Synergy Properties Comprehensive Home Seller's Guide

Synergy Properties

Comprehensive

Home Seller's Guide

About Synergy Properties

Our Mission

At Synergy Properties, our team philosophy is simple: our clients come first. We

pledge to be in constant communication with our clients, keeping them fully informed

throughout their entire home selling process. We believe that if you’re not left with an

amazing experience, we haven’t done our job. We don’t measure success through

achievements or awards, but through the satisfaction of our clients.

Our Vision

To be the Real Estate team of choice: a team that offers exceptional Real Estate

services to clients and one that every Real Estate agent wants to be a part of.

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Synergy Properties Home Seller's Guide

Introduction

Welcome

When you're considering pulling up your

roots and replanting yourself someplace

new, the task of selling your home can often

feel like a burden. Fortunately, the home

selling process doesn't have to be so hard.

With the right help and a savvy approach,

there can be a ‘SOLD’ sign in your front

lawn before you know it.

This comprehensive guide will give you a

clear overview of the home selling process.

Inside, you'll learn more about the pre-listing

process, our pricing strategy, what it's like to

be active on the market, how to negotiate

like a pro, and how to navigate closing.

We’ve even outlined how to choose a team

of experts to help you through the process!

We realize you have a choice when it comes

to choosing your agent, and hope you find

this guide helpful in getting started on the

path toward selling your home.

Owner, Synergy Properties

P.S. Satisfied customers are our #1

priority. If at any time you are unsatisfied

with your Real Estate services, feel free

to reach me directly at: (206) 261-5884

or lsm@synergyproperties.info

www.synergyproperties.info

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Step One: Hiring an Agent

Pick A Winning Team

Preparing to sell your home may feel like one

of the most stressful decisions you'll ever

make. Luckily, you don’t have to do it alone.

Find a professional, or team of professionals,

that will ensure your home selling experience

is a positive and profitable one.

When choosing your Real Estate agent or

team, look for an individual who knows both

the Real Estate market and selling process

inside and out. Don't blindly support family

members, friends, or neighbors who sell Real

Estate on the side without ensuring they're

qualified. After all, hiring an unqualified or

"discount" listing agent could cost you a great

deal of time and money in the long run.

Questions to Ask While Interviewing

Do you work on a team or as an individual agent?

Do you sell Real Estate full-time?

How long have you/your team been in Real Estate?

How many Real Estate transactions were you

involved in last year?

What’s your biggest strength in terms of the home

selling process?

Which neighborhoods do you service?

Why do you think you’re best suited to help me?

How will you keep me updated during the process?

What sets you apart from your competition?

What haven't I asked you that I need to know?

Can I access your client reviews?

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Benefits of Hiring a Real Estate Team

KNOWLEDGE

A Real Estate team is there to provide you with answers to all

of your Real Estate questions, leave no stone unturned!

EXPERTISE

Experience matters, find an agent that is familiar with your

area's Real Estate market... If not, it could cost you.

ASSURANCE

An experienced Real Estate team will have a plethora of

resources to draw from, making it a breeze to market and

sell your home.

STRATEGY

Negotiation is key; having strong negotiators on your team

will ensure you have the best chance of selling your home for

the highest price and most convenient terms.

FLEXIBILITY

Availability is important! Working with a Real Estate team

ensures someone is there to help you through the process

virtually 24/7.

SECURITY

Hiring a Real Estate team puts the odds in your favor,

allowing you to rest assured knowing you'll have an

unparalleled selling experience.


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Step Two: Damage Control

Tackling Items of Concern & Pre-Inspection

Unless your prospective buyers are looking

for a “fixer-upper," you’ll want to assess the

wear and tear on your property and address

any flaws that may negatively affect your

home’s appeal and value.

Take a good look around to determine where

your current home needs improvement.

Some fixes are mainly cosmetic and you

may be able to handle them on your own;

fresh paint, sprucing up the lawn, updating

lighting, replacing doorknobs, etc.

