	To get as many qualified buyers as possible into your home until it’s sold.
	To communicate the results of our activities to you weekly.
	To assist you in getting the highest possible dollar value for your property with the least number of problems.
	To constantly look for the best possible methods of exposing your property to potential buyers in the market.

The following is our company’s plan for marketing your home:

	Submit your home to the multiple Listing Service.
	Submit copies of your listing to our company’s sales staff for their waiting buyers.
	Tour your home with my office.
	Promote your home at real estate board meetings for maximum exposure to the other agents in the area.
	Develop a list of features and benefits of your home for the cooperating agents to use with potential buyers.
	Suggest and advise you as to any changes you might want to make in your property to make it even more marketable to buyers.
	Constantly update you as to any changes in the market.
	Knock on 50 doors in the surrounding area.
	Hold an open house when possible.
	Create additional exposure through a professional sign.
	Advertise when necessary.
	Pre-qualify, when possible, all prospective buyers.
	Make you completely aware of all the various methods of financing that your buyers may want to use.
	Have the cooperating brokers in the area tour your home.
	Provide for the cooperating brokers, on a monthly basis, a list of all the features and benefits of your home.
	Follow up with all of the salespeople who have shown your home for their response.
	Assist you in arranging interim financing, if necessary.
	Deliver a copy of your multiple listing and all published advertisements for your approval.
	Represent you upon the presentation of all contracts by cooperating brokers and help you negotiate the best possible price and terms.
	Handle follow-up and keep you informed, after the contract has been accepted, on All mortgage, title, and other closing procedures.
	Deliver your check at the closing.

How to prepare for the buyer’s inspection:

Having the following items in good repair will help you prepare for the buyer’s inspection. Eliminate any earth to wood contact around your home, deck posts, landscape timbers, exterior stairs, stucco, foam board siding, or wood siding.

	Replace any rottenwood. The soil around your home should slope away from the house at least three feet out.
	The deck should be fastened to the house with lag screws or bolts.
	Repair or replace all poorly secured or disconnected down spouts and gutters. Gutters should be clean.
	Repaint areas where the paint is peeling or worn (after removing peeled or worn paint). If areas around windows and doors need to be re-sealed, we recommend that you hire a professional who knows how to correctly apply the appropriate products.
	All areas of the home must be made accessible, especially utility room areas and access to basement crawl spaces and attic crawl spaces. If access to the attic is thru a closet, move or remove any items that inhibit entry to the attic access.
	Check the attic for intruding daylight and common leak areas.
	Check basement crawl spaces for dampness.
	Be sure to replace all defective light bulbs and electrical switches.
	Ensure that all windows open properly and latch securely.
	Repair defective bathroom tiling, remove all mildew and re-grout and re-chaulk tile where needed.
	Have your hearting and air conditioning systems serviced by a professional HVAC Contractor, cleaning the systems and replacing filters is recommended. Display the results of this check-up on or adjoining the furnace and / or air conditioner.
	All other work done by professional contractors should be documented by a written report that can be made available to any prospective buyer’s and their inspectors.
	Finally, I know this seems to be a lot to do to sell, but by doing these things upfront, it will help your property sell for more money and make the sales process a lot more simple.

When an offer to purchase is received:

When we receive an offer on your home, I will arrange for an appointment to discuss it. The focus areas are the price, down payment, mortgage amount, qualifications of the prospective buyer, closing date, move out date, items included and any other special terms or conditions. From this point, you can accept it exactly as it stands, reject it (seldom a useful response) or make a counter-offer to the buyers with the changes you want. In evaluating this offer, I will assist you in estimating seller expenses and the amount of cash you will walk away when the transaction is complete. For example, when you are presented with two offers at once, you may discover you are better off accepting the one with lower sales price, if the other offer asks you to help pay closing cost to the buyer’s lending institution.

The negotiating process can become stressful, and we may go back and forth several times before we reach a satisfactory point for everyone. Don’t be insulted by a low offer. It is just some people’s negotiating style. Many times low offers become an acceptable conclusion with a little work.

Where an offer begins it does not matter, it is where it finishes that count!

Preparation for the closing:

While your transaction is pending, we will take these steps:

	Deposit earnest money
	Provide the closing attorney with the necessary property documents
	Give the closing attorney all information (account #, address, telephone number) regarding your first mortgage/ home equity loans .
	Review inspection reports.
	Give weekly report of pending details.
	Follow-up with the borrower’s lender.
	Locate a new home, if desired.
	Cooperating agent with any problems relative to the transaction.
	Assist any lender or contract required repairs.
	Schedule the closing. Notify the closing attorney if you need to obtain a power of attorney for closing.

Below are a few reminders to make the closing go smoothly.

Remember to contact all utility services and have them transferred out of your name.

Don’t forget to bring to the closing:

Georgia wood infestation report dated 30 days before closing date
Driver’s license
Copies of all receipts for repairs
Sense of humor

I will ask the closing attorney for the HUD closing statement 24 hours before closing for your review. Seller’s costs generally included.

Pay-off any mortgage (s) and / or equity loan (s)

Reminder:

	Mortgage interest is paid in arrears.
	You will be charge a few extra days interest past the closing date because it takes a few days to overnight your pay-off from closing.
	Transfer tax - $1 per $1,000 of sale price.
	Commission expense.
	Termite clearance letter.
	Prorated homeowner association dues.
	Any additional fees you have agreed to pay, such as home warranty, survey, closing costs, repairs, etc.

