• Picking a listing agent
• Receiving a valuation that is accurate and fair
• Staging the house to present it at its best
• Having professional photographs/videos taken of the staged property

• Marketing – locally and overseas
• Organizing showings and finding a buyer
• Receiving and evaluating offers/counter-offers
• Closing

1. Picking a listing agent

This is arguably the most important of all the stages, and sometimes the one that potential sellers spend the most time deciding on. The listing agent needs to have:

• Detailed knowledge of the local market, including comparable properties
• Access to multiple listing sites (MLS) both locally and overseas
• The ability to advise on staging and reliable associates to take professional photographs and/or videos
• The ability to negotiate successfully with buyers' agents
• Access to a lawyer who can take care of the legal aspects of completion

Quite a shopping list!  

At Trident Properties, our team has all of the above, with agents immersed in local knowledge and with global outreach. 

3. Staging

Some sellers may hire a staging company to do this for them; it is common nowadays to present a staged property in order to attract the best possible price.

Experienced realtors can also be a terrific source of ideas here; they know what improvements – major or minor – will pay off best in terms of attracting potential purchasers. Their hints and advice are worth listening to!

4. Having professional photographs taken

Once the homeowner has duly decluttered, removed personal items, and ensured the property is clean, tidy, and staged, it would be a great shame to waste all of that effort with amateurish photographs.

At Trident Properties, we use professional photographers and videographers who ensure each home is shown from the best possible viewpoint.

5. Marketing

So, the house is ready for viewing and flattering photographs are posted online to reflect the home’s best features. Now to attract the buyers!

The property will be featured on the listing agent’s website, naturally, but will also need to be on MLS both at home and overseas, so that buyers can readily view it, both on a computer and a mobile device.

Our website is professionally designed and mobile friendly. Our company is a member of the Cayman Island Real Estate Brokers Association (CIREBA) and our property listings are also featured on CIREBA’s MLS site.

At Trident Properties, we use local and international advertising strategies, and produce custom-made signs for developments.

6. Organizing showings and finding a buyer

Organizing showings of a property is time-consuming. A listing agent will liaise with the buyers’ agents and ensure that showings proceed smoothly. They may – with the sellers’ permission – choose to offer open houses, which they will facilitate. The listing agent will have their own contacts and will know which agents already have buyers looking for a particular type of property.

7. Evaluating offers

Experienced realtors know that not just any potential buyer will do. The buyer’s ability to proceed, both financially and in terms of their personal circumstances, is key.

• Have they sold their existing property?
• Do they have financing in place?
• Are they able and willing to complete the purchase within the sellers’ desired timeframe?
• What conditions are they putting on their offer?

All of these questions have to be asked and the person making the highest offer is not automatically the best potential purchaser when all of these other factors are taken into consideration.

A good listing agent will ensure that they have satisfactory answers to all of these questions and can recommend the best offer to the seller. In the event the offer is not acceptable, the listing agent will go back to the buyer with a counter offer.

The negotiation stage is very important and experienced listing agents will have the negotiating skills to ensure that they secure the best offers.

8. Closing

This may be the most satisfactory part of the whole process for buyers, sellers, and their agents. The listing agent will check that everything is ready for the closing date; that everything included in the sale (usually furniture, appliances, window coverings, etc.) is present and in good condition; and that there is a clear process for handing over the keys once all of the legal documents have been signed.

Trident Properties is a member of CIREBA and the preferred realtor for Cayman Enterprise City, Cayman’s tax-free economic zone. Our values include respect, courtesy, kindness, professionalism, and integrity. Our team members believe in continuous learning, ensuring they are always on top of the latest developments, and in cooperative teamwork. They have detailed knowledge of the real estate scene in the Cayman Islands and the potential to access buyers from all over the world. Local knowledge - global reach.