Selling Your Home for 15 Key Strategies Top Dollar 24 ... · sales in your Seattle area so you can price your home correctly the first time. Create buyer urgency and potentially multiple

Selling Your Home

Top Dollarfor

15 Key Strategies 2 4 P o i n tP r e - S h o w i n g

C h e c k l i s t

"Making you an expert."© 2015 STEVE KENNEDY.COM

BONUS!

CONTENTS15 KEY STRATEGIES FORSELLING YOUR HOME

QUICK TIP

01 PRICE YOUR HOME CORRECTLY

02 FIRST IMPRESSIONS & CURB APPEAL

03 PAINT, PAINT, AND PAINT

04 THE KITCHEN SELLS THE HOUSE

05 BATHROOMS SELL HOUSES

06 FLOORS

07 GARAGES FOR CARS

08 DECLUTTER & DEPERSONALIZE

09 NETWORK WITH NEIGHBORS

10 PET PLAN

11 YARD CLEAN UP

12 LIGHTING

13 NEW SOFT GOODS & LINENS

14 STAGING

15 ALWAYS BE READY

Welcome! If you are thinking about selling your homethis year, today is a great day to make a plan for theweeks or months ahead. According to the NationalAssociation of Realtors, 5.3 million homes areexpected to change hands this year. That’s a lot ofmoving around! I have written this guide as aresource for you as you start your journey. Whetheryou are downsizing or looking for a larger home, myhope is that you can benefit from my 30 years ofexperience in the Seattle real estate market. This issurely an emotional time with equal measures ofexcitement, anticipation, and sadness as you movefrom one home to another. My goal is to provide youwith a list of things that you can do as a seller to makethis transition as smooth as possible and get topdollar for your beloved asset. So, please pour yourselfa cup of tea (or coffee for you Seattleites), and enjoyreading and dreaming of your new home.

Cheers!

Steve Kennedy"Making you an expert."

© 2015 STEVE KENNEDY.COM 15 STRATEGIES FOR SELLING YOUR HOME FOR TOP DOLLAR

Look for the red "quick tip"boxes throughout this e-

book. You will find additional information from my team!

Melissa Klinnert, Steve Kennedy and Jen Svrcek


Price Your HomeCorrectly

This is what happens when ahouse is priced too high:

• You simply don’t get offers.• Comparable homes in yourneighborhood sell first.• You miss buyers who aren’tlooking in that price range.• Your listing becomes stale.• Dropping the price makessome buyers cautious.

By pricing your house correctlythe first time you will:

• Attract more interestedbuyers within the first fewdays on the market.• Make it easy for buyers tofind the listing based on pricesearches.• Create a sense of urgency inbuyers, who see good value.• Potentially receive multipleoffers which will raise theselling price.

The Steve Kennedy Team canprovide you with comparablesales in your Seattle area soyou can price your homecorrectly the first time.

Create buyer urgencyand potentially multiple

offers by pricing yourhome right the first time.

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For most people in Seattle,their home is their greatestasset. We have an emotionalattachment to our homes,which makes it even moredifficult to determine the fairmarket value. It is temptingto base your asking price onwhat you paid, what youowe, how much you havespent on remodels, and how

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much you need to buy anew home. But thismethod of setting a pricewill not sell your home.When pricing for sale, it isimportant to set thoseemotions aside. The realityis your house will sell formarket value. How fast itsells depends on how youprice it.

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then spend the rest of theirtour and subsequent visitsjustifying their emotionaldecision with facts.Prospective buyers want tosee a home in tip-topcondition. They want toimagine what their life willbe like living in your home.Make that an easy leap bycreating the perfect picture.Start by standing on thecurb. Beginning with the

First Impressions& Curb Appeal

roof, and inspect your housewith a critical eye.

