Move Beyond Your Expectations
Buyers’ Guide
Welcome Home
At Daniel Ravenel Sotheby's International Realty, our true passion is helping our clients find their next home. Using our extensive experience, resources, and deep local connections, we match our clients' needs with the lifestyle they desire.
As your trusted real estate agent and advisor, we will guide you through every aspect of the real estate transaction. Experience the pinnacle of skill, integrity, and professionalism when you work with us.
Local Expertise, Global Reach
LOCAL OFFICES
LOCAL AGENTS
5 120 $955M
IN LOCAL SALES VOLUME
Elevated Service
Purchasing a home is one of the most important financial decisions of your life. You are not only choosing a new place to live but making a substantial investment and creating a significant asset. Your agent will provide you with the support, market knowledge and strategic skills they have honed throughout their careers to help you successfully navigate the competitive market.
Your Partners
THE EZELLE STRONG TEAM
lavinia.strong@danielravenelsir.com
carolyn@danielravenelsir.com
c. 912.272.9711
o. 912.234.3323
The Ezelle Strong Team are continuing Top Producers with Daniel Ravenel Sotheby's International Realty in Savannah. Carolyn Ezelle and Lavinia Strong formed this partnership over 20 years ago when each had a young child to ensure one would always be available for their clients. The Ezelle Strong Team has closed over $355 million in Residential Sales in Ardsley Park, Historic Savannah, Tybee and the surrounding Island Communities. They have been recognized by Savannah Magazine as the Best Real Estate Team for the past 5 years. Both are continuing members of the Savannah Board of Realtors Distinguished Sales Society. Providing superior customer service to their clients is their number one priority.
Carolyn came to Sotheby's with 10 years of Financial Services and Sales experience. After graduating from the University of Georgia with a BBA in Marketing, she worked for RobinsonHumphrey in Atlanta and then in Pharmaceutical Sales in Savannah. Carolyn resides in one of Savannah's Island Communities and enjoys playing pickleball and tennis.
Lavinia grew up in New Orleans before attending the University of Georgia where she graduated with a BBA in International Business. Prior to moving to Savannah, she lived in New York and Charleston. Lavinia has 3 children and enjoys jogging, yoga, and pickleball.
“At every step of the way, they were professional, resourceful, and helpful.”
"We used Lavinia and Carolyn in both finding and selling our home as we moved to and from Savannah. They are attentive, patient, and highly competent. They very carefully consider the needs of their clients, work hard to meet those needs, and are strong negotiators. Cannot recommend them highly enough."
"My wife and I relocated with our newborn to Savannah last summer...Not knowing anything about the area, we were especially concerned with finding an agent that could offer more than just a list of homes from the MLS. Working with Carolyn and Lavinia was (and still is) one of the best decisions that we made when moving to Savannah. They are honest, trustworthy, and extremely knowledgeable about the market in Savannah. Carolyn and Lavinia receive all the credit for helping us find the perfect home. We highly recommend them to anyone in the process of buying or selling a home."
"We had a wonderful experience with the Ezelle Strong Team. They were so down to earth and easy to work with. They have excellent knowledge of the area. They responded to emails and phone calls quickly with answers or solutions to any questions we had! They sold our house quickly for the area and the whole process was beyond smooth. I would highly recommend these ladies to help you sell your current home and get you into your next dream home!"
"The Ezelle Strong team did an amazing job for our family. They helped us find and negotiate a great house. They are truly local experts. At every step of the way, they were professional, resourceful and helpful. They made our out-ofstate move to Savannah with our kids manageable and smooth. We can't say thanks enough."
The Home Buying Process
1
4
7
BUYER CONSULTATION ENGAGE YOUR AGENT
• Gather information
• Learn about each other
• Discuss the logistics of moving
• Lifestyles, desired features, desired budget
• Purchase timeline
• Other considerations
PREPARE YOUR OFFER
• Research comps
• Discuss offer strategies and negotiation tactics
• Discuss all terms and contingencies
• Develop offer documents
• Sign paperwork
1 WEEK PRIOR TO CLOSING
• Confirm completed repairs
• Schedule utilities transfer
• Loan finalized and clear to close
• Review initial closing statement with attorney/agent
2
5
• Discuss and sign agency documents
• Agent commitment and working relationship
• Set expectations
• General market overview
8
• Ratify the contract
• Deposit the earnest money
• Select a closing attorney
• Communicate with lender
ESCROW DAY OF CLOSING
• Complete the pre-closing walk through at the property
• Meet at attorney's office to sign paperwork
• Collect the keys
• Move in after closing
START YOUR SEARCH
• Lifestyle analysis
• Drill down into priorities (Traffic/ Access to work/amenities)
• Wants/needs in a home
• Discuss budget and neighborhood
DUE DILIGENCE PROCESS
• Complete inspections
• Gather/review contractor quotes
• Repair request/credit request
• Negotiate and ratify final repairs/ price
Financial Preparation
The most important first step in the home buying process is understanding the loan programs available and the qualifying requirements of each program.
