Ready to Sell Your Home?
Let us sell your home for top dollar - we know how.
SCHEDULE A CALL
Ready to Sell Your Home?
Let us sell your home for top dollar - we know how.
SCHEDULE A CALL
Ready to Sell Your Home?
Let us sell your home for top dollar - we know how.
SCHEDULE A CALL WITH MARCUS

We Know What Makes Your Home Sell

How it’s priced, how it shows, and how it’s marketed – those make the difference. Selling your property is a project with many moving parts, so it’s important to work with an agent you can trust to get the job done well.

When you choose to work with us, you’re not just getting an agent who uses the best tools and technology to sell your property for the most amount of money in the least amount of time. You’re always getting an honest opinion and sound information. We give you straightforward feedback and bring supporting data, so you can make informed decisions. You are getting instant communication throughout the entire process, so you can relax knowing every detail is taken care of. We custom tailor property marketing strategies to target where buyers are looking – both online and in person. Plus, we make listings shine with the best staging, photography and content.

How Much is My Home Worth?

FREE CMA

Marcus Auerbach
Owner, OnPoint Realty Group

Knowing how much your house is really worth is key when you are planning a move. You can look at online estimates, but they are often more than 10% off (we have seen 20% too) – up or down, in either direction! Milwaukee Home values have gone up a lot in recent years. Let's put that equity to work. Having significantly more or less money than you thought can really change your plans! Let us help with that: request a carefully and manually curated market study made specifically for your home. I will personally prepare it for you, it is free and there are certainly no obligations.

WHY YOU SHOULD WORK WITH US

Watch this video:

WE SELL BETTER

Ready For Details? Here Is How We Actually Sell Homes:

Schedule Time With Marcus

Take A Look At My Schedule And Pick A Time That Works For You!

Not sure if it would be better to sell first or buy first? Questions about different options and not sure where to start? Contemplating an investment property? We are here to discuss your personal situation and help you develop the best strategy to reach your goals!

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Things To Consider When Hiring A Listing Agent

Selling your Home is a big responsibility and small things can make a big difference to your bottom line. Here are a few things to consider when you are interviewing the right agent to sell your home!

  1. What is your experience?

    As you start out to sell your home you want to work with someone who brings a lot of experience and has successfully dealt with difficult situations. While most deals go smoothly it is good to know that you have someone in your corner, who is not a green fair weather agent. Does your agent have experience with construction and remodeling questions?

  2. How many sales did you close last year?

    This is a follow up question from the first. There are many agents in the Milwaukee area, but less than 20% of the agents will do more than 80% of the business. According to the NAR the national average is only 8 transactions per year! Many are part time agents. You want a full time agent who sells houses every week, is constantly engaged with the market, other agents, buyers and sellers.

  3. Do you specialize in this neighborhood?

    Having a local expert can be a huge advantage for the seller. Your agent has to understand expectations of local buyers, have relationships with many other agents to help promote your listing on a co-broker level, and perhaps most importantly: understand the local market and seasonality in order price your property correctly!

  4. How do you arrive at the list price?

    Few things are as important to a seller as the discussion of how to price your home, and your real estate agent’s ability to land on a listing price is pitched at just the right level for the local market. A property that is priced too high will languish, eventually turning off potential buyers; but a home priced too low might leave money on the table. You should expect nothing less than a full fledged CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) prepared specifically for your house.

  5. Whom will I be working with?

    You want to find out if you will be working with: is it just a solo agent or are you working with a team? Is the team just agents or are there specific roles? Each scenario has pros and cons for sellers, so ask lots of questions. Different agents work with clients in different ways.

  6. What is your marketing plan?

    A good agent should have a written plan for selling your home that identifies the marketing plan for your property to attract buyers, from listing services to open houses to social media. Also, what is the quality of the marketing? Do you have a professional photographer? Who is doing your online and social media marketing? This helps ensure you’ll get a high sales price.

  7. How much will selling my home cost?

    Ask several questions about the costs that you, as the seller, will be paying in the real estate transaction, such as broker’s commission, closing fees, and anything else, so you can plan accordingly—and compare from one agent to the next. A good agent will provide you with a net sheet, that estimates your net proceeds based on sales price, tax-prorations, commission etc. Keep in mind that in Wisconsin the Seller typically pays for both agents.

