Listing Your Home in Hampton Roads

Oct 18, 2022

Everybody dreams of an easy sale when listing their home, but reality is never quite as simple as a stress-free offer and acceptance. Finding a qualified buyer, receiving the cash, and handing over the house keys. In reality, there are a lot of moving parts to selling your home in Hampton Roads, some of which may not even be in your control!

For example, the location of your home in relation to flood zones can significantly impact your ability to sell, the price, and the marketing period. You may have bought a beautiful home in Norfolk’s Larchmont or Portsmouth’s Olde Towne many years ago, with no idea that your home had the potential to be flooded. Now, it could be one of the primary challenges you face when selling your home. Fortunately, there is someone interested in every home and neighborhood in this hot seller’s market, you just have to know the proper way to list your property.

Given the low levels of housing inventory in some housing markets along with growth on the buyer side, there has been an uptick in competition and bidding for many homes that get listed on the market. This knowledge can be best used by an experienced, local realtor who will know what a realistic price for your property is and how your home should be optimally marketed.

The best preparation you can do as a seller is control the factors that you can influence that may have a big impact on your ability to sell and the bottom line figure you receive. Some of these can include hiring a great real estate agent or realty company, getting professional photographs taken, anticipating closing costs, timing your sale, speaking with neighbors, and many others. 

Hire a Knowledgeable Real Estate Agent in Hampton Roads

There is no substitute for the experience and market knowledge that a good, local real estate agent will have on your listing process. While selling your home may be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for you, this is something that your agent takes care of on a daily basis. 

Whether it be through word-of-mouth referral from a friend or extensive Internet research, be sure to find an agent with a history of success in your local market. At the end of the day, your realtor’s ability and connections can make all the difference in getting a fair price for your home. You should pay attention to the way they market their properties, their sales history, and their professional and industry accreditations.

Some people may be enticed by selling without a real estate agent to save the five to six percent fee. This strategy is called “for sale by owner,” where you are directly responsible for all facets of selling your home. However, this can be a risky and short-sighted position to take. Real estate agents are the best people to get your house in front of as many prospective buyers as possible, not to mention they will prepare your house for staging and selling. It is almost always advisable to hire an agent as selling homes is their profession, and they have far more insight into the nuances of your local area. Further, the small fee taken by the selling agent can easily be compensated for by their services and securing a better offer than you might get on your own.

What’s the Timeline for Selling Your Home?

Selling your home is a major project that will more than likely take over three months to complete. Depending on your market, this timeline could be faster, or it could be much longer. Another advantage of an experienced real estate agent is that they will have a much better idea of the potential timeline than you will. As we have mentioned, the best thing you can do when you decide to sell your home is hire the services of a reputable, local real estate agent. You will want them to have an extensive walk-through of your home to identify any issues that need fixing before listing on the market, whether structural or cosmetic. You will also need to plan for enough time to fix whatever issues may arise.

In the month or two months before you list your home, start working on staging the home and making sure your property looks clean. While this probably is not at the forefront of your mind in the process of selling and moving, it can make a real tangible difference on the offers you receive, and ultimately the cash you walk away with. A good realtor will have plenty of advice for best practices on preparing your house to be viewed by potential buyers. This is a good time to start the process of downsizing your home, moving any unwanted clutter out of the property and getting a strong start on packing your personal belongings. Essentially, anything that does not need to be there to sell the house, should start to be packed up. 

Not only does this make your home look better, it also allows you to begin the process of moving. While moving is always a bit of a headache, early preparations can help you avoid much of the stress that comes along with it.

Simple Steps Make All the Difference

While this process can be emotional and overwhelming, ultimately you should be in a position to receive the best offer possible ahead of whatever new beginnings you may be planning. Whether it is ensuring your house is up to speed structurally and mechanically or making sure that your home looks clean and attractive, there is a lot you can do to put yourself in an advantageous position to sell your home. The most important and effective step, however, is hiring a good local realtor. They will have the experience and insight necessary to guide you through the process and get you a great offer. If you are in Hampton Roads and need an experienced realtor with a stellar reputation, look no further than the team at ProActive Real Estate Services. 

