Let me take over the listing: Selling your home in Chicago

Sorry if this sounds like a sales pitch. But here is a little reality to selling your home. You can micro-manage or let me take over. I promise things will go easier and I will sell your home or condo faster (or at least, with less time investment and "what ifs" on your part). What the hell am I talking about? Listing your home and you getting out of the way.

Of course, the first thing we'll do is get together with the market information and current trends to decide on a listing price. The listing price will also be determined partially on how well we manuever the list below. I can do as much of the following list as you need (to an extent). To save you time, I suggest helping me- and letting me- proceed with these steps.

Secondly, I explain our Brokerage marketing and my team's philosophy for selling the
property. We want to work with you to provide the maximum amount of possible showings... with each showing realized as a real opportunity for the sale of the property. There has to be some ground rules laid so we all understand when the property can be shown and how it will be done. Having your place on the market is a real shocker... but I leave no question marks.

What I need you to do:

1. Collect information.

For a condo, I will need your condo declaration (the phone book sized packet handed to you during attorney approval when you bought the place). Get the meeting minutes, building management information and Condo Association Board contacts to me ASAP. I'll want to look into the building to investigate the buildings health and difuse any potential unknowns to a buyer. Information is key. I'll grill you and the condo board/management for the whole picture so things go smoothly later on in the transaction.

2. Keys
I'll need keys for showings, for the storage, garage etc...

3. Utility Bills
Have your average utility cost in hand. I'll order the official document from the utility companies, but your first hand information will help

4. Remove all personal photos and clutter from the home

Standard practice. Just pack them up like a "pre-move". I'll help stage the home to sell, not for you to live in (more below).

5. Clean
Clean like the wind. Or, let me hire a cleaning company to do the initial deep cleaning. For most, it is understood what is clean and what is not. However, clients that don't wnat to go the extra mile in cleaning the place are in for a long market time.

What I will do for you:

1. Consult on the condition of the property, needed improvements and preparation of the property for showing.

I will bring in a general contractor with me to make suggetions on touch ups and repairs to the home before showing. Many clients struggle to believe me and invest a little money in preparing the home for sale, even though they are trying to make a profit... and sell their home in a reasonable amount of time.

2. A MUST are the following basic touch ups and repairs we can set up:
Fresh paint if needed including wall repairs, base-boards and trim. Caulk bathroom and kitchens. Glaze bath tubs if needed. Repair/replace all lighting...add lighting. Clean, clean, clean. Repair any malfunctioning windows (everyone opens windows when interested in a place). Buy air fresheners such as Glade plug-ins. Fix any broken or malfunctioning items that come with the home. Service the mechanicals of the home (furnace, water heater, air-conditioner condenser).

3. Rearrange your furniture
Leave your furniture... or, get it out if we ask. But let us work with it (you may have a flair too... in that case, no problem). Staging an empty home with furniture is a pretty large investment on your part and can be less than cost effective depending on the expected profit margin from the sale. Try to keep some of your furniture in the house... that we can actually work with.

The above list without you doing any of the work, usually runs about $1,000 to $2,000 depending on the condition of the home. It can be less if you paint and clean yourself... but time is money too. If there is profit potential, let me come in with my professionals to prep your home and market for top dollar.

There is no "testing" the market with a home in less than top condition. This is a mistake that will cost you more than preparing your home in the first place. If you don't want to invest the time or make decisons... just write a check and let us take over.