Sell Your
Property

The Selling Process

Mark provides a better selling experience,with knowledge and expertise, unlike any other agent. His high standards are unwavering; it is simply the way he does business. He insists upon quality and integrity in himself and in his team of expert assistants. This shows in everything he does, and results in rave reviews from past clients. This dedication, along with 15 years of experience selling real estate, provides the expertise that allows him to represent a home unlike any other. When it comes to getting the highest price for your home, he gets the job done.

• STEP 1: No Obligation Home Consultation - 1st Meeting

  Mark's extensive sales background, plus his work in land development, and custom construction provide him with a complete knowledge of all the elements of the luxury home market from the ground up! Luxury homes are not carbon copies, and cannot be placed in a standard market pattern. Mark will tour your home identifying all of its unique qualities and establishing what your goals are for selling your home. Contact Mark for a no obligation home consultation at (425) 882-8821 or .

• STEP 2: Competitive Market Analysis - 2nd Meeting

  Mark will present to you a Competitive Market Analysis that includes Sold, Pending, STI, and Active market data. This data along with tax data, current market trends, and all the factors that make your home unique will be used to establish a List Price range for your home.

• STEP 3: Preparing Your Home for Listing

  Experts say most buyers make their decisions at first sight Mark is an expert at visually marketing or "setting the stage" in a luxury home. Because prospective buyers will react well to signs that your home has been meticulously maintained, Mark will show you the minor exterior and interior adjustments that make the largest impact on a buyer.

Some minor Exterior or Curb Appeal adjustments include:

• Manicure landscaping: mow, edge and water lawn, trim hedges, weed and fertilize flowerbeds, and prune trees.
• Keep driveway clean and free of parked cars, and keep the garage door closed.
• Repair or replace loose or damaged roof shingles.
• Minimize cracks or crumbling on walkways, walls, or steps, and keep them clean and free of obstructions like toys or snow. Check for signs of moss and mold, remove if visible.
• Items from RV's to waste cans left out can contribute to a cluttered or busy appearance. Make sure that from the street, your property appears clear and clean.
• Inspect appearance of interior window coverings from the curb.
• Repair any peeling paint or loose caulking on windows or other areas.
• Take steps to eliminate insect or rodent pests.
• Pick up after your pets or neighborhood animals.
• Apply a fresh coat of paint to the front door and frame.
• Consider adding pots of flowering plants in the entryway if weather permits.
• Eliminate cobwebs and groom doorway area windows, porch light, or decorative glass.

Some minor interior adjustments include:

• Give every room in the house a thorough cleaning and remove all clutter. Hiring a cleaning service may pay for itself by adding to a buyer's perceived value of your home.
• For a sleeker, more spacious look, consider placing furniture from crowded rooms in storage.
• Clear kitchen counters of everything other than perhaps a few very pretty items. Ask yourself: In a model home, would a professional decorator put your choice of items out on the counter?
• Remember: closets will be opened! Keep closets, cupboards, and even your attic orderly and neat. Since you are anticipating a move anyway, consider holding a garage sale or boxing and storing unused belongings.
• If necessary, repaint or clean/replace dingy, soiled or strongly-colored walls, and window and floor coverings with a light, neutral shade. Bright rooms look bigger, and neutral colors help buyers envision their own furnishings and decor.
• Repair dripping faucets, burned-out light bulbs, or cracked windowpanes.
• Repair cracks, holes or damage to plaster, wallboard, wallpaper, and tiles.

• STEP 4: Establish a Listing Date and Fill-Out Paper Work

  Mark will help you establish a list date for your home and meet with you to fill out paperwork.

• STEP 5: Scheduling Professional Photography & Property Notes

  Mark recognizes the importance of quality professional photography, and its effect of increased interest in the home by agents and prospective buyers alike. These photos will be noticeably different, when compared to others, in creating a "wow factor" that is able to match your homes brilliance, making it that much more memorable to those who see your home.

• STEP 6: Sign Installation, Flyer Stand, Key box, and Shoe Cover Delivery

  A Mark von der Burg sign is installed in your yard usually near the driveway or at another location that provides the maximum amount of exposure for your home. We also provide a Key box that allows agents to easily access your home with their potential Buyers and shoe covers as a courtesy to help keep your home clean during the listing process.

  Note: Clients can choose not to have a key box on their property. However, this significantly reduces the amount of potential Buyers that are willing to view your home. Often times if a home is listed "By Appointment Only" for showing, this can convey that a home is difficult to show or there is a difficult Seller.

