Sellers

Our strategy includes providing “Personal Service on an Individual Basis”. Each client and each property have different needs. Our job is to do what it takes to make sure your home sells quickly and at the best possible price. We will:

• handle the detail work, such as mechanical and termite inspections, title work, earnest money, appraisal, and mortgage work
• stay in touch with you so that you will know what is going on and where we are in the marketing process
• help maintain the property by providing you with the names of competent contractors, and assist with scheduling repairs, especially if your property is vacant and you are out of town
• make sure you are shown consideration, because we know you are living in your home, and it’s difficult to have it ready to show all the time

When you choose The Matheson Team to sell your home, you can be confident that we have a plan to get the maximum number of prospective buyers to see your home as soon as possible. As more prospective buyers see your home, the likelihood that you will receive an offer will increase.

Over 85 percent of recent home buyers used the internet to search for a home. It is critical for your listing to be available on the internet for the many prospective buyers who do their own property searches before contacting an agent to show them the property. When you list your property with The Matheson Team, we will provide your home with the maximum effective exposure in our market and to the internet community.

We Provide These Services for Each Matheson Team Listing:

• Professional photography for internet listings & property brochures to show your home at its best
• High resolution, fast-loading virtual tours that are available on-line to prospective buyers and agents when they tour your property
• Prominent and professional property signage where allowable so Scottsdale agents and buyers can find your home, and prospective buyers driving by will instantly notice that your home is for sale.
• Showcase your home on the earliest available Re/Max agent tours.
• Exposure at bi-monthly Realtor Marketing Sessions where realtors meet and “tout” listings

All of our listings are posted to effective home marketing websites including:

www.armls.com – The Arizona Multiple Listing Service

www.scottsdalerealestate.com – our own site, specializing in Scottsdale, Arizona real estate

www.azgolfhomes.com – our own site, specializing in Arizona golf property

www.fineprop.com – our local brokerage company site

www.remax.com – a site offering the ability to view all listings throughout the US

www.realtor.com – one of the most widely accessed sites for home buyers

We also post your property listing on other websites that will maximize your home’s exposure to potential buyers: we use our best judgment on where to post each home so that you get maximum exposure that is optimal for your property.

We Keep You Informed with Reports and Updates

Daily

Every day we call all of the realtors who have shown your home. We get detailed feedback on what their client liked and did not like about the property. We give that feedback to you, so that you know how your property is being seen by prospective buyers.

Weekly

We send weekly reports to you, detailing any showing activity your property has had with feedback from realtors and prospective buyers. Each week we send you a list of the “web hits” on your property from the websites that your property is listed on.

Bi-monthly

Every few weeks we perform a Competitive Market Review and Analysis on your property. We assess how your property compares to similar properties on the market and use the data to make changes in the marketing plan should it become necessary.

Other Benefits to Having the Matheson Team on Your Side:

• Expert Negotiating Skills
• Our own Transaction Coordinator to ensure that the sale of your home goes smoothly
• Our Client Care Manager will solve problems if they arise – No Worries!

 

There are 5 basic reasons a property sells:

• Location
• Price
• Terms
• Condition of the property
• The Agent you select

You control 4 of these variables. Start by selecting the best and most experienced agent you can: The Matheson Team!

Our experienced Scottsdale realtors will help you assess the condition of your property and perform a market analysis to determine the right price to spark buyer interest. You will need to make sure your property is at its best. You might even consider getting a home inspection to uncover any structural problems before the buyer does. Although the inspection will cost a few hundred dollars, you will secure peace of mind and have the opportunity to correct any flaws before the home goes on the market. This will help the actual contract and sale process go smoothly once an offer is received.

We can give you helpful tips and refer you to the right resources to attain that “ready to move in” look. As expert negotiators, we can advise you on terms when an offer is tendered. We obviously cannot change the location, but our listing coordinator can accentuate the positives and our pricing strategy can overcome any negative implications of your property’s location.

