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Seller's Guide

A Step-by-Step First Time Seller's Guide

Putting your home on the market can be a stressful process, especially when you don’t know what to expect. Fortunately, with the help of an experienced team of real estate agents and this easy to follow guide, you can smoothly complete the process. Following these steps will help you prepare so you can get organized and sell your home for the best price possible.​​​​​​​

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Step 1: Understand Why You're Selling

What do you want to accomplish with the sale of your home? Do you want to make a certain amount of money that you can put toward a larger or nicer home? Do you need to sell it as soon as possible to facilitate a move to a new city or area? Once you understand your needs, you can better craft your offer. For example, if you need to sell quickly, you might want to price your home lower than if your goal is to make a certain profit margin. Make sure you convey these needs to your team of real estate agents once you choose one so they can adjust your selling price accordingly.

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Step 2: Determine Selling Price

Knowing how to price your home is one of the most important parts of the selling process. When you set a fair price in the beginning, you’ll get the most interest from other real estate agents and prospective buyers. Overpricing your home could lead to reduced interest, and underpricing leads to receiving less than what your home is worth. Working with a team of real estate agents is the best way to determine the right selling price for your home. A team of real estate agents with experience can determine what other comparable homes are selling for, evaluate the current market, and may even suggest a home appraisal.

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Step 3: Start Preparations

If you’ve kept your home in showroom condition since you’ve lived in it, you’re in the minority of homeowners. Once you price your home, it’s time to start getting it ready to be shown to potential buyers. This includes getting rid of clutter, depersonalizing the space so that buyers can envision themselves in the space, making any small repairs, and doing a deep clean to make sure your home is in pristine condition.

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Step 4: Develop a Marketing Strategy

We will develop a marketing strategy that is perfect for advertising your home. This involves listing the home and then driving the right people to that listing through social media campaigns, agent-to-agent referrals, traditional media, or SEO advertising. Our team creates a marketing campaign that aims to get the most possible traffic to your listing in the first three weeks after becoming a client.

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Step 5: Evaluate Offers

Receiving an offer is an exciting part of the process, but it doesn’t mean the journey is over. We will evaluate each offer and make sure the party making the offer is prequalified or pre-approved by a mortgage lender and that their offer is acceptable to you. If the offer is too low, you can make a counter-offer or offer other ways to bridge the gap, such as covering some or all of the closing costs, making repairs, adjusting the move-in date, or leaving some appliances or fixtures for the new buyer.

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Step 6: Accept an Offer

Once we deem the offer is acceptable, we will review the proposed contract to make sure it’s all in order and includes the necessary components such as deposit amount, down payment, financing, inspection rights and repair allowances, contingencies, settlement date, and a list of fees and who will pay them. When both parties have agreed to the term, a final contract will be prepared by your team of real estate agents.

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Step 7: Get Ready to Close

You have accepted an offer and are now very close to the end of your selling journey. But first, you and the buyer must make a list of what needs to be done before closing. In some cases, your home may need to be formally inspected, surveyed, and appraised. In other cases, major or minor repairs will need to be made before the house can close. We will head up efforts to develop and execute this list, get each action item paid for by the correct party, and make sure everything is in order by the closing date. A few days before the closing date, we will call the company closing the transaction to make sure everything is ready to go. If you haven’t done so already, you also need to make arrangements to move out of the home so the new buyer can take possession.

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Step 8: Close

You’ve reached the last step in the seller’s process. When you close on a home you are selling, you are legally transferring ownership of the property to the new buyer. We will meet with the company closing the transaction to sign the final paperwork and go over any issues that have not yet been taken care of. During this time, you can also make plans with your team of real estate agents to handle final details such as canceling utilities, cable, and lawn or trash services, changing the name on accounts that the new owner is retaining and ensuring the new owner has instructions for all appliances that will remain in the home.

Congratulations!

Once you have sold your home, you’re free to take the next step on your journey. Whether this is relocating to a new city, moving into a larger home, or downsizing and enjoying your life as empty-nesters, knowing all your selling responsibilities have been taken care of will help you achieve peace of mind for your new path.

