Eliminating (and Preparing for) Friction

Most deals that fall apart fail for reasons someone saw coming. Here's how we get ahead of them.

Pre-listing prep, four weeks out

We match the time and effort of preparing your home to the current pace of buyer activity. A typical timeline:

• 4 weeks to list: listing agreement signed, staging consultation, optional pre-inspection, paint and repair work begun
• 3 weeks: cleaning and decluttering, landscaping finessed, windows cleaned, furniture removed as needed
• 2 weeks: staging installed, photography, video and 3D tour as needed
• 1 week: marketing materials designed, flyers, email, and web

Title

Old liens, boundary questions, easements, and names that don't match. We order a pre-title commitment at our expense so there's time to clear anything odd rather than discovering it a week before closing.

The appraisal

If a home appraises below contract price, someone covers the difference. We prepare a packet for the appraiser with the comparable sales and updates that support your price.

Inspection surprises

Roof age, sewer lines on older homes, knob-and-tube wiring, oil tanks, grading, and basement moisture. Known before listing, these get priced in. Discovered later, they get renegotiated.

Disclosure

Washington's Form 17 seller disclosure and Idaho's equivalent are not places to be optimistic. The cost of a disclosed issue is almost always less than an undisclosed one. For homes built before 1978, lead-based paint notification is required.

The buyer's financing

We ask about the buyer's lender before accepting an offer. A strong pre-approval from a lender who answers the phone is worth real money compared to a higher price from one who doesn't.

Rural and acreage

Wells, septic, shared roads, and easements each add steps and time. If that's your property, we start early and plan for a longer escrow.