Seller's Guide

The Hamptons

Selling a Home in Hamptons

1. Preparing your Home for Sale

Cleaning
Your agent can recommend reputable vendors.

  • Windows: Cleaning your windows is an easy way to improve the look of your home.
  • Floors: Repair any large scratches from pets or high traffic areas.
  • De-clutter: Remove personal photos, tchotchkes, etc.
  • Painting: Touchup scuffs, scratches and dents in the walls/paint.

Staging
How much should I do?

Everyone lives differently. Depending on your property, your agent can recommend a customized strategy. This varies from rearranging your furniture to hiring a staging company.

Phographing your home
How much should I do?

Photos are one of the most important elements in marketing your home. Your agent will coordinate these photos with one of our approved vendors. 1/3 of homebuyers start their search online and good photos are important to getting them to click through for more information.


2. Marketing

Marketing Plan

​​​​​​​The Compass marketing team produces beautiful print collateral to strategically showcase your property. Your agent develops and executes an intelligent, effective pain marketing plan in relevant publications. Eye-catching property signs are produced and placed outside your property.​​​​​​​

Syndication

We syndicate to 100+ sites domestically and internationally and we can track metrics on your property's performance on this sites. Your broker can provide a list of websites and portals that your living is viewable on.​​​​​​​


3. Showing the Home for Sale

What does the agent do?

A good agent will be able to walk prospective buyers through your home and speak about the property in terms that respond to what the buyer is looking for. Experienced agents are often able to defuse concerns while highlighting the desirable aspects of the home. No two showings are the same and your agent will be able to adjust his or her description of the home in response to the buyer's needs and wants.

What should I do prior to showing?
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De-odorize, de-clutter, de-personalize.


4. Open Houses

Open House App
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Allows your broker to track open house attendees and easily correspond and follow up with prospective buyers.


5. Offers

Considering and accepting an offer:
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Following an offer, your agent contacts all interested parties, reviews the offer terms, and raises all counter-offer options with you. Upon acceptance, a memo of sale detailing the terms of the sale is generated by the agents and circulated to the buyer and seller's attorneys.


6. Offer Acceptance

What happens once I accepted an offer?
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Obtain an attorney - Hiring a local attorney is advisable as transactions in the Hamptons can be unique. It is important to hire an attorney who knows how to navigate through the wealth of information and who can draft a contract to best protect your interests. Work with your agent to obtain an updated survey and certificate of occupancy to ensure a seamless transfer.

When do I sign the contract?
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The attorneys negotiate the finer points of the contract, once all parties agree, the contract is signed by the buyer and the deposit (typically 10%) is sent to your attorney. Upon confirmation of receipt of deposit and buyer signature, the seller executes the contract.

What happens once I am in contract?

 1. Surveys*
 2. Title Search*
 3. C/O and permit searching*
 4. Appraisal 
 5. Home Inspection
 6. Buyer obtains financing
( bank typically take 45-60 days to approve financing for buyers. Allow for additional time during holidays.)


7. Closing

Prior to closing, the buyer will do a final walkthrough of the property. Upon confimation of buyer financing, attorneys will draft closing statement- adjustments will be made for taxes collected by the state, local property taxes, fuel supplies, etc. Any outstanding items that have not been addressed by the time of closing (such as closing out an open building permit) will have an agreement to amount set aside in escrow until the issue is resolved.

Transfer of Funds
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Any outstanding liens on the property will be satisfied and the seller will be issued a check or a wire for the remaining funds. Provide keys, any appliance warranties, list of service providers to the buyer.

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The S | F Team is the leading real estate team in the Hamptons and have helped hundreds of buyers find their dream home.
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