Literally,
thousands
of people visit our sites every year.
Wouldn't
you want that kind of exposure when selling your property?
In addition to our radio exposure.
Are
you thinking about selling property? There are many things you
must consider to make wise, informed decisions and a few will be
briefly highlighted here. Our job is to guide you while working
in your best interests and in accordance with our agency
relationship. Our goal is to make this as easy and enjoyable as
possible. Then help you proceed with your new plans.
When
you decide it's time for a change, we'll custom design a program
specifically for your needs and goals, and we'll review the process
in great detail. In the meantime, here's a brief outline for
some of the selling process:
Getting
Acquainted: We need to know detailed information about
your current situation and your real estate plans in order to
develop a specific plan of action for you. We also will tour
the property you're selling and take notes to create a detailed
market evaluation. You can expect us to be candid about
all aspects of your property and selling.
Working
with us: Because we personally pay for everything to get
your property sold, you can bet we will not be playing games with
you. We will come in with a solid, proactive and aggressive
program, a properly priced market evaluation, and the enthusiasm
to get the done as expeditiously as possible.
Price
- the MAX: Undoubtedly the biggest factor in determining
if you'll sell at all is the price you choose. This cannot
be stressed enough. Because down the block, in the next
community, is another house, equal to or better than yours in the
buyers eyes, and priced at market value or below. Be kind to
yourself - price it right for the market from the beginning.
Competition:
Agents and buyers know properly priced homes on the market usually
won't be available for very long. So if they are to be
successful and have a glimmer of hope in buying a properly priced
house, they'd better hurry, and not only that, they'd better come in
with a higher-than-average offer because other buyers will be
looking at it too, and possibly making competing offers.
You
need an objective and accurate competitive market evaluation to
help determine your probable sale price range. Your price
should be guided by actual selling prices of
comparable properties in your general area. If you're in
doubt about what you're told, hire a professional appraiser to
obtain another opinion. Beware of the agent that comes in
and cannot prove or justify the price they suggest to you.
You
must base your price on market value, not on your needs or
emotions, what you'd like to sell for, nor what you've put into
it.
Overpricing leads to increased market time - at the very least.
Buyers become wary of properties with high market times.
This leads to properties selling for less than market value.
Now you know what happens when you're priced too high for the
market.
Showcase
It! Let's assume we've done our homework, determined a
fair market price, and are ready to get the ball rolling to sell
your property. What's next? Anytime anyone is selling
something, there's considerable work that goes into the process
before the first people come to check it out. This is true for
real estate as well as the sale running at the local department
store. You need to SHOWCASE
IT and SHOW IT OFF! Once we list your
property for sale, we'll review our suggestions and instructions to
showcase your property for maximum results. Keep in mind, some
people have trouble visualizing how something can look.
So it's best to stage your property properly from the beginning.
Timing
and Market Conditions: In Consumer's Ed way back in high
school we learned about the laws of supply and demand. Real
estate is supply and demand in real life and it does have an impact
on your bottom line. We'll review this in detail when we meet.
Tell
the World!: Everything is ready. It's time to tell the world
it's for sale. We're here and you're somewhere in this big
universe reading our web page about selling.
The internet provides us with one more ways to expose your property
to qualified buyers. The internet increases a sellers
exposure to the market place and to other agents checking out the
web. This is in addition to all the regular marketing and
promotional systems we have in place to help ensure a quick and satisfying
sale for you.
Make
sure your agent has a very strong internet presence, like
ours. I've seen various reports stating that approximately
60-75%+ of home buyers begin their search on the internet.
Next to our MLS, we consider the internet the second best media
for property exposure to buyers.
Marketing:
We offer proven marketing programs and techniques to get your
property sold. When we meet we'll go over everything,
point-by-point, to effectively promote your home to buyers and
other agents. We think you'll be impressed.
A
couple of unique programs we offer are: After showings, log in
to review showing feedback directly from the agents who showed
your property. A great resource of information for both of
us.
Talking
House from 1st Choice Homes Realty, Sells Homes.
A
special mini radio station that broadcasts your home's information
when people driving by stop, tune in their radio, and listen all
about your home and why it's special. It works 24 hours a
day. Click
here for more information on this amazing service. Ever
known anyone who drives around neighborhoods looking for for sale
signs. Many buyers drive around neighborhoods where they'd
like to live looking for for sale signs. Just imagine their
excitement when they can tune in their car radio and listen to a
special 2-3 minute description of your homes features and special
characteristics that will make them want to see inside. The
result is a quicker sale.
Offers:
As your listing agent, we'll review all offers in detail with you,
plus the pros and cons specific for your situation, so you can
make wise informed decisions.
Getting
the Sale Closed: There is a multitude of work to be
coordinated and completed before you receive your sales proceeds
at closing. We will review these steps when we meet and keep
you posted on our progress from the time you sign the offer (at
that point it becomes your contract!) and will be at your closing
table by your side.
Things
you really should need to know...
1.
All offers must be presented to you, unless you direct your agent, in
writing, otherwise. A buyers agent may ask for proof, a
written acknowledgement, the buyers offer was presented to you for
your consideration, especially if the buyers agent cannot personally
present the buyers offer. This is the fair and honest thing to do so
all parties are assured in writing everything was done properly, should
any questions arise later on.
There
are a variety of ways to present your offers and it's YOUR CHOICE
how you want the offers presented.
IN PERSON - One option is to schedule a meeting with you,
your listing agent, and the buyers agent so they may personally
present the buyers offer to you. Of course, you'll be able to ask
the buyers agent to leave you and your listing agent alone to privately
discuss the offer and decide what you want to do - accept, counter, or
reject the price and/or any of the terms.
