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Individualized Service. Consistent Results

Process is a critical success factor for all successful real estate agents. And to develop a process requires a consistent transaction flow over time. Otherwise the agent is reinventing the wheel with each client.

With 20 years of experience Robert has developed buy-side and sell-side processes to ensure a successful transaction every single time. Flexible enough to accommodate the unique needs of each client but rigid enough to ensure success. 

On the buy side, process ensures 1) your search is organized and efficient, 2) you acquire a property that fits your existing and anticipated future needs, 3) you pay a reasonable price, and 4) you acquire the property knowing as much as possible about its condition.

On the seller side, process ensures, 1) you make an informed decision to list your property to sell with realistic expectations so you can make future plans, 2) you maximize the desirability of property within the limits of your time, effort and financial ability, 3) your property is marketed for maximum impact, and 4) you meet all your disclosure obligations to minimize future legal troubles.

Let’s explore these processes in more detail below.

Buyer Process

An organized and efficient search

Clients meet with Robert to discuss goals and objectives

Clients meet with lender to get pre-qualified / pre-approved for a loan

Clients download the Compass Search application

Robert creates a Compass Collection

  • Properties inserted by Robert
  • Properties inserted by clients
  • Properties inserted by automated search
  • Properties available off market

Robert and clients collaborate within Compass Collection

Robert and clients create a list of properties to see in person

Robert and clients tour properties in person

Robert and clients refine search criteria (if necessary)

Robert and clients continue to view properties in person

Clients determines their preferred choice(s)

Robert and clients conduct pre-offer due diligence

Clients make the decision to write an offer

Expert pricing analysis and price negotiations

Robert prepares a valuation range estimate using one or more methodologies:

  • Comparative property sales
  • Market adjusted prior sale
  • As-built pricing analysis

Robert and clients finalize offer price and terms

Robert drafts a purchase agreement

Clients review purchase agreement

Attorney reviews purchase agreement (if necessary)

Clients sign final purchase agreement

Robert submits offer

Robert and clients discuss counteroffers (if necessary)

Clients agree to final price and terms

Thorough Due Diligence

Preliminary Tile Report

  • Robert opens escrow with title company
  • Robert and clients review preliminary title report
  • Client hires attorney to review preliminary title report (if necessary)
  • Attorney negotiates changes to the preliminary title report (if necessary)

Seller Disclosures

  • Robert and clients review seller disclosures
  • Client hires attorney to review seller disclosures (if necessary)
  • Client considers additional investigation for items of concern

Seller Inspections

  • Clients reviews seller inspections
  • Clients reviews seller inspections with vendors (if necessary)
  • Robert recommends buyer inspections for missing items (if necessary)
  • Robert recommends buyer re-inspections (if necessary)

Buyer Inspections

  • Clients decide on buyer inspections to be ordered
  • Robert orders and schedules buyer inspections on behalf of clients
  • Clients pay for requested inspections
  • Buyer inspections are performed and reports received
  • Clients reviews buyer inspections
  • Clients reviews buyer inspections with vendors (if necessary)
  • Robert recommends additional buyer inspections (if necessary)

Lender Inspections / Loan approval

  • Clients authorize lender to order appraisal
  • Clients provide lender with all necessary financial documents
  • Lender reviews preliminary title report and appraisal
  • Lender reviews client's financial
  • Lender approves property
  • Lender approves clients
  • Lender advises clients to remove appraisal and loan contingencies

HOA Disclosures (if applicable)

  • Seller orders HOA disclosure package
  • Client reviews HOA CCRs, financials, minutes and other documents
  • Client hires attorney to review HOA disclosures (if necessary)

Leased and liened systems

  • Client initiates transfer of solar system lease (if necessary)
  • Client initiates transfer of propane tanks and other leased systems

Contingency Removal

  • Robert and clients discuss all the available inspections, reports, and disclosures.
  • Clients make decision to close escrow
  • Robert and clients discuss required seller requests (if necessary)
  • Extension of time to conduct additional due diligence
  • Seller credits
  • Request for repairs
  • Reduction in purchase price
  • Robert prepares a request for repairs and contingency removal
  • Robert negotiates contingency removal with seller's agent
  • All contingencies are removed

Closing

  • Escrow officer and loan officer prepare closing schedule
  • Robert ensures closing schedule adheres to contractual requirements
  • Escrow officer, loan officer, and Robert manage closing process

Final closing statement

  • Escrow drafts final closing statement
  • Robert approves final closing statement
  • Lender approves final closing statement
  • Client approves final closing statement

Final lender Closing Disclosure (CD)

  • Lender prepares Closing Disclosure
  • Client signs Closing Disclosure
  • Three-day right of recission starts / ends

Loan documents are drawn

  • Outstanding title issues resolved (if any)
  • Outstanding funding conditions resolved (if any)
  • Unforeseen lender delays

Signing

  • Escrow officer receives loan documents
  • Escrow officer drafts title documents
  • Escrow officer schedules mobile notary (if necessary)
  • Robert and clients in person or via mobile notary

Funding

  • Loan funds to escrow
  • Buyer funds to escrow

Recording

  • Escrow officer records Grant Deed with county

Robert and Seller's Agent ensure property is ready for transfer

  • Requested repairs are completed.
  • Occupant move out – owner, tenant, other occupants
  • Personal property removal – owner, tenant, staging
  • Debris removal
  • Final walk-through

Robert is a 110% kind of realtor. In all stages of our recent home purchase he went above and beyond for us. Our purchase had more challenges than an average home purchase and Robert was attentive and at our side throughout. He was an expert with negotiations, researching Napa County documents, arranging contractor assessments, coordinating title document, and helping us navigate some unexpected financing challenges. He certainly played a huge role in helping us reach a successful transaction. We are grateful for his service.

