Seller Resources

Selling your home can be a stressful process.  Having a professional team on your side to help get your home sold is what you need!  Over the last 30 years, my in-house professional team and I have designed a streamlined, successful marketing plan, implementing many systems and resources to exceed our clients’ expectations.  Our strategy has proven results, with over 3,800 successful home sales!  There are many benefits and resources you benefit from when you hire my team, such as an aggressive and effective marketing plan, team concept and availability, and technological magic. I have a wonderful team that brings diverse talents together to ensure our customer satisfaction and streamline each transaction to a successful close.

When meeting with potential clients, one of the top items people express that they desire from their Realtor is communication. This is such a key element in any relationship. We work with each homeowner individually to ensure that there is consistent communication and that the hundreds of aspects of the sale are properly coordinated to make the sale, or purchase, of their home as smooth and enjoyable as possible. Not only do we notify our clients the moment someone has shown their home, we also obtain feedback from showings. We update our clients via email at least twice a week, in addition to a personal phone call. Our goal is to help sell your home for the maximum price, in a reasonable time frame, or purchase your dream home, with the least inconvenience to you as our client.

We market our listings to more than 350 real estate websites, focusing on resources for potential buyers’ rapid access to information, as well as other online and offline marketing. My team and I are also Relocation certified and work with a variety of businesses, both national and local, offering a consistent stream of buyers and sellers.  Technology in our business is a great benefit. However, what really sets my team and I apart is that we consistently look for buyers for our sellers and sellers for our buyers, the old-fashioned way… We get on the phone and prospect for business! There are many facets to our proven successful marketing plan, and we are happy to share them in greater detail with any interested buyers or sellers!

How to Navigate the Maze that is Home-Buying!

By: Marian Camacho - Associate Broker

For most people, buying a home is the biggest purchase they will ever make.  For any buyer, especially a first-timer, the process can be quite overwhelming.  You don’t just find a home you love, write up an offer and receive the keys in a box wrapped with a big red ribbon! We only wish it would be that easy.  There are many different grueling steps in between home search to closing that we as Realtors help our clients navigate. 

So where to begin?... I believe it is vital to start by enlisting the help of a professional, like myself or someone on our team.  As your Realtor, we then connect you with a preferred lender to help you discover how much of a home you can afford. We're talking monthly house payment and down payment.  The most important thing to know out of the gate, is what’s affordable for you and your family. You may love that $300,000 home down the street, but is it worth stretching your finances so thin that your family is eating Ramen Noodles for the rest of your lives?  It’s something you have to think about.

Next comes the fun part... House Hunting!  We sit down with you for a buyer consultation. That's fancy wording for us getting to know what you want in a house.  Is it a big yard, a huge family kitchen?  With that information, we then set you up on a personalized portal search and send the listings straight to your email inbox.  Part of our job is to save you hours upon hours of online searching, often on sites that are unreliable…(I won’t mention any names.) From there we take you to view the homes you choose, in person. When you find something you like, we sit down and write up the offer with you!  The vast experience of a Realtor can not be something you pass up on.  There are too many rigors and rules that can trip you up in the home-buying process if you don’t know what you’re doing.

The greatest piece of advice I can offer to buyers in the process would be to not be afraid to ask questions to your Realtor or lender. If you’re not sure about something, ask!  If you’re still feeling overwhelmed, take a step back and breathe.  Keep your eye on the prize, which is in owning your own home. Purchasing a home is an important and very rewarding accomplishment in life. If you focus on the ultimate end-goal, you should feel much better afterward.

If you or someone you know is looking to buy or sell a home, Call Me Today! 505-264-3344!!

Our team has helped more than 3,800 families move since 1986! We can help you too!!!

Choosing a Top Team to Sell Your Home

Cheryl Marlow - Team Leader - Cheryl Marlow & Associates

Keller Williams Realty

You would think that it would be difficult to take over the sale of a home after it's already been on the market for some time… but for our team, it's more an opportunity than an obstacle.  For almost 30 years now, we have specialized in taking over the representation of homes that have been on the market for an extended amount of time.  Often, we're taking over the sale after a handful of agents were unsuccessful in selling the home.  It is a challenge, but one that we know how to take head on. 

