As a team, we specialize in bringing buyers and sellers together. For our clients looking to buy, that means a great deal of research and footwork on our part. For our clients looking to sell, it means partnering with you to help you sell your home at top dollar in the shortest amount of time possible. We have a versatile, multi-faceted marketing program which is designed to do just that. We also have the numbers to prove it.

On a very consistent basis, our transactions are 70% buyers and 30% sellers. This statistic is important to you for two reasons: First, we have a lot of buyers and we generate a lot of buyer interest. We actively promote our listings to our buyers where practical. Second, our sales mix assures that we can focus adequate time, energy, service and resources to the sale of your home

There are many things to consider when putting your home on the market. Among the most important are pricing, timing and market conditions. With our combined experience in this changing market, we've become experts at them all.

As dedicated, full-time area real estate professionals, we're always abreast of the real estate market and have the latest information tools to give us the most current, useful pricing information for buyers and sellers. 

They say it's all in the timing. And one popular myth about the right time to sell is during the summer. As seasoned market veterans, we've learned to the contrary; just about any time is the right time to sell in Venice. Our marketing programs are designed to reach out year-round. 

The following presents some of the myths and misperceptions about selling your home yourself.

The 'FSBO' (For Sale By Owner) 
Selling a home without the resources and effort of a professional Realtor is relatively common these days. There is nothing wrong with selling a home on your own and there are perhaps a number of legitimate reasons a person would want to do so. None of them include saving money. This is a very common and sometimes costly misperception. Sellers typically believe they can save substantial commissions (perhaps thousands of dollars) by undertaking the entire effort of selling a home themselves. On closing day, many are surprised to find that they didn't fare quite as well as they thought they would. The reasons vary, but it's usually one or any of a combination of factors which the professional Realtor is trained to address. 

Myth Number 1 
"Homebuyers will gravitate to For Sale By Owner properties because they're a better value." Exactly. They're completely aware that you're saving a sales commission and fully expect you to pass all those savings on to them. You do the marketing. You do the legwork. And they reap the benefit. And worse, the buyer will automatically assume that your asking price reflects a Realtor's sales commission. They'll instinctively back that out of their first offer, placing you at a serious disadvantage. 

Myth Number 2 
"It's easy. Plant a sign and run some ads. It's not worth paying a sales commission." The decision to sell your home with or without a professional Realtor is a complicated, qualitative and quantitative value equation. For us or for you, selling a home is far from easy and never as simple as signs and ads. For instance, only Realtors have access to the nation's most sophisticated database of homes for sale: The Multiple Listing Service. Day in, day out, the MLS is accessible only to Realtors who can put buyers and sellers together. Roughly 90% of all residential homes are sold through a Realtor. Without one, you're excluding yourself from 90% of the buyers. 

Liability is another issue. Every Real Estate brokerage is bonded and insured. Moreover, every Real Estate transaction conducted by Realtors is executed with an extremely solid contract, assuring the absolute minimum of exposure to risk for all parties involved. This contract was developed by Florida Association of Realtors and is available only through licensed Real Estate brokerages.  

There is an incredible amount of behind-the-scenes work involved in selling a home. Many people simply don't have the time. Responding to inquiries, following up, placing advertising, prospecting potential buyer contacts, showings, open houses, the list goes on. Every day of the week, people in different time zones with jobs and families are looking for homes. Real Estate sales are far from the 9 to 5 tradition; they begin early in the day and extend into the late hours. Marketing a home requires total accessibility to information about your home. Without it, you're missing sales opportunities. Our team concept is added assurance that some one is always available to answer questions about any home for sale. Yours included. 

Myth Number 3 
"There's no risk involved in selling my home by myself. If it doesn't sell soon, I can list it with a Realtor." But there is. Unfortunately, we live in an era of deceit and dishonesty. There are people who make a lucrative living out of gaining access into homes. Will your home be one of them? Before a prospective buyer is escorted by a Realtor through a property that is for sale, that prospect is pre-screened as a legitimate homebuyer. Individuals who don't meet a minimum of criteria or fit the profile for your home don't see your home. 

Myth Number 4 
"I've got a lot of money invested in upgrades and improvements. The only way to get my money out of it is to sell the home myself." Not really.The decision to invest money in extras, add-ons, upgrades and improvements is a personal one. While made on personal preferences, it should be carefully weighed against future intentions for the home. Things like commercial appliances, heavy-duty ventilation, designer decor and the like are great to have, but prospective homebuyers will rarely seek out homes that have them. They're simply nice, added extras that make the home more appealing. But not something they're willing to pay extra for. This is a case where you're seeking a very specific type of buyer. A Realtor is better suited to market homes like this, seek particular buyers and help the seller recover as much of that investment as possible. 