• If your roof is mossy, have themoss removed.• If the roof needs repairs orreplacing, now is the time.• Is your house “dirty”? A goodpressure wash is in order.• If your paint is in good shape asimple touchup will addfreshness.• Wash all windows, inside andout.• Replace the doormat and themailbox.• The garden and walkway up tothe home should be inviting andwell maintained.• Grass should be mowed andfree of bare spots.• Bright, seasonal flowers andfresh mulch make for a cheeryand welcoming entry.• Buying a home is a veryemotional decision. It is mucheasier for potential buyers toimagine living in a well-cared forand loved home. Avoid anysense of clutter.

It is often said that you onlyhave one chance to make afirst impression. Nothingcould be more accuratewhen it comes to selling ahome. Buyers often makethe emotional decision topurchase a home from theoutside, standing on thecurb of a home (thus theterm “Curb Appeal”).Buyers that have fallen inlove “at first sight” will

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Most home buyers don’t

want to tackle a roof project,

and those that do are most

likely looking for a “fixer

upper” and the deep

discount that comes with it.


on trips to see sellers whowere about to list theirhomes. As we talked aboutthe listing process, I wouldoften paint out a few areasthat needed a quick touch-up; provided that I had theright color. Painting is a funand low-stake venture. Whattype of paint should youchoose? Paint technologyhas come a long way in thelast decade. The days oftoxic chemicals and foulsmelling paint are a thing ofthe past. There are manylow and no VOC (VolatileOrganic Compounds)

Paint, Paint, &Paint

options on the market. Theseare an especially good choicewhen you are getting ready toput your home on the market,as potential buyers will beimpressed that you thoughtahead to their well being byusing a quality low VOC product(a tasteful sign posted with thepaint brand and color is athoughtful touch).What color should you choose?Again, you have most likelyheard “neutral colors sellhouses”. But what is a “neutralcolor” and how do you find one? Most paint retailers havemodern neutral color collectionsfor you to choose from. If youare still overwhelmed by all theoptions, ask your local paintretailer for a color consultation.Most offer this service for freewhen you purchase their paint.Remember, a neutral color is abackdrop that allows potentialbuyers to imagine theirfurniture and their life in yourhome. And make sure to leaveone unopened can for the newowners for touchups.

You may have heard thatpaint is one of the leastexpensive ways to freshena space. You have heardthis so many times becausepaint is one of the leastexpensive ways to freshen aspace. Fresh paint letspotential buyers know thatthis is a clean, wellmaintained home, that theycan feel good about movinginto.

When I was first selling realestate in Seattle in the early1990’s, I typically broughtcans if white paint with me

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QUICK TIP Most How much paint will I need?

A good rule is one gallon for every

350 square feet. This estimate is

for one coat of paint. If you are

painting over a dark color, two

coats may be necessary. Most

paint retailers have fancy online

calculators to make it easy.


• Organize and wash allcabinets and drawers,inside and out. If a buyer isconsidering your home,they will peek.• Remove all photos andpapers from your fridgeand counters; allow buyersto imagine living there bydepersonalizing.• Deep clean your oven,range, and hood.• Take out all trash andrecycling, and stow all bins.• Keep cooking to a

The Kitchen Sellsthe House

minimum before a showing.• Make sure your kitchen anddisposal are odor free.

Is your kitchen a little tired?While a full on remodel may beover improvement, these aresome areas where you really willget back what you put in:• New counter tops.• Paint or reface cabinets.• New hardware for cabinetsand drawer pulls.• Replace a dated appliance withsomething high end andstainless.• Purchase new modern bar orcounter stools.• Replace faucets and sinks withsomething new and modern.

We all love to entertain in ourkitchens. Make sure people canmove around freely andenvision their own gatherings inthe space.

The kitchen is the heart ofthe home. Even for thosewho don’t cook. And forthose that do cook, thekitchen is even moreimportant. Even If yourkitchen is in great shape,there are still a few thingsyou can do to make it moreappealing to buyers.• Remove all smallappliances from counters.This will make counterslook more spacious andless cluttered.

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Put an oven proof bowl with

a cup of water and a

tablespoon of cinnamon in

your oven and set it to 200

degrees one hour before

your open house. Your

house will smell like

apple pie!


