Step 5: Making the Deal

Well we've gone through the preliminaries now it's time to make the deal.

A buyer has made an offer - now it is time to negotiate. Rely on me, your real estate professional to guide you through this process. I will help you arrive at an acceptable price, terms and conditions. Once you have accepted an offer, help keep the deal together by meeting deadlines and criteria, including home inspections, appropriate buyer visits, scheduled deposits and other steps.

In fact, during this period there may be a renegotiation of the accepted offer price depending on the outcomes of these visits. As the closing nears, you may also need to perform repairs or do additional work to the house as agreed upon in your contract. In addition, you will need to have the house "broom clean" prior to the closing so that the buyer can complete a final walk through.

When you finally arrive at the closing table, come prepared with the appropriate certificates and approvals as required by your town, county and state. Ask the appropriate agency or get a list of what you need from me, your REALTOR®. Once the money has exchanged hands and all the papers signed it's time to hand over the keys and concentrate on your next big project - getting YOUR new home in order.

Step 4: Protecting Yourself

Ok, so we've talked about getting your home ready to show with tips, and protecting you from costly repairs. We've also talked about setting the price correctly for a quick sale.

Let's take a minute to speak about safety:

In some cases, a home sale can also be an invitation for danger.

Here are some things as your Century 21 Professional, I will do to make the process safer:

• I will always qualify the potential >buyer before showing your home
• I will always get pre-approval letters
• I will always verify potential buyers identification
• I will always give you as much lead time as possible before showing your home


Here are some things you can do to make the process safer:

• Lock up and hide collectibles and valuables
• Remember "For Sale" signs bring in buyers. Do not allow your children to open doors to strangers.
• If you have pets, make sure they are controlled
• Remove any dangerous items such as lawn tools in the yard, bikes and skates etc.
• Talk to me, your CENTURY 21 Sales Professional about additional safety tips to help protect you and your family.

Remember, we are selling your house together. Your committment to the sale is very important to allow me to do the best I can for you my customer.

Step 3: Showtime

Now it's time to get your home ready for the spotlight. Start with a good cleaning, then eliminate any clutter, add a fresh coat of paint and tidy up the yard. Talk to me, your real estate professional about other tips that can help boost a home's curb appeal and impress potential buyers once they're in the door. One way to make a home more attractive is to purchase a Home Protection Plan. This insurance protects you, the seller, from paying repair or replacement costs of major items during the listing period. It also protects the buyer during their first year of homeownership.

In addition, make sure you are aware of all the federal, state, and local disclosure laws. This information can be obtained by the specific local and federal government agencies or directly from me.