Wally Hughes Associate Broker Click to go directly to each section Wally Hughes & RE/MAX Working for You Pricing & Marketing Your Home Getting Started Click to follow links /in/wallyhughes WallyHughes.com /WallyHughesRichmond WestBroadVillageProperties.com /user/wallybhughes My Listings
Wally Hughes Working for You Many agents think their most important job is satisfying the customer. I don t think that s true. I believe that satisfying the customer is simply the minimum requirement for staying in business. I work constantly to improve my systems, processes and services to go well beyond the standard level of service provided by most agents. My purpose is to help you sell your home for the most money in the least time, and with the fewest hassles. I want to provide the best service in the industry. Period. The key words with which I have built my successful real estate business are integrity, Leadership, Knowledge, dedication, Cooperation, Commitment, Innovation, Enthusiasm, and Accomplishment. Whether you choose to list your home with me, or with another agent, I want you to be successful in your sale. I have included a section with helpful information regarding the home selling process, as well as tips for preparing your home to sell. Sincerely, RE/MAX Commonwealth Full-Time REALTOR and Richmond resident since 1982 Lifelong resident of Virginia Thousand of sales, 90% which come from referrals by past clients and RE/MAX Associates
What My Clients Are Saying Wally was joy to work with as our first realtor after relocating to Virginia 16 years ago. He worked very hard to find us the perfect home and we are still loving it today. When we decide it is time to downsize, Wally will be the first one we call. He is very good at what he does and has a great knowledge of real estate. We highly recommend Wally Hughes. ~ Lilly Young Wally Hughes is a one of a kind agent! Wally sold us on selecting him as our selling agent by building trust, his ability to follow up, and by becoming an expert on our home and market. His efforts led to our home going under contract is less than a week and his dedication and initiative have been unparalled. Wally has gone above and beyond throughout the process. I would reccommend to Wally Hughes to anyone selling a home in the greater Richmond area! ~ Kylie LaBrie Wally is an excellent realtor with a very impressive knowledge of the housing market, financing options, and the house buying/selling process. While we haven t sold our house that Wally helped us buy 8 years ago, we will eventually move in to a larger house and will definitely use Wally again in selling our current house and buying our next house. As a first-time house buyer 8 years ago, Wally walked us through all the intricacies of home buying. He helped us negotiate the best possible deal where we even beat out higher bids on the property. Wally s help during the closing process was also instrumental. Wally and his team is very responsive to questions and requests and I couldn t imagine using another realtor! ~ Goran Gustavsson
RE/MAX Commonwealth Locations Glen Forest 7201 Glen Forest Drive, Suite 104 Richmond, VA 23226 804.288.5000 Short Pump 200 Westgate Parkway, Suite 102 The Fan 2226 W. Main Street Richmond, VA 23220 804.353.4455 Midlothian 1231 Alverser Drive Midlothian, VA 23113 804.794.2150 Mechanicsville 9464 Chamberlayne RD., Ste. 200 Mechanicsville, VA 23116 804.746.7466 Chesterfield 9401 Courthouse Road, Suite 200 Chesterfield, VA 23832 804.777.9001
2014 RE/MAX vs. THE INDUSTRY RE/MAX agents sell the most homes, supported by a brand that more buyers and sellers think of than any other in real estate. Open Your Eyes to RE/MAX. U.S. RESIDENTIAL TRANSACTION SIDES 1 U.S. BRAND OFFICES COUNTRIES AWARENESS 3 2 WORLDWIDE AGENTS WORLDWIDE 907,785 28.1% 97 6,481 93,228 725,058 16.0% 41 3,100 84,900 644,297 4.2% 7 700 94,906 410,543 20.9% 61 7,100 103,800 118,160 1.6% 32 2,300 31,200 78,841 0.7% 41 700 14,500 73,202 2.3% 1 164 10,054 55,712 0.7% 2 260 8,400 52,827 0.7% 1 167 5,700 Not released 1.5% 1 370 14,000 Not released 0.4% 1 360 7,800 Not released 0.1% 1 330 14,000 2014 RE/MAX, LLC. Each office independently owned and operated. Data is full-year or as of year-end 2013, as applicable. Except as noted, Coldwell Banker, Century 21, ERA, Sotheby s and Better Homes and Gardens data is as reported by Realogy Corporation on SEC 10-K, Annual Report for 2013; Keller Williams, Long & Foster, Howard Hanna, Weichert, 200 Westgate Parkway, Real Living Ste. and Berkshire 102 Hathaway HomeServices data is from company websites and industry reports. 