The steps below are meant to highlight the more important steps, but are by no means the only ones.  All facets of the selling process are important and should be given the care and attention that any of life's most important decisions receive.

Unfortunately, home selling has become a more complex business than it used to be. New seller disclosure statements, longer and more mysterious form agreements, and a range of environmental concerns have all emerged in the past decade. More importantly, the home-selling process has changed. 

Surviving in today's real estate world requires experience and training in such fields as real estate marketing, financing, negotiation and closing.

 In other words, home selling is part science, part marketing, part negotiation and part art. Unlike math where 2 + 2 always equals 4, in real estate there is no certain conclusion. Marc is experienced and active in the local marketplace and can provide assistance with pricing. Because Marc has handled many transactions, he is familiar with the terms and conditions that went into individual sales, not just published sale prices which may not reflect various premiums, discounts and adjustments.

Selling can entail a variety of marketing strategies. Much of a Marc’s work will be quiet and unseen -- yet important. The quiet telephone calls, the work with contacts, the follow-ups, conversations with ad respondents, the web postings and other outreach efforts are all part of the process required to sell homes. Marc bases his marketing efforts on previous transactions and ongoing research. 

More about Marc, and what to expect when working with him as your Seller's Agent by clicking here.

A sale agreement sets not only a purchase price for the home, but also a series of terms and conditions. With automation now available, closings can occur within a week in some areas -- at least in theory. In practice, it takes time to arrange financing, conduct inspections, obtain appraisals, locate replacement housing, contact movers, pack and actually move. 

Closing -- or "settlement" or "escrow" as it is also known -- is essentially a meeting where the escrow officer (the party who conducts settlement) takes in money from the buyers, pays out money to the owner and makes sure that the purchaser's title is properly recorded in local records along with any mortgage liens. The escrow officer reviews the sale agreement to determine what payments and credits the owner should receive and what amounts are due from the buyer. The escrow officer also assures that certain transaction costs are paid (taxes and title searches).