Sign Regulations

Please check the Regulations for your specific city for Residential Real Estate Signs. Once your home is off the market you must remove these signs. Some cities will strictly enforce these rules. Let buyers and neighbors instantly know your home is for sale The yard sign is the most important selling tool, we include it with our Full $495 Package and the Extended $295 Package, it is optional with the Basic $95 . Please see our Listing Tools. The yard sign we offer is a custom sign with YOUR PHONE NUMBER plus the MLS NUMBER, buyers and agents can contact you directly. All leads and inquiries about your listing from buyers and agents are forwarded exclusively to you Wherever possible we will include your contact information directly with your property information on every online ad, including on our site, check out our Featured Listings. However some websites will not permit seller's name and contact information to be displayed. You will receive an email or a phone call from us to contact the buyer or the buyer's agent directly.

First Time Homebuyer $8000 Tax Credit Extended Until April 30, 2010

• This $8000 tax credit will extend to First Time Home Buyers who purchase a home until April 30, 2010. To be able to qualify for this tax credit one must purchase a home by April 30, 2010. The purchaser or his/her spouse may not have owned a residence during the three years prior.
• 
  
• If you would like more information please visit MySecretAgent and we will be happy to answer any questions.
• 
  

FHA Loans

In the past many sellers didn't want to accept FHA loans because of the guidelines. Presently as a seller it would be a beneficial to accept this loan because many buyers are qualifying for an FHA loan and this would give you a better chance of selling your home.

FHA Loan Guidlines
Down Payment	Minimum 3.5%
Closing Costs	Low, regulated by HUD
Post-bankruptcy Qualifying?	Can qualify after 2 years
Post-foreclosure Qualifying?	Can qualify after 3 years
Private Mortgage Insurance	Low cost

mortgageloanplace.com

Answers to Commonly Asked Questions

What happens after I order?
See our Seller’s Checklist and our Terms and Conditions for more detailed information.

What is the NWMLS?
The NWMLS – Northwest Multiple Listing Service – is a broker owned fee based service to licensed members in the State of Washington to input listings for sellers and search listings for buyers. The NWMLS is the primary tool agents use to find a property when they have a buyer, it is used by all agents whether it is a traditional listing or a Flat Fee listing. The buyer's office commission amount offered is required by the NWMLS along with the detailed information about the home including pictures. Your advantage is the increased exposure to buyers. Our average flat fee customers save over $10,000. In recent years the NWMLS has made their data available to many local and national real estate internet sites. By listing your property on the NWMLS you will gain this increased exposure which is accessible to everyone who is in the market to buy a home.

What telephone number will people call for a showing?
You will be contacted directly by all buyers and agents with buyers who would be interested in seeing your home. The NWMLS requires to show our office information, but agents will be instructed to call you before they show your property. If agents or buyers contact us, they will be referred to you. According to NWMLS public websites are not permitted to show the owner’s name or phone number. This NWMLS rule applies to all companies that are members of the NWMLS.

Will my listing look the same as other listings?
YES. Your listing will be identical to the listings of competing real estate companies. It will show all photos and all listing information, including the commission offered to an agent who successfully sells the home, and instructions for showing the home.

Are there any additional fees?
NO. All of the fees we charge are listed on our web site. For the Listing Tools the shipping costs are included and there are no additional or hidden fees. We do not charge any other fees for the sale of your home. WA sales tax applies where applicable.

How do I get started with your Flat Fee Listing program?
Our services are simple, please fill out our online form, go to List My Home, it will take about 20-30 minutes. Select the additional Listing Tools, than submit your order with payment. If you have questions or need help filling out these forms, please call our office. Once the documents and your photographs are submitted to us, your property will be listed in the MLS the same day if received by 1:00 P.M. If we receive your documents and photographs after 1:00 P.M. or on the weekend, your property will be posted the next business day. All other websites, including REALTOR.com® will post your listing within 4-5 business days. Changes to an MLS listing are handled in the same fashion. Please refer to the Seller’s Checklist for more instructions. Once all the paperwork is signed and payment is received, we upload your property information into the NWMLS. You will receive a confirmation email once your property has been posted on the NWMLS.

For more answers to frequently asked questions visit MySecretAgent.com

Your satisfaction is our #1 priority!
If you have any other questions about our services, please contact us.

We are here to help! Contact us by phone 425-835-0387 or Email us at info@mysecretagent.com with your questions. We are dedicated to offer professional services to effectively help you sell your home, but most importantly maximize your equity.

Fresh Ideas on How To Sell Your Home

Sellers who have tried to sell a home lately, know that it can be tough right now. However, it is not impossible to sell your home. In fact, if you are willing to put in a little work you may be surprised at the outcome.

Open House- Many buyers plan on previewing an open house before they purchase a home. This is a great tool for getting potential buyers into your home, and most buyers use them as a way to see a home they are interested in without having to schedule an appointment. MySecretAgent has many useful ideas on holding an open house.