The following should also be considered when figuring your share of the current year’s property taxes:

	If you have not paid this years bill, your prorated amount due will be deducted from the net proceeds.
	If this year’s bill has been paid, you will get a credit back from the buyer for the days you do not own the home.

Other Considerations:

Organize all your keys together and label them appropriately. You will need to bring keys to the closing along with any garage door openers you may have. Gather any instruction booklets, service records or warranties you may have. You can leave them on your kitchen counter for the new owners.

You must remove all your belongings from the house and property. This includes the lawn mower behind the shed and the rusted bikes in the garage. If it isn’t in the contract or if you and the buyer have not mutually agreed, it must be tossed. This may not seem like a big item, but it can cause significant problems at closing.

I will definitely be in touch the last few days to tie up any loose ends. I hope these explanations will be of some help when the big day arrives. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the closing attorney or us.

Tips for selling your home:

Today’s economic environment has motivated homeowners to get the most out of their homes. Whether they are selling or refinancing an existing mortgage loan, homeowners are looking for ways to squeeze as much equity out of their homes as possible.

Good curb appeal is money in the bank: Real estate professionals know you never get a second chance to make a first impression. That’s why curb appeal is so important. Improving curb appeal can be as straightforward as fixing a broken window. Some improvements take time and planning, time and effort, but will be well worth it at sale or appraisal if you plan to refinance.

Start with the yard: Prune trees and shrubs, making sure there are no branches near the roofline or outer walls of your home. Mow the lawn. Plant flowers for color. Fill in any bare spots in your garden with high foliage plants. If your area has drastic weather changes, take color photos of the house when the flowers are in bloom and yard looks great. Use these photos if you’re showing your home during times when harsh weather sends your yard into dormancy.

Create a grand entrance: While agents work the locks on your house buyers have idle time to notice details. Apply a fresh coat of paint to the front door and frame. Consider placing pots of flowering plants in the entryway if weather permits. Eliminate cobwebs and groom doorway area windows, porch light, or decorative glass.

Fix everything: Take a walk around the house and note everything that’s broken, out of alignment or looks unpleasant. Nail in loose shutters; fix or replace screen doors, fence boards, dripping faucets, etc. If you can’t fix it, get rid of it. A window with no screen is better than a window with a ripped screen. It’s better to have everything fixed before a prospective buyer sees the home, offers a lower price and still demands repairs be done before the sale.

Paint & repair / replace siding: Fresh paint has the lowest cost and most dramatic improvement in value of a home. Often a fresh coat of paint is easier than cleaning the outside of a home. And don’t forget the inside. Repair and paint walls. Neutral colors are best in paint, flooring and window treatments.

Clean, clean, clean: Start with the carpet and floors, walls, windows and furniture. A well kept home gives the sign that everything has been equally well kept. That equates to a higher value. A messy home says, “What else has been neglected?” Consider hiring a cleaning service to give the house a detailed cleaning. It will help add to the perceived value of the home.

Uncluttered your surroundings: Uncluttered inside and the outside of the home, garage and outbuildings. Especially true on the inside, less clutter makes a home seems larger. Remember closets will be opened. Keep them clean and orderly. Have a garage sale, donate to charities or rent a storage unit. Just get rid of it!

Keep pet’s out-of-sight: Pets should not be in the yard when prospective buyers arrive. While pets are part of the fabric of our lives, they can be a distraction. Steer clear of such pitfalls by arranging for pets to be somewhere else while someone is looking at your home. This may save a potentially allergic buyer from being exposed to your pets, another possible hazard.

Set the mood: Create a peaceful ambiance using solitude or soft music. If your neighborhood is noisy, choose a soothing instrumental background music that will neutralize the noise. A quite neighborhood or countryside needs no music. Take advantage of the peace and quite. Always keep television and radios turned off.

Think. . . . Aroma: The aromas or odors in your home are noticeable. Do whatever is necessary to create a pleasant scent, Do. First regularly air out your house out, take out the trash, and clean your kitchen thoroughly of food residues. Then, help nature along with some aromatic additions. For a “home-is-where-the-heart-is” aroma, try baking a loaf of bread (frozen dough is available at any grocery store). Another great kitchen smell is cinnamon or tries simmering a few drops of vanilla. Better yet, bake a few cookies and leave them out for the agents and buyers. In bathrooms and bedrooms, try potpourri or fresh-cut flowers; how about the scent of leather (new car fragrance?) in a den or home office. Keep an attractive set of bath towels to be brought out for each showing.

Let the sunshine in!!!!!!!!!! Set a cherry mood by opening curtains enough to let the light flow, but not so much as to create a glare. If rooms are dark, install higher watt bulbs and use overhead lighting to brighten gloomy areas. Well-lit rooms are cheery and appear larger.

Protect your valuables: Lock away your jewelry and pack away expensive items. While beautiful things enhance our homes, a prospective buyer needs to focus on the basic house. We do all that we can to protect your valuables . . . and “out of sight” keeps temptation at bay.

Closing note: It is my hope that you find this information helpful. I have attempted to give you information that will make your home more appealing than the competitions. Please feel free to ask for any advice, I will be glad to help and hopefully your experience in this transaction will be a great one. Also if you are pleased with the services I perform, please let all your friends know about it. Word of mouth is the best advertisement one can have.

Thank you,

Lowell Vancil

117 John Phillips Rd - Cedartown - GA - 30125
770-757-0120 - 770-748-5051 - email