  8. What should I do to get my house ready?

    See what the agents’ advice is for necessary repairs or upgrades or what hacks they might suggest for budget-friendly but impactful improvements that would attract buyers. Find out if they suggest staging services or just a good cleaning and de-clutter. Can they differentiate between repairs that are best done before listing the house or are better left for the buyer? Do they know ball-park cost for typical construction projects?

  9. How will they communicate?

    If you’re a texter and your real estate agent prefers lengthy phone calls, that could present a problem. Likewise, you might prefer the personal touch of a call over an email. Knowing the method and frequency of communication can be important in selling your home. How quickly do they respond? Will you get frequent updates?

  10. How long will it take?

    While no agent can guarantee how fast the sale and full real estate transaction will go, they should be able to give a ballpark range on how long it will take to sell your house based on their knowledge of the local market.

Preparing Your Home to Sell

Presentation is key and we know what works! The goal is to sell your home for the highest price possible with the least amount of money spent up front. As a part of our full-service, client focused philosophy we will consult you every step of the way. Every home is unique and the Mequon market has different requirements than Milwaukee. However, here is a high level overview of steps to consider when preparing your home to sell fast and for top dollar!

Pack and De-Clutter

Reduce by 50% of what you have in each room. Less is more: pack all personal items, family pictures and collectibles. Move unnecessary furniture and open up the floor.

Deep-Clean Each Room

Vacuum and clean hardwood and tile floors. Have carpets shampooed if necessary. Dust surfaces, ceiling fans, and baseboards, remove cobwebs. Clean light fixtures. Pack, clean and organize closets: they should look 50% empty! Clean off stains on doors and walls. Clean windows, inside and outside.

Staging

Staging helps your home to display a life-style buyer’s want. According to the NAR staged homes sell typically for 6-8% more than home not staged. Staging also reduces time on market and therefore prevents price costly reductions. Ask us for staging tips or a professional staging service. A home can be staged with your furniture or with art, furniture and accessories provided by one of our stagers.

Minor improvements:

Install high lumen LED bulbs (“warm white”- 3000Kelvin). consider to replace light switch cover plates, dated light fixtures, door hardware, bathroom and kitchen hardware and window treatments. Stay away from major improvements. Garage doors are the only major improvement that will yield over 100% return on investment. Ask us about suggested improvements – many upgrades will cost more than they will bring. Generally you want to spend as little as possible!

Painting: The #1 Return on Investment

Neutralize rooms, choose soft neutral colors like SW 7029 Agreeable Grey in eggshell finish and SW 7007 Ceiling Bight White in a flat finish. Touch up holes in walls, scuffs and drywall damage. Repair plaster and patch up ceiling cracks. Don’t forget to touch up trim.

Landscaping & Curb Appeal

You never get a second chance for a first impression. Curb appeal is critical. Clean up flower beds, apply fresh mulch. Trim trees and overgrown bushes. An application of weed&feed to your lawn can make a huge difference.

Carpet and Flooring

New carpet can make a big difference in how a home looks and feels. If hardwood floors are in poor condition it can make sense to have them sanded and re-finished. In most cases, a professional cleaning will be the better option – ask us.

Congratulations: now your house is ready for a professional photo shooting!

HOW HOME STAGING WITH THE PEGGY HILL TEAM WORKS

92% of home buyers look at listings online before deciding to ever step foot inside of a home for a showing. The first impression of your home is a digital one, which is one of the reasons why Home Staging is so important. When you list your home with The Peggy Hill Team, you’ll go through the staging process before your home is professionally photographed and listed for sale.

Consultation

The staging consultation will include a tour of your home, both inside and out, and a discussion afterwards about all of the options available to you, and Alicia’s recommendations on how to best prepare your home for sale. Alicia will bring fresh eyes, her natural artistic ability and her design background into your home and look at it from a potential buyer’s perspective.

Preparation

In most cases staging your home will cost you absolutely nothing! Home staging is a complimentary service offered by The Peggy Hill Team and Alicia’s goal is to work with the things that you already have to stage your home for sale. In some cases, such as outdated paint colours or an outdated bedspread, a minimal investment is necessary to get the home ready for sale.

Photography

After the staging preparation is complete, our professional photographer will make an appointment to take photos and a 3D home tour before it is listed for sale. It’s paramount the preparation is complete beforehand to make the best first impression to potential buyers browsing online. This strategy ensures we are providing you with the highest level of customer service.

