Darrin & Andrea Mills - Highlands County Realtors

Seller's Q & A

Why should my home be priced at market value? If I price it higher I have more room for negotiations!
You are right, it appears you would have more room for negotiations if you price your home above market value. However, if you price it too high, you might not get any offers at all. Buyers shop around quite a bit. With the help of the internet and their trusted Realtor, they have a pretty good idea of what similar homes in your neighborhood have been selling for. Your asking price must still be low enough to get buyers through the door.

What is a Short Sale?
Your lender accepts less than the balance on your mortgage as payoff - that's a short sale in a nutshell. This occurs when you are unable to keep your mortgage current and the market value of your home is less than what you owe.

I'm behind on my payments and I think I might lose my home. Do I still have options?
Chances are you do! There are several options for homeowners in distress, such as Forbearance and Short Sale. The first step is for you to contact your lender. You might be able to renegotiate a new loan or put payments on hold for a few months - but you have to make that phone call.

How do you find the market value for my home?
We study your local market on a daily basis. When it comes to helping homeowners price their property we conduct an in-dept market study of comparable homes that are for sale, have recently sold, or failed to sell. We take into consideration any upgrades and updates you have made to your home and make adjustments accordingly. We will suggest a price range rather than one single price.

How much advertising will you do?
The way we advertise and market a property is different from case to case. As most homebuyers today use the internet to search for new homes, we want our listings to be featured where buyers will be looking for them. We utilize 40+ real estate and classified websites to showcase our listings with interactive maps and video tours. During the winter months, our market is heavily influenced by our annual temporary residents and we change our strategies accordingly. Utilizing Andrea's language skills we target affluent European cash buyers overseas as well.

How much will I net from the sale of my home?
At the time of listing your property, you will receive a "Seller's Net Sheet" or "Proceeds Sheet" from us. It is a summary of estimated costs associated with the sale of your property. We have a sample for you ...
Every time the price is adjusted, up or down, every time you receive an offer, you will be given a new Seller's Net Sheet so you know at any given time how much you will net approximately.

What is a “Limited Service Agreement”? A Limited Service Agreement (in the state of Florida) is basically a flat fee MLS listing. The seller gives the broker the exclusive right to sell the property while still being able to sell on his own. The advantage to the seller is that he saves the listing agent’s fee but benefits from access to professional real estate tools. Also, if the seller finds a buyer on his own, he saves the commission for the buyer agent as well. In case that a buyer agent brings a buyer, the seller will pay the buyer agent a commission as specified in the Limited Service Agreement. This can either be a percentage of the final sale price or a fixed amount. Still, the seller will have saved half the commission. If you are trying to sell on your own and would like a little professional help without having to commit, give us a call or fill out our contact form – no strings attached.