Jonathan - Buyer

Seller Process

Setting realistic expectations

Initial Meeting to Tour Property

Discuss client's goals and objectives

  • Client's history with the property
  • Client's reason for potential sale
  • Client's lifestyle objectives
  • Client's financial objectives
  • Client's timeline
  • Client's price expectations (if any)

Discuss a basic valuation range (if possible on first visit)

  • High / low estimate
  • Where the property would fall in "as-is" condition
  • Where the property might fall with improvements
  • Whether this estimate makes sense to achieve client's objectives

Discuss preparation for sale

  • Seller inspections
  • Paint, carpet, and other improvements
  • Staging

Discuss timing

  • Annual wine country marketing cycle
  • When to list for maximum impact

Discuss Marketing

  • Robert's recommendations on marketing
    • Product – The property itself and its overall value proposition
    • Price – The right list price for the property
    • Promotion – The communication strategy for the property
    • Place – The distribution of the listing online
  • Compass three phase marketing options
    • Private exclusive
    • Coming soon
    • MLS launch

Discuss roles and responsibilities

  • Items for which Robert pays
    • Professional photography
    • Printed collateral and other materials
    • Marketing and advertising costs
    • Hosted broker tour events
  • Items for which the client pays
    • Ongoing property maintenance – interior and exterior
    • Inspections and reports
    • Repairs and improvements
    • Staging
    • Professional service fees

Preparation for Second Meeting

Robert prepares a valuation range estimate using one or more methodologies:

  • Comparative property sales
  • Market adjusted prior sale
  • As-built pricing analysis

Robert prepares a formal written Broker Opinion of Value (if necessary)

  • Court proceedings – divorce, estate disposition, etc.
  • Contested valuations between co-owners
  • Client's legal and financial representatives

Second Meeting

Clients and Robert meet again to discuss a potential listing

  • Recommendation on list price
  • Recommendation on improvements
  • Recommendation on staging
  • Recommendation on Compass three phase marketing strategy

Clients' and Robert make a mutual decision to proceed or not proceed

  • Is Robert a good fit for the clients?
  • Are the clients a good fit for Robert?

Listing Agreement

  • Robert and clients finalize listing price and terms
  • Robert orders a property profile with title company for proper vesting
  • Robert drafts a listing agreement
  • Clients review listing agreement
  • Attorney reviews listing agreement (if necessary)
  • Clients and Robert sign final listing agreement

Maximizing the Desirability of the Property

Seller improvements

  • Robert and clients finalize improvements to be performed
  • Robert recommends vendors (if necessary)
  • Client schedules vendors
  • Vendors perform work
  • Client sends Robert receipts for all work performed
  • Robert's transaction coordinator loads receipts into disclosure portal
  • Property is ready for inspections and staging

Seller Pre-sale Inspections

  • Clients decide on seller inspections to be ordered
  • Robert orders and schedules seller inspections on behalf of clients
  • Clients pay for requested inspections
  • Seller inspections are performed and reports received
  • Robert's transaction coordinator loads seller inspections into disclosure portal

Seller Statutory Disclosures

  • Robert's transaction coordinator invites clients into Glide
  • Clients fill out disclosures (per California law) – Robert available for questions
  • Clients complete filling out disclosures
  • Robert's transaction coordinator sends completed disclosures to clients for signature
  • Robert's transaction coordinator loads seller disclosures into disclosure portal

Seller Other Disclosures

Clients send Robert everything they have on the property

  • House items (architectural, structural, civil engineering, surveyor, etc.)
  • Vineyard items (farming invoices, weight tags, grape sale receipts, etc.)
  • Past inspections and appraisals
  • Receipts for all work performed (if house acquired in the past 18 months)
  • Robert's transaction coordinator loads other disclosure items into disclosure portal

Preliminary Tile Report / Natural Hazard Disclosure Report

  • Robert opens escrow with title company to order prelim and NHD
  • Robert and clients review preliminary title report
  • Client hires attorney to review preliminary title report (if necessary)
  • Attorney negotiates changes to the preliminary title report (if necessary)
  • Robert's transaction coordinator loads prelim and NHD into disclosure portal

Napa County Information (Properties in Unincorporated Napa County Only)

  • Robert downloads Napa County property profile
  • Robert downloads Napa County zoning municipal code
  • Robert downloads Napa County GIS maps
  • Robert downloads Napa County MST information (MST areas only)
  • Robert's transaction coordinator loads information into disclosure portal

Staging

  • Robert obtains a staging quote
  • Client signs quote and pays deposit
  • Robert schedules staging installation
  • Staging is installed
  • Property is ready for photography


Marketing your property for maximum impact

Photography

  • Robert schedules photographer on date agreeable to client
  • Robert pays for photography and property is photographed
  • Photographer sends out photos for lighting adjustments
  • Photographer receives light-adjusted photos and sends to Robert
  • Robert selects and organizes photos for MLS
  • Robert selects best photos for marketing materials

Brochure Preparation and Printing

  • Robert creates printed brochure in online system
  • Robert submits brochure to printer
  • Printer sends back collateral

Work With Robert

Partnering with Robert means working with a seasoned advisor who blends business strategy with local expertise. With an MBA in marketing and a deep understanding of Wine Country real estate, Robert offers data-driven insight, refined marketing, and skilled negotiation to help you achieve exceptional results with confidence and ease.

Call Email

Address

1300 First St Ste 462
Napa, CA 94559

Robert Pursell | CA DRE# 01747804

(707) 299-9191

[email protected]

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