1.  Initial meeting. We will meet to discuss your plans to sell and the home-selling process. I’ll give you the Law of Real Estate Agency pamphlet and get information from you and the tax records about your house. I’ll need to do a walk-through of your house to see the layout and features.

2.  Comparative Market Analysis. I’ll research other houses that have sold and are on the market in your neighborhood, to compare with yours, and will give you a detailed report with photos and statistics. From that information, we will determine a value range for that moment in time. If you house isn’t ready to sell until later, we will update the information at that time.

4.  Guidance in property preparation. We’ll take a closer look at your house to see what could be done to give you the best price in the shortest time. Normally, these will be simple things. We’ll look at your home through a “buyer’s eye” to give it an appealing look.

5.  Photos for the Internet and flyers. When your house is ready, I’ll take digital photos of the exterior and interior for publication on various web sites, including the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, Lake & Company, my personal web site, and numerous other national real estate sites. Your listing will also appear on web sites of nearly every real estate company in the Puget Sound.

6.  Signing the listing and the NWMLS. After we sign the listing, I’ll input the information into the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, which currently has about 2,500 offices and 26,000 member agents. Your listing will also migrate almost immediately to other web sites.

7.  Agent showings and previews. Agents will see your listing in the NWMLS, and will start calling you about previewing your house and/or showing it to potential buyers. Buyers will also see your listing on any of the many public real estate web sites, including those of other real estate companies.

8.  Marketing. My Marketing Plan will give you excellent service in getting your house sold in the shortest time and for the highest price for the market conditions. I’ll give you a copy of my Marketing Plan when I present you with the Comparative Market Analysis.

9.  Offers. When offers are written by buyers’ agents, we will look at the offers together (you, me and often the buyer’s agent). We will review the offer carefully to be sure your needs are being met, and I will help you negotiate as necessary.

10. Inspection and negotiation. If there are issues that concern the buyer as a result of the inspection, I’ll help you negotiate a satisfactory solution.

11. Escrow and closing. Escrow will handle all the details of transferring the title from you to the buyer, making sure your funds are secure before recording the deed. A day or two after you sign the required documents, the sale will be recorded and the buyer will own your house.