We all love to go onvacation and love awelcoming hotel bathroom.But what is it about a hotelbathroom that is soappealing? Incorporate thefollowing into your plan:• Clean, clean, clean!!Everyone loves a cleanbathroom.• Declutter; leave nothingon the counter except

Bathrooms SellHouses

Just like the kitchen, thebathroom is anotherworkhorse of your home.With our mild damp Seattleweather, bathrooms tendto stay more humid andmoist than in other parts ofthe country, so goodventilation is important tohome buyers. Make yourbathroom, no matter thesize, as elegant as a spa.

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If your bathroom is in need

of a full remodel to get top

dollar for your home, check

out our resource page at

SteveKennedy.com. We

work with some outstanding

contractors in the Pacific

Northwest who will provide

you with just what you

need.

perhaps a nice soap bottle, acandle, and a small vase withfresh flowers. We love hotelbathrooms because otherpeople’s stuff isn’t on thecounter.• Clean grout or have itprofessionally cleaned, sealedand re-grouted if needed.• Make sure the shower dooris clean.• Clean toilets inside and out(and even remove and cleanthe toilet seat screws).• Purchase a new neutralshower curtain.• Repair, replace, or removeany damage wallpaper.• Roll up new crisp whitetowels and place in a basket.• Clean all cabinet drawers(people will look).• Make sure your bathroom isfree of mildew.


that is needed to take outsurface scratches and makefloors look new. Ifhardwoods are in poorcondition, having themrefinished may be a goodinvestment. This may seemlike huge and daunting job,but buyers looking for movein ready homes also see thisas a daunting job. Do it forthem, and they will thankyou by making a good offeron your property. Carpet: If your carpets arein good shape, have them

Floors

professionally cleaned at leastone week before an open houseso they have time to fully dry,especially before you putfurniture back in the room. A fanplaced in the room after cleaningwill also help dry carpets faster. Ifyou need to replace the carpet,investing in a high quality pad is avery good value. By doing so, thenew carpet will last longer andperspective buyers will noticewhen they walk on the newcarpet that you went the extrastep and invested in quality.Concrete: If you have concrete ina laundry room or garage thathas seen better days, try paintingor staining it. There are manypaints and stains on the marketmade specifically for concrete.Buyers will notice these freshnew floors.Porches & Decks: There isnothing like a fresh coat of stainor paint to make porches anddecks look brand new. Plan wellin advance so Seattle’s rainyweather doesn’t interfere withthe drying process. If you arelisting your house during therainy season, a quick power washmay be all that is needed.Of course if you are selling a fixerupper and perspective buyerswill be putting their own stampon the floors with a majorremodel, then your best bet is tomake sure the floors are as cleanas possible. In this case, leave thenew flooring job for the newowners.

It may be tempting to forgetabout flooring or believe itisn’t that important, but asyou declutter and removefurniture to show morefloor space, you may realizethat your floors need someattention. Buyers on QueenAnne and Magnolia arelooking for move-in readyhomes. Make your floorslook new and fresh toprospective buyers.Hardwoods: Sometimes alight sanding and a coat ortwo of polyurethane is all

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building materials, furniture,and things that just don’thave a place in your house. Before you put your homeon the market, clean out thegarage. Here is what Irecommend:• Removing everything fromyour garage.• Sweep and pressure washthe floor.• If you have drywall, paint itwith a fresh coat of off-whitepaint to lighten and finishthe space.

Garages for Cars

• If the concrete floor has stains,a coat of paint specifically madefor garages or concrete stain willgive this space a face lift.• After everything is dry, startslowly putting just a p• Sell itemsyou no longer need at a garagesale, on Craigslist, OfferUp, orEBay.• Take any unsold items toGoodwill.• Ballard Reuse will gladly takeunused building materials.• If you just can’t part with thingsthat don’t belong in your garage,then it is time to put items instorage before your open houseDoes the garage door need to bepainted or replaced? Now is thetime. Does the door open andclose easily? If not, newhardware, rollers, hinges, or anew opener are in order.Your garage is a huge asset.Show perspective buyers justhow roomy, clean, and fresh yourgarage really is!If your Seattle home has a

garage, then you are in luck!Home buyers love garages.They want garages. Theybeg for garages. However,they don’t want all the stuffin your garage. They want toenvision their stuff (andhopefully their car) in yourgarage. If you are like 75%of the population, yourgarage is a little like theisland of misfit toys, and isfull of bikes, trikes, scooters,old paint cans, left over