1 RE/MAX residential transaction sides may include some leases, estimated to be less than 1%. Keller Williams reports all transaction sides and does not itemize U.S. residential transactions. All offices independently 2 MMR Strategy Group study of unaided awareness. owned and operated. If your property is currently 3 Based on lists of countries claimed at each franchisor s website, excluding claimed locations that are not independent countries (e.g. territories, etc.). 140442
RE/MAX AGENTS AVERAGE TWICE THE HOME SALES TRANSACTION SIDES: AVERAGE PER AGENT RE/MAX agents averaged 17.8, compared to 8.4 sides for all competitors. RE/MAX 17.8 SOLD 2014 Realty Executives ERA 9.8 11.3 RE/MAX 17.8 SOLD Competitors 8.4 500 RE/MAX agents sell more homes than anyone in the U.S., and 2013 data from the RealTrends 500 survey explains how. RE/MAX agents average more than twice as many residential transaction sides per agent as all competitors.* Prudential Coldwell Banker/ NRT Century 21 Berkshire HHS Keller Williams Sotheby s Better Homes & Gardens 9.5 9.1 8.4 7.9 7.2 6.8 6.6 SALES VOLUME: AVERAGE PER AGENT RE/MAX agents averaged 60% more than the average for all competitors. RE/MAX $ 3.9 Competitors million $ 2.5 million RE/MAX TOP COMMONWEALTH: 100 BROKERAGES: WHEN WHEN RANKED RANKED BY BY MOST MOST TRANSACTION TRANSACTION SIDES SIDES PER PER AGENT AGENT RE/MAX Commonwealth agents averaged 23.2 transaction sides *Rankings calculated by RE/MAX based on 2014 REAL Trends 500 data, citing 2013 transaction sides for the 1,451 largest participating U.S. brokerages. Prudential, Berkshire and Real Living do not include HomeServices of America. 2014 RE/MAX, LLC. All rights reserved. Each RE/MAX office is independently owned 200 and Westgate operated. Parkway, 140429Ste. 102 # 1 IN VIRGINIA RE/MAX 91 # 28 of the top 100 brokerages IN THE NATION Coldwell Banker - 2 Century 21-2 ERA - 1 Non-Franchise - 4
Pricing and Timing Pricing a home for sale is as much art as science, but there are a few truisms that never change. Fair Market value attracts buyers, overpricing never does. The first two weeks of marketing are crucial. The market never lies, but it can change its mind. Fair market value is what a willing buyer and a willing seller agree by contract is a fair price for a home. Values can be impacted by a wide range of reasons but the two largest are location and condition. Generally, fair market value can be determined by comparables - other similar homes that have sold or are currently for sale in the same area. Sellers often view their home as special which tempts them to put a higher price on the home, believing they can always come down later, but that s a serious mistake. Overpricing prevents the very buyers who are eligible to buy the home from ever seeing it. Most buyers shop by price range, and look for the best value in that range. CLICK TO FIND YOUR HOME S VALUE westbroadvillageproperties.com It is very important to price your property at competitive market value at the signing of the listing agreement. Historically, your first offer is usually your best offer. The value of your property is determined by what a BUYER is willing to pay and a SELLER is willing to accept in today s market. BUYERS make their pricing decision by comparing your property to other properties sold in your area.
Online Listing Distribution 96% of home buyers begin their search online. When listing a property with a RE/MAX Commonwealth agent, detailed information about your home will be placed on the following websites. Your home will also be displayed on more than 2,500 agent websites in the Richmond market area. HomesInRichmond.com Listing syndication provided through ListHub. All data is provided to third party vendors directly from MLS to ListHub and RE/MAX Commonwealth has no control regarding how quickly properties will appear or be updated on any of these websites.
Online Listing Distribution www.remax.com www.global.remax.com www.homesinrichmond.com
Online Listing Distribution www.zillow.com www.trulia.com www.realtor.com www.facebook.com
Maximized MLS Exposure I maximize your property s exposure in the MLS by including all of the room information and details, and well as all 24 photos allowed.
