COMMON QUESTIONS FROM SELLERS
What Sellers Ask Most Often
Straightforward answers to the questions Richard hears most — before, during, and after the selling process.
GETTING STARTED
Everything you need to know before you decide to sell – what your home is worth, how to find the right agent, and what sets Richard apart from the rest.
Q: How do I know what my home is worth right now?
A: The only accurate answer comes from a conversation with someone who knows your specific market deeply. Richard provides a complimentary, no-obligation valuation for every North Shore or downtown homeowner considering a sale — anchored in both current data and market trends. Better yet, he will share simple improvements that can meaningfully increase your home's value before it goes to market.
Q: How do I choose a listing agent?
A: Look for someone with a stellar reputation who sells homes like yours in your specific neighborhood — not just the broader market. Ask about their average sale price, typical days on market, and list-to-sale ratio. You need an agent who is responsive, intelligent, and willing to have honest conversations with you.
Q: What red flags should I watch for when interviewing an agent?
A: Be wary of an agent who cannot share how many homes like yours they have sold in your neighborhood. Do not be swayed by an overly optimistic list price — the agent who proposes the highest number is often the least likely to deliver the results you are looking for. Other warning signs: an agent who wants to show your home privately to "the perfect buyer," one who rushes you to sign an agreement, or one willing to deeply discount their fee. Discounted fees typically mean cut corners or divided attention.
Q: Can a real estate team offer more than an individual agent?
A: Most agents started out on their own — but this has become a complex business, and individual agents cannot excel at everything or be in two places at once. That said, not all teams are created equal. Richard's team is staffed with specialists with years of experience across every aspect of the process — home preparation and staging, marketing, negotiation, and closing. The fact that 95% of Richard's business comes from repeat clients or referrals is a testament to what the right team can deliver.
Q: What makes Richard different from other real estate agents?
A: First and foremost, he is an advisor, not a salesperson. That distinction is rooted in his 35+ years in architectural design and construction — expertise that gives Richard the ability to see a home the way a sophisticated buyer will, and to know, at a granular level, what enhances or diminishes its value. That knowledge is not available from a generalist. Beyond Richard himself, he has assembled a team of specialists who are exceptional at every aspect of preparing, marketing, negotiating, and closing a transaction.
Q: How long does the selling process take from start to finish?
A: Pre-listing preparation typically takes two to four weeks, depending on what needs to be done. Once on market, Richard's listings have sold in an average of 13 days over the past year. Closing typically follows 20 to 60 days after an accepted offer. The timing can be adjusted to meet your needs.
Q: What are the biggest mistakes sellers make?
A: There are four common ones. The first is insufficient preparation and staging. The second is bringing the home to market in the off-season. The third is pricing too high, which discourages buyers rather than creating competition. The fourth — and perhaps the most costly — is entrusting the sale to an agent who lacks experience in your specific market.
II. PREPARING YOUR HOME
The work that happens before your home hits the market is where outcomes are decided. Richard's 35+ years of construction expertise means he knows exactly which improvements move the needle – and which ones do not.
Q: Should I have a pre-marketing home inspection?
A: For most sellers, yes — and it is worth it. A pre-marketing inspection allows Richard to help coordinate minor repairs that might otherwise give a buyer pause. It also gives buyers in a competitive situation more confidence, knowing a qualified inspector has already rendered an opinion on the home's condition. Inspections typically cost $500 to $850 but pay for themselves many times over.
Q: What is decluttering, and is it necessary?
A: Decluttering is the process of thinning out furnishings, artwork, and accessories so that buyers can envision themselves living in your home. While your belongings are meaningful to you, too much can distract the ideal buyer. Richard and his team provide a room-by-room roadmap of what would be better off packed away — and if needed, they can coordinate the effort for you.
Q: Is staging worth the investment?
A: Staging is not a cost — it is an investment. Staged homes sell, on average, for 5% more and in less time. Staging tailors your home to a likely buyer's expectations and aspirations. Vacant homes require a full stage. Occupied homes typically require a supplementary stage, unless they are already in exceptional condition.
III. PRICING & TIMING
Pricing a luxury home in today's market requires more than a comparables report. Richard anchors every pricing decision in both data and live market trends – so your home is priced to create competition, not sit on the market.
Q: How has pricing strategy changed?
A: Prior to 2020, the standard approach was to price high, receive an offer below list price, and negotiate to a mutually acceptable number. In today's market, there are more buyers than sellers — and the strategy has shifted accordingly. Richard prices homes accurately, with little or no negotiating room built in, to create an environment where buyers compete. When they do, you are likely to see both stronger offer prices and more seller-favorable terms.
Q: What is the best time of year to sell?
