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IS IT TIME FOR A MOVE? A SELLERS GUIDE

2015 Seller's Guide

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The Coldwell Banker Kennon Parker Duncan & Davis Seller's Guide will help familiarize you with the process of selling your home. In addition, reviewing it prior to your appointment with your Realtor will help you become a much more informed Seller. It will also reduce the amount of your time needed on the appointment.

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You’ll reap the

benefits of our being

a part of helping

nearly 65,000 local

families move since

1963.

SOLD

Is your family growing? Need more space? Time to downsize? Or have you taken a new job in a new city? Whatever the reason

for moving, the prospect of putting your home on the market can seem a bit overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. We can

guide you through the process, tell you what to expect and offer helpful suggestions.

National statistics and surveys reveal only 56% of home-sellers were very satisfied with

the agent who helped them sell their home in 2014.

You deserve, and will receive, nothing but the best from us. We have put together a

state-of-the-art real estate practice with a team of top quality professionals who are

available to service your real estate needs in every capacity required.

Marketing expertise

Coldwell Banker and Kennon Parker Duncan & Davis has a 100+ year tradition of

marketing our homes. We have figured out the best way to expose a home to the

marketplace so that you can position the home to sell in the time you’ve allotted.

Pricing advice

We will give you concrete advice and what our local market is “saying” regarding price.

Our suggestion will be to position the home as the most competitive in the market.

Together, we will determine the appropriate offering price for your home.

Advice on preparing the home for sale

We will give you suggestions on how to prepare your home so that it will show its best. In addition, we’ll give you specific

suggestions to improve the impression your house will make on buyers.

Explaining the process

We’ll explain the entire selling process so there won’t be any surprises along the way. When we bring the purchase offers to

you for your consideration, we’ll explain them to you and include a Seller’s Net Sheet (estimate of proceeds) so that you’ll have

all the facts to make a wise decision.

Simply stated, our mission is to get you where you need to be…on time

and with the most money possible in your pocket

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Your Support Team

Our Management Team

Kelsey Kennon Broker/Owner 706-256-4275

Dan Parker Broker/Owner 706-256-4120

Doug Duncan Broker/Owner 706-256-4145

Steve Davis Broker/Owner 706-256-1000

Ed Grifenhagen Director of Sales & Development 706-256-4135

Liberty Henderson Property Manager 706-256-4550

Our Staff

Todd Andrae IT Director 706-256-4308

Chenise Peterson Listing/Sales Secretary 706-256-4105

Melanie Mitchell Front Desk Coordinator 706-256-4322

Jeanie Weekly Relocation Coordinator 706-256-4109

Rossi Tidwell Marketing Manager 706-256-4034

Pat Ratledge Agent Licensing 706-256-4122

Erin Thames Staff Accountant 706-256-4312

Mimi Fountain Accounting Asst. 706-221-4867

Synovus Mortgage Staff

Ashley Valentini Loan Originator 706-332-3220

Kevin LeRoy Loan Originator 706-573-1474

Haley Carpenter Loan Originator 706-527-9107

Bonnie Claridy Loan Originator 706-649-5803

Jeff Anderson Loan Originator 706-615-0599

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MYTH #1

“Discount” or “Limited Service” brokers can do an adequate job selling real estate.

REALITY

Promotional costs such as photographs; brochures; magazine and TV ads; MLS

insertion fees; printing; direct mail; personally distributed newsletters; professional

support staff; enhanced web services and fees; electronic marketing; signs; and

more are paid for by a full-service, full-fee agent.

Ask yourself:

Will the discount broker offer a complete marketing campaign?

Does the discount broker have a staff to personally attend to your specific needs?

Does he/she have a proven track record of success, or is he/she using the discounted commission to win your business?

Does he/she have the expertise to guide you through problems that will develop during the closing process?

Will he/she make themselves available to you when you are in need?