Other problems are more significant and

may require replacement or assessment by

home maintenance professionals. Issues

concerning major items like heating,

plumbing, ventilation, roofing, septic/sewer

systems, foundation, or major appliances

can all be deal-breakers if left unaddressed.

At Synergy Properties, we advise our sellers to have a pre-inspection performed on

their home prior to listing. A pre-inspection performed by a licensed and certified

home inspector will give you the best idea of the state and longevity of your home's

major systems. Pre-inspections can uncover problems which may hinder future

negotiations, and provide sellers the opportunity to address items of concern ahead of

time. In our experience, pre-inspections help sellers reduce the stress and surprise of

negotiations, and can boost the confidence a buyer has in their decision to purchase

your home.

Once you’ve taken stock of it all, tackle what matters most, consult with your agent,

and be smart. If approached correctly, this initial investment of time and money can

help generate a faster sale at a higher price.

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Pre-Inspection Pros and Cons

Know Your Home's

Condition Ahead

of Time

Pricing Your home is

Easier and More

Accurate

Help Minimize Stress

and Surprise During

Negotiation

Ability to Make Repairs

Prior to Listing

Improve Buyer

Confidence

Negotiations Likely to

Take Less Time

A Pre-Inspection will

Typically Cost $400+

Out of Pocket

Any Major Issues

must be disclosed

to Buyers

Buyers may still

Choose to do their

Own Inspection


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Step Three: Arriving at the Perfect Price

Pricing Your Home

Setting the right price for your property is a delicate balancing act. Aim too high, and

your home might sit on the market for a while. Price too low, and you might miss the

potential for a more lucrative outcome.

Before arriving at a price for your home, your Synergy Properties listing agent will

prepare a comparative market analysis (CMA) for your review. This document, drawn

from data pulled from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS), presents

pricing information, property details and photos of homes similar to yours that have

recently sold, failed to sell, or are currently for sale in your area. Your agent's prepared

CMA will include the price or price range they suggest for your listing.

Keep in mind that your agent's suggested price is just that, a suggested price. You will

still have the final say on your listing price, but it is recommended that you stay within

a close margin of their proposal. Doing so will ensure your property is effectively

presented to sell in your local market.

In addition to your CMA, your listing agent will provide you with estimated seller net

proceeds sheets that reflect your sale profit at different listing prices.

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What Affects Your Listing Price?

Home Location

and Situation

Local Market

Conditions

Bedrooms and

Bathrooms

Local

conveniences

LISTING

PRICE

Square Footage

and Lot Size

Proximity to

Transportation

Property Amenities

and Upgrades

Property Age and

Overall Condition


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Step Four: Listing Preparation

Staging

When buyers are walking through your home, they are making observations on various

levels. Buyers desire a home that fits their needs from a structural standpoint (size,

layout, number or rooms, etc.), but also one that feels comfortable and welcoming.

Effective home staging gives buyers the impression of a well-maintained home and

helps them to envision themselves living there.

If you have sparse home furnishings, or plan to sell your home in vacant condition, we

highly recommend looking into getting your home professionally staged. In our

experience, staging greatly increases your chance of a successful sale.

Why Should You Stage Your Home?

Staging gives each room purpose, and can help your living space feel larger.

Neutral decoration helps “de-personalize” a home, making it appeal to more buyers.

According to the National Association of Realtors, for every $100 invested in

staging your home, the potential return is $400.

Home staging can cut a listing’s time on the market by up to one half, and staged

homes fetch as much as six to twenty percent more than an empty ones.

According to the National Association of Realtors, seventy-one percent of agents

agree a well-staged home increases the dollar value buyers are willing to offer.

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Curb Appeal

Proper curb appeal is more than what a home looks like; it is an ingenious marketing

tool. After all, what is curb appeal if not another form of marketing designed to sell

your property from the outside?

Prospective buyers are more inclined to look inside a home if they like what they see

on the outside. First impressions make a difference when it comes to selling your

home. Before listing your property, be sure to take a hard look at the outside of your

house. If anything appears damaged or in disarray, think of doing something about it

before it drives would-be buyers away.

