Selling your Austin home involves a lot of steps. To help sellers understand what all we do behind the scenes to sell a home, we’ve put together the 218 home selling tasks to sell your Austin home.
218 Tasks to Sell Your Austin Home
Download 218 Home Selling Tasks in an easy to read, printable PDF
There’s a lot to do to get your Austin home SOLD!
Eleven Oaks Realty Performs 218 Selling Tasks
to Get Your Home SOLD for ALL It’s Worth
We know the general public thinks that the average REALTOR® takes a listing, sits back and waits for something to happen. Well, we’re not your average REALTOR®. We do lots of things, we employ many tactics and tools to get your home SOLD and we do it well.
Consultation – It’s About You.
- Assess your needs.
- Assess your timing.
- Assess your expectations.
- Assess your motivation.
- Discuss your purchase plans to determine how best to get you there.
- Explain what you can expect to happen and when.
- Create a timeline of actions and events so you can prepare.
- Review and explain all clauses in Listing Agreement.
- Review and explain the Purchase Contract and selling process.
- Address all of your concerns so you can sleep well.
Research Ownership & Property History
- Research property’s recorded ownership, vesting and deed type
- Research property’s public record information for lot size & dimensions
- Research and verify legal description
- Research property’s land use coding and deed restrictions
- Research property’s current use and zoning.
- Research tax records to verify full and complete legal information is available to prospective buyers and buyer’s agents for MLS printout. Confirm lot size your copy of certified survey, if available.
Market Study
- Research Market Activity and Trends for County, Municipality and Area
- Research “Average Days on Market” (DOM) for property of this type, price range, and location
- Research Absorption Rate by area, size and school district
- Research sales activity of competitive homes for past 6 months from MLS and public records
- Research competitive properties that are currently on the market.
- Research competitive properties that have been withdrawn or listing cancelled.
- Research competitive properties that are currently under contract.
- Research expired properties (properties that did not sell during their time on the market).
- Research previous sales activity on your home, if any.
- Call agents to ascertain the interest on the competitive properties they have listed in the area.
- Discuss current market condition, status and trends.
- Compile a list of features and amenities to ensure accuracy in the MLS and marketing material
- Measure interior room sizes.
- Obtain copy of floor and pool plans, if available
- Review current appraisal, if available.
- Identify Home Owner Association manager, if applicable
- Verify Home Owner Association fees, if applicable
- Verify security system, current term of service and whether owned or leased.
- Verify if you have a transferable Termite Bond.
- Ascertain need for lead-based paint disclosure
- Verify if property has rental units involved; if so, make copies of all leases, verify all rent and deposits, inform tenants of listing and discuss how showings will be handled.
- Compile a list of repairs, improvements and/or additions performed by you during your ownership
- Compile a list of repairs, improvements and/or additions performed by any previous owners
- Compile a list of insurance claims and resolutions, if any
- Discuss potential repairs and maintenance items to enhance the appearance of your home
- Compile list of repairs and maintenance items.
Price Counseling
- Prepare “Qualified Home Evaluation” (QHE) to help us arrive at what price it will take to get your home sold in this market at this time.
- Analyze how the current Austin real estate market trend affects your pricing decision.
- Recommend pricing strategy based on current Austin market conditions and trends.
- Assist you in strategically pricing home so it will appear on more MLS searches.
- Apprise you of market changes that affect your competitive price position.
- Explore the option of marketing your home with an incentive of buying down points on the buyers’ loan; potential results are: you retain a higher agreed upon price (which results in more proceeds to you) and the buyer saves on monthly payments and a tax credit.
- Prepare an equity analysis and net sheet to show you expenses, closing costs and net proceeds.
Arrange Pre-Sale Inspections
- Recommend appropriate inspections to ensure full disclosure including general home, pest control, roof, chimney, soils, drainage, and foundation inspections.
- Coordinate, schedule and attend all inspections
- Evaluate the need for further testing and/or inspections when recommended
- Coordinate and attend all further inspections
- Coordinate repair proposals and bid estimates
- Consolidate inspection reports, repair bids and completion notices
Prepare Disclosure Documentation
- Thoroughly explain each and every disclosure document and advisory.
- Help you complete the Seller’s Property Disclosure Statements to conform with current laws.
