Core Group: Real Estate Evolution

Recently, Core Group Real Estate, LLC announced the sale of two record-breaking real estate transactions that are increasing home sale values in up-and-coming markets in East Orlando.

Oviedo, once ripe with orange groves, is now drawing the attention of families with the development of the new Oviedo on the Park, an entertainment complex that includes a cultural center, an amphitheatre, a dog park, a marina and several restaurants. Nearby University of Central Florida, the second largest university in the nation, and Central Florida Research Park, an area adjacent to UCF where businesses can build relationships with the school, are also boosting the market.

However, property values are not evolving as quickly. That’s where Core Group is stepping in – to build the new high sale by working with sellers to develop a customized marketing plan and pricing strategy that shows the home in the best light.

“It’s one thing to go under contract on a home and it’s another thing to actually get it to closing. Appraisals are hindering many sellers from selling for their true market value” Broker and Co-founder Justin Core says. “We are paving the way by justifying every dollar possible to continue to drive the market within our communities.”

Making a Mark
In April, the team at Core Group worked with the Brantleys to sell their family home, achieving the highest sale price for a non-lakefront, single-family home resale in the City of Oviedo on record for the price of $890,000. Prior to the sale, Co-founder Cheryl Core worked with the family for more than two years to find the perfect new home for them. Once they found it, they started the process of selling their current home, which required creative marketing on the team’s part.

Cheryl urged the family to make adjustments to prepare the home for listing including staging the home to appeal to buyers. Once it was staged, Core Group hired a photographer and videographer to prepare the multiple listing service (MLS) profile and invited a caravan of realtors to tour the home.

“I’m convinced all of these things played a role in the timely sale of our home as well as the record price we were able to close with,” Cindy Brantley says.

For the Leatherman family, Core Group obtained the highest sale price on record for the Killaloe by the Lakes community since it was developed in the early ‘90s. The home sold for $740,000 and the second highest sale in the community was $580,000, a $160,000 difference. The team achieved this record by working with the family to determine important changes and repairs that needed to be addressed to make their home show worthy. They also created a custom marketing plan, obtained comparable sales that substantiated the asking price, and managed all of the necessary appointments on the buyer and seller side.

The property was put on the market at the end of April, once the team had done its due diligence in creating the best marketing plan possible. Four families looked at the home, two of them made viable offers and the Leathermans closed the deal at the end of August.

“During our initial meeting with Core Group, it was evident that they knew the market and how to showcase our home,” Bob and Elena Leatherman say. “We were impressed by their knowledge of the market, attention to detail and reliable communication.”

A Personal Touch
Core Group takes a team approach to selling every home. The same listing coordinator, transaction coordinator and photographer handle each transaction, and all agents within the company follow the same process.

“We believe individuals specializing in different aspects of the transaction allow us all to use our strengths and skillsets to the advantage of our customer to achieve a greater result,” Cheryl says.

What clients may not realize at first is the amount of work that goes into a home before it’s even listed. Justin and Cheryl explain that they begin by working with the seller to define their objectives for the sale of the property. Then they perform a detailed market analysis, profile the prospective buyer for the property, and customize a marketing plan to target that prospective buyer. Throughout the process, they work with the seller to determine the best way to stage the home for the market, an appeal to the buyer that helps in obtaining the highest price.

A full-time listing coordinator and in-house professional photographer work on every Core Group listing regardless of the price point. “You only have one opportunity to make a first impression,” Cheryl says, noting that Core Group would rather go on the market later with the right marketing details and photos in place than rushing the property on the market prematurely.

Once the home is under contract, an agent personally meets the appraiser at the property armed with comparable sales and inside knowledge that will positively benefit the appraisal. They also bring a detailed upgrades list and any other supplemental documents that will assist the appraiser with the evaluation. “Appraisers are not the enemy, but it’s our responsibility to understand that they may not be armed with the best information available. These are our communities and our listings so we put the burden on ourselves to make certain that the appraisers have everything they need to value that home appropriately,” says Justin.

Why it Matters
The Brantleys and the Leathermans continue to recommend Core Group to those in their circles looking to sell their homes. This is due in part to the team’s commitment to obtaining the best price but also because their experiences have led them to trust that Core Group will help their loved ones achieve the same impressive results.

Core Group truly lives its tagline, “Real Estate Evolution,” referencing that there is no such thing as a stagnant real estate market.

“The real estate world is continually changing, so we make an effort to evolve our approach to pricing, along with our use of marketing tools and trends, to give our customers the highest chance of success in every real estate transaction,” Justin says.

Core Group
95 E. Mitchell Hammock Road, Suite 102
Oviedo, FL 32765
407.930.4855
CoreGroupFL.com