Orlando Real Estate Case Study: How Abode Helped Steve T. Sell His Seemingly Hopeless Heathrow Home
When Steve T. came to us at Abode this past August, he was miserable. He had owned a rental home for 15 years, finally wanted to sell it, but was worried he wouldn't be able to. He had already tried once, and a friend had offered to help him for free, but it was proving difficult. It didn't look like he'd even get his original price. He just wanted to break even and be done with it, but even that was looking more and more difficult.
That’s when Steve T. decided to hire Linda as his Listing Specialist.
It was a homecoming of sorts for Steve T., as he was the first buyer to ever close with us when we, Steven and Linda, started working together in 2010. Everything had been so smooth and positive back then, so Steve T. thought he'd just let the professionals deal with it. (We think that’s always a smart choice!)
Here’s how Linda sold what Steve T. thought was an impossible-to-sell home in under 3 months to a cash buyer.
We Started By Assessing The Heathrow Rental Home
The home was the smallest in the Heathrow (Lake Mary) area, right there at 1677 Cherry Ridge Drive. It sits right on the outskirts of the Lower Wekiva River Preserve State Park and near the Rock Springs Run State Preserve.
Linda ran the comparisons (comps) on similar houses in the area and gave her assessment — she sent him the emails, talked on the phone a few times about that information, and even met in person once at the house.
Linda Recommended Key Upgrades To Prepare For Listing
The house didn't have as many upgrades as other homes in the area, so to maximize the price it needed some work done before it could be listed. Linda gave him several recommendations on upgrades and changes he needed to make.
Put out a welcome mat in front of the house. It was a small detail, but that kind of thing goes a long way.
Make sure the place is kept clean and make sure the AC filter was cleaned and replaced every month.
Update the roof using a recent insurance payment, which may have had the biggest effect on the deal going through.
We helped him out by recommending different contractors, like roofers, who were reliable and would get the job done. And we made sure to follow all the COVID protocols, keeping everyone safe as we coordinated vendors in and out of the house.
Expert Staging Brought In Buyers
We also did a photographic floor plan and virtually staged photos (that’s right, the furniture you see is fully virtual!), which helped showcase the house and even brought in several buyers.
Strategic Home Pricing & Agent Persistence Sold The House For Good
Weeks before the house finally went under contract, a cash buyer put in a lowball offer. Instead of accepting, Linda simply stayed in contact with the buyer’s agent (with whom she already had a great working relationship), and got in touch every week for a month. In the end, the buyer still hadn’t found a home, so they came up in price and Steve came down in price.
We had to lower the price of the house a couple of times, but in the end, we got our magical bid. From there, the home closed quickly because we were able to bring in a cash buyer to close in two weeks, just three months after the house went on the market.
Takeaways
Through our 20+ years in real estate, we’ve learned it pays to build relationships and follow up with key contacts in the industry. While a strategic home assessment, thoughtful upgrades, expert staging, and smart pricing all came together to sell Steve T.’s Heathrow home, Linda’s persistence, experience, and professionalism in her relationship with the buyer’s agent brought the sale home in the end.
Enjoyed these insights and looking forward to more?
Sign up for our email newsletter to stay in the loop on our latest real estate secrets, new listings, open houses, and events. And if you’re ready to buy or sell now, contact us today to book your FREE “Educated Home Buyer Plan” or “Price It Right Listing Plan” consultation.
Steven Ritz, Buyer Specialist - Call 321-277-8271 or email here
Linda Sitek, Listing Specialist - Call 407-963-6544 or email here