- Prepare copies of Seller’s Disclosures and Home Owner’s Disclosures to be placed in your home and distribute to prospective buyers and their agents.
- Gather home information including copies of your deed, current tax bill, survey, mortgage statement, deed of trust or mortgage document, insurance policy, and of your title policy available (this could potential save money if you purchased less than three years ago).
- Prepare detailed showing instructions for buyers’ agents.
- Make duplicate sets of keys for lockbox, office and listing agent’s file.
Staging Assessment
- Perform exterior “Curb Appeal Assessment” of subject property.
- Review results of Curb Appeal Assessment with seller and provide suggestions to improve salability.
- Perform Interior Décor Assessment
- Review results of Interior Décor Assessment and suggest changes to shorten time on market.
- Provide Home Audit to discuss constructive changes to your home to make it more appealing, to show exceptionally well and help it to yield the greatest possible price to an interested buyer.
- Provide you with home showing guidelines to help have the home prepared for appointments. (i.e. lighting, soft music, etc.)
- Discuss and present strategic master marketing plan.
- Explore method of pricing your property below competition to bring the most buyers to your property quickly.
- Discuss benefits and advantages of retaining a Staging Professional to enhance the eye appeal of your home to get more money in less time.
Professional Photography and Video
- Create a Vivid, Compelling Visual Presentation of the home.
- Hire and schedule Professional Photographer, when appropriate.
- Hire and schedule Professional Videographer, when appropriate.
- Plan, coordinate and post photos and videos in most effective marketing venues.
- Continually monitor and modified visual presentation to most effectively market your home.
Marketing
- Discuss goals and mutually agree to a coordinated “same team” marketing effort.
- We build a custom, single property website to focus attention on your home.
- We build a custom, interactive Google Map to better inform buyer about the benefits and amenities of your area.
- We design custom yard signs to make it easy for buyers to find your home.
- Create a marketing property brochure of features and lifestyle benefits of your home for use by buyer agents showing your home. This will be prominently displayed in your home.
- Create a custom “Home Marketing and Disclosure Book” to be placed in your home for buyers & buyer’s agents to reference home features, area map, plat/lot map, floor plan (if available), tax information, and other possible buyer benefits. This makes your home stand apart in the buyers’ minds long after they have left your property.
- Deliver “Home Marketing and Disclosure Book” to your property and display in prominent location for buyers’ easy access.
- Obtain full color digital professional photographs of the inside and outside of your home for marketing flyers, advertisements and the Internet.
- Retain Obeo to create floor plans and virtual tours.
- Set up Home Warranty Protection Plan to protect your home during listing period and for 12 months after the sale to reassure buyer of the quality of your home.
- Install hi-tech lockbox to allow buyers and their agents to view your home conveniently but does not compromise your family’s security.
- Compose remarks within the MLS system specifying how you want the property to be shown.
- Prepare showing instructions for buyers’ agents and agree on showing time window with you.
- Prepare detailed list of property amenities to have readily available at your home, to include in Marketing Booklet, Disclosure Package, and assess market impact.
- Prepare MLS property Profile Sheet
- Proofread MLS database listing for accuracy – including proper placement in mapping function. Data entry errors kill sales and are unacceptable.
- Enter property data from Profile Sheet into MLS Listing Database
- Electronically submit your home listing information to The Multiple Listing Service for exposure to all active real estate agents in the area.
- Post digital photos of the interior and exterior of your home to the MLS at the same time listing is input allowing buyers & agents to view pictures when narrowing down homes they will tour.
- Add property to Dream Home Realty Group’s featured Active Listings list.
- Provide you with signed copies of Listing Agreement and MLS Profile Data Sheet.
- Explain marketing benefits of Home Owner Warranty with you.
- Assist you with completion of Home Owner Warranty application.
- Submit Home Warranty Protection Plan application for conveyance at time of sale.
- Provide you with a Personal Customized Services sheet to explain specific marketing available for your property.
- Provide a personalized Advertising Questionnaire for your input in verbiage for advertisement.
- Advise Network Referral Program of listing
- Create consumer friendly response for Buyers coming from referral network.
- Post all price changes promptly to Internet real estate sites.
- Host a Broker’s Tour, if applicable, to promote your property to local Realtors® and their customers.
- Report agents’ feedback and additional ways to best promote your home.
- Create, print, assemble, and distribute compelling flyers to target customers and stimulate calls.