Exterior Items to Check:

Landscaping: Cut and edge your lawn,

trim back overgrown shrubs and trees,

and consider adding flowers for color.

Driveway: Check for cracks, take

measures to mitigate moss and weeds,

and consider power washing for a

refreshed look.

Front Door: If its looking dull, see if a fresh

coat of paint will be enough, or if you're

looking for a more permanent fix, a new

door is certainly money well spent.

Roof: If the roof is old and degraded, you

will likely receive a positive return on

investment by replacing it. Most insured

loan programs require the purchased

home's roof to have 3-5 years of life left.

Windows: Determine if they need to be

cleaned or replaced.

Vehicles/Equipment: Vehicles and the

equipment you use to maintain your home

can be an eye sore - be sure to stow these

items away properly as not to distract

buyers (this includes moving PODs).

www.synergyproperties.info 10

Step Four: Listing Preparation

Professional Photography

Eighty-seven percent of homebuyers who searched for a home on the internet found

photos to be the most useful feature of online listings. It follows suit that if buyers

aren’t sold on the images they see online, they won't be sold on your home. This, of

course, means that listing photos are critical - they often determine the selling price of

a home, how quickly it sells and, in some cases, whether it sells at all.

At Synergy properties, we realize the importance of photography. For this reason, we

always hire professional photographers to capture our listing's finest angles, whether

they're best captured from the inside, outside, or the sky.

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Print & Digital Marketing

Just Listed postcard

Printed 2-Page Flyers

Individual Property Website

Printed 4-page Brochures

Sponsored Property Ads

www.synergyproperties.info 12

Step Five: Hitting the Market

Going "Active"

You've finished your pre-listing preparation,

and now its time to activate your listing!

Going live on the market and beginning to

allow showings is a crucial step on the road

toward selling your home. After all, it’s how

prospective buyers get a feel for your

property and start to envision themselves

living there.

At Synergy Properties, we list most of our

properties on Wednesday or Thursday.

Why? Research shows that website traffic

on home search sites (such as Zillow and

Redfin) is up to 20% higher on weekdays as

opposed to weekends. Listing your home on

Wednesday/Thursday also ensures it has

proper time to syndicate to online home

search engines and get featured on Friday,

the highest traffic day for most listing sites.

Typical Listing Schedule

Weeks Prior: Listing presentation, initial

listing paperwork, pre-inspection, repairs,

final listing paperwork and preparation,

home staging, etc.

Tuesday: Professional photography

Wednesday: Marketing materials created

Thursday: Listing goes active on the

market and listing flyers/brochures printed

Friday: Initial open house

Saturday: Weekend open house

Sunday: Weekend open house

Monday/Tuesday: Offer review date

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Step Six: Showing Your Home

Property Showings

As a seller, the best thing you can do to ensure positive showings is be flexible.

Buyers may want to see your home on your day off or during a hectic weeknight, and

it’s important to accommodate their requests whenever possible. We realize it can be

difficult to juggle your home life while keeping the house in tip-top condition for

selling, but making sure your house is always ready for a walkthrough can really make

or break a buyer's first impression. Remember that every showing has the potential to

lead to an offer.

At Synergy Properties, we make use of an application called Showing Time to keep

sellers in the loop regarding property showings. Showing Time allows sellers to

accept and decline showings via text, email, or phone call and asks each selling agent

for detailed showing feedback to best evaluate your home's impression on buyers.

Tips for Better Showings

Open up curtains and blinds to let in light.

Let your agent know if your outdoor flyers

or indoor brochures are running low.

No matter how tempting, do not stay

around during showings or open houses.

Eliminate odors using lightly-scented air

fresheners or candles.

Set the thermostat to a comfortable interior

temperature.

Tidy up between showings when possible.

Secure pets in a safe place or take them

with you during showings.