Will the discount broker be motivated during difficult times to go the extra mile for you, or will they move on to another

deal that doesn’t take so much of their time?

Your home is an asset to a discount broker and makes their phone ring. If your home sells, they lose business. Why

would they want to sell your home for a discounted fee when they can make more selling other properties?

Remember that you only pay a brokerage fee if and when your property sells successfully. The supply of buyers through your

home will be restricted if marketing is limited.

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MYTH #2

The KPDD team sells a lot of real estate. Perhaps they are too busy to pay attention

to my listing.

REALITY

Just as superior restaurants are busy at dinner time and superior doctors have long

patient lists, our success in marketing homes provides us with many more homes to

sell. Like good restaurants and doctors, we have set up a top-flight team to assist

with the routine details to free up agents to devote the time and attention required to

sell your property successfully. We built our business one satisfied customer at a

time. For you to be another satisfied customer who spreads the word about how well you were served is our goal.

MYTH #3

You should select the REALTOR® who says they can get you the highest price.

REALITY

This is the oldest scam in real estate: Tell the seller what they want to hear, act excited, and compliment the home to get the

listing. Then ask for a price reduction in a few days—or even a few weeks. Don’t buy into that. Insist on a written, well-

researched market analysis. Select your REALTOR® based on character, trust, credentials and track record, and then use market

data to decide on price.

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KPDD Home Marketing Plan

SO WHAT EXACTLY IS 24-7 MARKETING?

This means that we market your home 24 hours a day, seven days a week. What the consumer wants today is information

quickly, easily, honestly, and without the traditional hassles. Successful marketing hinges on this exact concept and this is

exactly what our 24-7 marketing plan offers.

WHY USE 24-7 MARKETING?

The traditional REALTOR® guards information as secret and privileged. Ever tried to find out the information you want on an

advertised home? Frustrating, isn’t it?

Our approach is different. Our 24-7 marketing plan is designed to offer the consumer all of the information they need easily and

at their convenience without all the hassles.

AND HOW EXACTLY IS ALL THIS ACHIEVED?

We pledge to you, as our client, to give you enough good information so that you can position your home correctly, against the

competition, in the marketplace. Even in good real estate markets, the competition is tough. Our job is to get you where you

need to be on time. We out-market all of the homes competing for your buyer… and we are very good at it. Our proactive

marketing campaign includes, but is not limited to, the following:

OUR PRO-ACTIVE MARKETING PLAN

We promote your home 24 HOURS A DAY to the entire real estate industry and the world through the local Multiple

Listing Service and the internet. Thousands of people visit kpdk.com daily and e-mail us with requests for more

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information regarding listings and local-area real estate. Our digital marketing also includes promotion of your property

on ColdwellBanker.com, REALTOR.com (with an enhanced listing, i.e. more photos, video & expanded contact

information), homes.com, realestate.msn.com, realestate.aol.com, frontdoor.com, excite.com, moving.com, trulia.com,

zillow.com, googlebase.com, realestate.yahoo.com as well as many other selected sites. FYI-the list is ever-changing.

Television is a very effective tool. When appropriate, we promote our listings on the Kennon Parker Duncan & Davis

Home Show on television (WTVM-the local ABC affiliate).

We will develop a feature sheet about your home for use in promoting your home to other agents

We will send an electronic post card to all of the agents in the area

24/7 Home Hotline (ask me about this)

We will mail a “Just Listed” postcard to the homeowners in your neighborhood, as well as to our friends and family

We will create & distribute a VisualTour of your home

We will include your home in periodic newsletters

We will canvas move-up neighborhoods

Social media marketing…youtube, facebook, etc.

When appropriate, we will hold an Agent’s Open House

When appropriate, we will hold a public Open House & market it on

o kpdk.com

o coldwellbanker.com

o realtor.com

o trulia.com

o zillow.com

o facebook

We will send an electronic post card to our friends, family, and clients.

