Seller's Guide

Experience you can trust. Results you can rely on.

Anyone can sell a home in a hot market. A slower market shows the difference experience makes.

DeAnna Franklin Tacoma, WA Real Estate Agent Headshot

A NOTE FROM DEANNA

Whatever the market is doing, you deserve someone who has seen it before.

Selling your home is one of the biggest financial decisions you'll make. The market you sell in matters, but so does the experience of the person guiding you through it.

I've been a real estate broker for more than 30 years. I've sold homes in hot markets with multiple offers on the first weekend, and in slow markets where every showing and every dollar counted. I've worked through the 2008 housing crash and the long recovery that followed, the pandemic surge, and the rate shifts of recent years.

Those markets taught me what works when buyers have the upper hand: pricing with precision, presenting your home at its very best, and negotiating with a clear plan from the first offer to the closing table.

In this guide you'll see how we market, price and negotiate, and what to expect from pre-listing to closing. I look forward to hearing about your goals.

MEET THE TEAM

A team that outperforms an individual

The Franklin Home Team is a small, family-run team led by DeAnna and James Franklin, with more than 30 years of experience and more than 3,000 closings across the Puget Sound. We keep the team small on purpose, so every client gets personal attention and clear, frequent communication.

30+

years of real estate experience

3,000+

closings across the Puget Sound

5 Star

client reviews

DeAnna and James Franklin are both WA State Brokers. Franklin Home Team is licensed with Morrison House Sotheby's International Realty in Tacoma, Washington

DeAnna Franklin smiling in a black top, seated near a fireplace.

DeAnna Franklin

WA STATE BROKER

30+ years in real estate, with deep new construction, negotiation and interior design expertise. Call or text 253-691-4282 [email protected]

James Franklin smiling in a black Franklin Home Team polo in front of a brick fireplace.

James Franklin

WA STATE BROKER

Responsive, thorough and never pushy, as his clients put it. Call or text 253-691-4654 [email protected]

EXPERIENCE IN EVERY MARKET

Up markets, down markets, and everything in between

Most agents working today have never sold through a true down market. DeAnna has, more than once.

When the market cools, buyers slow down and get selective. Homes that are overpriced or poorly presented sit, and every week on the market invites a lower offer.

Over three decades DeAnna has learned how to read a shifting market early, adjust strategy before it costs you, and negotiate firmly when buyers expect a discount.

What this means for you: a plan built for the market you're actually selling in, and a negotiator who has been on both sides of a tough deal.

NEGOTIATION

How we negotiate when buyers have the upper hand

A strong negotiation starts long before the first offer. Here is how we protect your bottom line in any market. You'll always know where things stand. Every offer and counteroffer is reviewed with you, and every decision is yours.

1
Price right from day one
2
Compete with new construction
3
Use concessions wisely
4
Negotiate inspections with a plan
5
Prepare for the appraisal
6
Keep the deal together

Price right from day one

The first two weeks bring the most attention. We price with precision so your home doesn't sit and invite low offers.

Compete with new construction

Builders win buyers with incentives. After 30 years on the builder side, I know how to position your home against them.

Use concessions wisely

A rate buydown or closing-cost credit can win a buyer for less than a price cut. We compare the true cost of each option with you.

Negotiate inspections with a plan

We anticipate likely repair requests, gather estimates and respond with facts, not fear.

Prepare for the appraisal

When values shift, appraisals can come in low. We prepare comparable sales in advance and negotiate solutions if there's a gap.

Keep the deal together

The work isn't done at signing. We manage every deadline and keep buyers, lenders and escrow moving to closing.

From our clients

Two-story gray home with white trim, multiple gables, and broad windows viewed from below.

MARKETING

Local expertise with the reach of a global brand

As part of Morrison House Sotheby's International Realty, your home is presented with the polish of a respected global brand and marketed by a team that knows the Puget Sound.

  • Professional photography that makes buyers stop scrolling
  • Video and drone footage to show the home and its setting
  • Targeted social media ads on Facebook and Instagram
  • MLS and major home-search sites for the widest exposure
  • Sotheby's International Realty network and marketing platform
  • Open houses and agent outreach to buyers' agents across the region
  • Retargeting that keeps your home in front of interested buyers
  • Weekly updates on showings, feedback and activity
Staged living room with an olive-green sofa, white paneled walls, and a patterned rug.