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Professionally Designed Materials WallyHughesRichmond @RMCommonwealth WallyHughes WallyHughesRichmond Hello Neighbors! Meet Wally Hughes Your West Broad Village Expert 608 Virginia Center Parkway Glen Allen, VA 23059 Find your home s value at wallyhughes.com
8 Reasons to Work With a REALTOR Not all real estate practitioners are REALTORS. The term REALTOR is a registered trademark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of REALTORS and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. Here are five reasons why it pays to work with a REALTOR. 1. Navigate a complicated process. Buying or selling a home usually requires disclosure forms, inspection reports, mortgage documents, insurance policies, deeds, and multipage settlement statements. A knowledgeable expert will help you prepare the best deal, and avoid delays or costly mistakes. 2. Information and opinions. REALTORS can provide local community information on utilities, zoning, schools, and more. They ll also be able to provide objective information about each property. A professional will be able to help you answer these two important questions: Will the property provide the environment I want for a home or investment? Second, will the property have resale value when I am ready to sell? 3. Help finding the best property out there. Sometimes the property you are seeking is available but not actively advertised in the market, and it will take some investigation by your REALTOR to find all available properties. 4. Negotiating skills. There are many negotiating factors, including but not limited to price, financing, terms, date of possession, and inclusion or exclusion of repairs, furnishings, or equipment. In addition, the purchase agreement should provide a period of time for you to complete appropriate inspections and investigations of the property before you are bound to complete the purchase. Your agent can advise you as to which investigations and inspections are recommended or required. 5. Property marketing power. Real estate doesn t sell due to advertising alone. In fact, a large share of real estate sales comes as the result of a practitioner s contacts through previous clients, referrals, friends, and family. When a property is marketed with the help of a REALTOR, you do not have to allow strangers into your home. Your REALTOR will generally prescreen and accompany qualified prospects through your property. 6. Someone who speaks the language. If you don t know a CMA from a PUD, you can understand why it s important to work with a professional who is immersed in the industry and knows the real estate language. 7. Experience. Most people buy and sell only a few homes in a lifetime, usually with quite a few years in between each purchase. Even if you have done it before, laws and regulations change. REALTORS, on the other hand, handle hundreds of real estate transactions over the course of their career. Having an expert on your side is critical. 8. Objective voice. A home often symbolizes family, rest, and security it s not just four walls and a roof. Because of this, homebuying and selling can be an emotional undertaking. And for most people, a home is the biggest purchase they ll every make. Having a concerned, but objective, third party helps you stay focused on both the emotional and financial issues most important to you.
10 Questions to Ask When Choosing Your REALTOR 1. How long have you been in residential real estate sales? Is it your full-time job? While experience is no guarantee of skill, real estate like many other professions is mostly learned on the job. 2. How many homes did you and your real estate brokerage sell last year? By asking this question, you ll get a good idea of how much experience the practitioner has. 3. How many days did it take you to sell the average home? How did that compare to the overall market? The REALTOR you interview should have these facts on hand, and be able to present market statistics from the local MLS to provide a comparison. 4. How close to the initial asking prices of the homes you sold were the final sale prices? This is one indication of how skilled the REALTOR is at pricing homes and marketing to suitable buyers. Of course, other factors also may be at play, including an exceptionally hot or cool real estate market. 5. What types of specific marketing systems and approaches will you use to sell my home? You don t want someone who s going to put a For Sale sign in the yard and hope for the best. Look for someone who has aggressive and innovative approaches, and knows how to market your property competitively on the Internet. Buyers today want information fast, so it s important that your REALTOR is responsive. 6. Will you represent me exclusively, or will you represent both the buyer and the seller in the transaction? While it s usually legal to represent both parties in a transaction, it s important to understand where the practitioner s obligations lie. Your REALTOR should explain his or her agency relationship to you and describe the rights of each party. 7. Can you recommend service providers who can help me obtain a mortgage, make home repairs, and help with other things I need done? Because REALTORS are immersed in the industry, they re wonderful resources as you seek lenders, home improvement companies, and other home service providers. Practitioners should generally recommend more than one provider and let you know if they have any special relationship with or receive compensation from any of the providers. 8. What type of support and supervision does your brokerage office provide to you? Having resources such as in-house support staff, access to a real estate attorney, and assistance with technology can help an agent sell your home. 9. How will you keep me informed about the progress of my transaction? How frequently? Again, this is not a question with a correct answer, but how you judge the response will reflect your own desires. Do you want updates twice a week or do you prefer not to be bothered unless there s a hot prospect? Do you prefer phone, e-mail, or a personal visit? 10. What designations do you hold? Designations such as GRI and CRS, which require that agents take additional, specialized real estate training, are held only by about one-quarter of real estate practitioners.
