Process
Most clients I work with are making the biggest financial decision of their lives. The process should not feel like a black box. Here is the same eight-step playbook I use with every buyer and every seller, written in plain English so you can hold me to it.
The first call is for listening, not pitching. I want to understand why now, what success looks like, who else is involved in the decision, and what would make this experience feel calm. Twenty to thirty minutes, no pressure, no commitment. By the end of it, you should know whether we're a fit — and so should I.
For buyers, this is a working tour of two or three representative neighborhoods so you understand what your money buys before we look at specific houses. For sellers, this is an in-home walkthrough plus a written comparative market analysis with comps from the past ninety days. Either way, you leave with a strategy in writing — not a verbal promise.
Buyers get connected to a lender for a written pre-approval, not a verbal "you should be fine." Sellers get a written net sheet showing realistic proceeds at three price points — list, likely sale, and conservative. Numbers in writing prevent surprises in week six.
Buyers tour curated homes that match the strategy — never random listings to fill a Saturday. Sellers go through pre-list prep: minor repairs, decluttering recommendations, professional photography, and timing the launch for maximum visibility. The pre-list week is where many sellers gain or lose tens of thousands of dollars.
For buyers, we write the offer together. I explain every line — earnest money, inspection period, financing contingency, appraisal contingency, possession date — before you sign. For sellers, we go live on the MLS at a strategic moment (Thursday morning is often best in this market) and the photos, description, and pricing are coordinated to attract the right buyer in the first weekend.
This is the step where deals get bumpy if the agent isn't paying attention. We use a structured inspection-response process: identify what matters (safety, structure, major systems), separate it from what doesn't (cosmetic), negotiate credits or repairs, and keep the appraisal on track. I sit in on inspections whenever possible.
The day before or morning of closing, buyers walk the house one last time. We confirm repairs were completed, included items are still there, and nothing has changed since the inspection. Sellers should leave the house broom-clean with all keys, garage remotes, pool fobs, and appliance manuals on the kitchen counter.
Closing happens at the title company. I sit at the table with you and we review the documents line by line — closing disclosure, deed, loan documents (for buyers), settlement statement (for sellers). After signatures, funds wire, recording happens, and you receive keys. Then I take a photo, you exhale, and we celebrate.
"How long does the average transaction take?" 30 to 45 days from accepted offer to closing is typical for a financed buyer. Cash can close in two weeks. Pre-list prep on the seller side adds another one to three weeks.
"What if I change my mind?" Buyers have inspection-period and financing contingencies that allow exit with earnest money returned in most cases. Sellers can withdraw a listing before an offer is accepted; after acceptance, it gets more complicated. We talk through it before signing.
"Do you work weekends?" Yes. Most showings and many offers happen on Saturdays and Sundays.
If this approach sounds like the way you'd want to be guided through your own move, the next step is the first call. Reach me at (928) 255-3884 or email realtorpauletteezell@gmail.com.