Every agent has met one; the seller that does not want to sell. “What? Is that possible” you say? Are these people who are out to waste an agent’s time? NO! These are people who are not informed about the market. I want you to be informed so you are NOT one of those people. Here are the basic principles you need to understand in order to be a seller who wants to sell!
#1 - PRICE MUST BE COMPELLING
Homes ARE selling! Existing sales reports in April 2011 (courtesy of NAR) showed that homes were selling at a rate of 5.10M or approx. 14k a day! That’s a great statistic, but for this discussion I want you to keep this in mind also; 25% of homes that list don’t sell. This is most often times b/c of price. Of that 14k homes a day, 40% were distressed properties and 60% were “normal” transactions. Like it or lump it, distressed properties affect you if they are in your area. Good news; the number of distressed properties on the market is decreasing. However, there are thousands of properties , non distressed, that sellers want to move. Price point is most often the first criteria agents consider when finding homes to show. Know you area, your competition (active homes and withdrawn listings) and your comparable sales. Price compellingly with that data in mind and you won’t be disappointed. REMEMBER, right now with interest rates as low as they are, you can make it up on the buying side…cost vs. price!
#2 – MAKE YOUR HOUSE SHINE LIKE NEW MONEY
It is not uncommon to show several homes in a day. Most of them identical in every way; a virtual sea of sameness, I like call it. It is hard to remember one from the other. Translation = none of those houses are screaming “buy me”. Set yours apart! CLEANLINESS is next to godliness, especially when you are selling your home! Even an older clean home will show better than a newer dirty home. STAGE your home! As a courtesy to my listing clients, I have a professional stager come in and make suggestions. It makes a world of difference! CONSULT A REALTOR BEFORE YOU GO ON THE MARKET. You can save your self the heartache of making a costly improvement that will not affect the value of your home one bit. There are simple, inexpensive things you can do that will give you the bang for your buck you are looking for. Ask your realtor and then make your improvements.
#3 – DO NOT TURN DOWN SHOWINGS UNLESS YOU ARE DEAD OR DYING
Is it a pain in the butt to have your house “show ready” at all times or to leave at an hour’s notice?ABSOLUTELY! But you are selling and that is the name of the game! It is a buyer’s market and when you get a chance to show your home, you do it! Often times agents stack appointments to see the most they can in one day. Many times buyer’s are on a timeline and they make decisions in a day’s time. If you turn down the showing, you are in essence giving the sale of your home to someone else.
Obviously there are many things to consider in selling, I just hit the high points here. Location, obviously, is key also in selling. Having said that, you have little control over where your house sits or what is around you. I wanted to focus today on what you can control.
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