Myth Number 5 
"I've got a good contract. I've got an attractive sign. I'm priced right. I'm in the real estate section of the local paper. I'm all set." Actually, you've only just begun. Have you established an extensive network of buyer clientele who now might be interested in looking at your home? Do you have all the latest on lending practices, products and programs? Do you have a county-wide network of sales people looking for homes like yours to show their clients? Until you can answer "yes" to all these questions, we can be of great value in the sale of your home. 

 Getting Your Home Ready To Market Tips, Steps & Strategies 
Many factors, both within and beyond your control, will influence the sale of your home. The type of home you have, the economy, interest rates, location and market activity in your neighborhood will influence the sale of your home. Things like the condition of your home, price and how it's marketed impact the closing price and amount of time your home is on the market. Through our experience in varying market conditions with different types of homes, we can help you minimize unfavorable conditions and leverage those factors over which you have control. In terms of factors beyond your control, there are some proven strategies which can make the best of less-than-favorable conditions. When we list a home, a marketing plan is developed which takes conditions, expectations--everything--into consideration. Regardless of the situation, the underlying objective is always getting top dollar for your home. 

The Condition Of Your Home 
For nearly everyone, the purchase of a home is the single-most important investment decision they'll make. Homes are purchased with a variety of motives for a number of objectives. But one thing remains certain: Homebuyers will be looking for the most value for their money, whether it be a second home, income property, move-up, move-down or purely investment. With the possible exception of investment and income producing properties, the last thing a homebuyer usually wants to do is spend more time and money 'fixing the place up.' Given all the competing properties available (including new homes and newly-remodeled homes), most buyers want to close, move in and get settled. Is your home ready? It is often said that the cheapest home improvement is a bucket of paint. Nothing can do more to brighten the appearance and appeal of your home than fresh paint. Carpet, tile and other flooring is also carefully scrutinized for wear. Don't sell your home short; consider that every dollar invested in paint and flooring could potentially bring back two. '

Welcome Home Magazine is just one of the many marketing tools we utilize to promote the sale of homes. This feature of our listing placed on the cover represents our outstanding relationship with the media resources that deliver us consistent sales results. 

Showability
For many, the home is an extension of the character and personality of its owners. Pride and care in a home's appearance is usually reflected in the sales price of the home. But also consider that when a potential buyer is viewing your home, they won't be using your furniture, decorations and arrangement. They're trying to envision your home with their own belongings in it. Are you giving them every opportunity to do that? Since our focus in selling is selling at top dollar, we have a duty to consult our clients on how to make the best possible impression on prospective buyers. 

Sometimes, it can be disheartening when suggestions affect those things homeowners find most pleasing about their home. It's never the intent to suggest change based on personal taste. It's a matter of what you want to hear versus what you want to get for your home.  For instance, furnishings and decorations take up space. The perception of space is essential to the prospective buyer. A minimally-furnished living area is better than a full one. A sparse closet better than one jammed floor to ceiling. A car in the garage beats a storage room. Assure that the bedrooms are open and airy.  

On that note, get a storage room if you need one. Store those items you don't need or seem in the way. This $50 to $100 a month investment will be worth every penny. And so will a comfortable climate. Cool in the summer, warm in the winter. And let as much natural lighting in when showing your home. We've seen homeowners seize every opportunity to improve the showability of their home. From soothing music on the stereo and place settings at the dining room table, to the scent of fresh-baked cookies in the oven and bread in the bread maker. This is the time and place to get creative. 

Getting Your Home On The Market 
If you're considering selling or you're ready to sell, call us. The first step is getting your free, no-obligation Comparative Market Analysis. This will show you how similar homes in your immediate area sold and what you might expect to get for your home. Along with your Comparative Market Analysis, we'll prepare a marketing plan showing how we would market your home for top dollar in the shortest time possible. E-mail now to arrange for your free Comparative Market Analysis. 

Sold! 
What's next? That depends on you. Moving up? Moving down? Moving out of town? Building? Let us know. We have a number of resources to accommodate your aspirations. We can help you look for your next home, find the right builder and location, or simply refer you to the right Realtor from our nationwide network of professional Realtors. Also check our Relocation Resources page in this website for tips and assistance on getting where you want to be.