6 Montgomery Village Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD 20879 | Direct 301-674-5227| Office 301-258-7757Meyer Leibovitch | RE/MAX Realty Group | 6 Montgomery Village Avenue | Gaithersburg, MD 20879

A Step By Step Guide to Getting Top Dollar for Your Home

Meyer Leibovitch, REALTOR®RE/MAX Realty GroupC) 301-674-5227O) 301-258-7757www.meyerl.com

The Meyer Leibovitch Real Estate Team

If the thought of selling your home is overwhelming, you are not alone. It is a well known fact that moving is one of the most stressful events in life. It is up there with death of a loved one, divorce, employment problems and financial distress. If the thought of selling doesn’t stress you out, go directly to page 2! You are ahead of the pack!

Over the years, I have helped hundreds of homeowners list and sell their homes. Whether you are looking forward to moving to a giant home by the beach or you are selling your home because you want to downsize to a more manageable home, I will help you minimize the stress you might be feeling.

By breaking down the process into small, manageable steps over a couple of months, it can be easily accomplished with less stress and aggravation than you think.

Copyright Meyer Leibovitch 2012

Deep breaths, calm thoughts and a positive outlook can go a long way! When it is time to sell, try to keep your eye on your end goal.

“What’s the plan, Stan?” When we sit down together we can determine your goals and make a plan. We need answers to questions like:

Why are you moving?

Where do you want to move?

When do you need to be there?

Who is going to make the decisions?

Is your house prepared for the market?

What will you do with the dog?

How will people access the house?

What if you get an offer?

How long will it take to get to settlement?

What is your house worth?

What repairs should you make?

How much will you net from your sale?

Copyright Meyer Leibovitch 2012

What do you need to do to get your house ready?Some homes need very little preparation to get top dollar, while others need more extensive work. If the thought of doing work to your home is a little scary, we will let you know ex-actly what you should do and can get estimates from reliable contractors. You can always forgo the work, but your home will not sell for as much as the neighbor’s houses that were in better condition or had more updates and up-grades.

Copyright Meyer Leibovitch 2012

FACT: 94% of people surveyed said that finding the right home and community is crucial to being happy.

* Source Brian Buffini & Company

When staging your home we try to look at it through a pur-chaser’s eyes. You’ll remove excess furniture and declutter horizontal surfaces. It is also important to make sure that the property is clean, free from odors and well lit. In addition, this is the time to focus on how your yard shows. It is the final process of getting your home prepared for the market. We will make a list of recommendations that I think will help you get top dollar. Here are the majors in list form:

Declutter Clean Depersonalize Clear walkways Open blinds Add lamps and lighting Deodorize Store furniture Organize drawers Organize closets and pantry Organize garage Mulch Trim shrubs Cut lawn

Create the right atmosphere for your buyers and you’ll guarantee a higher sale price.

Copyright Meyer Leibovitch 2012

Showing Your House for Better OffersCentralized Showings lets me and you know at the

same time when your home is being shown! I am in the loop when someone is coming!

Bright lights are a good thing! Turn on the lights and let the buyers see your home. A well lit home always sells more quickly!

Try to keep cooking odors to a minimum. If you are cooking fish for dinner, and you can’t get the smells out fast enough, it’s

okay to postpone a showing or use some deodorizer!

I am automatically checking for feedback because I want you to know what the buyers and agents are saying.

No showings could mean something needs to change. We’ll evaluate regularly!

Swiffer or vacuum the floor Relocate anything that’s in the sink to the dishwasher. Wipe sink, faucet, stovetop and counters. Bring out the good towels. Double-check desk top and tables to be sure all personal papers,

credit cards, calendars, mail and valuables are out of sight. Cover laundry in hampers. Put toiletries out of sight. Make sure the temperature is comfortable by adjusting the heat or air

Better Showings Lead to Better Offers!I know all of this can seem overwhelming to some, but I promise it will lead to a quicker

and a higher sale price for your home!

PRICING YOUR HOME

We’ll determine your asking price

by comparing your home to similar

homes recently sold or currently for

sale in your area. To insure you get

top dollar, we adjust the value for

differences like location, amenities,

condition, finish materials, décor,

square footage, lot size, age and

other features.

Buyers, agents, and appraisers use

the same process, so when offers

come in we will be able to justify the

final sale price.

Most buyers include a Home Ap-

praisal Contingency that states your

home must appraise for at least the

sale price or they can renegotiate

the price or walk from the deal.