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There are many portablestorage container

companies in Seattle. Theywill deliver a unit to your

door or curbside, you fill it,then they take it to a

storage facility. Check outour resources page on our

website for somerecommendations.

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this house”. I advise clientsto start your move beforeyou list by packing up itemsthat might be seen as toopersonal or clutter topotential buyers. Below is alist of common culprits thatshould be packed up, givenaway, sold, or stowed beforelisting.• Personal Photos• Personal Artwork• Extra coats, shoes, & boots

Declutter andDepersonalize

• Toys• Books• Anything showing excess wear• Magazines• Small Appliances• Papers• Files• Fans and space heaters• Excess Furniture• Oversized furniture• Knick Knacks• Accessories• Collections• Craft and Hobby Supplies• Linens in closets• Pet dishes• Dog beds• Pet toys• Children’s art

Invite a friend over to walkthrough your home after youhave decluttered anddepersonalized. Give them ashopping bag and ask him/her toput anything distracting into thebag for packing. Then serve yourfriend a cup of tea, and pack upgrandma’s tea pot and tea cups.

Most people live in theirhomes through the listingprocess, which makesdecluttering anddepersonalizing somewhatchallenging. However, this isa time to make potentialbuyers feel that they canwalk into your home andstart living in it. That meansputting away anything thatdistracts the buyer from thisvision of “what if I lived in

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Make sure all closets areless than half full. Buyers

look for homes withstorage. Show them thatonce you move out, therewill be more than enough

space for their items.

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You may have thought thiswas just a flatteringcompliment, but they mayhave been quite serious.Now is the time to call thatvisitor. By selling to a friend,family member, or neighbor,you may not get top dollarfor your house, but if youhave a strong

Network with Friendsand Neighbors

emotional attachment to yourhome, it may be very comfortingto sell to someone you know.What a legacy to sell a beautifulfamily home to someone wholoves it and will care for it asmuch as you do. You will havethe assurance that anotherfamily will make lastingmemories just as you have. Selling “By Owner” can be veryintimidating, as there arecontracts, home inspections,escrow, title insurance, closingcosts, and more to deal with.Steve Kennedy Team can helpyou close your sale for a flattransaction fee.

As you are getting yourhome ready to list, spendsome time with your socialnetwork. Tell friends, family,and neighbors that you willsoon be listing your home,and ask them to spread theword. Have you ever had avisitor say, “I really LOVEyour house! Please call me ifyou ever decide to sell”.

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After you get your homeready for sale and after you

declutter anddepersonalize, invite the

neighbors over for an openhouse. They may be

surprised by all the workyou have done, and see

your home in a new light.When I was a child, a family

in my neighborhoodbought the house nextdoor to their old home.

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I once went to show a clienta house and was greeted inthe foyer by cat vomit. Whilemy clients laughed about it,the presence of the two catsin the home became moreand more apparent as wewalked through the home tofind an unclean litter boxand a strong urine odor inthe basement. That house

Pet Plandidn’t sell that day. While it maybe difficult if not impossible toget pets out of the home forthe listing period, it is wise tofind another place for pets tobe during an open house andany showings. Having strangersin the home can make somepets nervous which can lead tounpredictable or territorialbehavior. Some animals arenot allowed outside, so fortheir own safety crating orboarding them is best. Hereare some ideas andconsiderations when makingyour Pet Plan:

• Take pocket pets and theircages to another home duringyour open house.• Dogs might enjoy anafternoon at the dog park or avery long walk.• There are many doggiedaycare centers in Seattle, andmany offer pick-up services.• Indoor cats can be boardedfor the day to keep them safe.• Ask for at least an hour noticebefore a showing.• If you are unavailable toimplement your Pet Plan, havea neighbor, dog walker or petsitter on standby who can takeyour pets during the showing.