Use signs and flyers to advertise your open house. MySecretAgent allows sellers to purchase open house signs that direct buyers to your home. When listing with our full package you receive printed flyers that are also a great tool to advertise an open house

To help make your home look even more enticing and spacious, stage your home to look less cluttered and bigger. Staging your home can help add balance and appeal your home to buyers in ways that you likely never even considered. As a result, your home will stand out from the rest of the competition. MySecretAgent has many tips on how to stage your home.

Offer a home warranty- A home warranty can cover the cost to repair or replace many of your home’s systems and appliances. This is another small step that can help a potential buyer rest just a little easier at the thought of purchasing your home. It will also make your home stand out among the pack of other homes available for sale.

Consider letting a buyer stay in your home for a night- This is an "out there" idea but consider it if the potential buyers are worried about neighborhood noise levels. According to a recent article on bankrate.com, "some builders and sellers are offering prospective buyers a chance to stay in the home for a night. They’re even welcoming folks with bottles of wine and other goodies to make their stay comfortable."

Advertising your home

Free Online Advertising Options With our Full $495 Package you will have access to our list of FREE online advertising links – with step-by-step how to instructions – to Craigslist, Zillow and many more after you list your home.

Here are a few suggestions to advertise your home:

• MLS and the Internet- 85% of buyers start looking for properties on the internet and provide a list of properties to their agent to schedule showings or call directly the listing agents for more information. The MLS is the number one tool for selling a property in the shortest possible time. Most buyers use real estate agents when buying a home, and 100% of all licensed real estate agents use the MLS. The NWMLS provides a direct internet feed to the websites of all of their member companies and individual agents. All properties that are listed on the MLS will be displayed,changes and updates will be posted to the listings on all of these linked real estate websites. Please note that the NWMLS is one of the few MLSs nationwide who discontinued to provide a direct feed to REALTOR.com®. Individual agents and offices are responsible to upload the information if they wish to provide their clients with the widest possible exposure.
• Yard Sign- Included in in our $295 Extended Package and $495 Full Package. You can also choose to add this to our $95 Basic Package.
• Flyers and Brochures- 50 glossy professionally printed flyers and a PDF version is included in our $495 Full Package. You can order professionally printed glossy flyers or brochures with the Basic or the Extended Packages, these will make a lasting impression on buyers who preview your home. Please see our Listing Tools.
• Postcard Mailers
• Newspaper Ads
• Real Estate Magazines
• Open House

You Got An Offer

What do you do after you received an offer? Easy, visit MySecretAgent for the steps in a typical residential real estate closing.

How the offer is written up will determine the steps you have to take in order to give or take possession of the home.

Here are 10 steps in a typical residential real estate closing:

Offer presented to the seller.

Seller accepting the offer by signing or initialing necessary pages.

Open an escrow account; negotiate the escrow and title costs and sign preliminary instructions.

Secure financing and negotiate lender closing costs. (Buyer should be pre-approved)

Buyer should read and approve seller’s disclosures.

Buyer to obtain and approve property inspection, and approve other reports as needed.

Buyer to check title and remove contingencies from the offer.

Buyer to complete any remaining escrow work, and do the final walk through of the home.

Buyer to get funded by lender.

Sign the final escrow instructions (also called closing the escrow, transferring title).

Seller's Checklist

Before listing your property: Price your home competitively. If you need assistance please see Pricing Your Home or see our Listing Tools for a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA). Gather all documents pertaining to your property to help you in the process of entering all information: Tax Record, Deed of Trust, or previous closing documents have the information you need, including the legal description and the official square foot for your property. Take your time to fill out all the fields to the best of your knowledge, it will take approximately 20-30 minutes. Our site is secure, all the information you provide to us, will be protected. Select the photos that best represent your home and save them into a folder as jpeg for uploading. 1 image included in the Basic $95 Listing Package, 8 included in the Extended $295 Package, and the Full $495 Listing Package includes 15 images.

MySecretAgent provides you with 10 easy step SELLER'S CHECKLIST to follow when you list your home with us.

HOW TO ADVERTISE YOUR HOME

Free Online Advertising Options With our Full $495 Package you will have access to our list of FREE online advertising links – with step-by-step how to instructions – to Craigslist, Zillow and many more after you list your home. Our Full package also includes: 12 months on the MLS 15 photos 50 professionally printed glossy flyers, PDF Flyer Custom Sign with YOUR phone number and MLS printed directly on the sign Post with Flyer Box Unlimited Changes to your listing YOUR home will be listed on Realtor.com with will give you National and Local Exposure Free Advertising Links Yes, you get all this for a ONE TIME flat fee of $495!WE ARE DEDICATED TO KEEP THE SELLER IN CONTROL OF THE SELLING PROCESS. HAVING YOU BE IN CONTROL ALOWS THE SELLER TO SAVE THOUSANDS IN COMMISSION!

