How we sell

With Adept, YOU can choose your level of involvement. We can handle everything for you, OR you can be an integral part of the process.

When you’re selling your home with Adept Real Estate, you are an Adept Seller. For some, this means accepting the education opportunities offered by Adept so you can be well informed and knowledgeable about the selling process from start to finish. For others, this means simply knowing your sale was handled by pros with exceptional skill and attention to detail, with the comfort of knowing that you could relax while everything was handled by your Adept Team.

Below are some of the things that will help you be an informed seller. When you’re prepared and know what to expect, everything goes smoothly, keeping your stress level WAY down!

1. IF YOU ARE LIVING IN THE HOUSE, AND HAVE ASKED FOR “HEADS-UP” NOTICE FROM BUYERS WHO WANT TO COME TO SEE IT: Today, nearly everyone uses a program called ShowingTime. It allows agents to see when they can show a house. It simultaneously allows you to “block out” times that don’t work for you! ShowingTime can be downloaded as an app if you want enhanced features, but you don’t have to use the app if you don’t want to! Adept Real Estate can set up ShowingTime so that you receive text notifications, an email, and/or a phone call every time someone has requested a showing. It’s a user-friendly system that works really well.

2. WHEN AGENTS SHOW YOUR PROPERTY: The electronic key box records each time the key box is accessed. If you are in the process of leaving when an agent arrives, please ask them to “key in.” This is the only way to track who’s been at your house. Agents are supposed to leave a business card, however, they may forget. From time to time, a light may get left on; a door may even get left unlocked. Someone might use your bathroom. ShowingTime sends an automatic email to every agent that has accessed the lockbox for feedback, and I always call agents for additional feedback. I then write down what each agent says, and share it with you.

3. UNDERSTAND REAL ESTATE AGENCY: Decide if you want your agent to work for both you and the buyer, or only for you! It’s okay to let your agent know that you want to be represented exclusively – this means that your agent will be working for your best interests at all times. Adept Real Estate believes it’s best if an agent doesn’t work for both the buyer and the seller – after all, when’s the last time you saw an attorney working for both sides? This is explained further in the pamphlet, The Law of Agency. All agents are required by law to provide their clients with this pamphlet.

4. YOUR ROOF: If your buyer is getting traditional financing, there must be at least “5 years’ worth of roof life” left on your roof. If a new roof is needed, occasionally this can be worked into a contract so that it is paid out of sales proceeds, but if you’re able to replace an aged roof before you go on the market, you’ll likely end up with a higher sales price than if you replaced it just prior to closing. Let me know if you think your roof is near or at the end of its useful life, so that we can discuss this further.

5. IF YOU HAVE A SEPTIC SYSTEM:

   • In Kitsap County: The county health district REQUIRES that every home sale be accompanied by a “septic system clean bill of health” (called a “property conveyance” or “health” letter) from Kitsap County Health District. To obtain this letter, you MUST have your system inspected, and pumped if deemed necessary by the inspector. If any of the system’s main components are not in good working order (not in compliance), the county mandates that you must have them repaired as a condition of sale. A basic septic system health letter costs $295. A septic inspection and pumping costs around $500-$600 right now. Adept Real Estate always takes care of the county-required paperwork for you at no extra charge.

   • In Mason County: There are no additional paperwork requirements in Mason County.

   • In Pierce County: The county health district REQUIRES that every home sale be accompanied by a “septic system clean bill of health” (called a “Report of System Status” or RSS), from Tacoma-Pierce County Health District. To obtain this letter, you MUST have your system inspected, and pumped if deemed necessary by the inspector. If any of the system’s main components are not in good working order (not in compliance), the county mandates that you must have them repaired as a condition of sale. An RSS costs $295. A septic inspection and pumping costs around $500-$600 right now. Adept Real Estate always takes care of the county-required paperwork for you at no extra charge.

6. IF YOU HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL, 2-PARTY, OR “CLASS B” WELL: Only Kitsap County requires that every home sale be accompanied by a “small well clean bill of health” (called a “property conveyance” or “health” letter) from Kitsap County Health District. To obtain this health letter, you MUST have your well water tested, either by a licensed water testing company or by Kitsap County Health District. If the water quality is outside normal standards (not in compliance), it must be corrected at your expense before the sale can go through. A “Water system health letter” costs up to an additional $200. Adept Real Estate always takes care of the county-required paperwork for you at no extra charge.

7. IN SOME MARKETS, BUYERS MAY ASK YOU TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR CLOSING COSTS. We’re not seeing this, now. But buyers are allowed by their lender to request up to 3% of the sales price towards their closing costs.

8. IF YOUR HOUSE WAS BUILT PRIOR TO 1978: We are required to provide you with an informational pamphlet about lead paint. You, as a seller, must disclose if you have any knowledge and/or records about lead paint in your house.

9. IF YOU RECEIVE AN OFFER FROM A BUYER USING VA OR FHA FINANCING: With a VA offer, you may be requested to pay the full escrow fee (for both buyer and seller), however, VA buyers are now allowed to pay for their own escrow fee. There will be a $300 fee that you must pay, if you choose an offer from a buyer using VA or FHA financing.

10. IF YOU HAVE A FURNACE: In a “normal” market, the seller traditionally pays a licensed HVAC technician to service the home’s furnace. This costs about $175 right now. If you choose to do this before your home goes on the market, it helps prospective buyers feel at ease that you’ve been taking care of your home and relieves any concerns that there are any problems with the furnace.

11. IF YOU HAVE AN OLD, UNUSED HEATING OIL TANK ANYWHERE ON YOUR PROPERTY: It is your responsibility to have the oil tank professionally decommissioned if it hasn’t already, and to provide a certificate of decommissioning to the buyer. This usually costs between $1000-$1500 but can vary.

12. IF THE BUYER GETS A HOME INSPECTION: In a “normal” market, nearly all buyers will hire a professional home inspector to inspect your house. They will be looking in your attic and your crawl space, testing your furnace, and opening up your electrical panel – so please have these areas clear. They’ll be checking to see that insulation is intact, that there are no plumbing leaks or wood rot, that roof flashing was installed properly, that GFCIs are installed in appropriate places, that there are no active pest problems, etc. Any appliances that are staying with the house will be tested. How much/how many repairs a buyer will ask for, depends on market conditions and the buyer. An experienced agent is able to help you understand what is a reasonable request and what is not, and will negotiate on your behalf, in your best interests.

13. A PRELIMINARY TITLE REPORT WILL BE ORDERED. Adept Real Estate always does this immediately, as soon as you decide to work with us. This will not cost you anything and will contribute to a smooth closing later. If there are any red flags in the title report, we’ll work through them ahead of time.

14. KNOWING WHAT’S HAPPENING, WHILE YOUR PROPERTY IS ON THE MARKET: Adept Real Estate knows how important it is to you, the seller, to know what’s going on! With every showing, we’ll follow up to get buyer feedback. We’ll also send weekly market updates that show you what else has come on the market, gotten an offer, moved to pending status, or sold during the last week.

15. KNOWING HOW MUCH MONEY YOU’LL GET FROM THE SALE OF YOUR HOUSE: Adept Real Estate always prepares a preliminary “seller’s net proceeds” sheet for you, based upon a possible offer scenario. We’re happy to complete updated net sheets for you upon request.

16. ONCE YOU’VE ACCEPTED A BUYER’S OFFER, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? Getting the offer is huge – but seeing that offer through to closing is what gets your house sold! Once you’re under contract with a buyer, Adept Real Estate sends emails as appropriate, informing you of all contract activity and deadlines. You’ll receive lots of information and multiple updates as the sale progresses.