A: While timing the top of the market is rarely possible, accounting for seasonality is a sound strategy. Prime selling season for single-family homes in the greater Milwaukee area runs from mid-January through the end of July, as the school calendar tends to influence buyer behavior. For condos, the window is March through October, as many prospective buyers winter away. Targeting high season meaningfully increases the likelihood of a competitive environment.
Q: Can I test the market at a high price and lower it if my home doesn't sell?
A: This is largely a game of perception — and it rarely works in a seller's favor. Over the past several years, buyers have come to expect that well-priced homes sell at or above asking. If your price is too high, your home sits while others sell. A price reduction signals to buyers that something is wrong, and the offers that follow tend to be lower — and on less favorable terms. Accurate pricing from the outset is always the stronger strategy.
Q: What is a Zestimate, and how reliable is it?
A: Zillow's Zestimate is an algorithm — it has no knowledge of your home's condition, any updates you have made, or what the views look like. It is designed to attract traffic to their platform, not to accurately value your specific property. If you want to know what your home is truly worth — and what targeted improvements could do to that number — ask Richard.
Q: What happens if my home does not sell quickly?
A: The majority of homes Richard brings to market sell within weeks. On occasion, the ideal buyer does not materialize immediately — and when that happens, feedback from showing agents becomes valuable. If a home has not received an offer within a defined period, one of two things must occur: the home needs to be made more attractive, or the price needs to be adjusted. This is precisely why thorough preparation and accurate initial pricing matter so much — to avoid sitting on the market and the price reductions that follow.
IV. MARKETING & SHOWINGS
How your home is presented to the market determines who sees it, how many buyers compete for it, and ultimately what it sells for. Richard's approach is designed to generate maximum qualified interest from the moment your home hits the market.
Q: How important is a coming soon campaign?
A: If your goal is to foster competition among buyers, a coming soon campaign is essential. It builds demand before your home hits the market, so that qualified buyers are ready to act the moment it does. Richard's brokerage has a relationship with Zillow that allows him to promote your home as "coming soon" on their platform — an advantage unavailable to most brokerages in the greater Milwaukee area.
Q: How many photos of my home should appear online?
A: The goal is not to show every inch of your home — it is to motivate the most qualified buyers to come see it in person. Richard has found that too many photos rarely serves a seller well. He selects images carefully to win hearts and minds online and drive the right buyers through the door. Where appropriate, he also incorporates drone photography and compelling video.
Q: What is a pocket listing, and is it right for me?
A: A pocket listing is a sale marketed privately rather than publicly. There are times when a private approach is appropriate — sellers navigating a divorce discreetly, high-profile individuals who prefer to avoid attention, or business owners who do not want to signal uncertainty to employees or shareholders. That said, many agents recommend private sales in situations where their clients would be better served by broader exposure. A public approach opens the bidding to the widest pool of buyers and is most likely to yield the highest price and the most seller-favorable terms. This is an important conversation, and Richard will walk you through the pros and cons clearly.
Q: Should we allow overlapping showings?
A: Generally, overlapping showings create a sense of strong buyer interest, which tends to translate into higher offers. However, occasionally a serious buyer will request more privacy. Richard accommodates these requests when feasible.
Q: Do open houses make sense for my home?
A: For vacant homes, almost always yes. For occupied homes, it is more nuanced. While Richard has never experienced items being broken or stolen, an open house is an uncontrolled environment. It is worth discussing the pros and cons based on your specific situation.
Q: When should offers be presented — as they arrive, or all at once?
A: Richard presents offers as they come in. In his experience, the strongest offers almost always arrive on the first or second day. Waiting to present offers allows buyer emotion to cool — those most interested tend to second-guess themselves and submit lower offers than they would have at peak excitement. Presenting immediately keeps momentum on your side.
V. CONTRACTS & CLOSING
An accepted offer is the halfway point. Richard manages every step from inspection through closing with the same care and advocacy as the listing itself – so you are never navigating the final stretch alone.
Q: How is the commission handled?
A: Richard charges 3.6% of the sale price to manage all aspects of home preparation, marketing, negotiation, and closing. 99% of the homes he brings to market sell — most within two weeks and for more than their asking price.
Q: Do I need an attorney?
A: Richard would never discourage you from hiring legal counsel, but it is worth understanding how the process works in Wisconsin. Unlike states such as Illinois, where real estate closings are attorney-led, Wisconsin uses a title company-led process. The title company is a neutral third party that insures title, calculates prorations, handles proceeds, and coordinates the closing itself.
Q: Do I need to fill out a property condition report?