- Create, order, and distribute Just Listed Mini-Ad Cards to promote the value of your home over others on the market.
- Publish your listing on major search engines including Google.com, YouTube.com, Craigslist and Realtor.com.
- Market your home on other independent Internet search engines to maximize exposure to home buyers around the world.
- Respond within 60 minutes of contact over the internet through our exclusive Lead Generation Program – a highly effective way to communicate with buyers who are interested in your property.
- Search the MLS System for REALTORS® most likely working with interested and capable buyers, then fax or email copies of your home listing information for them to review immediately.
- Maximize showing potential utilizing Distinctive, Customized Signage with photographs. Distinctive, Customized Signage is a unique ValuePLUS Service offered by The Dream Home Realty Group.
- Install distinctive, customized for sale sign in front yard when allowed by Home Owners Association (HOA) and by local ordinance.
- Create sign riders to emphasize important features of your home.
- The Dream Home Realty Group is the exclusive REALTOR® for www.AustinRealEstateHomesBlog.com for all of the Austin metro area. This produces additional potential customers for you.
- Submit a crisp, clean digital montage of photos complete with personally written remarks detailing your home and upload on all websites.
- If an Open House is to be held, arrange for internet promotion beginning the Monday before Open House to maximize number of customers.
- Target market to determine who the most likely buyer willing to pay the highest price will be.
- Discuss marketing ideas with “Mastermind” group of top Realtors from across country.
- Make information box or tube available under “For Sale” sign making Fancy Feature sheets available to those passing by.
- Use other marketing techniques; such as offering free reports to multiply chances of buyers calling in, discussing, pre-qualifing for and touring your home.
Frequent Communication
- Schedule our exclusive “Monday Market Report” so you’ll know what’s going on.
- Capture feedback with our exclusive “AgentHomeFeedBack” from Realtors® after all showings.
- Provide real time summary of feedback comments from REALTORS®.
- Discuss feedback from showing agents with you to determine if changes are appropriate and will accelerate the sale.
- Research weekly current laws, interest rates, and insurance conditions as it relates to the housing industry, and specifically how it impacts your sale. Notify you of any conditions promptly.
- Provide weekly update on competitive homes just listed, pending, or expired/cancelled.
- Provide a “Qualified Home Evaluation” every 30 days to reassess your home’s competitive position.
- Assess marketing strategy and results Bi-Weekly.
- Notify you immediately of any offers, potential offers, or needs in a timely fashion.
Negotiation
- Assertively negotiate to promote your best interests throughout the transaction.
- Orchestrate a mutually acceptable negotiation strategy.
- Recommend negotiation tactics to put more money into your pocket.
- Negotiate from a Win/Win position of courtesy and respect.
The Details
- Help you to prepare the Homeowner’s Information Sheet which includes information on utilities and services the buyer will need to know when transferring after closing.
- Prepare a financing sheet with several financing options to educate buyers on methods to purchase your home.
- Email listing information to all qualified buyers in my database.
- Deliver copies of marketing material of your home to you for your review.
- Promote your home to top Realtors in other areas.
- Follow up with all the agents who have shown your home to answer questions.
- Contact residents in your immediate neighborhood promoting the features and lifestyle benefits of your home. Often neighbors know of friends or family members who are thinking of moving into the neighborhood.
- Prepare a weekly market analysis update of any activity in your neighborhood (i.e.: new homes on the market, homes that have sold etc) to keep you informed about key market conditions.
- Pre-qualify all buyers whom our agents will bring to your home before showings to avoid wasting your time with unqualified showings and buyers.
- Discuss qualifications of prospective buyers to help determine buyer motivation, ability to purchase and probability of closing on the sale.
- Hold Open Houses on 1st Sunday of listing when appropriate.
- Handle paperwork to reposition home in marketplace if price adjustment needed
- Take all calls to screen for qualified buyers and protect you from curiosity seekers.
- Receive and evaluate all Offers to Purchase contracts submitted by buyers or buyers’ agents to dete mine best negotiation position.
- Contact buyers’ agents to review buyer’s qualifications and discuss offer
- Evaluate offer(s) and prepare a “net sheet” on each for you for comparison purposes.
