How Renee Zunker Helped Marion Sellers Sell Their Home and Buy New Construction Before School Started

When a Marion, Texas family first considered selling their home on Meadow Drive, they weren't convinced listing the property with a REALTOR® was worth the effort. With four kids living in a three-bedroom home, preparing the house for showings felt overwhelming. The sellers initially considered selling directly to an investor or iBuyer and would have been happy simply selling for enough to pay off their approximately $180,000 mortgage balance.

A referral from a past client changed the conversation. The sellers met with Renee Zunker, an experienced REALTOR® and listing agent serving Marion, Schertz, Cibolo, New Braunfels, Garden Ridge, and Northeast San Antonio, to find out what other options were available.

Preparing a Marion Home for Sale Without Spending Thousands

After walking through the Meadow Drive property, Renee Zunker determined that the home did not need an expensive renovation to compete in the Marion real estate market.

Instead, Renee recommended focusing on condition and presentation. The sellers decluttered, cleaned, power-washed the driveway, and completed minor touch-up painting on the kitchen cabinets. The family spent less than approximately $1,000 preparing the property for sale.

Renee Zunker then developed a pricing and marketing strategy based on recent Marion home sales and competing properties. The home was listed for $225,000 and professionally marketed with photography, video, MLS exposure, social media, YouTube, and Google.

Under Contract in 10 Days — Then the Plan Changed

The Meadow Drive home went on the market June 4 and received an accepted offer for $215,000 on June 14—just 10 days after listing.

But getting an offer wasn't the only objective.

Another buyer had toured the home and liked it but had waited too long to submit an offer. Rather than assuming the first contract was guaranteed to close, Renee Zunker encouraged the interested buyer to submit a formal backup offer.

That decision became important.

After completing an inspection, the original buyers exercised their contractual right to terminate the contract. Because a backup contract was already in place, the sellers did not have to start the home-selling process over from the beginning.

Even better, the backup contract was for $230,000—$15,000 more than the original contract price and $5,000 above the original asking price.

Coordinating the Home Sale With a New Construction Purchase

Selling Meadow Drive was only one part of the family's plan. The sellers were also purchasing a new construction home in Stetson Ridge in Marion, Texas, and their new-home purchase was contingent upon successfully selling their existing home.

The family's goal was especially important: with four children, they wanted to move into the new home before the school year started.

Renee Zunker and the Zunker Property Group coordinated the sale of Meadow Drive with the family's new construction purchase while navigating the buyer's USDA financing timeline and a closing extension.

The family closed on the sale of Meadow Drive on August 5 and closed on their new construction home the following day—approximately one week before school started.

The Result: From Hoping to Break Even to Approximately $22,000 at Closing

The difference between the family's original expectations and final outcome was significant.

The sellers initially thought they might sell to an investor for approximately what they owed on their mortgage and simply walk away without bringing money to closing.

Instead, after spending less than approximately $1,000 preparing the property, the sellers:

• Listed Meadow Drive for $225,000

• Received the first accepted offer within 10 days

• Secured a backup contract before the first contract terminated

• Ultimately sold the home for $230,000

• Walked away with approximately $22,000 in net proceeds

• Used part of those proceeds toward their new construction purchase

• Closed on their new Marion home before the school year began

Most importantly, the family moved from a three-bedroom home into a new home where each of their four children finally had more space.

What the Marion Sellers Said About Working With Renee Zunker

After closing, the seller wrote in a Google review:

“When we first started talking about selling our home, I honestly didn’t think it was possible... But Renee never made it feel overwhelming. She came in with a plan, walked us through every step, and gave us the confidence that we could actually pull it off.”

She also shared:

“As we start settling into our new house where, for the first time, every one of our kids has a space to call their own, we couldn’t be more grateful.”

Selling a Home and Buying Another in Marion, Schertz, Cibolo, New Braunfels or Garden Ridge?

Selling a home is not always just about finding a buyer.

For homeowners who need to sell before purchasing another property, the pricing strategy, contract terms, financing, backup plans, closing dates, and moving timeline can be just as important as the marketing.

Renee Zunker and the Zunker Property Group help homeowners sell homes and coordinate their next purchase throughout Marion, Schertz, Cibolo, New Braunfels, Garden Ridge, and Northeast San Antonio. Renee combines local market data, property preparation, professional marketing, contract analysis, negotiation, and transaction logistics to build a selling strategy around the homeowner's actual goals.

If selling your current home feels like the obstacle standing between you and your next home, start with a conversation. Renee Zunker can evaluate your current property, discuss what needs—or doesn't need—to be done before selling, estimate potential proceeds, and help build a realistic strategy for selling and buying your next home.

Schedule a Home Selling Strategy Session with Renee Zunker.

Get a free home valuation HERE or reach out to us directly to schedule a no cost, no obligation consultation. 

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