STAGING AND DESIGN

An interior design eye for your sale

Buyers decide how they feel about a home within moments. With my interior design background, I help you show every room at its best, without spending on things buyers won't pay for.

What we'll do together

  • Room-by-room walkthrough with clear recommendations
  • Paint colors and finishes that photograph beautifully
  • Furniture layout that makes rooms feel bigger
  • Referrals to trusted stagers, cleaners and tradespeople

Where to focus first

  • Declutter and depersonalize every room
  • Deep clean, including carpets and windows
  • Fix the small things buyers notice
  • Boost curb appeal: entry, landscaping and lighting
Staged living room with a gray sectional, two armchairs, patterned rug, and sliding glass doors to leafy trees.

PRICING STRATEGY

Price it right from the start

Pricing your home correctly from day one is the single biggest factor in how fast it sells and how much you net.

A new listing gets the most attention in its first few weeks. Price it right and you capture that energy. Price it too high and buyers skip it, the days on market add up, and the eventual offers come in lower.

We look at your home through a buyer's eyes: location, condition, improvements, the neighborhood and, just as important, the competition, including nearby new construction and its incentives.

Residential neighborhood with leafy streets, apartment buildings, and wooded hills in the distance.

PRICING STRATEGY

Event pricing: Priced for maximum exposure and value, to attract multiple offers.

Aspirational pricing: Priced for the few unique buyers who will pay the most for a special property.

Data-driven pricing: Grounded in recent sales, adjusted for current competition and market trends.

Our recommendation: We'll walk you through the numbers and recommend the strategy that fits your home, your timeline and today's market.

In a shifting market, price for the market you're in, not the one you remember. We review showings and feedback with you every week and adjust the plan together if the market tells us to.

NEXT STEPS

From pre-listing to closing

Here's what to expect at each stage. We'll be with you the whole way.

1
Pre-listing
2
Listing
3
Under Contract
4
Closing

Pre-listing

  • Declutter about half of what's on shelves and counters
  • Fix the small stuff: faucets, doors, hardware
  • Freshen the exterior and entry
  • Schedule professional photography

Listing

  • Your home goes live on the MLS and our marketing launches
  • Keep the home clean and show-ready
  • Plan for pets during showings
  • Offers are negotiated with your input

Under Contract

  • The buyer's inspection; we negotiate any repairs
  • The appraisal; we address any gap
  • We track the buyer's financing and every deadline

Closing

  • Final walkthrough by the buyer
  • Sign with escrow
  • Hand over the keys and celebrate your next chapter

CHECKLIST

Get photo ready

Furnished deck overlooking the water, with wicker seating and evergreen trees.

Week of the photoshoot

EXTERIOR

  • Mow, weed and add fresh dark mulch
  • Add a few colorful seasonal plants
  • Clean the pool and put away pool toys
  • Add fresh cushions to patio furniture
  • Clean windows and the front entry
  • Pressure wash siding, driveway, walkways and

INTERIOR

  • Declutter every room
  • Replace burned-out light bulbs
  • Clean windows and walls
Furnished deck with tan seating and a tiled fire table overlooking the water.

Day of the photoshoot

EXTERIOR

  • Move cars off the driveway and street front
  • Hide garbage cans
  • Put away hoses, sprinklers and tools
  • Sweep up leaves

INTERIOR

  • Turn on all lamps and lights
  • Put away clothing and tidy closets
  • Remove pets, bowls, beds and toys
  • Clear kitchen counters of soap, sponges and dishes
  • Open window coverings; turn blinds horizontal
  • Add fresh flowers or fruit
  • Clean floors, vacuum carpets
  • Clear bathroom counters
  • Turn off ceiling fans and TVs
  • Close toilet lids; make beds wrinkle-free
Living room with exposed timber beams, a pool table, and mountain views through large windows.

Home
Foyer with an arched wood front door, exposed ceiling beams, and sunlight across the tiled floor.

Neighborhoods
Three smiling Franklin Home Team agents pose in front of a brick fireplace.

New Construction Guide

Partner With Our Expert Team

The Franklin Home Team combines decades of experience with a personalized, client-first approach. Our collaborative team ensures clear communication, trusted guidance, and results you can feel confident about.
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Contact Details

Franklin Home Team

Phone

253.691.4282

Email

[email protected]

Address

2622 N Proctor St Tacoma, WA 98407

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