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Coldwell Banker® Web Partnerships*

*these are just a few of the hundreds of sites

your home will appear on

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0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

ColdwellBanker KPDD

KW Waddell Erickson S. Source Bradley

Last twelve months market share on homes sold

in Muscogee/Harris Counties

Source Columbus Board of Realtors MLS

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Pricing Principles

The Role of a Real Estate Agent in Pricing

There is no “exact price” for real estate.

We don’t tell you what we think your home will appraise for. We will tell you what we think your home will sell for in

today’s market.

The market determines value—together we determine an appropriate list price

The market determines value.

Today’s competition determines today’s market value,

not what you paid for it.

No property is worth more than a buyer is willing to pay or more

than its best competition.

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Pricing Principles

The Real Value of Your Home Is Based on Facts

A good REALTOR® will show you the facts regarding the price your home

will sell for. The most revealing facts are as follows:

Today’s competition determines today’s market value-all of the homes that

are competing for the same buyer dollar that you are. No property is worth

more than a buyer is willing to pay or more than its competition.

Buyers perceive the competitive market value of a property based on the

intrinsic or utility value to them. They are shopping for the best value for the price they will pay.

The price buyers have been willing to pay, and lenders have been willing to lend, for homes similar to yours. These are

called comparable sales and are available to every REALTOR® in our area.

Don’t select your agent based on the price they say your home will sell for. Remember, the agent you choose isn’t buying

your home; your agent is responsible for getting your home sold.

Unfortunately, a homeowner will often select the agent who quotes the highest price. Sometimes, an agent who understands

this will tell a seller an inflated price to get the listing.

The agent who is willing to list your house at the highest price may be the least likely to get your home sold for top dollar.

An agent who knowingly takes an overpriced listing usually plans to start “working on you” immediately to get a series of deep

price cuts. The problem, besides your frustration and feelings of betrayal, is that all the other agents quickly decide your home

is an “overpriced burden” and won’t even consider showing it. You have to cut your price well below fair market value to get

the other agents to think of it as a good value! The result is that your home takes longer to sell and you get less money.

The secret to getting you where you need to be, on time, is to position your home properly. The facts are available and they

are clear and convincing. The best way to select a REALTOR® is to find the person you are comfortable with, you trust, and

the person with the best strategy for marketing your home.

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Pricing Principles

What Overpricing Can Do

to the Eventual Sale Price You Receive for Your Home

You will lose the excitement that a new listing generates

Agents are working with buyers who have seen what is currently on the market and are waiting for something new to be listed.

Therefore, most activity will take place within the first 30-45 days of a listing. Your home will probably receive its best offers

during this time. After this initial period, the only people who come to look at your home will be new buyers in the

marketplace.

You will lose the most qualified prospects

Potential buyers will not “make an offer” because they probably will never see your property. They will view the properties

that are priced within their purchase-power range, knowing that they cannot afford anything above their price range.

Overpricing helps sell other more competitively priced homes first

Your home may become the example demonstrating the good value of other properties. Your objective should be to enter the

market in a position that will attract prospects not drive them away.

Your home may become stale on the market

Prospects may wonder why it has been on the market so long or if something is wrong with the property, even after you lower

the price. You will likely have to settle for less than market value. A house takes on a reputation surprisingly fast, so don’t

wear out your welcome on the market.

You lose a strong negotiating position

When your house is on the market a long time, it hurts both financially and mentally. Prospects will not “rush” to make an offer

on an overpriced property, and you may be faced with accepting less when they finally do.

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If you do get an offer, the contract may fall through because of appraisal problems

The lender, through the appraiser they send to your property, must justify the price to the market in order to approve a buyer’s

financing.

As you can see, pricing your home correctly will make a tremendous difference in how fast it sells and for how much. We

make it our business to know the market and help our clients position their homes to sell in the time allotted.