Because Your Success is Our Greatest Achievement

"Lisa did a great job helping us find this home and supporting us through the process. Being unfamiliar with the Westchester and Scarsdale area, she was really helpful in getting to know the neighborhood and guiding us to what we were looking for. Lisa also helped us after the transaction was completed as we were settling in and making plans to improve our new home."
"Lisa did a great job helping us find this home and supporting us through the process. Being unfamiliar with the Westchester and Scarsdale area, she was really helpful in getting to know the neighborhood and guiding us to what we were looking for. Lisa also helped us after the transaction was completed as we were settling in and making plans to improve our new home."
Matthieu C.
"I have now worked with Lisa three times. Every time, she has been knowledgeable, thorough, and responsive. With so much going on during each move, I felt that I was in great hands with Lisa - and I could focus on the details of the move. I highly recommend her, as both a buyer and a seller."
"I have now worked with Lisa three times. Every time, she has been knowledgeable, thorough, and responsive. With so much going on during each move, I felt that I was in great hands with Lisa - and I could focus on the details of the move. I highly recommend her, as both a buyer and a seller."
Amy F.
"Bela Sheth went above and beyond to help my husband, and I sell our Scarsdale home. Her expertise in the market was incredible. She is beyond knowledgeable at what she does, along with a warm and caring personality. I have already referred her to two families who cannot thank me enough for the introduction. I sold my Scarsdale home in 2 weeks and the entire process from beginning to end was seamless! I will definitely be using her in the future."
"Bela Sheth went above and beyond to help my husband, and I sell our Scarsdale home. Her expertise in the market was incredible. She is beyond knowledgeable at what she does, along with a warm and caring personality. I have already referred her to two families who cannot thank me enough for the introduction. I sold my Scarsdale home in 2 weeks and the entire process from beginning to end was seamless! I will definitely be using her in the future."
Amy S.
"We cannot thank Bela enough for helping us find our home. As a first-time and somewhat fussy buyer, Bela was very patient with us and helped us to be objective about our search and criteria. We saw many houses and soon were able to narrow the price range. Bela helped significantly in negotiating and helping us understand the picture from the sellers' perspective. Together, we landed our dream house. Post-close, she helped us get settled and helped us contact multiple service contractors. We are truly grateful to Bela and strongly recommend her for home seekers in Scarsdale."
"We cannot thank Bela enough for helping us find our home. As a first-time and somewhat fussy buyer, Bela was very patient with us and helped us to be objective about our search and criteria. We saw many houses and soon were able to narrow the price range. Bela helped significantly in negotiating and helping us understand the picture from the sellers' perspective. Together, we landed our dream house. Post-close, she helped us get settled and helped us contact multiple service contractors. We are truly grateful to Bela and strongly recommend her for home seekers in Scarsdale."
Shivani & Puneet S.
"Lisa cares deeply about her clients and does everything in her power for a successful transaction. We engaged Lisa to assist us in buying our home 16 years ago and remained friends with her throughout our stay in Scarsdale. We interviewed several other brokers but selected Lisa to market our home due to her expertise and the confidence we had in her. She handled the sale of our home exceptionally well and I can recommend her without hesitation."
"Lisa cares deeply about her clients and does everything in her power for a successful transaction. We engaged Lisa to assist us in buying our home 16 years ago and remained friends with her throughout our stay in Scarsdale. We interviewed several other brokers but selected Lisa to market our home due to her expertise and the confidence we had in her. She handled the sale of our home exceptionally well and I can recommend her without hesitation."
Evan K.
"Lisa is the best of the best. We purchased our property through her and also listed it with her help when my husband was relocated. Everything went better than we anticipated. She is very professional and knowledgeable. She anticipated the next steps of the process and helped us avoid any problems. And she helped us obtain a very satisfactory number! Simply the best!"
"Lisa is the best of the best. We purchased our property through her and also listed it with her help when my husband was relocated. Everything went better than we anticipated. She is very professional and knowledgeable. She anticipated the next steps of the process and helped us avoid any problems. And she helped us obtain a very satisfactory number! Simply the best!"
Juhee H.
"We have known Joanne for years, as we both have the same family friends and spend time chatting at social gatherings. Every time we would discuss my ideas about moving, she would candidly share her thoughts and feelings, without ever a hint of pressure to use her as an agent. When the time came for our decision to leave the safe, beautiful great amenities and school district that the Village of Scarsdale offers, one that my husband grew up in and we raised two wonderful children in for the past 22 years, I started asking friends and acquaintances who they used to sell their houses. Everyone and their mother unequivocally said, “You have to use Joanne Shapse”! “Why?, what makes her so special?” I wanted to know. Joanne is professional, transparent and caring, as she “holds your hand through the whole process”, one friend asserted. Having grown up in Scarsdale and raising 2 children here as well, she knows her market inside and out and is extremely passionate about what she does. She was in constant communication about every next step and details, asking our opinions about her strategies, which allowed us to feel that she truly knew what she was doing while “having our backs”(which is something she committed to from the get-go). Selling a home is such an emotional process and can come with so many caveats but her leading the way from start to finish (in a very, very short period of time) made all the difference in our confidence levels and well-being. We are thrilled we hired her and enthusiastically recommend her as she is a true gem of a real estate agent and person!"
