agents@hhtrealestate.com

Step by Step Guide to SELLING HomeS

01

Identify your team

Selling what may be your largest asset requires doing some leg-work to identify who you can entrust with this multi-faceted and important job. From many years’ experiences, we can tell you that the tone, pace and success of your home sale process will be directly related to the agent or the team you choose to represent you and your interests. 

With Hughes Home Team, you will have our entire team with the skills, capabilities, ambition, experience, resources and personality dedicated to the successful sale of your home. 

Along with our network of 

  • top lenders
  • real estate attorneys
  • appraisers
  • inspectors
  • home improvement specialists

You can count on us to have you covered from list to close. To ensure our commitment to you and your commitment to us, it is recommended that we are both bound by an Exclusive Buyer Representation Agreement.

identify-your-team

02

Evaluate YoUR HOme's True Market Value

Although you can list your home at a price you choose, you need to understand what the market is willing to pay if you want your home to actually see in a reasonable timeframe. Pricing to sell from the start is a critical component of a successful home sale. Sounds simple, right? Not always.

Because the home sale process is necessarily emotional (it’s place of family history) and also revolves around a big asset and time. You will see homeowners listing their home well over market value, so much so that the incorrect pricing misses capturing the relevant buyers. And so, the home sits and sits and sits… and the sellers get very frustrated.

Hughes Home Team believes in using data to help determine the right list pricing for your home. We will create a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA or a “comp”) which lets you know the price range of similar homes that have sold recently in the area. This carefully created report, along with a full assessment of you home and its unique selling propositions help us together to determine the best “target” list price for your home.

Your Home's True Market Value

03

DETERMINE HOME IMPROVEMENTS

With your team chosen, now comes an assessment of how to get top dollar for your home.  We will help you to identify simple repairs, along with the necessary cleaning; organizing and decluttering that will help to maximize the value of your home.

In addition to the simpler stuff, we are uniquely qualified to help you to assess whether or not to make more significant improvements (that may take more planning and investment) but will make your home more appealing and desirable to buyers, thus increasing your profits at the same time. 

For instance, if a bathroom or a basement overhaul can put your home in a much better light with prospective buyers (and the market is telling us that), these improvements may be worth making.  

If you should want help with your home projects, Hughes Home Team offers Concierge Home Prep which is a customized program should you need help managing those pre-market projects. Bottom line, you let us manage the agreed upon work so you can be in position to get the highest return on your home.  

CONCIERGE HOME PREP
TOP 10 HOME IMPROVEMENTS FOR ADDING VALUES
Determine Home Improvements

04

PREPARE YOUR HOME FOR THE "EYES of a BUYER"

Once all the repairs have been made, together we will go through your home with what we call the “eyes of a buyer”. Removing personal items and excess clutter will help to make rooms look inviting; prospective buyers are better able to imagine what it would be like to own the home and adapt it to their own style.  Clean, organize, de-clutter…we use a 20 point checklist which can help you to finalize your home for those buyers’ eyes.  

HOW TO INCREASE YOUR HOME VALUE ON A BUDGET
PREPARE HOME FOR SALES

05

SOLIDIFY A MARKETING STRATEGY

Plan your work and work your plan. Hughes Home Team pride ourselves on our flexibility and willingness to adapt in addition to having and utilizing a strategic plan. 

  • A Custom-to-you-and-your-home robust marketing strategy
  • Professional photography
  • Video applications
  • Extensive outreach to agents and high potential buyers
  • Marketing our showing option
marketing strategy Hughes home team real estate

06

lIST YOUR HOME

It’s time to go live on the Multiple Listing Service and countless other high profile sites that are syndicated through the MLS, such as Zillow and Realtor.com.  Your home will show beautifully with the professional photos and video and all of the relevant information about your home easily accessible through a HHT listing. If we are not under shelter in place orders, your home can be shown to buyers (safely) in person, by appointment only, accessing a lockbox.  

Over the past several months enduring the Covid-10 pandemic, HHT has become quite adept at creating virtual methods for home showings.  We are practiced and confidently able to show our listings virtually to agents and buyers.  We will discuss all options for showing your house including virtual or live broker’s tours, open houses and everyday showings. 

listing and selling your home

07

RECEIVE AND NEGOTIATE OFFERS

You made it! All contingencies and terms of the contract have been completed and a closing location has been determined. If you are unable to make it to the closing, you should notify your attorney ahead of time and you can usually give him/her the power of attorney (POA) to sign the closing documents for you. The closing costs are usually wired prior to the closing but it is recommended to bring your checkbook, state ID, and PATIENCE. 

Your attorney will go through the closing statement (also called a HUD) with your and this document clearly itemizes all credits and debits of the transaction. You could request a preliminary HUG from your attorney prior to closing so you know what to expect. Any additional paperwork that has not been filled out or signed is complete at the closing table. Once the wire transfer has been confirmed and the closing is complete, you are given the keys to your new home. 

negotiate offers home selling and buying

08

FINALIZE THE CONTRACT

We set a lot of wheels in motion once we have a signed contract. Escrow is opened; title is ordered, and a home inspection and professional appraisal are scheduled by the buyer. Your real estate lawyer and the buyer’s lawyer work on finalizing the contract: resolving issues and making adjustments post inspection. It is during this time, called the A/I (or attorney review & inspection period), that a buyer has the opportunity to back out of the contract, and this is a great reason to take care of the “red flag” home issues before listing your home. 

finalizing home sale contract Hughes home team oak park

09

CLOSE YOUR HOME SALE

  • Because of our affiliation with Key Mortgage and Title, we are capable of offering seamless and professional closing services if you should choose to use them.
  • Their highly regarded services include the ability to offer remote and/or virtual closings when it’s not safe to be out and about.  Hughes Home Team knows the critical importance of closing day. 
  • For us, it means making sure all of the paperwork is in order and we successfully facilitate the necessary communications between attorney, title company and you. 
  • For you, closing day means that you are prepared and ready for the buyer’s final walk-through, having made any repairs that were agreed upon in the final contract and leaving your home empty and broom swept clean.  
close your home sale with Hughes home team oak park

Celebrate! You have made it through a successful home sale with Hughes Home Team at your back and you are on to your next amazing chapter!

Compare listings

Compare