• STEP 7: Listing Your Home on the North West Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS)

  This is the step when your home becomes "Active" on the NWMLS and agents will be eager to show your home to their potential Buyers. Expect the telephone to start ringing and be prepared to leave your home when an agent is showing a prospective Buyer. One of the biggest mistakes a seller can make is to remain at home for showings. A Seller can actually weaken their negotiating ability depending on how they answer questions that are asked by a showing agent or a prospective Buyer.

  When preparing your home for showings, think about the techniques used to show builders' model homes or what you might do to prepare for honored guests. Some general preparations include:

All Rooms

• Create a light, cheerful and serene environment.
• Open drapes and turn on lights including those in closets, basement or attic.
• Add a welcoming touch by filling candy dishes and putting out fresh flowers.
• Be aware of smells and odors. Immediate negative reactions are made by pet odors, smoke, and over perfumed homes. Air it out, open it up! No smell is the best smell. Bedrooms
• Make beds, put clothes and toys away, keep decorator pillows orderly.
• Turn blinds so slats are uniformly open. Always turn on the lights. Bathrooms
• Put out a clean hand towel, fresh soap and soap dish.
• Put commode lid down and ensure tissue supply is adequate.

Kitchen

• Put away last minute dishes and conceal countertop articles.

Dining Room

• Arrange inviting centerpiece.
• Consider setting the table with fine china and linen.
• Light chandelier.

Living Room/Family Room/Den

• Straighten pictures on walls.
• Adjust couch cushions and throw pillows.
• Dispose of newspapers and drink containers, polish table tops.
• Light fireplace in winter.

Entryway

• When exiting just before buyers arrive, turn around at the front door and see what the prospective buyer's first impression will be. What is the first thing you notice from that vantage point? Is it an asset?

• STEP 8: Strategic Market Planning

  When it comes to marketing, there is simply no comparison. Mark spends more money, time, and energy on marketing than any other agent. Using only professional graphic designers to create printed advertising, he is ahead of other agents by leaps and bounds. This process encompasses team brainstorming sessions to establish the "Best Possible" marketing plan to promote your home to potential buyers and other real estate agents.

  Mark knows that your home must be set apart to achieve the highest value. This is what he does best. He knows which marketing tools will benefit each individual property and how to present the property to further enhance its value. Through experience, he knows what strategies will draw the most buyers to your home.

  Our custom home brochures and flyers make a noticeable difference that is able to match your homes brilliance, making it that much more memorable to those who see it. We advertise in publications that are read by the luxury buyer, rather than simply using the least expensive methods of exposure. Also, we market to fellow agents more than any other agent, sending both postcards and emails featuring your home to thousands of agents who work with buyers in your area.

• STEP 9: Keeping You Informed During the Listing Process

  Mark has assembled a team of service oriented individuals who have proven their ability to get the job done. This provides for quicker responses and an all-around more pleasing experience, keeping you informed every step of the way. While you can be assured that Mark will always be your first-line of contact, and that you will never be passed off onto someone else, it is nice to know that there is an entire team working to help you sell your home. During the listing process you will receive weekly showing updates that include feedback from agents and their buyers. Also, we will mail you copies of ads that have been published for your home.

• STEP 10: Getting an Offer

  Mark will clearly explain each part of the offer helping you understand what it means to you as a Seller. Using his expertise, he will also provide suggestion on what are the best possible was to strategically responding to the offer. There are only a handful of realtors who exclusively work in the luxury market and it's important to have an agent with a strong presence in that market when you enter negotiations. Mark's experience in handling the real estate process is exceptional. He consistently ranks in the top 1% of all agents nationally - his clients are well positioned to win.

• STEP 11: Let Us Help You Find a New Home!

  Depending on your goals, you may need to find a new home. This is the perfect opportunity to let Mark and his accredited buyer's agents help you with your search.

• STEP 12: Keeping You Informed During the Sales Process

  Just as being informed during the Listing Process, we keep you informed during the Sales Process. A detailed Purchase and Sale Timeline will be mailed and emailed to you. This timeline includes dates that must be followed very closely in order to assure a successful transaction.

• STEP 13: Closing Date

  This is the date that the property is conveyed to the Buyer from the Seller. We'll call you, usually in the afternoon, on the Closing Date to congratulate you on the closing.

• STEP 14: Possession Date and Time

  This is the date when the Buyer takes possession of the home. Usually, it is at 9pm on the Possession date agreed to by the Buyer and Seller unless otherwise noted in the Purchase and Sale Agreement.