By analyzing the attributes of your property, providing attractive, professional photography and brochures, placing the listing on all of the right websites, and checking on your listing daily, The Matheson Team will provide your property with maximum exposure to get your house noticed by prospective buyers. The more buyers that see your home, the more likely you are to get an offer. So, while we cannot promise you will get an acceptable offer on your property, we certainly will maximize the chances of doing so in the shortest amount of time.

Here are some tips that will help you get your home ready to show.

First impressions are SO important! No matter how structurally well-maintained your home is, what the buyers see when they first step over the threshold is what will set the tone for their experience in your home. A house that is sparkling clean will sell faster than one that shows everyday crumbs or dust, for example. Buyers have more confidence that a homeowner who keeps their home looking immaculate will also take care of the structural maintenance that they cannot see on the surface.

Knowing how much to spend and what to spend the money on

Don't hesitate to ask us for advice before you spend money on repairs or alterations! You should aim to spend as little money as possible when preparing your Scottsdale home for sale. For example, if you think you should replace the roof, you should know that you probably cannot increase your asking price to recover the full amount of that cost. Better to negotiate with the buyer during the Inspection Period for the cost you will bear to repair or replace the roof.

You should concentrate on making inexpensive changes that will increase the appeal to a buyer, like repainting those brightly colored walls with a more neutral color, or replacing the knobs on the kitchen or bathroom cabinets. What you don’t want to do is to undertake a kitchen renovation for the sole purpose of selling the house. The Matheson Team can advise you on what improvements need to be made. Please let us help you avoid needless expense while getting your property ready for sale.

Curb appeal – catch their attention right up front

Making your home look attractive from the street does not have to be expensive. Your yard will look appealing if it is neat and trimmed and the walks are swept. You want to pick up any trash that blows into your yard right away. Here are some things you can do so your home has eye-catching appeal:

• Consider hiring a landscape maintenance company to keep the yard in top condition during the time your home is on the market.
• Make sure outdoor lighting functions properly and that light-bulbs are not burnt out.
• Apply a fresh coat of paint or stain to the front door. You may want to enhance your entryway by adding some showy annuals in pots near the front entrance. It is important that the buyer feels good about your home right at the start.
• Check doors and windows for peeling paint – add a fresh coat of paint if necessary.
• Check the foundation, steps, walkways, walls, and patios for cracks. You want to have these repaired before you put the home on the market.
• Clean and align the gutters and inspect and clean the chimney.
• Repair and replace loose or damaged roof tiles.
• Store boats, RVs, or old cars off your property while the house is on the market.
• No matter how neat your garage, your home looks better with the garage door closed.

The Inside Story

Give every room in the house a thorough cleaning, and remove all clutter. You can rent a storage unit and move some furniture, excess toys, or knick-knacks out to create a more spacious look. Or, this may be a great time to hold a yard sale! Less clutter and furniture will make your home appear bigger and brighter.

Here are a few more tips for preparing the interior of your home for showings:

• Hire a professional cleaning service once every few weeks while the house is on the market. This is worthwhile if you do not have the time to keep up with daily dusting and vacuuming.
• Remove small items from kitchen counters, closets, and attics, making these areas much more inviting. Make sure to de-clutter the outside of the refrigerator, too!
• Repaint dingy, soiled or strongly colored walls with a neutral shade of paint, such as off-white or beige. If you need to update carpet or tile before putting your home up for sale, a neutral scheme is best.
• Replace any burnt out light-bulbs.
• Check for cracks, leaks and signs of dampness in the attic or basement.
• Repair cracks, holes or damage to plaster, wallboard, paint, tile and wallpaper.
• Replace broken or cracked windowpanes, moldings, and other woodwork.
• Inspect and repair plumbing, heating, cooling, and alarm systems.
• Repair dripping faucets and showerheads. Buy new towels for the bathroom, to be brought out only when prospective buyers are on the way.
• Improve the appeal of a kitchen in need of more major remodeling by investing in new cabinet knobs, new window coverings, or a coat of neutral paint.