A: Unless you are a trustee or have never lived in the home, yes. Full disclosure of pertinent history and current condition — to the best of your reasonable knowledge — is both legally required and in your interest. You are not expected to be an expert; you are expected to be transparent. Interestingly, Richard has found that buyers often have more confidence proceeding on a home with thorough disclosures than one where the seller reports no issues whatsoever.
Q: What happens if issues come up during the inspection?
A: This is where Richard and his team are at their best. He draws on his extensive construction background to advocate on your behalf throughout the inspection process, relying on a vetted group of inspectors, engineers, consultants, and contractors to represent your interests — particularly when the inspection becomes a second negotiation.
Q: What is the right to cure?
A: Wisconsin's standard offer to purchase includes a right to cure provision, which works in sellers' favor. If a legitimate defect surfaces during inspection, you have the right to remedy it and keep the buyer in contract. It is a right, not an obligation — you may choose to fix the issue and proceed to closing, or decline and allow the buyer to terminate the contract and receive their earnest money back. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, any cure must be completed by qualified tradespeople prior to closing.
Q: What is earnest money?
A: Earnest money is a good-faith deposit made by the buyer at the time of offer, credited toward the purchase price at closing. It is typically held in the listing broker's trust account. If a buyer withdraws for a valid reason within their contingency period, the earnest money is generally returned to them. If they have waived all contingencies and then default on their obligation to close, the money is generally awarded to the seller. In unusual disputes over the amount retained, the matter is typically referred to attorneys.
Q: What happens if there is an appraisal contingency and the home does not appraise at the offer price?
A: The best outcome is accepting an offer without an appraisal contingency — but more often than not, one is included, particularly when the buyer is financing. Richard typically provides the appraiser with detailed comparable sales to help support your sale price, and 95% of the time the appraisal proceeds without issue. If it does come in low, options include negotiating a middle ground, selling at the appraised value, or — in cases where the appraiser has made an error — challenging the appraisal directly. Richard has successfully contested inaccurate appraisals on behalf of his sellers.
Q: What do most sellers find most stressful about the process?
A: For most sellers, it is dealing with their belongings. Richard understands how daunting this can be, and he approaches it methodically: everything you own is going to one of six places — taken with you, put in storage, given to family or friends, sold, donated, or hauled away. Richard and his team help develop a plan and then execute on it, with the manpower and resources to take the uncertainty and stress out of the process entirely.
Q: Do I have to pay capital gains taxes on the sale of my house?
A: A single person can exclude $250,000 in gains and a married couple can exclude $500,000 provided that you have resided in the home for two of the last five years and that it is in fact your primary residence. Better yet, the cost of your home includes capital improvements that you have made along the way (not including maintenance). Consult your tax advisor to verify your personal situation.
Q: What is transfer tax?
A: Transfer tax is a 0.3% tax that the state of Wisconsin levies when you sell your home.
Q: What is a bill of sale?
A: A bill of sale is a legal document that is incorporated by reference into the offer to purchase that typically details items that are not fixtures that are included in the price. This might be furniture, decorative mirrors, rugs, etc. There may or may not be a cost associated with the conveyance of these items.
Q: What is post-closing occupancy?
A: This is when a buyer closes on the property, but allows the seller to become a tenant and remain in the house for a period of time. There is a document called the Addendum O that covers what if anything the rent is, how property taxes are pro-rated, if there is a security deposit, etc. This is typically incorporated into the offer to purchase.
Q: What is pre-closing occupancy?
A: This is less common than post closing occupancy. This is when a seller allows a buyer to move into the property as tenants before they close on the property. The rent and related terms are agreed upon in the Addendum O.
Q: What is a secondary offer?
A: A secondary offer is when you, as seller, have accepted a primary offer and another party comes along and submits a secondary offer in hopes that the primary offer will choose not to waive their contingencies and close. In this scenario, the primary offer cannot be bumped. The primary offer remains in the driver’s seat and the secondary offer waits. If the primary closes, the secondary becomes void. If the primary offer does not close, the seller has a smooth and predictable path to another buyer at agreed upon terms.
Q: What is a home sale contingent offer?
A: This is when a buyer’s obligation to close is conditioned upon the sale of their home. Usually a seller is protected by a bump clause. If another offer comes in, this allows the seller to provide written notice to the buyer that either the buyer must waive their home sale contingency or the offer will be terminated and the seller will move on to the secondary buyer. An unusual feature of this arrangement is that, most often, a home sale contingent offer does not show as an accepted offer in MLS, so the seller’s agent continues to market the home in search of another offer.
Q: What makes a good offer?
A: Both price and certainty. Ideally the best offers have an attractive price, your ideal closing date and limited contingencies. Contingencies typically include inspection, testing, financing and appraisal. It’s about more than simply price.