How We Work

There are a lot of steps and detail involved in buying and selling real estate. This is why it is absolutely imperative to work with a very experienced agent no matter if you are a buyer or a seller.

Go it alone or work with the "cheap, cookie-cutter services" and too many things can go wrong or fall between the cracks.

Real estate is one of the biggest investments you can make, don't leave the buying, selling, negotiating and details to an amateur or the cheapest service you can find. Work with Jack Kennedy and Associates.

Buying and selling real estate is not a hobby or a "part-time gig" for us...real estate is our passion and is all we do. We are experienced experts that will make sure nothing gets missed. When you work with us, you'll get the absolute best price and service available anywhere.

> How we work with you as a Buyer
> Results you can expect as a Buyer
...and...
> How we work with you as a Seller
> Results you can expect as a Seller

In each section, we put together a brief description of the buying or selling process and the results you can expect. The processes we describe are listed in the approximate number of steps and order of events that will take place when you work with Jack Kennedy and Associates.

We hope this information will answer the questions you have about working with us, but as always, do not hesitate to call us at 303-796-7000 with any questions you may have or you can send us an email.

How we work with you as a Buyer...

We take pride in assisting you through your purchase so that your experience is enjoyable and successful. Buying a home is a complex process and we are highly qualified, experienced, and ready to represent your interests.

Here's description of the 12-steps involved in the buying process, listed in the approximate order of events.

1. Buyers Packet
When you decide to work with Jack Kennedy and Associates to buy your next home, you will receive our complimentary pre-buying packet. You will need to review the information in the packet before your interview with Jack. Becoming familiar with the process and the contracts before our visit will ensure that all your questions and concerns are addressed.

2. Loan Pre-Qualification
Your next step is to meet with a mortgage loan specialist. Getting yourself pre-qualified for a loan will help us find a home that meets your financial requirements. We can recommend lenders who are experts in their profession and will do their best to get you the very best loan rates and terms available.

A competent lender is very important to your transaction. We advise you to work with an in-state lender who will know the procedures required of all parties in Colorado. The better your lender works with us, the smoother your purchase will proceed.

3. Interview with Jack
When you decide to work with Jack we set-up and interview to discuss: you, your family, your reasons for buying, your time frame, your price range, where you want to live, and details of what you want in your new home, etc...

We’ll discuss your concerns and answer your questions. Based upon the details you’ve provided, we will search through available properties, and compile them into a list of homes for you to view.

As specified by Colorado Real Estate Law, you will be required to sign an Exclusive Right-To-Buy Contract (Buyer Agency), and a Definitions of Working Relationships form. These forms are in your Pre-Buying Packet for your review prior to signing.

4. Viewing of Properties
When we have your loan pre-qualification letter, and we know what you are looking for, we can start to look at available homes. We will call the Listors and set viewing times, usually during a two-hour window.

You must be accompanied by Jack when viewing homes. If your time is limited we can preview homes without you, and select from them the best ones for you to view.

NOTE: To save your valuable time, we will never show you a house that would not meet the needs and requirements discussed in your interview. You will really appreciate that we do not waste time with houses that won't meet your needs.

5. Offers & Negotiations
When you find the home you want, it’s time to make an offer! We will know the best price to offer, based upon our expertise and experience.

All offers to buy a home will be written on a Colorado Real Estate Commission approved form which is titled the “Contract to Buy and Sell Real Estate”. In addition, you will review and sign forms already filled-in by the Seller, which are: A. Seller’s Property Disclosure. B. Square Footage Disclosure. C. If the home was built prior to 1978, you will also review and sign the Lead Based Paint Disclosure. Again, all of these forms are already filled-in by the Seller.

With the offer and the disclosures, you also will include your personal check for the earnest money and a copy of your loan prequalification letter. You do not need to talk to the Seller or their broker—we negotiate for you based upon your instructions!

We will submit your offer to the Seller’s broker, who will in turn submit it to the Seller. The Seller may “counter” your offer, meaning they will suggest different terms than those you offered. If they do counter, you will need to meet with Jack to discuss the counter quickly because an answer will be needed within a very short time.

6. Under Contract
When you and the Seller have agreed upon price and terms, you will be considered “under contract”. This is just the beginning, there are still six important steps left to do.

