The Process
Buying and selling, step by step
Buying or selling a home can feel like a lot. Here’s exactly what to expect from start to finish, and where we’re walking alongside you the whole way.
For Sellers
The selling process
Four parts, all equally important: pricing, preparation, promotion, and follow-through from contract to close.
Accurate pricing
We look at current market conditions and your home’s condition, then price it to attract the most interest. Buyers compare your home to what’s active and what just sold, so getting this right from day one matters.
Prep and staging
Our professional stager walks through your home, shares recommendations, and can even rearrange furniture, with a full report the next day. Quick wins: neutral paint, deep clean, declutter, and less furniture.
Professional photos
Once the home is photo ready, our professional photographer captures the interior and exterior, usually with photos delivered the next day. Over 95% of buyers start their search online, so first impressions happen on a screen.
Promotion
Your home goes out to 900+ real estate websites with enhanced placement on Zillow, Trulia, and Realtor.com, plus our social media during Coming Soon and Active status.
Showings and open house
Agents start booking showings right away. If you choose to have an open house, it happens the first weekend.
Feedback
Feedback from showing agents comes straight to you. We use it to gauge interest and make sure we’re positioned right.
What the first 10 days tell us
Two full weekends with no offers means it’s time to adjust the price.
Review offers
We walk through every offer with you and talk strategy to find the best fit for your goals.
Verify financing
We call the buyer’s loan officer and ask the key questions to make sure they can actually close.
Counter and finalize
We negotiate terms in your favor, then you sign to finalize the deal.
Inspection
If the buyer inspects, we negotiate any repairs or credits on your behalf to keep it a win for everyone.
Appraisal
The buyer’s lender orders an appraisal. If the value comes in below the sale price, we handle the next round of negotiating.
Clear title and clear to close
We work with the title company to transfer a clear title and wait for the buyer’s final loan approval.
Closing day
You’ll pre-sign your documents with the title company before closing day, so there’s no need to sit at the closing table. That gives the buyers flexibility with their closing time and a private closing at their title company. Once it funds, the sale is complete, on the terms you agreed to.
Sold!
Our relationship doesn’t end at closing. Need a painter, contractor, landscaper, CPA, or cleaner? We’ve got a trusted list and we’re happy to connect you.
For Buyers
The buying process
From the first conversation to the closing table, here’s how we get you home.
Meet with us
Laura sends a quick form so we can learn what you’re looking for. Then we sit down together, walk through the process, and set expectations.
Get pre-approved
Know exactly what you can comfortably spend before you start looking. We’ll connect you with trusted loan officers our past clients love.
Search for homes
We set you up on an MLS search so you’re alerted the moment a home that fits hits the market. You pick favorites online, we tour them together, and we adjust as we go.
Make an offer
We pull comparables and help you decide on price, earnest money (typically at least 1% of the price), seller contributions, inspection days, and closing date.
Negotiate
The seller can accept, reject, or counter. If there’s a counteroffer, we review every term together and negotiate the best price and terms for you.
Under contract
Time to celebrate, but not pack just yet. Laura emails your next steps right away, and your earnest money is due. From here, we’ll keep you posted through every milestone.
Inspection
Optional, but we highly recommend it. An inspector checks the home’s condition, typically within 10 days of your accepted offer. Expect around $300 to $600 depending on size, plus $150 to $200 if you add radon testing. If anything comes up, we negotiate repairs or credits on your behalf.
Appraisal
Your lender orders an appraisal to confirm the home is worth what you’re paying. It typically runs $500 to $750. If the value comes in low, we’ll talk through your options and negotiate next steps.
Final details
Once your loan is clear to close, it’s time to pack, set up utilities, schedule the final walk-through, and forward your mail. Laura helps with all of it.
Closing day
Sellers typically pre-sign ahead of time, so you get a private closing at your title company at a time that works for you. Bring your driver’s license and a cashier’s check for the amount your loan officer provides. We’ll be right there with you.
Welcome home!
Congratulations, you’re officially homeowners.
Ready When You Are