Questions? Call The Matheson Team at 1-888-656-4830Let Our Experience, Service and Technology Work for you

When you are ready to sell your home in Scottsdale or the greater Phoenix area, call The Matheson Team! We have the experience to guide you through the sales process and help you obtain the best possible price for your luxury home, condominium, golf course property, vacation home, townhouse or single family residence in Scottsdale and the surrounding area. As full-service agents, we have many years of experience listing homes in Scottsdale and the Phoenix Arizona area, and have developed these Security Tips For Home Sellers to help you have the best experience possible.

 

• The most important step you can take to increase your family's safety when selling your home is to use the services of a seller's agent!
• You want the maximum number of potential buyers to view your home, and you want to be assured that only authorized persons are inside your home while you are not there. Your agent will install one of the electronic lockboxes that require an agent showing your home to have an electronic key combined with a secret Personal Identification Number (PIN). All attempts to open the lockbox are logged on a website that your agent will access to keep tabs on who has been in your home.
  Your agent will also call the agents showing your home to find out what their clients thought of the home. This feedback enables you and your agent to decide if a change in your marketing plan is necessary.
• Never leave a message on your answering machine letting callers know you are not at home-this common sense precaution should be followed even when you are not selling your home!
• Never discuss your personal schedule or the schedules of your family members with potential buyers. Letting them know when you leave for work might be considered an invitation for those posing as buyers to gain access to unoccupied homes.
• Security system information should not be divulged to a potential buyer. If you do have an alarm, most systems will let you set a new code (usually called a housekeepers code) to let someone come in but not have control over the master system functions. When you are listing your home, set up one of these limited codes so that the "housekeepers" code will be listed in the Realtor's Remarks section of the listing instead of your master system code.
• When you are making your home available for showings, remember to pack up any valuables that you do not want displayed to a stranger. Small items of value (sterling silver tableware, jewelry items, or guns for example) should be carefully packed and placed out of the way. Do NOT pack these items in a suitcase or other very portable container. Larger items like crystal, furs, and art objects should be packed in appropriate storage containers and placed in a secure location or at the home of a trusted friend or relative.
• Make sure to remove prescription drugs from easy-to-access places like the bathroom medicine cabinet. Sometimes people gain access to a home during a showing just to obtain prescription drugs like Viagra, sedatives, sleeping aids or diet pills.
• NEVER leave your children home alone when you are in the process of selling your home. Most children are not mature enough to accept an appointment by phone or will not answer the phone when their parents are out. Imagine everyone's surprise if a realtor uses the lockbox at a home where no one has answered the phone, and he finds children there without an adult! A good realtor will not show a home when unattended children are there but why take the risk?Ask your realtor about lockbox settings to make sure your home cannot be accessed when the children will be home without adult supervision.
• Tell your children that if an unknown car is in the driveway when they come home from school and they know you are not home, to go to a neighbor's house until the car is gone. You do not want your children walking into a situation where strangers are in the home, even if they are qualified and serious potential buyers.
• Make sure your pets are not at home during a showing appointment. If that is not possible, you should confine your pets to one room or area. Put a sign on the door to that area so your pets are not inadvertently let out by people viewing your home.
• After any showing of your property, make sure that back doors or windows have not been left unlocked. Sometimes criminals, posing as buyers, will case a home during the showing and unlock a door or window for easy access when they return later.
• NEVER allow anyone inside to look at your home if they do not have an appointment - this means agents as well as potential buyers. Sometimes potential buyers will see the For Sale sign in front of your home and will knock on your door. Some can be aggressive, promising they can "pay cash" for your home. Ask them to call your agent if they really would like to see your home. DO NOT let thsem in to use your phone.
• If a realtor makes an appointment to view your home, they should give you their name, office and phone number. You can verify this information before the appointment, and if you are uncomfortable, you can cancel the appointment if necessary. A realtor should make an appointment any time he/she wants to enter your home. Just because they have been through your home once does not mean they can "come over anytime" to see it again.