THROUGH
YOUR AGENT ONLY - Again, your choice - if you don't want to meet
with the other agent, another option is the buyers agent can deliver or
the offer to the listing agents for presentation to the
seller. There is now a form you should sign for this option
because the buyers agent has a right to request it before delivering the
buyers offer to the listing agent.
A TELEPHONE PRESENTATION
- with your
agent only, or a conference call with your agent and the buyers agent
presenting the offer. Used a lot for out of area sellers, but there
are circumstances where this would be better/easier/quicker for all
parties (i.e. executives on very tight schedules, nearly impossible to get
all sellers together at once for offer presentation, those working
odd-hours, etc.).
PRESENTATION - where the
offer is submitted to you via and you can call your agent to discuss.
Regardless
which way you choose to go, you will always have the right to talk
privately with only your agent so you can freely discuss the offer,
review your options, then make your decisions.
Often times once the initial
presentation has been made, other negotiations are handled by phone and
until either all issues have been agreed to by all parties or the
offer is cancelled because the parties cannot reach an agreement on
price/terms.
2.
To truly know you've received the highest and best offer for
your property it needs to be exposed to the greatest
number of potential buyers - the best way, perhaps the only
way - is through the MLS.
If
your property wasn't entered into the MLS prior to you
accepting an offer from a buyer, how do you know another agent
from another company doesn't have a equally or better
qualified buyer, willing to pay a higher price than what has
been offered?
You
won't know unless your property is exposed to the greatest
pool of potential buyers - those working with all agents
through the MLS (part of the purpose for the MLS any
way).
The
more people that know about a property, the more excitement it
creates, the more activity (showings) it can produce, the
greater your odds for creating more interest from all agents
and prospective buyers, increasing your odds for receiving one
or more offers, resulting in a sale for the highest price and
best terms. Isn't that what you really want?
Highest price, best terms - then make sure it gets the MLS
exposure it deserves.
FYI:
Our MLS rules give an agent 72
hours from signing your listing agreement
to get your listing entered into the MLS system, otherwise they can be
fined. It's your agents responsibility to make sure this gets done
on time. The quicker it gets in, the better for you.
Unless you instruct your listing agent, in writing, to withhold your
listing from the MLS, until a certain date before releasing it to the
MLS, your listing must be submitted in accordance with our MLS rules -
72 hours at the most.
You
can easily double check to make sure this has been done too in a couple of
ways. 1. Simply call another , ask for property
information for your address. They'll be able to pull it up on the
MLS system - if it's in there. 2. Ask your agent to send you a
copy of it on the third day - either by email (a listing from the MLS will
have the copyright info of the MLS at the bottom if it's legit) or hand
delivered along with your colored property flyers for distribution during
showings.
Getting
a listing into the MLS as soon as possible truly is working for the
clients best interest-with very few exceptions. Isn't this what
you'd expect your agent to do on your behalf.
When
You're Interviewing Prospective Agents to Represent You,
these
questions are much more important than the number of listings/sales
and "extra credentials" they
claim. You will be with this agent perhaps for quite a while to
come. Ask yourself these questions---
Where is
their real focus during their presentation - on you, your needs,
your goals, and how they're going to help you succeed (staging the
property for sale, tours, open houses, internet marketing, Talking House,
Sellers Home Feedback, etc.). Have
they presented you with all your options for a smooth sale-from before
it's listed until after the closing? Or has their focus been on
them, their endless "credentials", their many transactions, how
savvy they may be during negotiations, etc.?
Have
they shown you how organized they are to stay on top of the details
necessary to close - their checklist/system? Do they have a
follow up system for showings? Feedback to you?
Were you impressed by their marketing materials? How do they
plan to showcase your property? Would other agents and buyers
be impressed? Or was it a copy of a copy of a copy...hard to
read, unimpressive, not professional?
Do you
think their marketing plan and pricing is realistic? Did they
prove to you in black and white how they arrived at the price they
suggest? What if you sign with them and you're not
happy? Do they offer an Easy Exit from the listing
agreement? What steps would be involved to cancel a listing
agreement-would they have to get someone's permission or can they just
cancel the listing agreement themselves?
While
it's nice to hear someone is available 24/7/365, in reality is that
realistic? Personally, we know we have to sleep practically
every night, not to mention grocery shopping, meal preparations,
spending time with our family so they don't think we're imaginary, church, etc. to name a few. We are people and have
families too. Time management is key. Most agents
incorporate systems (internet marketing, email, phone messaging,
pagers, cell phones, etc.) to aid in communication and to help
service our sellers and buyers because we actually don't work
24/7/365 - our systems do. One important element of this is a
direct phone number to your agent - whether it's an number, a
cell phone number, etc. so calls won't be misdirected or lost.
Our feeling
is this: most importantly - do you feel comfortable with the agent?
What was your gut instinct? It's important to listen to that little
inner voice. First impression - quickly - which do you think is/will
be more important to them: adding your sale to their list of stats or
keeping your best interests first and foremost at the heart of the process
and transaction? Are they passionate about their job and
representing your needs and goals above everything else? Their
presentation really will "tell you" which is ultimately more
important to them - regardless what they say. Listen and carefully
observe what they show you. It will tell you what you need to know.
Home
Selling Advice
Glossary
*
Getting the seller and the property ready.
*
Let's start just a little bit higher.
*
Elements of the Listing Contract.
*
Offering incentives when you sell.
*
YOUR listing agent and marketing basics.
*
The MLS - your best friend.
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Agent previews, advertising, open houses.
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Make it easy to show, for more showings.
*
Estimating your net proceeds.
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