PREPARING FOR THE LOAN APPLICATION
1. All mortgage brokers will require you to provide proof of assets and income, good credit standing, employment verification, tax returns and other personal financial documentation.
2. Review all available loan products with your lender to determine the loan that is best suited for your situation.
3. Discuss your credit standing and your income to ensure you qualify for the type of loan you want.
4. Seek out alternatives with your lender if your present credit and income situation do not qualify for a specific loan type. There is a multitude of non-conventional loan products available for unique situations.
5. For self-employed borrowers, a mortgage broker can help you compare the cost difference between increasing your taxable income to qualify vs. using a bank statement program with a higher interest rate.
Following these initial steps will enable your loan specialist to prepare a strong pre-approval letter when you are ready to begin the home shopping process.
Market Intelligence
The current market conditions throughout the various communities in Savannah and surrounding areas are creating opportunities for both buyers and sellers to achieve their lifestyle goals through real estate. Having a local expert to interpret and articulate these conditions is absolutely essential in a high velocity market.
Your agent will:
Analyze Your Position as a Buyer in the Marketplace | Taking into consideration factors like home sale contingencies, finance contingencies, and closing timeline
Analyze Current Market Conditions in Desired Price Range and Location | Analysis of comparable properties, dayson-market averages
Strategize Buyer Positioning in Advance of Placing Offers
For those on a journey.
Next Steps: Making an Offer
THE ABILITY TO MOVE QUICKLY WILL BE YOUR BIGGEST ADVANTAGE.
Once you have found the property you want, we will write a purchase agreement. While much of the offer is standard, there are a few areas we can negotiate:
PRICE
What you offer on a property depends on a number of factors, including its condition, length of time on the market, buyer activity and the urgency of the seller.
DUE DILIGENCE PERIOD
Conducting your inspections expeditiously shows seriousness and increases your odds of acceptance.
MOVE IN DATE
If you can be flexible on the possession date, the seller will be more apt to accept your offer over others.
OFFER DETAILS: INCLUSIONS & EXCLUSIONS
Often the seller plans on leaving major appliances in the home; however, which items stay or go is a matter of negotiation.
Typically you will not be present at the offer presentation. We will present it to the listing agent and/or seller. The seller will then do one of the following:
Accept the offer | Reject the offer | Counter the offer
By far the most common of these is the counteroffer. If a counteroffer is presented, you and I will work together to review each specific area of it, making sure that we move forward with your goals in mind and ensuring that we negotiate the best possible price and terms on your behalf.
Roles in the Buying Process
Service as elevated as your standards.
Your Team
YOUR GLOBAL REAL ESTATE AGENT
Provides you with the support, market knowledge and negotiation skills to ensure we reach your home buying goals.
LOAN OFFICER
Walks you through loan options, gathers documents and takes formal loan application.
LENDER/UNDERWRITER
Reviews documents from Loan Officer and gives final loan approval.
INSPECTOR
Evaluates the property for potential issues and provides a report detailing their recommendations (buyer typically pays for inspection when the inspection is conducted).
APPRAISER
Estimates the market value of the home (for the bank/lender).
CLOSING ATTORNEY
In Georgia, real estate closings are treated as legal matters.That means you need a licensed Georgia attorney to oversee and review the property's title search, handle the closing, ensure the legal documents are recorded properly, and supervise the disbursement of funds.
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Your Brokerage
Founded in 1983 under the extraordinary leadership of Daniel Ravenel, our company is the exclusive Sotheby's International Realty affiliate in the South Carolina and Georgia Lowcountry. We are committed to providing a superior level of service, powerful marketing, and local expertise along the Southeast coast.
The global gateway to the Lowcountry
Our team of experts consists of the very best real estate professionals in the Lowcountry, personally hand-selected based on their knowledge of the local market, deep connection to the area, and ability to offer unparalleled representation to their clients.
$955M
2025 COMPANY SALES VOLUME
$807K
2025 AVERAGE SALES PRICE IN MARKET
The next phase of your exceptional life starts right here.
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