7. Inspection
You have the right to have the property thoroughly inspected by a qualified inspector, and we strongly enourage you to do so. You will contract directly with the inspector. We can recommend professional contractors to you, or you may find your own. Payment for the inspection is expected at the time of the inspection.

A professional inspection may take up to three hours, and we encourage you to accompany the inspector. You will be given a written report of the results of the inspection.

If health, safety or structural defects are found, you may require the Seller to correct the defects by submitting an Inspection Notice to the Seller. Jack will submit the Notice for you and handle all the negotiations; you do not need to talk to anyone other than Jack.

Until the inspection process is complete and agreement for corrections has been reached, you can terminate the contract and receive a full refund of your earnest money.

8. Appraisal & Loan Commitment
You will hire, through your lender, a licensed real estate appraiser. Payment for the appraisal can be added into your mortgage loan.

The appraiser will inspect and measure the property, then establish a value for the property using the most recent six months "sold" comparables for the neighborhood. This value is the basis upon which the lender will establish the mortgage amount and approve your new loan.

Until loan commitment is complete, you can terminate the contract and receive a full refund of your earnest money.

9. Title Insurance
Title insurance provides against defects of the title to your new property. Possible defects include clerical errors, defective deeds, and previous forgeries or frauds, which might affect your ownership. It is the Seller’s responsibility to provide “good title”, and so the title company will be chosen by the Seller who will pay for the insurance.

10. Property Insurance
There has been a recent change in insurance laws in Colorado that have had a major effect on the price and insurability of properties. In addition, insurors use a report called “CLUE” (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange).

CLUE is a computerized claims database used by the insurance industry, and it enables insurers to check the five-year claim history of both a homeowner and a particular property. Insurance companies send claim information (including inquiries from the property owner about filing a claim whether or not a claim was eventually filed) about their customers to CLUE much the same way as creditors send information to the major credit bureaus. Claims histories can then be shared with other insurance companies when you shop for new insurance coverage.

If there have any claims, or inquiries about filing a claim, on the property during the last five years, it may be difficult for you to obtain property insurance at a reasonable rate, if at all.

We include language in our offers that provides for the termination of the contract with full refund of the earnest money if available insurance is not satisfactory to you.

11. Final Walk-Through
You and Jack may schedule a walk-through of the property within a few days of Closing. We advise this in order to verify that any items noted on the Inspection Notice are completed, and that the property is in the same condition as it was when the inspection took place.

12. Closing
The title insurance company will prepare the deed, collect and disburse good funds, and record the ownership transfer documents. Closing is usually held at the title company or at the Seller’s broker’s office.

When scheduling the time of Closing, we do our best to accommodate everyone’s time preferences; sometimes, however, it’s just not possible to accomplish this. We ask that you make preparations for Closing Day so that you have flexibility in your schedule. Allow two hours for the Closing appointment.

Everyone named on the deed must be present and have a valid government-issued photo I.D. If circumstances prevent you from attending Closing, please let us know immediately! Alternative arrangements can be made but that may require additional paper work and time.

The "final figures" (itemization of the sales price and all debits and credits to the Buyer and Seller) for the Closing are not usually presented for review until the day before Closing. Jack will review these with you.

As a Buyer...communication is VERY important!
Contact us whenever you have a question or have a comment. It is very importance that we are able to reach you quickly during all phases of buying your home.

Please keep us informed of any phone number changes. If you will be out of town, please call us with phone and fax numbers where you can be reached.

One of our many commitments to you is to be available. The FASTEST way to reach us is to use the phone. If we are not in the office, please leave a detailed message in our voice mail. We want to respond promptly, and leaving detailed messages can eliminate "telephone tag". We check our messages often!

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Results you can expect as a Buyer...

