|
|
 |
| |
 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Pricing Incorrectly.
Every seller wants to realize as much money as possible when he sells
his home. But a listing price that is too high often gets the seller
less than a price that is at market value. If your house is not priced
competitively, people looking in your price range will reject your home
in favor of other, larger homes for the same price. At the same time,
the people who should be looking at your home will not see it because it
is priced over their heads! Overpricing usually increases time on the
market, and that adds to the carrying costs. Ultimately, many overpriced
properties sell below market value.
To help avoid this, we can prepare an extensive Market Evaluation of
your home.
Failing to "Show Case" the
home.
Buyers look for homes, not houses, and they buy the home in which they
would like to live. This is why we stage our listings. We assess a home
starting right at the front door and recommend the necessary changes
needed to get you top dollar!
Using the "Hard Sell"
during showings.
Buying a house is an emotional decision. People like to "try on" a house
and see if it is comfortable for them. It's difficult for them to do
that if you follow them around pointing out every improvement that you
made. It may even have the opposite effect you want, by making them feel
they are intruding on your private space. Resist the temptation to talk
the entire time a buyer is there, and let them discover things on their
own. Try a tasteful sign to point out some hidden amenity that they
might miss.
Mistaking lookers for
buyers.
For Sale by Owners always get more activity than homes with an agent. No
questions about it. Realtors will only bring qualified buyers, and these
will be fewer than if you open your front door to every one who walks
down the street. A qualified buyer is one who is ready, willing, and
able to buy your home. We find that most people who go looking at For
sale By Owners are just starting to think about moving. They may be good
buyers, but they’re just 6-9 months away from being ready. They don’t
want to bother an agent yet, so they call the ´´By Owner´´ ads to get a
feel for what’s available. They may have a home to sell first, or may
need to save some more, or may have credit that needs fixing. When
everything is in place, that’s when they go out looking with a Realtor.
An agent will ask a buyer how much he can really spend for a house, how
much he has to put down, how good his credit is, how much he can pay
each month, how much he will realize (realistically) when he sells his
present home and about a dozen other questions. But unless your Realtor
finds all the facts first, you must ask all these questions before the
buyer crosses your threshold, otherwise, you may have a parade of Sunday
afternoon shoppers with a dream of owning a home someday.
Not knowing your rights
and obligations.
Selling Real estate is extensive and complex; the contract for sale and
purchase is a legally binding document. An improperly written contract
can cause the sale to fall through, or could cost you thousands for
repairs, inspections, and remedies for title defects. You must know
whether the property can legally be sold ´´as is´´, and how deed
restrictions and local zoning will affect the transaction. If there are
defects in your title, or if your property is in conflict with local
restrictions, you must remedy them before you can sell your home.
Limiting the marketing and
exposure of the property.
The two most obvious marketing tools (open houses and classified ads)
are only moderately effective. Surprisingly, less than 1% of homes are
sold at an open house. Agents use them to attract future clients, not to
sell the house!
Advertising studies show that less than 3% of people purchased their
home because they called on an ad. And if a machine answers, most
callers just hang up without leaving a message. The right Realtor will
employ a broad spectrum of marketing activities, emphasizing the ones he
believes will work best for you and your particular property. There are
dozens of more effective ways to find buyers than just open houses and
advertising.
Choosing the wrong
Realtor, or choosing him/or her
for the wrong reasons.
It’s likely that you don’t interview people very often. And yet in order
to find the Realtor who is right for you, you may interview several. The
quality of your home selling experience is dependent upon your skill at
selecting the person best qualified.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