Meet with Marcus to Talk Through the Selling Process

When you meet with us, we’ll get to know you to understand your selling goals, and explain the selling process so you know what to expect. Typically we will cover the following items:

  • Your real estate goals and your current situation
  • The condition of your home and what that means for fair market value
  • Buy first or sell first – several different options
  • How is the market, what is the best timing for your situation?
  • How could the best strategy to achieve your goals look like
  • How to prepare your home, what to do and what not to do
  • Answer any questions you may have
  • Do you want to move forward and schedule a listing meeting?

 

We will come prepared with comparable property data to show you how much to list the property for and how long it should take to sell. We will also take a close look at all the components of your home and give you recommendations about what to improve and what to leave alone depending on your goals. We also want to get to know you: what is important to you and how you like to communicate. You will never feel left in the dark when you work with us – we keep you in the loop so you know what’s going on every step of the way.

Home Staging Is Part of Our Commission

The goal of staging your home is to help it sell faster and for top dollar by exposing it to the greatest number of potential buyers. As part of our full-service, client focused philosophy, we offer complimentary home staging to all of our clients! We truly believe that staging makes a big difference in the sale of your home, but we’re not the only ones! Read through some Home Staging statistics that we’ve gathered for you from National Association of REALTORS® 2019 Profile of Home Staging Report & Real Estate Staging Association:

HOW HOME STAGING WITH ON POINT REALTY WORKS: 

92% of home buyers look at listings online before deciding to ever step foot inside of a home for a showing. The first impression of your home is a digital one, which is one of the reasons why Home Staging is so important. When you list your home with us, you’ll go through the staging process before your home is professionally photographed and listed for sale. You never get a second chance for a first impression and the goal is to get as many buyers intrigued as possible.

Consultation

The staging consultation will include a tour of your home, both inside and out, and a discussion afterwards about all of the options available to you, and Marcus’ recommendations on how to best prepare your home for sale. For higher end homes we may bring a professional stager, who will look at your house with fresh eyes, bring an artistic ability and a design background into your home and look at it from a potential buyer’s perspective. Staging can have a profound impact on the lifestyle a home can promise!

Preparation

In most cases staging your home will cost you absolutely nothing! Most homes have enough furniture and accessories to stage a room for maximum visual impact!  In some cases, our professional partners can be hired to provide additional services and bring their own staging material and furniture for a truly spectacular look!  Sometimes a minimal investment such as repainting outdated paint colours, updating some light fixtures, a new rug and some pillows for a splash of color, or changing an outdated bedspread will help to get the home ready for sale.

Professional Photography

After the staging and home preparation is complete, our professional photographer will make an appointment to take photos and a 3D home tour before it is listed for sale. It’s paramount the preparation is completed beforehand to make the best first impression to potential buyers browsing online. When you browse online you can clearly see the visual difference between cell phone pictures and professional photography! Truly great pictures are an essential part of the process, as we need stunning and spectacular images not only for the listing and the print material, but also for social media advertising.

Seller FAQs

The Contingency Period – Your Listing is now “Active with Offer” in MLS

Once the offer is accepted the contingency period begins. All of the conditions in the offer must be met before it can become firm and the deal finalized. Most offers contain the following conditions:

  • Inspection Contingency: A professional home inspector will thoroughly check the home and let the buyers know if there is anything to be concerned about. The inspection will be scheduled by the buyer’s agent. Typically 10-14 days.
  • Financing Contingency: Mortgage approval for the purchase will need to be obtained by the buyers for this condition to be met. Typically 25 to 40 days.

     

  • Appraisal Contingency: Expect an appraiser from the lender’s company to review your property and verify that the sales price is appropriate. Typically 28 to 43 days.

And sometimes:

  • Home Sale Contingency: If your buyers still need to sell their current property they might make this condition part of their offer. Your agent will guide you and help you decide whether to accept an offer with this condition or not, and what type of timeline you will allow if you do accept it. In Wisconsin most offers with a home sale contingency will be accepted with a bump clause, so your agent will continue to market your house to other buyers, who can then “bump” this offer out of the way.

 

Depending on the outcome of the inspections, one of two things may happen:

  • Either each milestone is successfully met and the conditions will be removed, bringing you one step closer to the closing; or more likely
  • The buyer, after reviewing the property and the inspection report, requests a renegotiation of the terms of the contract (usually some repairs, closing cost credit or price).

