Working Together for Your Best Outcome

Whether you are buying or selling real estate, I’d be delighted to have a conversation to see how I can help. Here are some quick reference tools:

Selling Your Home

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Preparing your home for sale so that it is in perfect show condition is essential. As you only get one chance to make a first impression, follow these steps that I have prepared for a successful sale.

Repairs: Be sure to remedy any deferred maintenance items. Freshen up paint or professionally clean carpets to ensure your home looks its best.

Staging: De-cluttering and arranging your home so it shows best is vital. It may not be the way you live in it day-to-day, but the right placement of furniture can really help showcase your home so that every buyer sees its true potential. As a former professional stager, I can assist you in this process and provide a detailed room by room checklist.

Keep it Clean: Cleanliness and staging are not just for the photos. Open houses and private showings also will occur and the home needs to be in perfect condition for all.

Exterior: It is the first thing and the last thing all visitors will see, so you want to make sure it looks great. Consider a fresh coat of paint on the front door, and tidy up your landscaping, walkways and entryways.

Price: Pricing a home is a strategic decision and is based on many factors such as market conditions, similar active properties, recently sold properties and of course location and condition. I will assist you with specific data to help you arrive at the most appropriate price with which to go on the market.

Negotiating Your Offer: Many times, there will be a negotiation on the price or terms of your offer. My expertise in negotiation on your behalf with assist in arriving at your best outcome.

Beyond the Purchase: Let my resources be of assistance to you. From movers to plumbers, I can recommend other professionals that you may need in either during this process or after your purchase to help make this a smooth process.

 
 
“Carolyn helped us sell our house during the middle of one of the coldest and snowiest winters in recent history. She introduced me to someone who was able to help me sort through decades of accumulated belongings. She posted a beautiful video of our house online, with music, which certainly helped our house sell as quickly as it did. Most important was the research she did on house values in our neighborhood. Thus our house was listed at a reasonable price, and sold sooner than many other houses that had been on the market for many months.”

Eileen S., Seller
 
 

Buying Your Home

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Purchasing a home is a significant time in your life. It is an exciting process that involves some important steps to consider to ensure a smooth process. Always feel free to utilize me as your resource as you navigate your way through. To better assist you in planning, I have created a list of what to expect here.

Prepare financially: Audit your financial situation for what funds you have and what you feel comfortable spending.

  • Identify how much you plan on putting down as well as what you are comfortable spending on a monthly basis for your mortgage payment.

  • During the pre-home buying and home buying process it is a wise idea to refrain from any larger expenditures as this can affect the amount of a loan that you apply for.

Select a Mortgage Broker: A mortgage broker can help you find out exactly what you will qualify for in regards to an amount of a loan.

  • Your broker will verify your financial status with employment, savings and credit score.

  • Your broker will also give you a pre-approval letter stating that you can afford this amount to borrow. This letter is important as it will accompany your offer when that time comes.

Viewing Properties: After your budget has been established, you are ready to view properties.

  • Working with a Buyer’s Agent will help ensure that you are seeing all of the available properties that meet your criteria. I often hear of properties that are off-market or coming soon, so having the inside scoop will give you more options and let you be better prepared.

  • Create a list of things that are necessary like bed/bath count, square footage as well as the towns you are considering. Each area offers different amenities and accessibility. I can be a great resource for you based on my knowledge and experience.

Offer to Purchase: When we locate the property that you wish to make an offer on, we will need to move quickly.

  • To make sure you know the market. I will be educating you on current conditions as we tour properties to prepare.

  • We will craft a strategy for your offer. I will assist you based on my experiences as well as your goals.

  • Based on our strategy, I will put together the purchase and sale agreement, which will specify the price, offer deposit, contingencies (home inspection, mortgage), and timing. If the offer gets accepted, the deposit monies will also be paid at this time. These funds will be held in escrow until released the day of your closing.

Home Inspection: One of the best uses of your money is hiring a professional inspector. A thorough exam of the home will alert you of any repairs that are necessary.

  • This will help you budget for the future

  • This can help learn about any excessive repairs that are needed. Further negotiation of terms of your deal may be necessary if these arise.

If you have any questions about the home buying process or steps please feel free to reach out and let my expertise work for you.

 
 
Carolyn was very knowledgeable about the market and came prepared with lots of comparable property data, and was very helpful in assessing the quality of the investment. She was friendly and professional and always thought to ask some of the important questions that I forgot, and was realistic in discussing my concerns.

Rick B., Buyer