Pricing Your Home

Pricing Your Home Finding a fair price for your home is the most important step for selling it fast Naturally you want top dollar for your home, However you do not want to scare off potential buyers by setting a price too high. Having your asking price too high may cause your home to sit on the market with no activity, and even if the buyer is willing to pay the price it might not appraise for that value in today’s market. Reducing the price down the line may suggest to buyers there is something wrong with the home, pricing it right from the start will result in a faster sale. We list your home on the NWMLS for a flat fee, thus help you maximize your equity in your property. Calculate Your Savings and see the difference.

Calculate YOUR Savings

Take control of managing your spending during the sale of your home,
say NO to 6% commission.

Home sellers have been paying thousands of dollars in real estate commissions, thus leaving them less equity after the sale of their home. Today, these sellers are looking for alternative solutions.

With MySecretAgent.com you pay a one-time listing fee of $95, $295 or $495 to list your home on the MLS. Save thousands in real estate commission, Compare our services to a traditional commission agent.

If an agent brings you a buyer, you may offer that agent on average 2.5-3% commission, but remember, all commissions are negotiable. If you sell your home on your own you will save this amount too, saving you thousands more.

To calculate your savings logon to MySecretAgent.com

Tips on Holding an Open House

Holding and Open House is an effective way to show your home to neighbors and prospective buyers. MySecretAgent has some useful Open House Tips for you to look over before your next open house.

When you list with our FULL PACKAGE you will receive a list of FREE online advertising that will help you advertise your open house.

Remember to be aware of your surroundings and stay safe!

Home Selling Tips

There is only ONE TIME to make a great first impression. A good looking and maintained home will get buyers out of the car and into your home!

MySecretAgent has many Home Selling Tips for YOU to take advantage of. We are dedicated not only to list your home on the MLS but truly give you all the resources to sell your home without a paying 6% (all commissions are negotiable) commission!

Two Ways Homeowners & Buyers Profit From New Stimulus Plan

MySecretAgent would like to point out a couple of benefits from the new Housing Stimulus Plan that homeowners and buyers can take advantage of.

Expansion of Home Improvement Tax Credit-

The tax credit is UP 20% for making energy efficient home improvements. Before, homeowners were allocated to get a tax credit of only 10% (capped up to $500). Now homeowners can receive 30% (capped up to $1500) of the cost of making energy efficient home improvements. All improvements must pass the International Energy Conservation Code or have an Energy Star Rating.

Expansion of First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit-

For homes purchased between January 1, 2009 and December 1, 2009 the tax credit was increased from $7,500 to $8000. If the homeowners live in the home and do not move within three years the credit does not have to be paid back.

Are You Eligible For Obama's Refinance Plan?

President Obama released new guidelines on March 4, 2009 for his "Making Home Affordable" initiative, that will help up to 9 million homeowners stay in their home through refinancing a mortgage or modifying a loan.

To be able to qualify one must:

• Owe between 80-105% of a mortgage.
• Have a loan backed up by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac
• Have a conforming loan

If you would like more information please visit makinghomeaffordable.gov or MySecretAgent.com.

What is Flat Fee Listing Service?

What is a Flat Fee listing service? It is a service that is similar to a traditional agent, I like to call it a modern agent, that allows YOU- the seller- to be in control of the selling process of your home. It also grants the seller to reap the benefits by saving equity! Who doesn't want that?! The seller DOES NOT pay 6% (all commissions are negotiable) by paying a ONE TIME flat fee. Do some of the work yourself and save money.

When you list your home with MySecretAgent you get all the essential tools that a traditional agent would provide. You get your home listed on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) which is the only source licensed real estate agents get to search homes. This will give YOU- the seller an advantage by having realtors have access to the information on your home. There are many more tools that you can take advantage of when you list your home. REMEMBER: Even if you take advantage of ALL the listing tools provided you will not pay more than $1200. This amount is much LESS than a percentage of the sale price of your home!

MySecretAgent is dedicated to offer professional services to effectively help you sell your home, but most importantly maximize YOUR profit.

Don't Become A Victim of Predatory Lending

MySecretAgent.com has become aware of a trend that takes advantage of many first time homeowners and senior citizens called predatory lending. Take a moment to educate yourself so you will not become a victim.

Predatory lending is the practice of lenders, mortgage brokers and/or appraisers who use misleading appraisals to make the value of a home seem higher then it really is. There are many strategies lenders may use such as:

• Promote buyers to lie about their income to get a loan
• Lenders purposely giving out more money then a borrower can afford
• Steering- charge high intrest rates based on their race, color or national origin and not on their credit history
• Charge fees for unnecessary products or services
• Influence borrowers to accept high risk loans
• Convince homeowners to refinance over and over when there is no benefit to the borrower

Buying or refinancing a home may be one of the most crucial financial decisions you'll ever make. Unfortunately many unaware homebuyers become victims of predatory lending or loan fraud. Become aware of the tactics predators use so this will not happen to you! For more information visit HUD.gov. They have many free and low cost recourses you may take advantage of.