Isabelle Gainey Compass

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Selling a home in Fort Lauderdale

A house sells on price, condition and photography, in that order. The first two weeks on the market carry the most attention the listing will ever receive, which is why the price has to be right on day one rather than corrected in week six.

What follows is how Isabelle runs a listing, and what she will tell you before you sign anything.

Modern two-story house with floor-to-ceiling glass, a wood-clad garage and a paved motor court
Fort Lauderdale · Photo by ES Windows on Unsplash

How it goes

  1. Price it from evidence

    A list price argued from comparable sales you can look at yourself, with the reasoning shown. Overpricing costs more than it looks: the first two weeks carry the most traffic a listing will ever get, and a price cut later never recovers them.

  2. Fix what returns the money

    A ranked list rather than a wish list. In South Florida that usually means anything an inspector or an insurer will flag, because those items come back as a demand from the buyer at full retail price.

  3. Photograph it properly

    Photography is the listing. Most buyers decide whether to see a house from the pictures, so they are shot after the preparation is finished, not before, and they lead the marketing rather than accompany it.

  4. Market it where buyers actually are

    The MLS feed, the portals, Compass's own marketing, and direct outreach to the agents already working with buyers in that price band.

  5. Negotiate past the inspection

    Most sales are not lost on price. They are lost in the second negotiation, after the inspection report, and that one is handled better by anticipating what the report will say than by reacting to it.

Compass Concierge

Prepare the house now, pay at closing

Compass Concierge fronts the cost of work that helps a home sell, such as staging, painting, flooring and repairs, with nothing due until closing.*

Ask Isabelle about Concierge
Smart
Isabelle helps you choose the work that returns the most money, and skip the rest.
Fast
The process is built so work can start, and the house can list, quickly.
Transparent
Nothing due until closing.*
Easy
Isabelle manages it with you from the first quote to the finished house.

*Compass Concierge is subject to eligibility, Compass approval and the program's terms and conditions, which may change. Ask Isabelle for the current terms.

Selling a rented property

A house that has been earning is a different sale. The booking history, the operating costs and the registration status are part of the asset, and they reach a buyer who is underwriting rather than house-hunting.

Timing matters too. A closing that lands in the middle of a booked high season is harder for both sides than one that does not, and the calendar is usually more flexible than people assume if it is handled early.

Short-term rentals →
Track record
33 closed sales
Volume
$31,062,000
Markets
Broward and Palm Beach counties
Brokerage
Compass

See every one of them →

Questions sellers ask

What is my house worth?

A real answer needs the property, not a form. An automated estimate cannot see a renovated kitchen, a failing seawall, a new roof or the difference between two sides of the same canal. Isabelle will give you a price with the comparable sales it rests on, and explain where she thinks it is soft.

What should I fix before listing?

Whatever an inspector or an insurer will flag, first. Roof, panel, water heater, permits, active leaks. Those items come back as buyer demands at full price, so they are cheaper to address in advance. Cosmetic work comes second and only where it photographs.

Can I sell a house that has short-term rental bookings on it?

Yes. Reservations already accepted are usually honored by the buyer or settled at closing, and the booking history is part of what is being sold. Presenting that history properly widens the buyer pool rather than narrowing it.

How long does it take?

It depends on price band, condition and season. What can be said honestly is that the timeline is set mostly by the list price, and that a house priced correctly in its first two weeks sells faster than the same house priced high and reduced twice.

What is it worth

Send the address. You will get a price with the comparable sales behind it, not an automated estimate.

How a home valuation works →

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Optional.

Optional, and genuinely useful. Google, ChatGPT, a friend, anything.