SELLER INFORMATION

Preparing Your Home for Sale

Now that your home is for sale, we suggest you read these helpful hints. They make the selling of your home a more pleasant experience for all.

First Impressions Count: Make a good first impression. The grounds should be properly maintained. Have the lawn mowed and raked, hedges trimmed, driveway and sidewalks swept and all debris removed from the property.

Lighten Up: Arrange shades or draperies to give a maximum amount of light in dark rooms. Replace any broken glass. Repair or replace broken shutters. Replace all burned out light bulbs and repair faulty switches. Light colours add cheerfulness to dark rooms, especially kitchens.

Do Small Repairs: Badly cracked plaster, loose door knobs, crooked light fixtures are among the small items that can be easily repaired. Repair screens in windows and doors, if needed. Small things sometimes hinder a sale more than large repairs.

Freshen Up: Fresh paint will greatly enhance the value of your property. Freshen carpets (i.e. steam clean), when necessary.

Outdoor Details: Power wash walks and pool deck, if needed. Clean pool and replace any cracked tiles.

De-Clutter: Display your storage and utility space by removing all unnecessary accumulations on stairways, in the basement and garage. They will appear much larger than they actually are.

Plumbing Matters: Correct faulty plumbing. Leaky faucets can discolour porcelain and call attention to plumbing defects.

Keep Distractions to a Minimum: Keep radios and televisions off or turned down during the showing to eliminate any possible distraction of the prospective client’s attention. If you have pets, it is recommended they be kept out of the way or out of the house, if possible. Some people are uneasy around animals and they may detract from the prospective buyer’s attention.

Never Apologize: Apologies should never be made for any adverse appearance of your home. It only emphasizes the defects.

Use Discretion: Buyers ask a great many questions of our Sales Associates when being shown a home and most prefer to do it in privacy. The inspection should proceed without your immediate presence. The buyer usually feels more relaxed. If you insist on being present, please do not discuss terms, price, etc. We will handle these details.

Provide Pertinent Information: It is important to furnish us with accurate figures on taxes and utilities and inform us of all recent major improvements such as a new roof, electrical, plumbing, etc.

Be Ready to Negotiate: Remember, if a reasonable offer is presented, it is wise to negotiate immediately, it may never be repeated.

Be Prepared to Show at All Times: Always be prepared to show your property. If you delay a prospective buyer, it may lose you the sale. Your Real Estate Sales Associate will always arrange appointments with you in advance.

Remember: May we remind you, Rego Sotheby’s International Realty staff have years of experience and are available to provide you with expert advice on any problems or questions that may arise.

Listing Categories

Sole Listings:

The property is listed with one Agency only for a specific period of time.

The Sole Agent will co-broke with all other agencies, and the commission is shared equally if two agents are involved in the sale.

The Sole Agent will coordinate and track showings and provide feedback to the Vendor. Only the Sole Agent is given copies of the keys and takes responsibility for secure showings.

The Sole Agent will

  • Become familiar with the property and promote its sale.
  • Market the property for sale through advertising in local and/or international media, at Agent’s discretion
  • Liaise with the Vendor on a regular basis to advise on status of property and market conditions
  • Conduct all showings whether directly or through a co-broking Agent
  • Handle all negotiations
  • Prepare a Sales and Purchase Agreement and facilitate its completion in conjunction with Vendor and Purchaser’s attorneys
  • Hold the deposit as Stakeholder (unless the Vendor prefers it to be held by their law firm).

The Vendor will

  • Inform the Agent should any particulars of the property (including leasing) or of the Agency Agreement change.
  • Pay the Agent commission regardless of who finds the Purchaser for the property.

Open Listings:

The property is listed with multiple agents

No commission is payable if the Vendor sells the property privately.

Full commission is payable by the Vendor to whichever Agent successfully secures a Purchaser for the property.

Rego Sotheby’s International Realty will provide all of the services listed above in Sole Listings.

Factors that influence the Sale of Your Property

Your property will need to be uniquely positioned to create maximum interest and help produce the highest possible financial return. Although the listing price you place on your property will influence its sale, there are many other factors that come into play. Some of these factors are within your control, others are not.

Factors not within your control:

  • Your property’s location
  • Recent property market values
  • Current economic indicators

Factors within your control:

  • Your property’s distinctive and compelling attributes
  • The physical condition of your property (home and grounds)
  • The closing date you prefer
  • The ready access to your property for showing
  • The selection of the real estate sales professional you choose to represent you

Establishing Your Homes Listing Price

  • Our mutual objective is to achieve the highest selling price for your property.
  • Effective pricing is a vital component of an effective marketing strategy.
  • Market research assists in determining opinion of value and includes comparables of what has sold recently as well as which available properties may most likely be compared to yours by prospective buyers.
  • It is critically important to price for the market at the beginning of your listing period to attract truly qualified buyers to your property.
  • Buyers will be looking at the SAME comparative market data you will to help them establish an appropriate offer price.
  • Ultimately, competing buyers determine the selling price.
  • Should buyers require financing, your home must appraise by the bank at current “fair market value”.
  • Overpricing can eliminate the initial pool of buyers who realistically can afford & desire your home.
  • It’s important to separate your feelings about your home from the information that creates its market value.
  • Respectfully consider that buyers are paying for their future possibilities, not for the Seller’s memories…
  • Creating as much excitement and ‘competition’ for your property right from the beginning is the best way to generate the highest possible offer!

Rego Sotheby's International Realty has adopted policies and procedures of Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Anti-Terrorist Financing (ATF) and know your customer (KYC), in compliance with applicable anti-money laundering laws in Bermuda particularly the Proceeds of Crime (Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing) Regulations 2008.