"We have known Joanne for years, as we both have the same family friends and spend time chatting at social gatherings. Every time we would discuss my ideas about moving, she would candidly share her thoughts and feelings, without ever a hint of pressure to use her as an agent. When the time came for our decision to leave the safe, beautiful great amenities and school district that the Village of Scarsdale offers, one that my husband grew up in and we raised two wonderful children in for the past 22 years, I started asking friends and acquaintances who they used to sell their houses. Everyone and their mother unequivocally said, “You have to use Joanne Shapse”! “Why?, what makes her so special?” I wanted to know. Joanne is professional, transparent and caring, as she “holds your hand through the whole process”, one friend asserted. Having grown up in Scarsdale and raising 2 children here as well, she knows her market inside and out and is extremely passionate about what she does. She was in constant communication about every next step and details, asking our opinions about her strategies, which allowed us to feel that she truly knew what she was doing while “having our backs”(which is something she committed to from the get-go). Selling a home is such an emotional process and can come with so many caveats but her leading the way from start to finish (in a very, very short period of time) made all the difference in our confidence levels and well-being. We are thrilled we hired her and enthusiastically recommend her as she is a true gem of a real estate agent and person!"
Seller
"If you are looking for a platinum-level agent who will help you navigate one of the most difficult buyer’s markets, we have ever experienced than Joanne Shapse is the realtor you want on your team! Joanne helped us sell our home in Scarsdale and purchase our home in Armonk in an extremely competitive environment! She guided us through the buying and selling process seamlessly. She is patient, caring, incredibly knowledgeable and fun to work with! At the end of the day your home is your largest financial investment, you can trust that Joanne will guide you through the home buying purchase every step of the way from inspection to close- with as little stress as possible I can safely say that Joanne is in a class by herself and a tremendous asset, not only was she great at her job, but she is a lovely person, Smart and engaging. She has a tremendous tool kit full of resources including some great contractors or vendors who she trusts and recommends. She is by far the best real estate agent we have ever met. We would highly recommend her!"
"If you are looking for a platinum-level agent who will help you navigate one of the most difficult buyer’s markets, we have ever experienced than Joanne Shapse is the realtor you want on your team! Joanne helped us sell our home in Scarsdale and purchase our home in Armonk in an extremely competitive environment! She guided us through the buying and selling process seamlessly. She is patient, caring, incredibly knowledgeable and fun to work with! At the end of the day your home is your largest financial investment, you can trust that Joanne will guide you through the home buying purchase every step of the way from inspection to close- with as little stress as possible I can safely say that Joanne is in a class by herself and a tremendous asset, not only was she great at her job, but she is a lovely person, Smart and engaging. She has a tremendous tool kit full of resources including some great contractors or vendors who she trusts and recommends. She is by far the best real estate agent we have ever met. We would highly recommend her!"
Buyer
"My fiancé and I worked with Elise to purchase our first home in White Plains. We were moving from NYC and weren't familiar with Westchester neighborhoods, but Elise understood what we were looking for as a young couple and helped us find the perfect house in the perfect neighborhood. Elise helped us negotiate to get us a house that already had competitive offers, and she made us feel comfortable throughout the whole process. Even after closing she's still helping us find contractors and handymen. She's amazing to work with and hope to work with her again!"
"My fiancé and I worked with Elise to purchase our first home in White Plains. We were moving from NYC and weren't familiar with Westchester neighborhoods, but Elise understood what we were looking for as a young couple and helped us find the perfect house in the perfect neighborhood. Elise helped us negotiate to get us a house that already had competitive offers, and she made us feel comfortable throughout the whole process. Even after closing she's still helping us find contractors and handymen. She's amazing to work with and hope to work with her again!"
Buyer
"Elise worked with us on the buying of a new home and the selling of our existing home. She was great on all of the professional skills (knowledge of the market, sales process, negotiations, etc.) She was available 24/7 - and we were working with her at all hours. Fastest response time imaginable. Lastly, she was always there to help us on the emotional roller coaster that goes along with all of this - and this is a true strength that we appreciated as much (or more) than the superb technical or professional skills. I highly, highly recommend her."
"Elise worked with us on the buying of a new home and the selling of our existing home. She was great on all of the professional skills (knowledge of the market, sales process, negotiations, etc.) She was available 24/7 - and we were working with her at all hours. Fastest response time imaginable. Lastly, she was always there to help us on the emotional roller coaster that goes along with all of this - and this is a true strength that we appreciated as much (or more) than the superb technical or professional skills. I highly, highly recommend her."
Seller
"We feel incredibly lucky to have worked with Lisa and Bela! Not only are they warm, kind, and a joy to work with, but they are also incredibly influential and well-connected in the Scarsdale community. In such a competitive market—where most homes we were interested in had 20 to 30 offers and were selling well over asking—Lisa and Bela helped us navigate the process with clarity, strategy, and grace. They helped manage our expectations while also advising us on how to stay competitive without overpaying. Thanks to their guidance, we found our dream home in just 5 weeks, even though we originally expected the process to take 6 to 12 months. Their professionalism, local knowledge, and dedication truly set them apart. We are beyond grateful for their support and would recommend them to anyone looking to buy in the area!"
"We feel incredibly lucky to have worked with Lisa and Bela! Not only are they warm, kind, and a joy to work with, but they are also incredibly influential and well-connected in the Scarsdale community. In such a competitive market—where most homes we were interested in had 20 to 30 offers and were selling well over asking—Lisa and Bela helped us navigate the process with clarity, strategy, and grace. They helped manage our expectations while also advising us on how to stay competitive without overpaying. Thanks to their guidance, we found our dream home in just 5 weeks, even though we originally expected the process to take 6 to 12 months. Their professionalism, local knowledge, and dedication truly set them apart. We are beyond grateful for their support and would recommend them to anyone looking to buy in the area!"
Buyer

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