If you plan to remove items a buyer might

consider to be "attached" to the property,

speak with your agent about adding the

items to your listing information (items may

include : surround sound, generator, storage

sheds, custom fixtures, appliances, etc.)


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Step Seven: Negotiation

The Offer Process

If a buyer is interested in purchasing your

home, they will submit an offer through a

legally binding document known as a

purchase and sale agreement. In it, the

buyer and seller will negotiate various

facets of the transaction, including sale

price, settlement date, the type of

financing the buyer will use, time frames

for performing inspections and clearing

title, and the allotment of closing costs.

Successfully negotiating an offer requires compromise on both sides. As you take time

to read through an offer, make sure it meets the criteria that is most important to you.

Keep in mind that also being willing to compromise on lesser details can foster

goodwill between you and your buyer. If an offer doesn’t feel like a good match, you’re

well within your rights to counter it or wait for a better one to come along.

Tips for Successful Negotiation

Disclose everything on your Form 17: Smart sellers proactively go beyond legal

necessity to disclose all known property defects to their buyers.

Ask questions: Offers may contain complicated terminology and confusing

addendums. Be sure to ask your agent to clarify anything you don't understand.

Respond quickly: When buyers make an offer, they are in the mood to buy. Try not

to delay negotiations if you truly want the sale.

Stay calm and be patient: Keep communication civil and agreeable at all times.

Be cautious with contingencies: When you’ve landed your buyer, your signed

acceptance of their offer becomes a sales contract. If the buyer misses a deadline,

the seller can walk away from the sale and withhold the buyer’s deposit money.

Conversely, if the seller is found falsifying information or fails to complete an

agreed-upon improvement, the buyer can terminate the sale and take legal action.

Rely on your real estate professional: It’s your agent’s responsibility to represent

your best interests every step of the way - your success is their success.

Buying and selling at the same time: Ask your agent about simultaneous closings.

15


Step Eight: Due Diligence Period

Home INSPECTION

Following offer acceptance, an inspection of your

home may be conducted by the buyer. When the

inspection is complete and the inspector releases

their report, both parties will negotiate what

repairs will be made and who will pay for what in

a final round of negotiations. Know that inspection

negotiations can be tough. Buyers want a perfect

house and sellers don’t want to fix every little

item. Try your best to be reasonable, and ask your

agent for advice on the best course of action.

When work orders fall on your shoulders, it can

be tempting to get a handy friend to do the job

under the table for you - do not fall into this trap.

You’ll need to present written proof of repairs

prior to closing, so follow your 35R to the "T", hire

professionals, and always keep multiple copies of

any work invoices and receipts.

Home Appraisal

An appraisal is a detailed valuation of the property

you have for sale. Appraisals are conducted

primarily at the request of lending institutions, and

are required if the buyer plans to use the home as

collateral for their loan.

An appraisal is conducted by an independent third

party who has no financial stake in the outcome of

the appraisal. Mortgage companies typically hire

an appraisal management company which in turn

hires a local, licensed appraiser on their roster. The

buyer will typically pay for the home appraisal as

part of their home loan process.


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Step Nine: Preparing for Closing

Transaction coordination - Moncord

At Synergy Properties, we do everything in our power to ensure our sellers are in the

best hands every step of the way. For this reason, we work alongside the transaction

coordination team at Moncord Real Estate Professional Services to provide our

clients with high quality service, attention to detail, and peace of mind during their

transaction.

Real estate is Moncord's passion, and serving the community of brokers, investors,

and homeowners with a high level of unprecedented services is their specialty.

Moncord Real Estate Professional Services was created to help exceed the demands

of the current market by delivering excellence and quality in transaction services.

Clearing your Title

The title report is a document that outlines any restrictions that may interfere with

your ability to pass the deed for your home to the buyer. These restrictions could

include: legal boundaries on the property, unpaid property taxes, mortgages, or liens

against the property, property easements, association documents on condos or other

HOA communities, historic oversights, restrictions, and planning requirements.