Most of us own, love, andcare for pets; my dog Oliveris part of our family. Theproblem is other peoplesimply don’t love our pets asmuch as we do, and manyare allergic to pets. Whenyou are selling your home,having a Pet Plan will makefor smoother showings andhappier animals.

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I'm sorry, I made a mess.


Yard Clean Up planters, and pots.• Fill in any bare places withnew shrubs and some seasonalannuals.• Fill pots with colorful seasonalplants.• Clean up any water feature orfire pits.• Clean or repaint gardenfurniture.• Paint or stain fences ifneeded.• For long range planning, planttulip bulbs in the fall for springcolor.If you have an extensiveperennial garden, considersharing photos of the gardenwith potential buyers atdifferent times of the year. Forinstance, if you have a lovelyflowering cherry tree (that isn’tflowering while your home islisted) consider sharing aphoto. If you have beautifulNorthwest azaleas andrhododendrons in yourgarden, again, share photos ofthese native plants in their fullglory. Labeling plants (and thespots were they will grow backthe following year) will appealto home buyers who enjoygardening. To remove mossand mildew from fences anddeck railings, start with a gallonof warm water. Add ½ cup ofbleach, and apply with ascrubbing brush to affectedsurfaces. Rinse after 5 minutes.

Curb appeal and firstimpressions were discussedearlier, but yard and gardencare are so important, I amgoing to circle back. If youare lucky enough to own ahome, townhouse, or condowith a yard, garden, parkingstrip or even a few pots on adeck, this is for you. Whetheryou maintain your owngarden, hire a gardener, orhave a whole crew workingat it, this is the time to getyour landscaping in topform. Start one to twomonths before listing yourhome to get yourlandscaping in top form.Start one to two months

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before listing your home toensure ample time to tackleall the garden projects andgive plants time to recoverfrom pruning, trimming, andlawn patching.• Remove all clutter from theyard such as unused pots,tools, toys, and any otherdebris.• Mow the lawn and makesure it is free of holes andbrown patches.• Trim and prune any shrubsthat look overgrown.• Remove dead or shabbylooking plants.• Have trees professionallypruned if needed.• Weed and mulch all beds,


you are showing your home in sunlight or under our gray Seattle skies.

• If your home has fixtures that are old and tired, replace them with new, fresh, modern fixtures. They are surprisingly inexpensive at big box stores.• If you have older fixtures that are charming, make sure your broker points them

Lightingout to potential buyers.• Dust, clean, and polish all fixtures.• Make sure you have no burned out bulbs, inside or outside.• Swap out bright high wattage bulbs for soft lower wattage.• Pink or red tones are most flattering to interiors.• Scatter several task lights in rooms rather than one or two harsh overhead lights.• Walk from the curb and into your home at night. Is there enough light for visitors up your walkway and stairs?• Make sure your house numbers are well lit and readable at night.• Place a free-standing reading light next to a chair. This will allow buyers to imagine themselves sitting in that cozy spot reading a favorite book.

Lighting is one of those things that people don’t usually notice; unless the light isn’t quite right. Lighting can be either too dim or too bright. Different types of bulbs can cast yellow, blue, or red tones, and your home will look very different depending on the time of day. Here are some tips for getting the lighting just right, whether

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Right before a showing, gothrough the house and

turn on all the lights,including task lights andoverhead lights. Open all

blinds to let additionalnatural light in.

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needed.

•Throw pillows• Bean bag chairs• Bedroom pillows• Duvet covers & comforters• Bath towels• Shower curtains• Bath mats• Kitchen towels• Rugs• Draperies• Valences

New Soft Goodsand Linens

• Bench cushions• Stuffed animals

When picking out new items,white and neutral shadesphotograph well and appeal tobuyers. New items need not beexpensive; just fresh and clean.Now is also a good time to cleanout your linen closet and donateitems you are no longer using.Make your move easier, and alsoallow buyers to imagine theirstuff in that linen closet. And thejoy of purchasing fresh linens foryour house, is that you get totake them with you to your newhome!

