The Selling Process

Once you have decided to use Realty Executives to sell your home, what happens next?

• Initially we send you by email what we refer to as the ‘listing documents’. These documents contain the relevant paperwork that give us permission to market the property correctly and also provide us with any additional information that we need to display the most accurate information to any potential buyers.
• Once the completed paperwork is returned the very first step for us is to contact your management company to arrange a date and time to photograph and inspect the property. (Obviously any rental commitments that you have in place can cause delays in us getting access for this purpose but once we have a suitable confirmed date we will advise you).
• Once an access date is granted and confirmed the next step involves us photographing the home and conducting a full visual inspection of the property. Once completed the listing process is started and the property is entered in to the MLS (Link: What is the MLS) and the Realty Executives website.
• At this point we will also e-mail you the property website links so that you can review the presentation details that we have compiled and if applicable, raise any issues that we have observed whilst viewing your home. We shall advise you on any specific recommendations that you may wish to consider that may assist the sale of your home. We are of course aware that many owners have not visited their home for some time and may not be aware of its current condition.
• The next step is to start the marketing process. Amongst the many varied marketing activities that Realty Executives undertake our first job is to alert our registered buyer and visitor database.  Your home will also be placed on the most active Real Estate websites such as Realtor.com, Zillo.com as well as several Social Networking outlets such as ‘Facebook’, ‘Myspace’ and ‘Youtube’ directly.  We will also provide full details of your property to all our contacts based in the UK, Ireland and Europe.
• Thereafter an imperative action from this point is to keep you updated with the viewing traffic to your home by informing you of the total viewings and any useful feedback provided from potential buyers at these viewings. An important part of the listing process from the sellers perspective is to stay connected to the feedback that we get throughout. This will enable you to make informed decisions about your home based on real market opinion obtained. If your property is used for short term rental purposes we will try to work viewings around your guests and will also communicate directly with them about gaining showing access if they and your management company permit viewings whilst in residence.
• As is proven all the time in the current market, correct pricing of a home in line with the real market fundamentals is the most important key.  In an ever changing market once a home is listed its on going price position against the comparable competition needs to be tracked very closely. With this in mind we are always reviewing your price position against the competing listings and the current market fundamentals and will be passing this information back to you for your consideration. We believe that our business model of having designated concentrated sellers agents gives us the edge in allowing us to react quickly in what is of course an ever changing market place.

The Closing

Once the day arrives that an offer is received we will directly communicate this to you as a matter of urgency either by e-mail and or telephone when full details of the offer can be discussed.
If agreement of the terms offered is agreed between you and the prospective buyer the closing / completion process becomes a relatively straight forward affair once all parties are familiar with their required duties. It is not a necessity that a seller needs to personally come to Orlando for the closing unless they of course choose to do so. During contract period leading up to the closing we work with the Title Company who has the ultimate responsibility of transferring the deeds of the property from you to the new owner. (Each time a home is sold new deeds are created so it is not a requirement that we need the originals from the seller)

• Ahead of the actual closing the Title Company also calculate and pro-rate all taxes and HOA dues, liaise with any lender to pay off any mortgage (should there be one on the property) and also settle real estate commissions to all brokers at the closing from the proceeds of the sale.
• Withholding Tax / FIRPTA is an area that a non resident seller needs to be aware of and we are happy to work with your CPA ( Accountant) to ensure that all the required paperwork for this is in order.  We can put you in touch with an accountant should you need one.
• Once all calculations and formalities are complete the final closing documents are e-mailed out by the Title Company to both buyer and seller who will need to sign and notarise the closing documents before these are returned back to the Title Company for the closing.
• Once all are in order and received by the Title Company the closing will take place on the agreed date and all funds will be dispersed.  It is at this point that the property is legally transferred to the new owners.
• During the whole process we will keep you regularly updated and answer any inevitable questions that may arise.
• As you can see for a seller there is less direct involvement than many owners believe. As long as an owner is fully aware of the pre-determined steps required along the way and has proactive qualified professional assistance. Following these steps in an organised systematic fashion helps to ensure that a closing is conducted in as smooth a manner as possible.