Questions sellers ask about working with us

What's included when I list my home with Compean Group?

A written pricing analysis with two price ranges and an estimated net sheet; preparation advice, with vendors we trust and an on-staff handyman for small jobs; staging help, from a courtesy staging walk-through with your own furniture to a staging package through our partners, plus virtual staging when it helps; professional HDR photos with dusk editing, a video walk-through, a 3D tour of the inside and outside, a floor plan and aerial photos where they help; premium placement on Homes.com and Zillow; paid search, retargeting, pay-per-click and social ads; an email campaign to agents at Houston-area brokerages; a custom property website, flyers and personalized materials for buyers; Coming Soon pre-marketing within HAR's rules; a professional showing service, feedback updates, a written update every Monday and a market report every Tuesday; and negotiation and closing support.

How is your marketing different from other agents'?

Every listing gets paid advertising, not just an MLS entry. Our paid partnerships with Homes.com and Zillow add premium placement, a 3D tour and a floor plan, and we run search, retargeting and pay-per-click ads that keep your home in front of buyers as they browse. We also shoot a video walk-through, build a website for your home and email agents at Houston-area brokerages, and a full-time marketing specialist keeps it all moving. Many agents don't pay for these extras, and as the brokerage owner, we aren't held back by a corporate marketing budget.

Who will I work with during my sale?

Evan Compean, the founder, is your point person from the pricing meeting to closing day. Amanda Milligan, a licensed broker and our operations and compliance manager, keeps paperwork and deadlines on track, and the rest of the team, including a full-time marketing specialist, handles scheduling, showings and marketing in the background.

How do you decide on my list price?

We study the homes buyers will compare yours to: active listings, recent price cuts and sales from the last 60 days, adjusted for size, updates and location. You get the links and our reasoning, and we agree on a showing target for the first week or two so we can react quickly if buyers disagree with the price.

How will I know how my listing is doing?

You'll get an email for every showing and the buyer agent's feedback, plus a written activity update every Monday covering showings, online activity, buyer comments. On Tuesday you'll receive another market update.

Do I need to make repairs or updates before listing?

Usually not everything. We'll point out which fixes pay for themselves, such as paint, lighting or an item an inspector would flag, and which to skip. Our on-staff handyman can take care of small jobs, and we line up vendors we trust for the rest. Evan's investor and builder background helps here: we know what buyers pay more for and what they ignore.

How do you handle the buyer's inspection requests?

We price each item with our own contractors, wait for the buyer's written request instead of bidding against ourselves, and compare repairs, a credit and a price change on your net sheet. On a recent as-is sale in Katy, we held the buyer to a single $1,000 credit with no repairs.

What if the buyer's appraisal comes in low?

We prepare the appraiser ahead of time with comparable sales and a list of updates, which is how a 1910 Near Northside bungalow appraised at its contract price. If a value still comes in short, we lay out your options: a reconsideration of value, meeting in the middle or adjusting the price.

Can you sell my Houston home if I live out of state or overseas?

Yes. We regularly sell for owners in other states and countries. We have the title company review any power of attorney before the first offer, handle access and vendors locally, and arrange remote or mail-away signing for closing.

What does it cost to sell with Compean Group?

Our fee is set out in the listing agreement before you sign, and we walk through every line with you, along with an estimated net sheet showing title, tax proration and other closing costs. Photography, the 3D tour, listing advertising and the showing service are part of our service.

Does Evan Compean own a title company?

Evan Compean is a part owner of a Houston title company, and we disclose that in writing at the start. You're never required to use it. Texas sets title insurance premiums, so the premium is the same at every title company, but escrow and other closing fees vary, so compare the estimates. This does allow us to improve our service, coordinate courtesy closings at your home or office, and expedite the turn around.

Is Evan Compean a licensed loan officer?

Yes. Evan holds a loan officer license but doesn't originate loans. He doesn't close loans, but this licensing helps him read a buyer's pre-approval, communicate more effectively with lenders, and spot weak financing before you accept an offer.

Do you sell new construction for Houston builders?

Yes. We price, market and sell new homes for builders and advise on floor plans and finishes before launch. See our services for builders.

Which parts of Houston do you serve?

All of Greater Houston. Prior to becoming a Realtor, Evan worked as an acquisition specialist for a large real estate investment firm. He was in charge of overseeing the upcoming foreclosures in Harris County and surrounding areas. He led a small team in developing strategies on how to best analyze the hundreds of monthly foreclosures that were coming to auction. This allows him to now better understand the nuances in the different communities, without having to actually live there. The Inner Loop neighborhoods such as the Heights, Montrose, EaDo, Near Northside and West University tend to require the most experience, which he excels at, while suburbs including Katy, Cypress, Spring, The Woodlands, Pearland and Sugar Land require more data crunching and pricing adjustments, which is right up his alley. We publish free guides to 30 areas and over 100 ZIP codes.

Do you work with Spanish-speaking sellers?

Yes. Our team works with clients in English and Spanish.

What should I gather before we meet?

Your mortgage payoff estimate, list of upgrades, any special circumstances, potential issues you're facing, and what you're looking for in an agent. At the same time, if you're not sure about any of this, just give us a call and we can walk you through the entire process.

Why should I choose Compean Group when other companies have more reviews?

Because the total number of reviews isn't the whole story. Many of the companies with more reviews are large teams or brokerages with dozens or even hundreds of agents, so their reviews are spread across far more people, and the agent who would actually handle your sale or purchase often has only a handful of their own. Compean Group is a small team with 921 reviews and ratings across Google, Zillow, Yelp, RateMyAgent and HAR, which works out to far more reviews per agent than most large operations. When you compare, ask how many reviews the agent you'd actually work with has.