The following are results you can expect when you work with Jack Kennedy and Associates to buy a home:

• Based on the criteria in our first interview, we will help you figure out exactly the type of home you are looking for and the area(s) of town we should focus on.
• Once you decide on the specific type of home, searches are done every morning to find a home that meets your criteria as soon as it is on the market.
• When we find a home that matches your criteria, Jack will call you and let you know what they have found and be availed to show you that home when it fits your schedule.
• If you decide to make an offer either Jack will research the comparables as well as the listing activity of the home you are considering purchasing to determine at what price to make an offer.
• Jack will personally deliver your offer to the listing agent and make a sales presentation as to why they should accept your offer.
• Once the offer is accepted, you will hire an inspector to inspect your home. We know several experienced inspectors we can refer you to, if you do not alreay have someone in mind.
• If any issues are discovered at the inspection we will advise you of your options. We know what are major and minor problems and what should be done about them. We also know several different handyman, carpenters, repairmen, landscapers, etc... that can assist you if you do not know of reliable people to work with.
• Jack will follow up with your lender to make sure all your "ducks are in a row" prior to closing.
• When final figures are ready Jack will review them with you.
• Jack will accompany you to your closing.

Above all else...
Unlike other agents, when you work with us, you will be constantly updated. We follow up with you every day not just once a week. We monitor you transaction from start to finish. We do whatever we possibly can to make the entire process run smoothly. We make sure all contractual deadlines are met and nothing gets missed. You will NEVER be left in the dark or wondering what's going on.

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How we work with you as a Seller...

We take pride in assisting you through the listing and sale of your home so that your experience is enjoyable and successful. Selling a home is a complex process and we are highly qualified, experienced, and ready to represent your interests.

Here's description of the 16-steps involved in the listing and selling process, listed in the approximate order of events.

1. Pre-Listing Packet
When you decide to work with Jack Kennedy and Associates to sell your home, you will receive a complimentary listing packet. You will need to review the information in it before your interview with Jack. Becoming familiar with the process and the contracts before our visit will ensure that all your questions and concerns are addressed.

2. Interview with Jack
Before meeting with you, Jack will have reviewed county records of your property and has researched other homes currently for sale and recently sold in your neighborhood.

From this research, Jack will develop a list of “comparables” for homes similiar to yours and will use it, along with our expertise in the Denver area market, as a basis for the listing price for your home.

During your initial meetings, Jack will want to know all about your reasons for selling, including: your needs, time frame, goals, and any other issues or concerns you may have. They will walk through your home and yard with you, and may make suggestions for enhanced marketability. They will also inform you of the current real estate market in your area.

3. Listing Appointment
During the listing appointment you will contract with Jack to represent you for the sale of your home. You will fill-in and sign contracts and forms approved by the Colorado Real Estate Commision. Samples of these contracts are included in your Pre-Listing Packet, which you will have reviewed prior to the Listing Appointment. You'll also have your questions about selling your home answered.

The following steps are Pre-Market Activities. This is where we help you with all the details and get your home ready for the active listing period.

4. Preparing Your Home to Show and Sell (Known as "Staging")
You will want your home and yard to look as attractive and appealing as possible in order to obtain the best possible price for your home. Our “Showing Best Check List”, included with your Pre-Listing Packet, will help you ensure your home looks it’s very best.

As part of our professional service to you, we offer you the option of a pre-inspection of your home, paid for by us. The inspection will cover the five primary components of your home: foundation, roof, hot water supply, heating system, and electrical system.

Why do we recommend a pre-inspection? Because when your home is “under contract”, the Buyer will pay for their own independent inspection and most likely will present you with an Inspection Notice to Correct any “unsatisfactory physical condition”. You will only have a day or two to determine the cost of the repairs or replacements and decide whether you will agree to do them. By pre-inspecting we offer you a “heads up”, and based upon our experience we can discuss with you the advantages of having your home in the best physical condition before you market your home.

We may recommend individuals or companies to assist you so that your home can attract the best price. These individuals may include painters, electricians, plumbers, handymen, carpet cleaners, etc...

These recommendations are offered as a courtesy, and you may choose whether to use their services. We cannot accept responsibility or liability for materials, products or services provided by these individuals or companies. Of course, you are free to contract with your own preferred vendors.

5. Photographs of Your Home
We WILL advertise your home, so be prepared to have your home photographed! Our marketing tools include the internet, brochures, open houses, and sometimes classified ads.

Metrolist, Inc. (“MLS”), Colorado’s real estate multiple listing service, will take a photo of the front exterior and yard of your home within a few days of your listing contract.

360house.com, and possibly Jack will take photos of the inside and outside of your home. Jack will coordinate the photo session time between you and 360house.com. These photos will appear on the internet and on the property brochure. We will work with you to prepare your home so that it's "picture perfect".