Understanding Agency Relationships IT S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES YOUR REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL HAS TO YOU AND TO OTHER PARTIES IN THE TRANSACTION. ASK WHAT TYPE OF AGENCY RELATIONSHIP YOUR AGENT HAS WITH YOU: SELLER S REPRESENTATIVE A seller s agent is hired by and represents the seller. All fiduciary duties are owed to the seller. The agency relationship usually is created by a listing contract. BUYER S REPRESENTATIVE A buyer s agent is hired by prospective buyers to represent them in a real estate transaction. The buyer s rep works in the buyer s best interest throughout the transaction and owes fiduciary duties to the buyer. The buyer can pay the licensee directly through a negotiated fee, or the buyer s rep may be paid by the seller or through a commission split with the seller s agent. SUBAGENT A subagent owes the same fiduciary duties to the agent s customer as the agent does. Subagency usually arises when a cooperating sales associate from another brokerage, who is not the buyer s agent, shows property to a buyer. In such a case, the subagent works with the buyer as a customer but owes fiduciary duties to the listing broker and the seller. Although a subagent cannot assist the buyer in any way that would be detrimental to the seller, a buyer-customer can expect to be treated honestly by the subagent. It is important that subagents fully explain their duties to buyers. DISCLOSED DUAL AGENT Dual agency is a relationship in which the brokerage firm represents both the buyer and the seller in the same real estate transaction. Dual agency relationships do not carry with them all of the traditional fiduciary duties to clients. Instead, dual agents owe limited fiduciary duties. Because of the potential for conflicts of interest in a dual-agency relationship, it s vital that all parties give their informed consent. In many states, this consent must be in writing. Disclosed dual agency, in which both the buyer and the seller are told that the agent is representing both of them, is legal in most states. DESIGNATED AGENT This is a brokerage practice that allows the managing broker to designate which licensees in the brokerage will act as an agent of the seller and which will act as an agent of the buyer. Designated agency avoids the problem of creating a dualagency relationship for licensees at the brokerage. The designated agents give their clients full representation, with all of the attendant fiduciary duties. The broker still has the responsibility of supervising both groups of licensees. NONAGENCY RELATIONSHIP Some states permit a real estate licensee to have a type of nonagency relationship with a consumer. These relationships vary considerably from state to state, both as to the duties owed to the consumer and the name used to describe them. Very generally, the duties owed to the consumer in a nonagency relationship are less than the complete, traditional fiduciary duties of an agency relationship.
Preparing Your Home to Sell De-Personalize The number one rule in staging is to de-personalize. Pack up those personal photographs and family heirlooms. Create Great Curb Appeal If buyers won t get out of the car because they don t like the exterior, you ll never get them inside. Keep the sidewalks cleared Mow the lawn and trim the bushes Paint faded window trim Plant or pot colorful flowers Make sure visitors can clearly see your house number De-Clutter Almost every home shows better with less furniture! Pare furnishings down to the bare essentials Pack up those cute knickknacks Clean off everything on kitchen counters Remove personal items from bathroom counters Rearrange Closets and Cabinets Buyers will open closets, kitchen and medicine cabinets Organize pantry and cabinet contents Reduce closet contents to half-full and organized Neatly arrange clothing, shoes and shelf items Put medicines and personal items out of sight Make the House Shine Wash windows inside and out Polish chrome faucets and mirrors Clean out the refrigerator Vacuum regularly Dust furniture, ceiling fan blades and light fixtures Replace worn rugs Hang up fresh towels Replace that old shower curtain Make Minor Repairs Replace burned-out light bulbs Replace cracked floor or counter tiles Patch holes in the walls Fix leaky faucets and doors that don t close properly Re-caulk tubs, showers and sinks if necessary Clean dingy grout Consider painting the walls neutral colors Showing Your Home If the house looks comfortable, but not personal, you are almost done. Open drapes to let the sunshine in and turn on lights Fresh flowers are a little luxury that make people feel good Make sure the temperature is comfortable Appeal to all the senses - Your home should smell fresh Outdoor living spaces are becoming more important to people today, so add a few decorating touches
Giving Back I PUT MY MONEY WHERE THE MIRACLES ARE. Work with a RE/MAX Miracle Agent and make a difference in a child s life RE/MAX agents have donated more than 130 million dollars to Children s Miracle Network Hospitals since 1992 MARIA, 6 YEARS OLD BRAIN INJURY PATIENT