents. This can be done by simply simmering a pan of water and cinnamon on the stove.

•· Repaint walls, if necessary, in a neutral color such as antique white. Paint is your best improvement investment for getting a greater return on your money. Remember, presentation is key.

•· Clear window ledges of all objects to give a nice glimpse inside and out.

•· Ask yourself. Is there anything inside or out that "will not make the move"? If so, throw it out now. Don't wait until you sell.

•· Think positive. You are going to sell the house and move. Start packing small things up now. When the house sells, you will be glad you prematurely packed and it will make the house look great. The best things to pack are little knick-knacks, miscellaneous things that are not used in the practical sense.

•· Keep it simple. Nothing should touch the floor unless it's a piece of furniture. Remove all baskets, luggage, etc. The more floor space a buyer can see, the bigger the room will appear.

Lighting

•· Upgrade the wattage in all light fixtures to the highest level safety will allow.

•· Dust/Wash all light fixtures and fans.

•· Turn on all the lights in the evening to welcome potential buyers.

Windows

•· Dust blinds, windowsills, and plant ledges.

•· Remove any cobwebs inside and outside.

•· Clean interior and exterior of all windows and glass doors.

•· Take screens off before washing and leave off front of house.

•· Keep all blinds/shades pulled up/open and draperies removed to allow maximum light.

Carpet

•· Steam clean if not replacing. If replacing, we can help you make choices that will be most appealing to buyers, preferably not loud colors.

Bathrooms

•· Clean all tubs, toilets, sinks; shower curtains should be immaculate. No soap film or hair. Then polish the sinks with lemon or vegetable oil. Polish all hardware to a shine.

•· Stow unused shampoos, soaps, scrubbing implements, razors, etc. under sink.

•· Stow laundry hamper in closet.

•· Stow wastebasket under sink.

•· Rugs/commode lid covers should be removed.

•· Store cleansers under sink.

•· Streamline counter-1 or 2 decorative items only.

•· Linen cabinets should be organized and items reduced.

•· Use baskets to hold make-up and toiletries so that after use they can be stored under the counter.

•· Bathtubs, showers, and sinks should be freshly caulked. The grout and tile should be clean and in good condition. There should be no leaks in the faucets or traps. Bleach discolored grout.

•· Remove any wallpaper that is not "conservative". No need to re-paper, just paint wall antique white.

•· Decorate with towels (one or two colors).

Kitchen

•· Keep all flat surfaces (countertops, appliance tops, and furniture) cleared off as much as possible. Kitchen counters should have very little on them to show that there is plenty of available workspace. Keep appliances stored when not in use.

•· Go over the kitchen as if you were a health inspector. Clean the oven, range (new drip pans) and the seal of the dishwasher door.

•· Remove all magnets, notes, pictures, etc. from front and sides of refrigerator.

•· Stow trashcan in pantry.

•· Replace broken appliances and repair squeaks, drips or binds in cabinet drawers.

•· Discard old food and leftovers from refrigerator.

•· If it hasn't been used in months, put it away!

Utility Room

•· Organize shelves and put away non-cleanser items.

•· Keep area clear of clothes.

Panty/Closet

•· Thin all closets dramatically and organize remaining items neatly on shelves and be sure to allow space between hanging items. At one very visible spot, leave space, so the rear wall of the closet/pantry will show when the door is opened. Leave a small empty space on each shelf to show potential storage space.

Living Areas

•· Make sure that there is not too much furniture in a room. Select pieces that look best and put others in the garage or storage.

•· Depersonalize your home by storing personal photos so that potential buyers may visualize their personal items in the home. Also, patch nail holes and paint. This is probably one of the most important things to a potential buyer!

•· Clear away all magazines, books and unnecessary objects from furniture throughout the house.

•· Add lamps and lighting in dark areas.

•· Open the curtains

•· Set out some fresh flowers.

•· Clean fireplace (where applicable) and remove any items that are in front of it.

•· Create an easygoing, relaxed atmosphere in your family room. This is where most families spend their time so make it look GREAT!

Bedrooms

•· The master bedroom is the second most important-to-be appealing room in the house (after the kitchen and before the family room and garage).

•· Define areas (sleeping, dressing, etc.) by furniture arrangement. Keep simply furnished.

•· Be sure clothes are hanging up, not laying out in the room.

•· Make the closets more appealing by storing off-season clothing elsewhere. Go ahead and pack them since you are moving!

•· Here's a challenge - ask children and teenagers to clean up their rooms, take down posters and open curtains.

Exterior

•· Thoroughly sweep down all exterior sides of house and eaves to clean cobwebs and wasp nests.

•· Remove window screens while selling your home and keep the windows clean. This will allow plenty of light to come in.

•· Check for broken roof shingles.

•· Put away tools, garbage cans, hoses, toys, grills and building materials neatly in the garage (where applicable). Also empty flower pots.

Yard

•· Keep lawn mowed, weed-eated, and well-edged.

•· Trim trees and shrubs.

•· Clean out flowerbeds and invest in a few flats of colorful flowers & mulch beds.

Front Porch

•· Be sure front door area is clean and free of dirt, dust, cobwebs.

•· Repaint door and trim if not pristine.

•· Add new thick "Welcome" mat and keep it clean.

•· Make sure doorbell is working properly.

Garage

•· Clean and re-organize

•· Sweep and clean-remove all cobwebs and any oil or grease from floor. Possible paint floor.

Remember...You never get a second chance to make a good first impression. Buyers are looking for well cared-for homes that they can move into immediately. A buyer without an imagination will walk out without considering making an offer. Presentation is key. Make sure your home is fresh for showings at all times. Turn on all lights and leave soft music playing.

WHAT OUR PAST CLIENTS HAVE TO SAY

Areas of Expertise

Use this section to write about your specific area's of expertise. Do you specialize in first time buyers - listing high end homes - etc. Are there specific market area's that you specialize in? The more you write about your area's of expertise the more knowledgeable you'll sound to a potential buyer or seller.

.

Testimonials