If a home lingers on the market for too long, unfortunately it can develop a reputation, and may even be categorized by buyers as “overpriced” or “flawed” because of the number of days it has been sitting on the market.  To avoid that, you need professionals, like myself and my team, at the helm of the selling process to guide you to a successful close.  So how do you do that?  Well, if a home has been sitting on the market for longer than average, that immediately tells me that the price is likely too high when taking our current market into consideration.  If the price isn’t the problem, it could very likely be a result of poor marketing or complete lack of marketing.  My team markets homes to over 350 websites, a group of elite Realtors in the Greater Albuquerque Area, and often on the air on 770 KKOB-AM radio or even the local news.  If you list with us, we work hard to get your property seen, no matter what. 

With the amount of inventory the Greater Albuquerque Area market is seeing, it's important to make your home stand out in that sea of "For Sale" signs.  That's why when I, or one of my team members, go out to your property for the first time, you'll see us taking notes.  We're writing down what makes your property unique and noting all of those special features that will appeal to buyers.  On the other hand, we're also taking note of what needs attention.  Do you want a Realtor who just tells you what you want to hear in order for them to get you to sign the listing contract?  Or would you rather have a professional who will be honest about what needs to be done in order to get your home sold? My goal is for sellers to work with me in getting their home sold.  If a house needs some paint touch-ups and I think it will help to get the seller to the closing table, then I’m going to tell them about it.  I believe feedback is absolutely vital in a broker/seller relationship and it can ultimately help a seller keep more money in their pockets at the end of the day.

Looking to buy or sell today? Call my team at 238-3272 or email cheryl@cherylmarlow.com. 

Preparing Your Home for the Market

770 KKOB Residential Real Estate Expert Report 

Marian Camacho - Associate BrokerCheryl Marlow & Associates

As it is... preparing a home for the real estate market can be a challenging and overwhelming thing.  Add in more competition with the influx of inventory we've been seeing, and that should give sellers more than enough of a push to take the right steps in getting their home "For Sale" ready! 

Right now there are more than 5,000 homes and condos on the market.  That's an increase in more than a thousand properties since February and we can expect to see a continual rise in inventory over the next couple of months.  At the same time though, we are going to start to see more sales as buyers are looking to make a move in these warmer months and get settled before school starts again in the fall. 

For any homeowner preparing their home for the Albuquerque market, I would start with 3 tips:

1.) Hire the right agent!  Our team is unique as we are comprised of several people who specialize in each area of the home sale process, from listing strategies to marketing to ensuring a smooth closing.  It's important to find a professional that knows how to navigate this tough market! 

2.) Consider how your home will show to a potential buyer.  Start with a deep clean and de-clutter.  You want buyers to focus on how great your home is, not how messy it looks.  

3.) Be realistic about the price.  If you truly want to be one of the 20 out of every 100 sellers moving every month in the Greater Albuquerque Area, you have to be competitively priced.  If the house up the street has the same square footage as yours, more updates AND is better priced, what home do you think a buyer would go for?  It really is something to think about...  Be smart about pricing and listen to your Realtor's advice because if they know the market, they know what it can bear!

If you're interested in receiving a free home value consultation from the Marlow & Associates team.  Call 505-923-4745 or email us at cheryl@cherylmarlow.com. 

Choosing the Right Realtor

Choosing the Right Realtor

Selling or buying a home should be like any other business transaction, but all too often buyers and sellers make emotional or impulsive decisions that can in turn cost them money and time. Choosing the right Realtor to market a property or negotiate a sale is the most important step in the process.  

When selecting a Realtor, have high standards just as you would when hiring an attorney or doctor.  For example, a lot of sellers will hire an agent offering the lowest commission. You have to remember, you get what you pay for.!  Do you want a negotiator with a lot of expertise to protect your equity?  If you had a lawsuit that was worth the value of your home, would you hire the cheapest attorney to protect you or the best attorney you could find?  If you had surgery, would you look for the cheapest doctor?  Or you would look for the best doctor?  The same should be true for the Realtor you hire.  In today’s highly competitive market it takes time, knowledge, expertise, targeted marketing, and a lot of hard work to get the job done and to get it done right!

In our current market, choosing a professional can even make a difference in whether or not you sell your home and how much goes into your bottom line.  I’ve practiced real estate for going on 29 years and have negotiated nearly 3800 contracts in my career.  If you want real results, hire a real professional.  I have a very strong team to back up my experience.  We keep you informed and have one of the best percentage of list price to sales price ratios out there.  Hiring the right agent in this market will make a significant difference for both buyers and sellers and their bottom line.



If you are looking to buy or sell a home today, call our office at 505-923-4730 or email us at cheryl@cherylmarlow.com.