Aaron Mears – Dedicated Colorado Springs Realtor | Former Educator & U.S. Army Veteran | Flat Rate Realty

Selling your home is a team effort. Flat Rate Realty Group provides marketing, clear communication, honest advice, offer guidance, and help coordinating deadlines and closing. Your preparation, timely responses, and participation help us keep the sale moving with fewer surprises. Ask questions whenever you need clarification.

Tell us your goals, timing, and pricing expectations before we list. If you are exploring the market and would only consider selling at a specific price, we welcome that conversation. We will explain our recommendations and review each offer's price, financing, concessions, contingencies, and timing with you. Decisions about accepting an offer or adjusting your price remain yours, subject to agreements already signed.

Please respond to calls, texts, emails, and document requests within one business day. Offers and contract deadlines may need a faster response, and we will identify urgent items. Read documents carefully and ask questions before signing. We will agree on your preferred showing notice before listing; please respond to showing requests as soon as possible so buyers can confirm their plans. Tell us about travel, scheduling restrictions, or times when you will be unavailable.

Whenever possible, we send applicable property disclosures, water disclosures, square footage disclosures, and closing instructions ahead of time. Complete your portions promptly and honestly, based on what you actually know. Ask for guidance rather than guessing, and tell us if you discover a new issue or information changes. Preparing early helps us respond efficiently when an offer arrives.

Have the home fully cleaned and ready before the photographer arrives. Turn on lights, replace burned-out bulbs, open blinds as appropriate, make beds, clear countertops, and put away laundry, trash cans, pet supplies, and unnecessary clutter. Tidy the landscaping and move vehicles out of the driveway when practical.

Secure pets and keep occupants outside the areas being photographed. Allow at least 30 minutes of uninterrupted access for the 3D scan; larger homes and the full photography appointment may take longer. The camera captures views in every direction, so people moving through the home may appear in the tour. Follow the photographer's directions. Put away personal paperwork, medications, valuables, and anything you do not want visible in public photos or the tour.

Keep the home clean, orderly, and ready for scheduled visits. When practical, turn on lights, open blinds, tidy surfaces, and address noticeable odors. Safely secure dogs, cats, and other pets or arrange for them to be away, and share pet instructions in advance. Buyers should be able to tour comfortably without worrying about an animal escaping. Whenever possible, give buyers space to explore with their agent.

During the listing period and through possession, keep grass mowed, weeds controlled, bushes reasonably trimmed, and landscaping tidy as seasonally appropriate. Remove fallen branches, pet waste, litter, and debris. Keep patios, decks, and outdoor living spaces clean. Water as needed while following local restrictions. If you move out early, arrange continued yard care for showings, inspections, and the final walkthrough.

Keep entrances, sidewalks, walkways, and driveways accessible. Arrange snow and ice removal before scheduled visits during winter weather. Continue routine maintenance and notify us promptly about leaks, damage, equipment problems, or other changes so we can help address them before they become last-minute complications.

Yes. Keep utilities and heat operating through closing, or through possession if your agreement requires it. Service is needed for inspections, the final walkthrough, and protecting the home from freezing or other damage.

Contact providers ahead of time to coordinate the transfer with the buyer's start date. Avoid a disconnection that leaves the property without service, especially over weekends or holidays when restoration may take several days. If you move early, maintain an appropriate indoor temperature and check with our team before scheduling any shutoff.

Send invoices, receipts, and required supporting documentation as soon as each agreed repair is completed. Our requested deadline is at least three days before closing, or earlier if required by your contract or inspection agreement. Send completed items as they become available rather than waiting for every repair to be finished.

We can recommend contractors and service providers we trust. Arrange completion within your agreed deadlines. If work remains incomplete or scheduling becomes a concern, tell us immediately and provide the expected completion date so we can help address delays and share documentation with the buyer's agent.

Keep clear access to the attic, crawl space, electrical panel, furnace, water heater, and other systems the inspector needs to evaluate. Provide access to locked areas as arranged, secure pets, and keep utilities operating. Let us know ahead of time about any access limitations.

Tell us before photography and listing if you intend to keep a chandelier, appliance, mounted fixture, or another item buyers might expect to stay. We can discuss how to identify exclusions in the listing and written agreements. Once under contract, follow the agreed inclusions and exclusions and speak with us before removing or replacing anything.

Arrange regular property checks, continued utilities and appropriate heat, yard care, and seasonal snow removal. Leave access available for scheduled showings, inspections, repairs, and the final walkthrough. Give us a reliable contact and tell us promptly if a maintenance or access issue develops.

Plan your move around the possession date and time in your contract, which may differ from closing. Our expectation is a home that is broom-swept, vacuumed, and free of trash and belongings not included in the sale, consistent with your agreement.

Remove unwanted furniture and items from garages, storage areas, and outdoor spaces. Arrange moving, cleaning, and hauling in advance. We help coordinate the final steps; removing your belongings and unwanted items remains your responsibility.

Gather all house and extra keys, mailbox keys, garage remotes, and community access devices included with the sale. Label keys and write down the mailbox location or number, applicable access codes, and helpful operating instructions.

Coordinate with our team to leave these securely inside the home or bring them to the title company for the agreed handoff. Keep necessary access available for the final walkthrough. Share property access information securely; do not leave personal account passwords.

A $250 marketing fee applies if your listing is canceled, terminated early, or expires, as outlined in your signed listing agreement. It helps cover marketing costs such as photography, the 3D tour, and advertising. We will release the property photos to you for later use or to market the property as a rental. We will explain the applicable terms before you commit.