Though satisfying most of these requirements is as simple as providing the buyer

with written documentation, it is the seller’s responsibility to clear the title report

before settlement. You will work with title, your lawyer (if applicable), and your agent

to determine what needs to be done to provide a clear deed for your property.

17


Step Ten: Closing

Closing the Deal

Congratulations, you are now just days away from handing over your keys! During

closing, the final touches will be made to the buyer's loan documents and their lender

will wire their funds to the title company. The title company will then act as an

independent third party and facilitate closing by :

Determining the total amount due from the buyer and collecting their funds.

Determining all the adjustments (seller prepayment of taxes, utilities, etc.) and

ensuring that they’re factored into the transaction.

Ensuring that transaction costs (closing, legal fees, etc.) are paid in full.

Determining the seller’s payments, credits, and adjusted net proceeds .

Witnessing the seller’s signing of the property title and all other documentation.

Providing the seller with updated net proceeds and a copy of their documents.

Ensuring that the buyer’s title is properly recorded at the local records office along

with any mortgage liens.

After your file is reviewed and nothing is found to be amiss, your property will be

cleared to record. Once your recording numbers are received by the title company

(usually between 2:30PM-4:30PM, excluding holidays) and the the property title has

been officially transferred (usually by 9PM), your home is finally sold! You may

choose to pick up your check in-person the same day or have the funds wired to your

account the next business day.


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Easy Exit Guarantee

Our Guarantee to You

At Synergy Properties, we are so confident that our Real Estate plan will work for you,

that we guarantee your right to cancel your listing agreement at any time* with no

penalties or obligations** if you feel our services do not live up to your expectations.

Entering into a listing agreement with a Real Estate agent can be a risky business. Every

sales representative will promise the world when it comes to effectively marketing your

home, but how many of them can back that up with solid performance? If you worry about

being stuck in a listing agreement with an incompetent agent and costing yourself

valuable marketing time, fret not! We pledge to take the worries and concern out of listing

and selling your home with our EASY EXIT GUARANTEE.

How it Works:

Speak with our team leader, Lisa Serratos-McGregor, if you are unhappy with our

service - we want to meet your expectations, and urge you to let us know if we aren't.

You may cancel your listing at any time* with written notice (no reasoning needed).

Talk is cheap, our guarantee is priceless!

The reason we offer the EASY EXIT GUARANTEE is because our business is built upon

referrals from our clients. We believe that if a client is unhappy with our services, they

deserve the right to rescind their contract with us.

It takes supreme confidence in the way we treat our clients and in the results we produce

to offer this type of guarantee. We are 100% confident you will be satisfied selling your

home with our team.

Our goal is not only to get your home sold at an acceptable price in a timely fashion, but to

ensure you are comfortable and well-informed during your selling process. We know that

if you are satisfied with our service, the friends and family you may one day send our way

will be too. That is the quality and standard we strive for.

__________________________________ __________________________________

Agent Date Seller Date

* You may cancel your listing agreement any time prior to receiving a serviceable offer on your property.

** Our EASY EXIT GUARANTEE does not cover any out of pocket expenses incurred by our team. These expenses include but are not limited to:

vendor fees, staging, photography, and print marketing materials. You will be required to reimburse these fees in full if you choose to cancel your

listing.

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Synergy Properties Home Buyer's Guide

TEXT Final TEXT Remarks TEXT

Did We Miss Something?

As we've mentioned throughout this guide, our clients are our #1 priority. If another

listing agent or Real Estate team has offered or mentioned something we've left out, let

us know! We want to be the missing piece in your home sale journey - let us do

everything in our power to meet or exceed your expectations.


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Team Reviews

See what Else Our Clients have to Say

Visit our online review page: www.synergyproperties.info/reviews

21


Let's Get Started

Ready to Sell Your Home?

Our team of experienced agents are ready to get you headed down the path toward

selling your home. To jumpstart your journey and start talking about your first steps,

don't hesitate to reach out to us online, over the phone, or in person.