How do you respond objectively and fairly to the buyer when a renegotiation is demanded, while acting in your best interests? This is when a professional listing agent can make a real difference in the outcome of the transaction. Having dealt with many property sales in the past, we negotiate on your behalf and with your best interest in mind.

When all of the negotiations have concluded, conditions have been met and the appropriate paperwork is signed and submitted the offer is considered firm.

All Contingencies removed – Your Listing is now “Pending” in MLS

After the bank has received the report from the appraiser and the underwriter has reviewed the report and is satisfied the bank will now issue a “loan commitment letter”. Now that all of the conditions have been met the offer is pending and only awaiting closing – congratulations you just sold your house! All that’s left to do is to get ready to move on closing day.

The Offer Process

Once a buyer decides that your home is the right one for them, they will put in an offer. At this point your agent will discuss with you the terms of the offer and advise you on what to do next, based on your situation and needs. You may even receive several offers at once, in this situation your agent will guide and advise you but it is ultimately your decision when determining which offer you’d like to work with. If there are terms in the offer you don’t agree with, we will draft a counter offer which is proposing a change of these terms. The buyer can either accept that counter offer or counter back.

The Price is Not Always the Most Important Element

“The higher the price, the better the offer” – Do not let yourself be fooled by this popular misconception. Price is not always the determining factor when accepting an offer for several important reasons: the initial offer is usually not final, and there are a number of terms and conditions that may influence the final outcome of a price. You can trust us to help you thoroughly evaluate every proposal without compromising your marketing position.

Here are a few things to consider:

  • Closing date (too soon, too late?)
  • Financial strength of the buyer
  • Pre-approval, reputation of the lender, type of loan product
  • Contingencies and special requests

Negotiating The Right Way

We take the responsibility of fairly negotiating contractual terms very seriously. It is our philosophy to find a win-win agreement that is beneficial to all parties involved! If your listing was priced well, you may even have to deal with multiple offers before ratifying the one you judge to be the most suitable for you – and as your agent, we will prepare a thorough and objective assessment of each offer to help you make the right choice.

A Win-Win Relationship

Once an offer is accepted the buyer and seller will engage through their agents to remove contingencies and finalize the deal. In our experience it is important that both parties feel good about the terms of an accepted offer. If one party feels strong armed by the other side, it will usually come back later in the transaction. Most deals in Wisconsin get negotiated twice, first when the offer is made and second when the inspection is completed. Having a good working relationship with the other side is vital for a positive outcome. This is where inexperienced agents can fail and can cause a deal to go into a downward spiral. Mutual trust and respect go a long way and we make it a major priority to work well with the other agent and always negotiate fair and with reason – this usually provides not only for a low stress experience, but typically also for the best financial outcome for the seller!

The following are some key factors to keep in mind when listing your property for sale:

1. CURB APPEAL
Keeping your landscape pristine, and adding creative touches to your yard (such as colourful annuals or hanging baskets), and doing a simple clean up such as: cutting the lawn, removing garbage & debris and putting away recycling boxes, can create an immediate impact on passers-by and potential buyers.

2. PROPERTY REPAIRS AND UPDATES
Perform minor repairs & updates as needed, simple things such as repairing foggy windows, and putting a fresh coat of paint in the most frequently used rooms will instantly brighten up the property.

3. CLEANLINESS AND STAGING
We can’t stress this enough: Keep your property uncluttered, sweet-smelling and well-lit from top to bottom. Pay attention to details: put away kitty litter, place a vase of fresh flowers near the entryway, pop a batch of cookies in the oven, have your carpets cleaned. If you list with The Peggy Hill Team, you’ll receive a complimentary staging consultation, where our stager will give you some pointers on how to de-clutter and improve the staging of your property, so that it appeals to the widest audience of buyers.

4. SHOWTIME
Ensuring that your home is ‘Showing Ready’ is something that you’ll need to keep in mind once your home is on the market, you never know when a new Buyer might want to book a showing! So it’s best to always be ready! There are a few basic things that you can do to ensure your home is always ready for showings:

Neat and Tidy: Make sure that the home is tidy and uncluttered, that means toothbrushes put away, no dishes in the sink, coats in the closet, etc.
Temperature: Make sure your home is set to a comfortable temperature; not too cold in the summer or too warm in the winter.

Lighting: Proper lighting always helps to show your tidy home in the ‘best light’. That means turning on all the lights at night or opening all curtains and blinds during the day. Turning the fireplace on in the winter is also a nice touch!

