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2. Failing to
"Showcase" 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!
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
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