Contact Us

Website: www.synergyproperties.info

Office: (253) 288-8034

Synergy Properties

Keller Williams Puget Sound

33434 8th Ave S, Suite #103, Federal Way, WA 98003


22

Seller Resources

Home Inspectors

Inspect Northwest - Andy Sanchez

Phone: (360)970-1121

Email: andy@inspectnorthwest.com

Website: www.inspectnorthwest.com

Sterling Home Inspection - Michael Wicklund

Phone: (253)841-1128

Email: info@sterlinginspections.com

Website: www.sterlinginspections.com

(Ask for your $50 preferred customer discount)

Title & Escrow

Fidelity National Title - Pamela Maas

Phone: (206)830-5188

Email: pamela.maas@fnf.com

Website: www.fidelitywa.com

Ticor Title - Rhea Toles

Phone: (253)904-1071

Email: rhea.toles@ticortitle.com

Website: www.myticor.com

Home Staging

White Couch Staging

Phone: 253-394-8713

Email: info@thewhitecouch.com

Website: www.thewhitecouch.com

Alabaster Staging + Design

Phone: 253-970-2163

Email: rebecca@alabasterstaging.com

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Seller Resources

View Our Full List of Local Resources

Access our preferred vendor directory online: www.bit.ly/2Co4TNv


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Important Terms to Know

Real estate Terms Defined

Affidavit of Title: A written statement certifying

that the recipient of the document possesses

the property by title.

“As-Is”: A type of sale in which the seller

discloses their choice not to make repairs or

correct any problems with their property.

Back-Up Offer: An additional offer placed in

secondary position in case the first falls through.

Bidding War: A situation involving two or more

buyers actively competing for a property by

offering higher bids, as in an auction.

Brokerage: An agency which manages both the

buying and selling of real estate for clients.

Broker’s Open: An open house for Realtors.

Buyer’s Agent: The Real Estate agent which

represents the buyer of a property.

Buyer’s Market: A Real Estate market type

which benefits buyers in terms of low prices

and a high supply of homes (competition).

Capital Gain: The percentage of profit from the

sale of Real Estate due to the sale price being

above the initial purchase price plus any fees.

Chain of Title: The title timeline, showing all

previous owners and conveyances since the

establishment of the home.

Closing Costs: Expenses due upon closing

beyond that of the actual price of the home.

Closing Statement: A verifiable document

detailing all charges, credits and deposits for the

transaction.

Commission: The amount paid to a Real Estate

agent upon the sale of property.

Contingency: Conditions set by the buyer/seller

that must be met before a contract is binding.

25


Important Terms to Know

Contract for Deed: Situation where a buyer takes

possession of the property but the home seller

holds onto the legal title until the full loan is paid.

Counteroffer: An offer written by the seller in

response to a buyer's initial offer on their home.

Depreciation: Drop in property value due to

physical or functional deficiency.

Dual agent: When an agent represents both the

buyer and seller in a Real Estate transaction.

Exclusive-Right-to-Sell Listing: When an agent

is designated as the only one allowed to sell a

specific property.

Fiduciary Relationship: An agent's responsibility

to be trustworthy and act in the best interests of

the client they are representing.

Inclusions: Additions made by a seller in the

purchase and sale agreement that may “sweeten

the deal” for a prospective buyer.

Quit-claim deed: Deed in which the seller

relinquishes all their interest in a property.

Realtor: A Real Estate agent who is a member of

the National Association of Realtors.

Severalty: A right possessed by a seller who is

the sole owner of a property.

Survey: A detailed measurement of lot lines,

dimensions, positioning, encroachments, and

easements performed by a county surveyor.

Transaction: When an interested buyer makes an

offer on a property and it is accepted or the seller

submits a counteroffer and buyer accepts.

Under contract: When a listing officially goes

"pending" and a buyer has the exclusive rights to

purchase the home.

Walk-Through: A buyer's final tour of a property

to check for unfinished inspection/contingency

items or defects missed in a previous showing.


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Synergy Properties Comprehensive Home Seller's Guide

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