Off Market Selling Success

I like to think of myself as a connector, especially when it comes to buyers and sellers. I meet a lot of people throughout the week, and I keep a rolodex of properties at the forefront of my mind, that I can share with home buyers. Here is the story of one of these properties.

I have wonderful clients who I met about 10 years ago while walking the streets of Vista Del Cerro, my own neighborhood. Jim and Jo Ann have lived in the community since day one, about 50 years! I had come across a copy of the original sales booklet for the development and I share a copy with Jim.

Fast forward many years, and Jim called me to meet and discuss his options. He was ready to move into a retirement community. Jim and and Jo Ann have a very well-kept and cared for home. That being said, it needed some updating and they had acquired a few things over the last 50 years that they were not taking with them. We discussed renting the home out versus selling the home. They were not in a hurry either, as they were still exploring where they wanted to move. They were planning to move within the year.

A few weeks later Jim called and said they had found a community in which they were going to move. They made plans to move there on December 12th. Once Jim moved out I would come in and clean out the house, paint, scrape ceilings, and replace carpets. That was going to be a decent investment, which I do front for my clients. We also discussed finding a buyer during the months leading up to their move-out date. We had a lot of time. We agreed that if someone wanted to buy the home As-Is, and for the Right Price, they would be willing sellers.

I hosted an open house the following weekend at another property. This property was just a few streets down from Jim’s house. I happened to meet a great couple looking for a home in the area. They had been searching for sometime, but hadn’t had any luck. This couple was willing to buy a home that needed some work. I told them I had a house down the road that would fit their budget, their timeline, and that it might be a great option. We arranged to see the home a few days later. After spending a couple hours looking at the house, the buyers decided they would take it… As-Is, and for the seller’s Right Price. One showing, no market time, and the right price!

I presented the offer to sellers. They were thrilled that they wouldn’t have to through the traditional sales process, and they would close just a few days after they vacated the home. This worked because the buyers were not in a hurry. The buyers were thrilled to have found a unique opportunity… It was the perfect match!

A day after the sellers vacated the home I hired a company to remove all belongings that were left behind. I also hired professional cleaners, and coordinated the termite repairs, which we agreed upon in the contract. We turned the home over to the new owners, and it’s ready for them to start putting their own stamp on the property.