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Seller's Guide

You've decided it's time to sell— what's next?

Your choice of an agent is critical to having a successful real estate experience. The Hughes Shelton Group and Compass Real Estate have the services you’re looking for. We will provide you with analysis, advice, and serve as your advocate throughout the transaction.

Services are DIFFERENT at each company. It pays to compare! “Discount” companies that cut their fees and provide little or no services may under price your home to get it sold, so compare carefully.

Steps to Selling Your Home

In general, all home sellers approach the task with the same two goals in mind: get the best possible price in the least time. While the details of the process may vary according to the type of home and local market conditions, following these seven steps increases the prospect of success.

1. Look before your leap

You’d never buy a home on a whim; you shouldn’t try to sell one that way, either. So before you do anything, take some time to study the local market and current trends. The best way to do that is to schedule a pre-market consultation with the Hughes Shelton Group. We’ve sold thousands of properties, and are uniquely experienced in helping sellers understand what they can do to properly prepare their home for sale.

2. Learn your home's true value

Nothing is more important than setting the right asking price for your home. That’s why it’s smart to get the help of a professional with the expertise and experience to get it right the first time. That’s precisely what you’ll receive in a professionally prepared Competitive Market Analysis (CMA) from the Hughes Shelton Group – at no cost or obligation.

3. Educate yourself

While we’re confident we can do the best job for anyone selling a home in Tampa Bay, we can do a much better job for those who really understand the selling process. That’s why our services offer you the opportunity to get a complete education in home selling and home ownership at your convenience.

4. Choose the right Sales Associate & Company

In our minds, of course, the smartest sellers are those who list with Hughes Shelton Group and Compass Real Estate, because no one can match the training and resources that we bring to the job.

5. Use the right tools to reach the right target

A fast, profitable sale is seldom a matter of luck. Far more often, it’s the result of a sound marketing plan that makes the most of all the tools a realtor has at his or her disposal. With the Hughes Shelton Group, those tools are formidable indeed – from the collective resources of our nation-wide office network, to a relocation organization whose ability to reach out-of-town buyers dwarfs that of any other Tampa Bay area broker. PLUS we have a host of unique, exclusive programs to generate buyer interest in your property. Please beware — “discount” companies, with little or no programs or resources, will undersell your home to get it sold.

6. Give your buyers added value

Whether your buyer is moving in from across the country or around the corner, they’ll want all the help they can get. That’s just what they’ll get if your home is listed with the Hughes Shelton Group, thanks to our exclusive Concierge Home Services. We help coordinate everything from moving arrangements to purchasing appliances and home furnishings, free of charge to buyer and seller alike. That’s one extraordinary added value for your buyer. And one big competitive advantage for you.

Hughes Shelton Group: Standards for Sellers

If you are selling your first property, the prospect can be daunting. If you’ve sold properties in the past, there may be several elements of the process that you would prefer to do differently. For these reasons, we’ve established certain service standards. Service standards are practices and standards to which the Hughes Shelton Group is firmly committed. You will be provided with a clear road map of what it takes to make a successful sale. We let you know, step-by-step, the levels of support and customer care you can expect from us.

Getting Started

We will conduct an in-depth interview to understand your goals, your timetable and any special circumstances you may have. By listening carefully to your needs, we pledge to enhance your experience as a seller and to walk you through the steps required to sell your property.

Hughes Shelton Group will:

  • Explain “agency” relationships in the state of Florida.
  • Explain how the commission is paid and distributed.
  • Outline the property sale process and provide a timeline.
  • Agree on the best way to continue our ongoing dialogue in a way that fits your lifestyle, i.e. via email, phone, text, etc.
  • Review all documents, including contracts, disclosures, disclaimers and inspection reports. In some instances, we may refer you to a real estate attorney for further clarification.
  • Provide you with relocation and mortgage assistance, if appropriate, through our affiliated lender and our referral network.
  • Offer reliable advice and useful information to help you make informed decisions along the way.
  • Handle the details that lead your transaction to a smooth, successful close.

How do we price property?

Price is one of the most significant factors potential buyers consider when looking at a property. You do not want your valuable investment to be either under-priced or over-priced – but how do you know what is appropriate? How can you tell what the market will respond to? As your agent, we will help you realize the optimum value for your property.

Hughes Shelton Group will:

  • Prepare and review a comparable market analysis. This will help determine a pricing strategy for your property.
  • We may recommend obtaining certain inspection reports prior to marketing and review the impact they have on pricing.
  • Provide you with a Seller’s Cost (or Net) Sheet that projects the approximate costs of sale.
  • Provide you with updates of market activity in a format that works best for you. This includes:
    • Newly available comparable properties.
    • Recent sales of any comparable properties.
    • Price reductions on available comparable properties.
    • Expired or canceled listings of comparable properties
    • Communication from other sales agents and potential purchasers.
  • Review all documents, including contracts, disclosures, disclaimers and inspection reports. In some instances, we may refer you to a real estate attorney for further clarification.Outline your options and make recommendations based on market conditions and your personal situation.
  • Review the pricing strategy as needed.