The ProActive Team has a long and successful history in the Hampton Roads market and will be happy to help you become another satisfied client. Call us today at (757) 652-1225!

Craig Champagne

Field Inspector/Real Estate Agent

Craig joined the ProActive Team in 2021 as a Field Inspector and Real Estate Agent. Originally from Waterbury, CT, Craig moved to Hampton Roads in 2015. As a talented small engine and electronics specialist, he previously owned his own business before entering the real estate industry. In his role as a field inspector and agent, Craig conducts on-site inspections after move-outs and before move-ins and shows properties to prospective tenants and buyers. In every interaction, Craig is committed to diligent research, honest communication, and thorough work for clients and customers.

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Nichole "Nickiey" Crosby

Maintenance/Contractor Supervisor

Nickiey joined the ProActive Team in 2022, having previously worked in property management for eight years. As Maintenance/Contractor Supervisor, she is responsible for all property inspections, maintenance requests, and coordinating workstreams across team members and third-party contractors. Born in Texas and raised in Virginia, Nickiey is the mother of three children, two boys and a girl.

Kandy FulliloveKandy Fullilove

REALTOR® and Military Relocation Professional

Kandy has lived in Norfolk since 1991 where she received her first orders as a Navy Seaman.  A proud military spouse of 30 years with 2 boys who graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and now serving, Kandy can tell you a few things about the Hampton Roads area and military life.  Her own experiences as a home buyer and investor for over 20 years gives expertise to educating a buyer or seller on their many options in selecting the right home, building their wealth portfolio, and knowing when to sell to maximize their investment.  She has been in real estate since 2015.  She joined ProActive Real Estate to have the benefits of a full-service brokerage.  She always prides herself on integrity throughout the transaction and is here to help with all your real estate needs.

 

Karen DanielKaren Daniel

Associate Broker/Office Manager

Licensed in Virginia, Karen is our Office Manager and holds an Associate Broker designation.  Karen oversees all transactional operations and communications over our team of real estate agents, leasing specialists and maintenance crews. Karen has been a resident of Hampton Roads for over 40 years. Karen is also a seasoned real estate professional and is well versed in all the intricacies of the buying and selling process.

 

Joe LeeJoseph “Joe” Lee

Real Estate Agent

Joe Lee joined the ProActive Team in 2022 as a Real Estate Agent. Prior to joining the team, he was an Associate Real Estate Broker and Real Estate Appraiser, practicing residential and commercial real estate in the Tidewater, Virginia area for 45 years. His service areas include the South Side of Hampton Roads, the Peninsula, and Suffolk. In addition to his experience as an agent, Joe is a veteran of the United States Army and received his B.S. in Finance from Old Dominion University.

 

Bob JohnsonRobert “Bob” Johnson

Maintenance Coordinator

Bob Johnson has been with ProActive since 2019. A seasoned client relationship executive, he troubleshoots and manages tenants’ maintenance needs. He has spent several years painting, managing small electric projects, troubleshooting HVAC, and plumbing, as well as providing a detailed eye for general property aesthetics. He enjoys getting to know the ProActive tenants and strives to build long term success for both the valued tenants and property owners.

 

Hal DunkelHarold "Hal" Dunkel

Commercial Real Estate Agent

Hal Dunkel joined the ProActive Team in 2022 as a Real Estate Agent. Prior to ProActive, Hal was a Senior Associate for Statewide Commercial, Hal was responsible for representing office and industrial clients of all types, from tenants, landlords, purchasers and sellers, as well as multi-family developers, sellers and investors.

Chris OslanderChris Olander

Real Estate Agent and Maintenance Manager

A proud Texas native and graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Chris became a Naval Aviator in 2012. Over the next nine years, he accumulated over 1,700 hours as a helicopter pilot and instructor pilot. In 2017, following the birth of his daughter, Chris became a licensed Realtor to help his wife, Nina, with her business anytime he wasn't flying. He worked behind the scenes becoming an expert in business finance while managing his family's personal investment properties. Chris considers his experience with managing his personal investments as the spark that launched him into full time property management for his clients. He cares for each of his owner's properties as if it were his own which has led to his exponential growth. When not at work, you’ll probably find Chris out on his mountain bike, praying for snow in the mountains so he can get out his snowboard, or at the rock climbing gym with his daughter.