The following steps are Marketing Activities. This is where we use a variety of methods to market your home, ensuring you will get a lot of traffic and sell your home as quickly as possible and for the very best price possible.

6. Marketing
Multilist (“MLS”)
When real estate brokers are searching for a property for their clients, the first place they look is MLS. MLS also has a public site on the internet, recolorado.com. The only way your property can be in MLS is if you have listed with a realtor member of MLS.

Advertising—Via the Internet
Your home will be found on the most frequently used home buying sites! We start with a virtual tour on 360house.com, which will link to realtor.com, yahoo.com, recolorado.com (the multilist public site), and JackKennedyandAssociates.com. Realtor.com is one of the top web sites when searching for homes for sale, and will link back to the 360house.com virtual tour.

Advertising—Via Newspaper Classified Ads
We find that traditional classified advertising is not as effective as it once was. However, we usually advertise open houses, and if we think it will help, we’ll advertise in local papers.

Brochures
We will create a professional marketing brochure of your home which will be placed in your home, in the brochure box, and can also be printed from the internet on 360house.com. We help promote your home by making sure the brochure boxes, inside and out, always have plenty of brochures. If your supply is running low, simply call us so your box can be restocked before you run out. It takes about a day to produce and deliver replacement brochures.

"For Sale" Yard Sign with Brochure Box
One “For Sale” sign with an attached brochure box will be placed in your front yard.

In-House Display
We will set up a display that includes brochures, property disclosures, business cards, 360house.com virtual tour CD’s, and any other pertinent information regarding the sale of your home. We'll choose a highly visible countertop or other counter-height surface in a prominent area of your home where we can place the display.

Open House
We will hold your home "Open" when we feel that it will be an asset to your marketing.

The following steps are for the Listing Period. This is where the actual showings, negotiating, contracts and selling of your home takes place.

7. Showings
Buyer-Realtor Showings
All Buyer/Realtor showings are arranged through our front desk receptionists. We will attempt to notify you for every showing and comply with your showing instructions. Showings are usually set within a two hour time frame because exact times are difficult to set with brokers and their customers.

Realtor "Previews"
Real estate brokers may preview your home without clients. If a broker’s clients are limited on time, the broker may pre-select homes for their viewing. You certainly want your home on the broker’s qualified list of homes, so these showings are very important.

Private Showings
Through our extensive marketing of your home, we hear directly from interested Buyers. Jack may personally show your home.

8. Feedback
We contact brokers that visit your home for comments (“feedback”). We share that feedback, good or otherwise, with you.

9. Offers & Negotiations
You do not need to talk to the Buyer or their broker—we negotiate for you. We will notify you immediately when we are presented with an offer because usually the offer may require you to accept or counter the offer within 24 hours. We will discuss all aspects of the offer with you so that we can best negotiate to serve your interests.

10. Under Contract
Jack may suggest that you continue to allow showings of your property for awhile, even though your home is under contract. We know showings can interrupt your daily routine, but it’s important that we keep your listing active until the inspection process and Title commitment are complete.

11. Inspection
Every Buyer has the right to have your property inspected, at their expense, and they are strongly encouraged to do so. A professional inspection may take up to three hours. If health, safety or structural defects are found, the Buyer may ask you to negotiate to correct the defect.

Jack will handle all the negotiations; you do not need to talk to anyone other than Jack. Remember, until the inspection contingency has been met, the Buyer can terminate the contract and receive a full refund of their earnest money.

12. Appriasal & Loan Commitment
The Buyer will hire, through their lender, a licensed real estate appraiser. The appraiser will inspect and measure the property, then establish a value for the property using the most recent six months "sold" comparables for your neighborhood. This value is the basis upon which the lender will establish the mortgage amount and approve the Buyer’s new loan. Until loan commitment is complete, the Buyer can terminate the contract and receive a full refund of their earnest money.

13. Title Insurance
Title insurance provides against defects of the Title to your property. Possible defects include clerical errors, defective deeds, and previous forgeries or frauds, which might affect the Buyer’s ownership. It is the Seller’s responsibility to provide “good Title”, and so Title insurance will be paid by you, deducted from the proceeds of the sale.

14. Property Insurance
There has been a recent change in insurance laws in Colorado that have had a major effect on the price and insurability of properties. In addition, insurors use a report called “CLUE” (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange).