A legitimate asking price based on

quantifiable data will guarantee you

get top dollar without having ap-

praisal problems later in the trans-

action.

If the appraisal is low, your buyer

can agree to pay the difference be-

tween a low appraisal and the price

in cash at settlement, ask you to re-

negotiate the price or declare the

deal null and void.

To help get you top dollar, we apply guidelines which are used by appraisers and educated agents to determine sales values. That way you can negotiate using quantifiable data. I compare your house to:

The 3 most similar recently sold houses in your community All within 1 mile (urban, suburban, up to 5 miles for rural) All within 20% of the same square footage All within 10 years of age All of similar style (Colonial, rambler, tudor, split level, etc.) All on similar types of lots (estate, neighborhood, postage stamp, zero lot) Try to compare houses with similar amenities ( # of garages, # of bed-

rooms, finished basements) Make adjustments for location, updates, upgrades, amenities (# of baths, #

of fireplaces, appliances, countertops, windows, decks, fences, parking)

Appraisers try to compare homes with outstanding features like in-ground pools to other similar houses . The reason is that some amenities don’t affect sales value by nearly the cost of install-ing them. They can negatively affect the de-sirability of a home and detract some buyers from looking at them.

Like adding a pool, there are other additions and amenities that can lead to a

home being over improved. Gold plated fixtures, high end crystal chandeliers, custom wall paper and expensive faux painted murals are other items that may not add value. Over improvements are amenities that are beyond what buyers would reasonably expect to see in any specific price range. These homes definitely sell and sometimes more quickly than others, however, the sellers will not recoup the amount of money invested in the custom improve-ments.

Smashing Colonial! $500,000

This new listing just came on. Check out the neutral colors and the updated kitchen. Wow, the price looks great too. These pictures are really good. Let’s get over there quickly before it sells!

Great Colonial! $535,000

Hmmm, this listing has been on for months. Look at the pictures. It clearly has not been updated. The colors are out of style, the appliances look outdated and the landscaping is plain. Didn’t a nicer one up the street with a new kitchen on a better lot just sell for $35,000 less? For-get that!

Investor Opportunity! $425,000

Okay. This looks like one we can make some money on. If we renovate this with fresh paint, new carpeting, a new kitchen and finish the basement we can make at 20% return. I am curious about the possi-bilities We should go see it today before anyone else buys it!

Due to Internet access and easily ac-cessed public records, there are few un-educated homebuyers today. So, when your house goes on the market, buyers will automatically be able to compare your home to the competition. An unjus-tif ied high price is pretty easy to spot. Here’s a sample of what buyers are really thinking about when they look at houses on line.

Copyright Meyer Leibovitch 2012

Outstanding Presentation

Meyer received the Accredited Staging Profes-sional designation, and Norm owned a decorat-ing store! And their years of real estate experi-ence gives them an edge on the competition when it comes to helping you get your home looking right for the market. We have a list of contractors that can help you haul, clean, land-scape, paint, carpet, repair or make any other improvement to your home that will help you get top dollar!

Outstanding Marketing

Our outstanding marketing plan utilizes Internet pres-ence, social marketing, agent marketing, neighborhood marketing, open houses, traditional mail, photo tours, brochures, MRIS, yard signs, arrow signs, excellent access and open lines of communication.

Outstanding Negotiating

By using the best and most current information available, we’re able to help you price your property at the height of the market so that we can justify your price using quantifiable data that will en-sure you net the most money in your pocket.

Outstanding Results

Our client’s homes consistently sell for higher than county averages in fewer days.

Copyright Meyer Leibovitch 2012

Of all home searches begin on the Internet!

Important Point!

I use only professional quality photos that highlight your home the right way. Too many agents do not understand the importance of not using bright, profes-sional photos of staged rooms. To me that is plain negligence that will cost you thousands of dollars!

A Ratified ContractOnce your home is UNDER CONTRACT we will help you deal with a variety of contingencies in the contract including, but not limited to: f inancing, inspections, ap-praisal and HOA documents. We will follow up with the selling agent, lenders, appraisers, inspectors, and con-tractors to make sure that all of the contract terms are being met. The length of time between a ratified con-tract and settlement is usually between 30 and 60 days. During this period we will keep you informed by telephone, mail and e-mail and will advise you of any information you need to know.

Final WalkthroughPrior to settlement the purchaser will take a f inal oppor-tunity to view the house to make sure that it is in the same condition as it was when the contract was written. It is your responsibility to have the home broom cleaned and free of garbage and debris.