When we think of new linensand soft goods, we oftenthink of sheets andpillowcases. But what aboutpillows, cushions, andtowels? Take a walk throughyour home with a criticaleye. What might stand outto buyers as shabby, dingy,or dated? Here is a list ofitems that should bechecked, then removed,washed or replaced if

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Affordable pillows andlinens can be found atstores like Target, Ikea,

Kohl’s, Home Goods, andPier One. Don’t forget thesale tables at Macy’s, and

web sites likeOverstock.com and

Wayfair.com If you arehaving your home

professionally staged, ask ifyour stager can providefresh linens and pillows.

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owner’s or rented furnitureand art) in a minimalisticfashion to give potentialbuyers a feel for the way thehome will look withappropriately placedfurnishings, and to letbuyers know withfurnishings how a roommight function or what itspurpose might me. Hiring aprofessional stager is a greatoption. If you are doing

Staging

some of the work yourself, hereare some tips from theprofessionals:• Start with a clean slate byclearing out each room.• Stage rooms as they areintended to be used (don’t stagethe dining room as an office,even if that is how you havebeen using it)• Remove leaves from the diningroom table for more floor space.• Stage the master bedroomminimally with neutral beddingthat appeals to both sexes.• Children’s rooms should bestaged, with only a few toys andbooks displayed.• Bathrooms should be staged tolook like a hotel or a spa.• Porches and decks should bestaged with clean fresh patiofurniture, potted plants, andoutdoor pillows in appropriate.• Stage the kitchen with a newkettle, new dish towels, a fancysoap container, and freshflowers.

20 years ago, staging ahome for sale was reservedfor “premium” properties.Today, staging can be donefor a home at any pricepoint, either by aprofessional stager or thehome owner. Realtors,buyers and sellers alike haveseen the benefits of editinga home to the bare bones,then “staging” it with neutralfurnishings (either the

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Buyers want to imaginethemselves in your home.

Depersonalize framed familyphotos by placing sheets ofscrapbook paper in neutralpatterns between the glass

and the photograph.


Always be Ready Whole HouseO Open all blindsO Turn on all lightsO Initiate your Pet PlanO Empty all waste cansO Turn on low musicO Check the thermostat

BedroomsO Make all bedsO Pick up all toysO Stow any laundryO Remove any valuables

BathroomsO Clean toiletsO Wipe down vanityO Stow all toiletriesO Put fresh towels out

OutsideO Sweep the front stepsO Move any bikes or toys

Living RoomO Fluff and arrange pillowsO Organize any booksO Fold and stow any throws

KitchenO Wipe down kitchen countersO Wipe stainless appliancesO Wash any dishesO Clear counters of any clutter

Congratulations! You areready to show your house!

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Once you have listed yourhome, you should always beready for a showing. Askyour agent to give you onehour notice. Even if yourhome is always ready forvisitors, when you are livingin the home while it is onthe market you will needsome time to make it justright. Make a short checklistand post it by the door.Thenyou won’t have toremember if you turned all

the lights on, hung freshtowels in the bathroom,picked up the toys in thebasement, or put the dogdishes away. When you getthe call, grab your list andyou can calmly go fromroom to room and checkthose items off before youleave. It is never a good ideato be in the house during ashowing. Buyers want toimagine themselves living inyour home.

Pre-Showing Checklist


Copyright © 2015 by Steve KennedyDesign, Editing, and Layout by Kim Halvorson

Fonts used include Droid Serif and Open Sans.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed,or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording,or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission

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Coordinator,” at the address below.

Steve Kennedy Team2312 Eastlake Ave East

Seattle, WA 98102206.726.6233

Documents

Selling Your Home for 15 Key Strategies Top Dollar 24 ... · sales in your Seattle area so you can price your home correctly the first time. Create buyer urgency and potentially multiple