- Counsel you on offers. Explain merits and weakness of each component of each offer
- Email or deliver Seller’s Disclosure form to buyer’s agent or buyer (upon request and prior to offer being made if possible)
- Verify buyer is pre-approved by calling Loan Officer
- Obtain pre-approval letter from Loan Officer on behalf of the buyer
- Negotiate highest price and best terms.
- Prepare and convey any counteroffers, acceptance or amendments to buyer’s agent
- Email, Fax or hand deliver copies of contract and all addendums to closing title company
- When an Offer to Purchase Contract is accepted and signed by you, deliver signed offer.
- Record and promptly deposit buyer’s earnest money in escrow account.
- Deliver copies of fully signed Offer to Purchase contract to you
- Email, Fax/deliver copies of Offer to Purchase contract to Selling Agent
- Email or Fax copies of Offer to Purchase contract to lender
- Provide copies of signed Offer to Purchase contract for office file
- Provide copies of signed Offer to Purchase contract to Title Agency
- Advise you in handling any additional offers to purchase that may be submitted between contract and closing
- Change status in MLS to “Sale Pending”
- Review buyer’s credit report results—Advise seller of worst and best case scenarios
- Assist buyer with obtaining financing, if applicable and follow-up as necessary
- Coordinate with lender on Discount Points being locked in with dates
- Deliver unrecorded property information to buyer
- Order septic system inspection, if applicable
- Receive and review septic system report and assess any possible impact on sale
- Deliver copy of septic system inspection report lender & buyer
- Coordinate termite inspection ordered
- Coordinate mold inspection ordered, if required
- Coordinate home inspection ordered and handle contingencies, if any
- Confirm Verifications Of Deposit & Buyer’s Employment Have Been Returned
- Follow Loan Processing Through To The Underwriter
- Contact lender weekly to ensure processing is on track
- Relay final approval of buyer’s loan application to you
- Coordinate buyer’s professional home inspection with you
- Review home inspector’s report
- Assist seller with identifying and negotiating with contractors to perform any required repairs
- Schedule Appraisal
- Provide comparable sales used in market pricing to Appraiser
- Follow-Up On Appraisal
- Assist seller in questioning appraisal report if it seems too low
- Coordinate closing process with buyer’s agent and lender
- Update closing forms & files
- Ensure all parties have all forms and information needed to close the sale
- Confirm closing date and time and notify all parties
- Assist in solving any title problems (boundary disputes, easements, etc)
- Work with buyer’s agent in scheduling and conducting buyer’s Final Walk-Thru prior to closing
- Research all tax, HOA, utility and other applicable pro-rations
- Request final closing figures from closing agent
- Receive & carefully review closing figures on HUD statement to ensure accuracy of preparation
- Review final figures on HUD statement with you before closing
- Forward verified closing figures to buyer’s agent
- Request copy of closing documents from closing agent
- Confirm buyer and buyer’s agent have received title insurance commitment
- Provide “Home Owners Warranty” for availability at closing
- Review all closing documents carefully for errors
- Forward closing documents to absentee seller as requested
- Review documents with closing agent
- Provide earnest money deposit check from escrow account to closing agent
- Coordinate financing, final inspections, closing and possession activities on your behalf to help ensure a smooth closing.
- Assist in scheduling the closing date for you and all parties.
- Set up final walk- through of your home for buyers and their agent.
- Coordinate closing with your next purchase and resolve any timing problems
- Arrange possession and transfer of home (keys, warranties, garage door openers, community pool keys, mail box keys, educate new owners of garbage days/recycling, mail procedures etc.).
- Have a “no surprises” closing and present seller a net proceeds check at closing
- Change MLS listing status to Sold. Enter sale date and price, selling broker and ID numbers, etc.
- Answer questions about filing claims with Home Owner Warranty company if requested
- Attempt to clarify and resolve any conflicts about repairs if buyer is not satisfied
- Respond to any follow-up calls and provide any additional information required from office files.
- Help you relocate locally, or refer you to a highly experienced REALTOR® – you are sure to have the highest quality agent to help you on both sides of your move to make it worry and stress free.
- Send letter with picture of your new home on it – delivered to 20 friends and family, providing your change of address.
Is this the level of service and attention to detail you want from your REALTOR®?
When you are ready, give us a call at (512) 827-8323 or email us at info@11OaksRealty.com … and let us get to work for you.
Download 218 Home Selling Tasks in an easy to read, printable PDF