SMARTER SELLING SERVICES FOR SAN FRANCISCO FROM:

KEVIN+JONATHAN

S E L L E R S

Sellers, How Do You Get the Right Offer In Your Hands? Kevin+Jonathan is the start of that Answer 

 

While real estate may technically only be about transferring title over one property from one person to the next it involves much more than that. It can be emotional, intense, frustrating but also rewarding, empowering and enriching — to us, more people win in real estate than do in law and that’s why we love what we do.

What We Do & How We Do It

It would be our privilege and honor to listing your property for sale and in the process of getting it ready for sale. Our approach is to give you the most context, consideration and counsel that will empower you to make the best and most informed decisions possible.

We engage with you in your busy, everyday life.

Recognizing that most people’s schedule isn’t simply 9-5 (does anyone have a 9-5 any more?) affects the service and solutions we provide to our clients. We don’t want anything to fall through the cracks, so if it’s late-night text, faxing to a local store, FaceTime conversations or courier pigeon (we have yet to try that one), we’ll be here to support and respond to you. You will be heard and recognized.

We Will Relate With You

As our client you’ll become familiar with us as we become with you and your needs and goals, whatever they may be. From our first meeting to many ones after, we’re here for you! As we become more familiar with each other we will tailor our services to meet your needs and search criteria as it too evolves. We are most proficient when we collaborate with our clients and with our trusted vendor network.

Among more, here is just some of what we do:

  • Assess how your property should be prepared for sale
  • Value your property in its proper context
  • Create a preliminary marketing plan considering available time and budget
  • Provide you with more context — guidance through the escrow process while also giving you generlized information about tax implications (capital gains or 1031 exchanges) and referrals to CPAs, attorneys or other qualified professionals to answer those questions further
  • Assist you in preparing required disclosures by helping you understand what’s required and why it matters
  • Clarify title and conveyance issues so that all owners of record are accounted for and to avoid any nasty surprises along the way (e.g., liens, title errors, estate issues)
  • Establish our joint preparation and marketing plan where we define roles and responsibilities as well as communication protocols to plan for the best!
  • Consider how offers will be processed and presented — we’ll also outline the merits of selling “as-is,” renovating for sale, when to come on the market, what an “off-market” sale is, how offer dates work (or don’t) and much more.

S E T T I N G  T H E  S T A G E 

CONSIDER SOME OF THE FOLLOWING:

The Selling Process Laid Out

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WHAT PRICE WOULD GOLDILOCKS WANT?

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Is Our Price On Target?

It is imperative to price a home right from the beginning. Interest in a particular home peaks when it is first listed (or before it’s listed). This is when the greatest number of real estate agents and prospective buyers typically come to see a newly listed home.

Therefore, the highest chance to sell a home at a fair market value is when it first goes on the market during most times in most markets. But remember, San Francisco is a very special place with its own variations. It takes a professional who’s handled a variety of scenarios to recognize this nuance.

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Underpriced: Draws a lot of attention. Lots of offers to wade through and agent skepticism. May dissuade bids because buyers feel played.

Overpriced: May price folks out because of internet search parameters. May alienate. In slow market cycle may cost more to recapture attention.

The Right Price: The right price will change and can change with improvements, available inventory. But remember, in the end, the right price (and value) is what someone pays.

The Emotional Price: Getting a buyer to connect because of an appeal to their emotional side is what we want. Defy logic. Steering buyers to push their budgets by connecting with them.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Question: How Can I Sell And Buy A New Home?

Here’s a chicken and egg question: How can you sell your home without having bought another one? How can you buy another home in today’s competitive market without selling your current one to finance the purchase of the new one?

First things first: As a seller you’re ultimately in charge because you’re the one who actually possesses the property someone else wants to buy. That being said, a lot of buyers who are willing to throw down large amounts of cash are ones who will be hard to refuse. You need someone on your side. And with me, you have a firm and professional advocate who is looking out for your needs, someone who is polite but will go to bat for you when it’s needed. I’m also someone who will prepare your property (and you) to get top dollar on your terms. Some of those terms could include a rent back after close of escrow that would all you to be a stronger bidder (maybe even all cash anyone?) for that next home of yours. The options are wide.

Remember, I’m here to help you, your family and friends succeed.

Question: What is “escrow” and how does it work? Is there a scarecrow involved?!

Question: What is “escrow” and how does it work? Is there a scarecrow involved?!

Escrow refers to a neutral third party whose job it is to hold funds, prepare documents and disburse funds for a given amount of time until certain events and conditions occur. Typically, escrow is a title company whose job is to provide title transfer, insurance and recording services to the buyer, seller, brokers, lenders and municipal government. Usually, one person and and assistant are the main points of contact. The escrow officer takes their instructions based on the terms of your Purchase Agreement, party instruction and lending requirements. The escrow officer can hold inspections reports and bills for work performed as required by the purchase agreement. Other elements of the escrow include hazard and title insurance, and the grant deed from the seller to you. Escrow cannot be completed until these items have been satisfied and all parties have signed escrow documents

Question: What regulates the deadlines during Escrow?

The Purchase Contract will contain all of the deadlines and relevant dates for the various conditions and contingencies the parties need to remove before escrow can close. Most commonly referred to as “contingency removals” usually take place according to the escrow timeline and schedule below which is the default used in the SFAR form. This is when and where deals will either fall apart or succeed. Adjusting these dates — the terms— in the Offer Contract may make our offer stronger or comparatively weaker than others. Adjusting timelines during escrow is also possible, but beware if there is a ‘better’ backup offer ready, willing and able to go. Last, according to the Statute of Frauds, matters affecting real property like amendments or removals, must be reduced to writing  to be valid.

Question: Why a Pocket Listing is a Bad Idea

A pocket listing — also known as an off-market or private listing — is a method of listing a property where it is never publicly distributed. Or it is otherwise embargoed for a period of time. Either way, I don’t see it as a good way of selling a home because of:

  • Less Exposure, Fewer Buyers vs. Exclusive Buyers looking for an elite class of properties.
  • Preparation costs may be lower, but the ultimate sale price lower.

Unlike an ordinary listing that is advertised on the MLS, pocket listing are only advertised to select networks. Sometimes no one but an agent’s own client base even. On the one hand, the listing would be advertised agents with active and serious clients. But on the other hand, not every agent would be get an opportunity to consider the property. A seller may miss out on a higher dollar buyer because the MLS listing data is syndicated to a variety of outlets that reach far more people including those who haven’t hired an agent. On the other hand, not having to do open houses, dictating showing terms or maintaining discretion may counsel toward a private listing.

O N  C O M M I S S I O N S

How Agents Are Paid

Most people fail to realize that real estate agents never receive a regular salary. That’s right, no benefits, no 401(k)s, no pension, no health insurance, no withholding. Nothing. If a property fails to sell the agent gets nothing and is often out a good chunk of costs.

Rather, agent compensation comes from commissions sellers pay at the time escrow actually closes. Not before. Also,  a any amount set aside for commission is actually split between the two sets of agents for the buyer and the seller. For each agent, whatever amount they receive is in turn pared down again between agent and his or her brokerage.

Pre-2008 real estate commissions averaged  7% or 8% split between the agents; current commissions tend to be less at 5% or 6%. Meanwhile, discount brokerages offer exactly that – discount service that could lead to future problems or sub-optimal purchases due to poor service. This isn’t something you should skimp on as we full-service agents offer the best experience and individually-tailored service. But with all that, it is still an agent’s job to work tirelessly for his or her client — even if escrow never closes.