Stay Out of the Way: The last, and arguably most important rule of thumb when it comes to showings, is to make sure that you leave the property whenever showing are scheduled. Don’t sit outside the home in your car, or watch from the park across the street. Having the home owner present during showings can put buyers on edge and taint the whole viewing experience. You want a prospective buyer to feel comfortable while viewing your home so that they can picture themselves actually living there!

Buyers feel more comfortable discussing the property with their showing agent, if you are not there. Moreover, agents will know what information will be most useful in representing your interests when speaking with prospective buyers.

Without a professional REALTOR®, most independent property sellers tend to overestimate the value of their property. There are dangers to overestimating your properties value that may cause your property to sit on the market for a longer period of time and could eventually cause your property to sell below market value:

Fewer buyers are attracted and fewer offers are received, if any Marketing momentum from the initial listing is lost The property attracts ‘lookers’ and helps competing houses look better by comparison. You can avoid these pitfalls by consulting with an experienced real estate listing agent. We believe that every home sale should be handled with the utmost responsibility and care. We believe that the selling process should be exciting, comfortable, informative and stress-free. We are committed to a consultative approach to selling your home so you can make informed decisions regarding the sale of your home

The following are some factors to keep in mind when looking for a listing agent:

How can they help you?: 
Selling your home is a complex and complicated process that is constantly changing. You want to make sure that you’re working with someone who can take this burden off of your shoulders and get you the results that you’re looking for. Seller your home often sounds easier than it actually is.

Constant Learning: 
One of the most important factors in choosing a real estate professional is their willingness to continually educate themselves about the ever-changing real estate industry. Our professionals are continuously updating their training and education, allowing them to be among the most cutting-edge in their field.

Experience and Expertise:
You want a full-time REALTOR® who is familiar with your area and with the type of property you intend to sell. Does he or she employ a diverse range of marketing and advertising strategies? How tech-savvy are they? How many similar properties has he or she been able to sell in the past? Let our expertise work towards the stress-free sale of your home.

Availability and Commitment: 
Your agent should be capable of prompt and decisive action during the course of selling your property. They should be able to keep in touch with you via phone, email, text message, etc and should be readily available in case of emergencies or even for the simplest questions. Our Team is always available for you during the home selling process to address any questions or concerns that you may have.  We communicate with our clients through text, email, over the phone and in person. We will communicate with you in whichever way you are most comfortable!

Rapport: 
You want an agent to take the time to listen to your goals and clarify your needs. Your agent should understand your unique situation and be genuinely concerned about the outcome of the process. Your listing agent will be your guide and partner in this crucial decision, so it is important to find one with whom you are comfortable, can get along with and trust.

Deciding to sell your property demands a serious consideration of your current financial situation and future possibilities. With the help of a great agent, you will be able to effectively assess the cumulative impact of these changes, estimate potential proceeds of selling your property, and plan effective tax savings and estate planning strategies. We will ensure that you not only take control of your finances, but use them to their fullest potential.

When you work with us, you can be sure that you will have our knowledge, expertise and negotiating skills at work for you to arrive at the best market prices and terms. We will keep you up-to-date on what is happening in the marketplace and the price, financing, terms and conditions of competing properties. With us, you will know exactly how to price and when to sell your property. Be sure to check out our monthly market update videos! They are specific to Ozaukee and Milwaukee County and you can find them on our FB page and on our YouTube channel!

There are two major considerations: your personal needs and the market conditions. If you need to sell quickly for a job relocation, we can give you a complete market analysis and action plan to have your property sold quickly. If there is no pressing need to sell immediately, you can sit down with one of our expert REALTOR®s to thoroughly review the current market conditions and find the most favorable time to sell. It is not uncommon for us to sit down with clients and help them strategize about plans for the next year.

 

Why do you want to sell your property? Do you intend to simply find a larger property, or do you plan on moving to another neighborhood, school district, city, or province? You might think your reasons are obvious, but it would do you well to consider the implications of each option for your lifestyle, opportunities & finances. Being clear about your intentions for selling will make it easier for us to determine the most appropriate option for your specified financial, lifestyle, and real estate goals.

 
 

Request for CMA

Please complete the following form. Preparing a full CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) to determine the actual fair market value of your home is a manual process and will require some time for Marcus to complete.

And, of course, we will NOT sell or share your information with anyone else!

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