BUYING A HOME
At Together, we’re honored to help buyers in the purchase of their new home. We love the process of helping buyers successfully navigate the Portland market, including finding the neighborhood that will be a great fit. The job of a buyer agent is not to sell you on a home, but to guide you through the process of understanding how a home might live, if it is the right fit, and that the condition of the home will be a wise investment. We joke that it’s our job to point out the negatives of a home and let you feel that the positives are what pulls you in. The decision is always up to you, but it’s important to understand the livability of a home, so it aligns with your goals and dreams.
“Carson is the best! We met with a few realtors and chose Carson because he really understands the Portland market, what we were looking for and had lots of knowledge in construction”
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We will meet either in person or virtually to talk about your goals and dreams.
Some of the questions we'll look to cover are: What are you looking for in a home? What is your experience of home ownership? What are you excited for, and do you have any reservations or fears?
What is the buyer/broker agreement and why is it important? What is the earnest money deposit?
How are you financing your purchase? If you need a loan, now is the time to talk with a lender to obtain a pre-approval. After you have your pre-approval, you can start shopping, i.e. touring homes together.
After you find your home, we'll work together to write a competitive offer, and negotiate terms that are important to you and give you the best chance to have an offer accepted.
After acceptance of your offer, the inspection period begins, this is when you will have your home inspection, and your radon, underground tank search, and sewer scope. These inspections will cost around $900 in total, so it's important to choose the right house wisely! We will negotiate repairs and/or credits as needed before releasing this contingency period. From here you are moving towards closing, and we'll work with your lender and escrow to tidy up final details, and make sure any repairs are completed prior to close. Just before closing, you'll sign loan and or/title documents, pull utilties into your name, and record the day and fund on the day of closing! We'll deliver keys with you at the door.
There are always unexpected and unknowable events that occur outside of this scope, but these are basics, and we will work through all challenges together, with data providing the backbone of the transaction.
SELLING A HOME
At Together, we’re honored to help sellers move on from their house. As one of the biggest investments that you will make in your life, capturing top dollar on the market is our focus for you to reap the rewards of the stewardship that you've carried on since you purchased your house. The decision to sell is complex, and oftentimes it involves a process of understanding why you are selling, and how that leads to your next goals in life. Whether you are downsizing or upsizing, relocating or just considering if it's a good idea - we are here to talk you through the process, look at the pros and cons, and provide you with information so you can determine what is the best course for you.
“After my first one on one hour with Carson going over all of my needs, I knew I had found the right person. Despite all my friends giving me referrals for other people, I went with someone I felt good about, and that was the best decision I could have made.”
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Much like buying a home, selling a home begins with a consultation either in person or virtually. If you are in Portland, this will be in person. This allows us to see your home, so that we can begin to understand its condition and updating as we work on a strategy for pricing your home. It also gives us a chance to meet with you, and answer any and all questions that you have.
Everyone has a punch-list of items that they are working on, it's never-ending. When you are selling, it is ending though, and some of these items are more important than others. We'll work together to iron out your final punch-list to get your home ready for market, and focus only on the ones that will showcase your home in the best light.
Meanwhile, we'll work on a Comparative Market Analysis (a CMA), to determine a range in price based on other recent sold homes in your area. This range is a pricing strategy will help inform you of what to expect, and is your choice how to move forward. As we near the list date, we'll make sure all items are completed, and then move on to staging (if you choose), photography, and marketing materials. We'll come up with a plan for showings if you are living in the house still, and finally we'll set your listing as active. We'll keep you up to date on showings, feedback, and any offers that come in. We'll create a spreadsheet if there are multiple offers so you can see them side by side in an unbiased manner, and help you review offers and understand terms. Finally, we'll negotiate any sticky points to put you in the best position to succeed. As inspections progress, we'll be in contact with the buyer agent to understand their thinking, and help ensure the likeliest path forward to a successful completion of the transaction. We will be there every step of the way, and work through any challenges that come up to ensure a win-win for all parties involved.
Relocating to Portland?
Relocating to Portland?
As someone who moved 10 times in 10 years, and has traveled extensively through Europe, India and SE Asia, I know what it feels like to be somewhere new. Together has extensive knowledge of Portland neighborhoods to find your new home that matches what is important to you in your lifestyle. Our goal is to help you get settled in to your new home, even if that means renting first. We are here for you in your transition, and look forward to talking with you to help you however we can. We believe Portland is better due to the diversity of its communities.
“When we were looking to make our first home purchase in a city we knew nothing about, where we knew no one, we felt overwhelmed to say the least. Carson was a godsend. He got a strong sense of what we wanted, did the leg work to walkthrough all the houses we couldn’t from a different state, and even sent us videos to give us a better sense of each space. Over our time together I came to trust his guidance completely. Our family’s relocation would not have gone smoothly without him on our team. We are eternally grateful.”