Fouad Mohit

Sr. Business Broker/Commercial Real Estate Agent

For the past 35 plus years, Fouad Mohit has invested his time in the ownership and sale of business and commercial real estate in the greater Hampton Roads area. Through his personal experiences in a wide breadth of industries, including gas stations, convenient stores, grocery stores, both franchise and non-franchise restaurants, Mr. Mohit has honed his expertise in Main street business operations. With the divestiture of his business obligations in 2002, Mr. Mohit joined the Sunbelt team to supplement the global Network of Brokers with his know how and insights in the local market. Over years Mr. Mohit has helped Sunbelt transfer restaurants, retail stores, fitness centers, electrical companies, educational establishments, publishers, medical practices, production companies, and much more. His fundamental understanding of the main street structure gives Mr. Mohit the tools to, confidentially and with keen attention to detail, take the business and commercial real estate to close giving the highest yield and security to his clients. It is of the utmost importance that the longevity of the business and the stability of the community remain intact by allowing a new owner in the market with the business and the real estate. His experience in commercial real estate brings much knowledge to the ProActive Team.

Kingna Scott

Transaction Coordinator

Kingna “Scottie” Scott, a native of Farmville, VA, has always loved to assist people. She began her formal education at her alma mater, Norfolk State University, while also attending Old Dominion University, as well as TCC, to receive her Bachelor of Arts in 2009. Scottie has always been driven by an autonomous, enthusiastic passion to do her best, whenever and wherever. She is down to earth and has the gift of communication; relating with people from all walks of life. On her downtime she’s either creating music, studying, or spending time with her pets outdoors.

Laura Bazemore

Bookkeeper

Owner of Chesapeake Bay Bookkeeping & Accounting Services, LLC and a graduate of Old Dominion University with a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and a minor in Information Systems Technology, Laura has many years of experience as a staff accountant in various fields such as restaurants, retail, healthcare and contracting. Because of her vast experience, she has a broad knowledge base to meet the needs of many different clients.  In her spare time, she enjoys country music, going to concerts with her friends and loves taking care of her rescue puppies!  Working with ProActive Real Estate Services has opened her eyes in all aspects of real estate transactions.

Gary Layne

Owner/Realtor ®(Residential/Commercial)

In today's competitive market, you need a passionate, local advisor that can help you navigate the residential/commercial selling and buying process. As a valued client, you'll receive:

  • Local market knowledge
  • Access to industry-leading real estate tools to determine your property value or customize your real estate search
  • A proven negotiator who will be with you every step of the way
  • A trusted and knowledgeable partner through closing and beyond

 

A resident of the Hampton Roads area for many years, and graduate of Old Dominion University, I have been engaged with this real estate market as a homeowner, business owner and investor for over 35 years. Presently residing in Norfolk, VA, and part owner of ProActive Real Estate Services, I specialize in residential & commercial real estate along with property management.  I am also associated with Sunbelt Business Brokers which allows me to assist business owners in listing their business for sale or assist those looking to purchase a business.  As a business owner and real estate agent, my goal is to provide strong customer service with open communication to obtain the goals of sellers and buyers in this market.

Direct: (757) 652-1225
Office: (757) 383-9510
eMail: Gary@CallProActive.com

Billy Wilson

Owner/Broker/Realtor®

A serial entrepreneur, Billy has launched and sold multiple successful businesses over the course of his career, but real estate has always been his passion. A lifelong Norfolk resident and graduate of Old Dominion University, Billy brings a wealth of valuable experience to the ProActive Team. From property management and flipping, to traditional listings and sales, Billy relies on years of experience to advise his clients in making the right buying or selling decisions. Billy loves to play tennis, “Old Boys” rugby, and spend time with his wife of 26 years, Anna. Billy’s daughter, Elise, is a teacher in Washington State, and his son, Will, attends Hampden Sydney College.

Direct: (757) 724-1793
Office: (757) 383-9510
eMail: Billy@callproactive.com