Questions · 17 answered
Questions, answered straight
The questions I hear most at the walkthrough and the first buyer meeting, with the same plain answers I give in person. If yours is not here, call the desk.
Part 01
Selling
What is your commission, and what does it cover?
One commission, quoted in writing at the walkthrough, before you sign anything. It covers staging, dusk photography, the written story, the launch and my negotiation. No marketing bills arrive later.
How long until my home is on the market?
Usually about three weeks from the walkthrough. That covers small repairs, staging and two or three evenings of photography. A house that needs more time gets it.
Do I have to stage my home?
I strongly recommend it, and my stager is part of my fee. If you still live in the house, we stage around your life, not over it.
Should I sell quietly or launch publicly?
It depends on the house. Rare homes usually do best with a public launch. Private situations often do better with a short list of buyers first. You get my reasoning in writing either way.
Will you list a home outside your four neighborhoods?
No. I work Rowan Hill, Meridian Quay, Linden Vale and Saltcliff. If your home is somewhere else, I will introduce you to an agent who knows that market well.
Part 02
Buying
What does it cost me to work with you as a buyer?
We sign a short buyer agreement at the start that sets out my fee and who pays it. I explain it in plain numbers at our first meeting, before you see a single house.
Do I need financing in place first?
Yes. Sellers in the quiet market only take calls about proven buyers. A pre-approval or proof of funds lets you move in days when the right house appears.
How do I hear about homes before they are listed?
Register your search with me. When a matching home is about to come up, I call registered buyers first, often before photos exist.
Can you help if I am moving from another city or country?
Yes. I run video tours, send written notes on each house and arrange inspections. Most relocating clients visit once or twice before they buy.
Part 03
Pricing and valuation
How accurate is the online valuation?
It gives a range from the sales on my sold record, adjusted for your answers. It cannot see light, ceilings or the roof. A real number needs a one-hour walkthrough, which costs nothing.
Why do you publish sales that closed under asking?
Because you deserve the full picture. Two of my recent sales closed under asking. Both stay on the sold page, with a note on what happened.
What if my home does not sell quickly?
We review the feedback and the numbers together every week. If the price needs to move, I will say so early and plainly. Waiting too long costs more than one honest change.
Part 04
Working together
Will I work with you or with a junior agent?
With me. I show every home and negotiate every offer myself. My small team handles staging, photography and paperwork, never the conversations that matter.
How quickly do you reply?
The same business day, usually by phone. I am often at showings in the evening, so a text is the quickest way to reach me after six.
Can my sale stay private?
Yes. No sign, no personal photos online and showings to verified buyers only. Tell me what you need and we plan the sale around it.
Part 05
Fair housing
Do you follow fair housing law?
Always. I serve every buyer and seller the same way, whatever their race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin or any other protected class. I never steer anyone toward or away from a neighborhood.
Can you tell me which neighborhood suits a family like ours?
I can share facts about homes, prices, commute times and nearby parks and shops. I do not describe neighborhoods by who lives there. For schools and local data, I point you to public sources so you can decide for yourself.
Private consultation
Some answers need your address.
Fees, timing and price all depend on the house. A thirty-minute consultation turns these general answers into a plan for yours.