CLUE is a computerized claims database used by the insurance industry, and it enables insurers to check the five-year claim history of both a homeowner and a particular property. Insurance companies send claim information (including inquiries from the property owner about filing a claim whether or not a claim was eventually filed) about their customers to CLUE much the same way as creditors send information to the major credit bureaus. Claims histories can then be shared with other insurance companies when you shop for new insurance coverage.

Due to the new law, if you have made any claims or inquiries about filing a claim on your property during the last five years, it may be difficult for a Buyer to obtain property insurance at a reasonable rate, if at all.

We are seeing more offers with language that provides for the termination of the contract with full refund of the earnest money if available insurance is not satisfactory to the Buyer. We have experience dealing in this manner and therefore, it is imperative for us to discuss any insurance claims or damages you have had to your property during the past five years.

15. Final Walk-Through
The Buyer and their broker may schedule a walk-through of the property a few days before Closing. This is customary in order to verify that any items noted on the Inspection Notice are completed, and that the property is in the same condition as it was when the inspection took place.

16. Closing
The Title insurance company will prepare the deed, collect and disburse good funds, and record the ownership transfer documents. Closing will be held at one of Title America’s offices in the Denver Metro Area.

We do our best to accomodate everyone’s time preferences for the Closing appointment. We ask that you make preparations for Closing Day so that you have flexibility in your schedule. Allow two hours for the Closing appointment.

Everyone named on the deed must be present and have a valid government-issued photo I.D. If circumstances prevent you from attending Closing, please let us know immediately! Alternative arrangements can be made but that may require additional paper work and time.

The "final figures" (itemization of the sales price and all debits and credits to the Buyer and Seller) for the Closing are not usually presented for review until the day before Closing. Jack review these with you.

As a Seller...communication is VERY important!
Contact us whenever you have a question or have a comment. It is very importance that we are able to reach you quickly during all phases of selling your home.

Please keep us informed of any phone number changes. If you will be out of town, please call us with phone and fax numbers where you can be reached.

One of our many commitments to you is to be available. The FASTEST way to reach us is to use the phone. If we are not in the office, please leave a detailed message in our voice mail. We want to respond promptly, and leaving detailed messages can eliminate "telephone tag". We check our messages often!

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Results you can expect as a Seller...

The following are results you can expect when you work with Jack Kennedy and Associates to list and sell your home:

• Research the market in which you are trying to sell your home, present the information to you in order to price your home in a time efficient manner for the best price.
• Walk you through exactly what to expect, so there are no suprizes.
• Go through you home and suggest ways to improve how your home shows. For example windows open or closed, lights on or off, small re-arranging of furniture, etc... We will work with you to make sure a potential buyer gets the best first impression of your home possible.
• A "For Sale" sign in your yard, with a brochure box. You may call the office during the week of the agents on the weekend if you run out of brochures they will promptly be replaced.
• Open houses frequently.
• Call you with feedback from showing as soon as we are able to contact the other agent.
• Constant evaulations of our work. We will be asking ourselves what can we to do sell your house faster and at a better price. We don't just list your house and relax. We always push ourselves to go above and beyond.
• When your home goes under contract they will negotiate the best deal possible.
• We will do what ever it takes to put the deal together including picking up the slack from any of the other parties involved—follow up with the other title company, lender, etc...
• Evaluate appraisals to make sure the home was evaluated thoroughly and fairly.
• If the agent you are working with goes out of town or has a scheduling conflict the other members of the Jack Kennedy and Associates team are always available to meet your needs days, nights evenings, weekends, holidays.
• When final figures are ready Jack will review them with you.
• Jack will accompany you to your closing.

Above all else...
Unlike other agents, when you work with us, you will be constantly updated. We follow up with you every day not just once a week. We monitor you transaction from start to finish. We do whatever we possibly can to make the entire process run smoothly. We make sure all contractual deadlines are met and nothing gets missed. You will NEVER be left in the dark or wondering what's going on.

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We hope this information answered the questions you have about working with us. If not, do not hesitate to Contact Us.

If you're ready to to buy or sell your home, we'd love to help. Give us a call right now at
303-796-7000.

We look forward to serving you!

Jack Kennedy
Jack Kennedy and Associates