Setting The Stage For a Sale

Three words best describe home preparation: Clean, Bright and Uncluttered. Focus the majority of your efforts into getting your

home as clean as possible and into making rooms look light and bright and clutter free. When it comes to cleaning, pay special

attention to the kitchen and bathrooms. Potential buyers will be looking closely at these areas, so keep them as fresh as possible

during the listing period.

Declutter! You don’t want to move all that stuff anyway, so now is the time to hold a yard sale or donate to local organizations.

You might also want to put excess furniture in storage while your home is being shown. This is a great way to declutter each

room to make it look more spacious. There are dozens of moveable storage companies where they bring a storage box to your

home, you fill it and they take it to their storage facility. It’s a lot easier to move and store items temporarily than hauling your

furniture and boxes to a stationary storage facility. Just look up “portable storage companies” on the Internet.

You live in a home one way, but you sell a home in an entirely different way. Here are a few great tips on creating an

atmosphere that will charm buyers and make them want to buy your home. Remember that you’ll never get a second chance to

make a first impression, and first impressions are what count! Follow these simple tips and create the competitive edge that

may help you sell your home more quickly.

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Basic Checklist

Clean wall to wall carpets,

paying particular attention to

high traffic areas.

Make sure that rooms are a

comfortable temperature.

Open all the curtains and shades

to let in as much natural light as

possible.

Empty all trash baskets regularly.

Wash windows inside and out

and clean light fixtures.

Organize and stack linens and

clothing neatly in all closets

Before each showing

appointment, turn on lamps and

overhead lights to brighten

rooms. A lot of light makes them

more appealing and also helps

them to appear more spacious.

Avoid artificial room fresheners

as some people do not tolerate

the scented air. Instead, if you

have notice of a showing, bake

some cookies and leave them out

for the potential buyers. Nothing

says “home” like the aroma of

fresh-baked cookies.

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Curb Appeal

Most lookers make a firm judgment about the property from the street, before they even enter the home. In fact, your listing will

include a current photo of the front of your home and this is often the first impression a buyer forms when viewing possible

properties. If your home doesn’t have good curb appeal, you may not get as many lookers to venture inside. Get in your car and

drive up to the front of your house. Make an objective evaluation about the view from the street. Ask yourself:

Is the walkway clear and easy to navigate?

Does the yard and landscaping look well tended?

Is the front door clean and inviting? (It doesn’t take much money or effort to put a fresh coat of paint on the door and to

clean the hardware.)

Are the outside lights clean and operable?

How about the mailbox – does it need a new coat of paint or replacing?

Are windows washed?

Are sidewalks cleared of any snowfall?

Consider adding some color with seasonal flowers in the beds or in pots near the entrance. Solar lights are priced reasonably

and make a home welcoming in the evening. Move bicycles, toys, garden hoses or lawn equipment from the front of the house.

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To Paint & Improve or Not?

What are today’s hot trends in home amenities? Hardwood floors are a popular feature as long as they are in good condition.

Ceramic tile is desirable as long as the style is relatively modern. Outdated wallpaper is a hard sell for most homes, so removing

it could be worth the effort.

So the question is, should you improve, upgrade, renovate and paint? Probably yes to all in varying degrees.

Paint your ceilings. It’s truly understandable how many buyers pay close attention to ceilings looking for tell-tale cracks,

water stains and the last century “popcorn” spray applications.

Wood paneling from floor to ceiling has fallen from favor unless it is architecturally or historically significant. Here is

where removing or painting it a neutral color will help modernize the room.

Would a shiny contemporary faucet make the bathroom enticing? Will a new light fixture brighten the space? Small

improvements to kitchen and baths can help make the sale.

If selling quickly is a must, consider “home staging” professionals. Home staging is all about creating illusions to make

your home warmer, bigger, more loving and desirable. It’s what you or a professional do after all the cleanup and

“decluttering.” Check the Internet for great staging tips, techniques and tricks.

Approach your home as a potential buyer and look at all aspects through those eyes. Make improvements based on that

and recommendations of your real estate professional.