Settlement DayBy now you are going to be packed and ready to move if you haven’t already. You’ve contacted the appropriate utility companies and notif ied them of your move. The purchaser’s f inal walkthrough is complete and settle-ment is here. This s the day that you transfer legal title of the property to the purchasers and you receive your money. We will be at settlement to review the paperwork and make sure that everything goes as planned!

Your buyer’s home inspector will thoroughly examine all aspects of your home and make a list of any non-functioning items including: plumbing leaks, electrical mal-functions, structural issues, your HVAC and and most will have a checklist to determine that the house is sound and there are no major problems. The buyer and their agent will determine any fixes the would like to ask you to com-plete. If you agree to make the re-pairs the deal will move forward. If you decide to negotiate or abstain from making repairs, the buyers can walk from the deal and get their deposit back.

The buyer’s pest inspector will be looking for active infestations of wood boring insects and any dam-age. Unless the home is being sold “As-Is” you will responsible for repairs and exterminations.

The termite inspection will occur 30 days or sooner prior to settlement.

My milestone checklist makes sure that you know what to

expect!

You will receive a comprehensive list of all of the contingencies and important dates regarding your

home sale as soon as it goes under contract.

We use open houses to sell our listings. They will be advertised on REALTOR.com and the MRIS to gain maximum exposure.

In certain instance our public opens are catered to keep buyers in your home longer.

Quality Service When you choose a RE/MAX Sales As-sociate to sell your home or help you purchase a new home, you'll experi-ence a whole new level of service.

First, RE/MAX Associates are "The Hometown Experts With a World of Ex-perience®." Across the globe, they make their living in the same communi-ties in which they live. They're the peo-ple next door, or just down the block.

Consummate professionals, RE/MAX Associates lead the industry in ad-vanced real estate education and pro-duction. That's why they're known as "The Real Estate Leaders®" and why no one in the world sells more real estate than RE/MAX.

Competitive AdvantageThe real estate network that has the most competitive advantages to offer both home buyers and sellers will be an industry leader, and RE/MAX is that network. No one in the world sells more real estate than RE/MAX. When you look for the highest quality real estate service, look to a RE/MAX Associate. Here's why RE/MAX Associates are "The Real Estate Leaders":

RE/MAX Market ShareRE/MAX Associates, as a group, have more exclusive listings and more customers than agents with any other competing real estate network.

AdvertisingOn average, a RE/MAX Associate spends about $5,000 each year on personal promo-tion and on individual and group advertising. Personal advertising plus national television advertising and Internet exposure generates the highest number of prospects in the in-dustry.

Network SizeThe revolutionary RE/MAX Concept of ena-bling real estate professionals to maximize their business potential has evolved into an organization of more than 75,000 Sales As-sociates in 4,300 off ices.

The RE/MAX Balloon LogoThe red, white and blue RE/MAX Balloon, with its "Above the Crowd!®" slogan, is one of the most recognizable business logos in the world. With nearly 90 Hot Air Balloons around the globe, RE/MAX has the world's largest balloon f leet.

Licensed April 1989

MCAR Lifetime Achievement Award

Member RE/MAX Plat inum Club, 100% Club, Executive Club

RE/MAX Hall of Fame Eligibility

Member National Association of Realtors

Member Maryland Associat ion of Realtors

Member Greater Capital Area Association of Realtors

Licensed in Maryland

Licensed in Virginia

Accredited Home Staging Professional

Certif ied Distressed Property Expert

Hundreds of Successful Closings

Full-Time Professional

Host Gemini Title Show and Sell

2013 RE/MAX 100% Club

Meyer-

I just wanted to let you know how much my family and I appreciate your help in getting our home sold. As always, you kept us informed and aware every step of the way. Even in a tough market you made it seem easy. Thanks again!

Jeff Mahan | mrsmoothiejm@aol.com

Dear Meyer-

We cannot thank you enough from everything you have done for us. From helping us buy back in “03 to helping us prepare, stage and market our house this time around! You made it easy! ...Please use us as a reference! We only have great things to say about you!

Russ and Brook Thaler | brthaler@comcast.net

Dear Meyer-

Thanks again for helping me find my new home. It’s amazing how you knew what would be a great fit for me when I didn’t. I love the Lakelands! It is so convenient living here and I am meeting some great neighbors too. You are still the best : )

Teresa McCamon | tressaanne@verizon.net

Meyer Leibovitch, REALTORRE/MAX Realty Group

Meyer Cell) 301-674-5227Office) 301-258-7757

rebulldog@aol.com or norml702@aol.comwww.meyerl.com