Taking Your Property to Market

“What is being done to sell my property?” is a reasonable question to ask your agent. We will create a marketing plan specific to your property. We will educate you about the decision-making process buyers go through so that you may use that information to your advantage. We will then implement the plan to bring your property to market in the most attractive light.

Hughes Shelton Group will:

  • Determine a strategy for positioning the property.
  • Utilize the most appropriate marketing resources to alert potential buyers to your property.
  • Maximize the power of the Internet and the MLS (Multiple Listing Service).
  • Expose your property to a wide group of potential buyers and to our broker network to generate interest from a number of qualified parties.
  • Reach out to friends and neighbors who might know of people interested in living in your neighborhood.
  • Utilize our global relocation network, if appropriate.
  • Manage all inquiries on the sale of your property.
  • Monitor and communicate feedback we receive along the way.
  • Evaluate the results of actions we take along the way.

Preparing Your Property For Market

First impressions count! We can’t stress this enough… Before inviting buyers into your property, you’ll want to be sure you’ve done everything to make it as attractive as possible. There are many ways to improve your chances of a sale, and as your agents, we will discuss these with you.

Hughes Shelton Group will:

  • Advise you as to how to present your property. This may include recommendations for cosmetic changes such as painting, clearing the yard, and arranging the best way to “stage” your property for a visit from potential buyers.
  • Advise you as to whether to obtain a professional inspection prior to placing your property on the market. An inspection generally presents a clear picture of the physical condition of the property and allows us to anticipate issues that may arise during the transaction. (This is not intended to preclude buyers from obtaining their own inspection.)
  • Advise you as to whether to purchase a one-year property protection warranty for the buyer of your property.

Negotiating the Sale

Some people enjoy negotiation, others dread it. Either way, when it comes to selling your property it is important to have a capable negotiator on your side. Our experience will be available to you at every step.

Hughes Shelton Group will:

  • Discuss approaches and strategies for negotiating and recommend what we consider to be the best option for each circumstance.
  • Assist in negotiating the best price and terms for your property given existing market conditions and your personal situation.
  • Assist in evaluating the qualifications of any buyer that makes an offer on your property. We will make available a mortgage specialist to arrange for a mortgage approval if requested.
  • Assist you in reviewing the conditions in the offer and their potential impact on the transaction.
  • Revise the Seller’s Cost (or Net) Sheet and calculate net proceeds based on the negotiated sales price.
  • Help you make informed decisions.
  • Counsel you on your options for the presentation of offers on your property.

From Contract Acceptance to Closing

During this time (typically 30 to 60 days), we will be there to assist you in handling crucial details so that deadlines are met in order to bring your transaction to a smooth, successful close.

Hughes Shelton Group will:

  • Verify that escrow has been established, deliver a real time calendar of events, and monitor contingency periods and inspections.
  • Attend inspections as practical or at your request.
  • To the extent possible, monitor the purchaser’ loan to ensure that the process is running smoothly.
  • Provide you with timely updates on the status of the closing process.
  • At your direction, actively market the property for possible back-up contracts through the contingency period and beyond based on market conditions.
  • Provide you with copies of all documents executed by both parties which are received by us.

Marketing Your
Luxury Home

Luxury properties have special features and amenities that distinguish them from “typical” homes; the effort it takes to sell such high-end properties is equally unique. Selling a home of distinction is a very different proposition. It requires special training and experience, an understanding of the seller’s needs, a global approach to potential buyers and a significant investment of time. The Hughes Shelton Group develops a one-of-a-kind sales campaign for each unique property.

As realtors working in the top luxury market, the Hughes Shelton Group knows the protocol required, how to identify and highlight a home’s construction and amenities, and effectively communicate the integrity of the property. But that’s only the beginning of the process. It takes an extraordinary level of knowledge, resources and service to showcase a property, particularly in today’s economic climate.

Once the partnership is established between our Group and the Seller, the sales wheels are set in motion with the rollout of a comprehensive, customized marketing plan designed to reach the greatest number of qualified prospective buyers. Professional photography is arranged, customized property brochures and postcards are produced and distributed to prospective buyers and targeted market areas. Further exposure is achieved via virtual or Web tours on numerous websites. Our featured websites include: HughesShelton.com, Compass.com, Zillow.com, Trulia.com, and Realtor.com. The proverbial icing on the cake is advertising placed in publications such as Luxury Home Magazine and Tampa Bay Metro Magazine.

Hughes Shelton Group
The Loft at Midtown
3615 Bromley Grand Ave.
Suite 230
Tampa, FL 33607

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