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Give Your Agent a Competitive Edge
1. If you are set on a price and you REALLY don’t care whether you sell, DON’T LIST. Wait until the time is right for you. There is no magic buyer out there waiting to purchase your home for more than what your agent found for comparable home sales in your market analysis.
2. Choose an agency and then an agent. Get a referral from friends, relatives, co-workers, bankers, accountants and/or attorneys. Look around town, look around the web and yes, look in the newspaper. Is the signage readily recognizable with a number to call for 24/7 information? Is the web site easy to use to find a specific property or agent? Is the newspaper advertising consistent and eye catching? Call the agent you’ve selected and set up a face to face meeting. If you don’t feel comfortable, move on. This is going to be a close relationship dealing with what is most people’s largest asset.
3. Don’t expect extensive print advertising. It is not the best use of resources and will be largely phased out in the next couple of years. The vast majority of buyers, whether moving locally or globally, start their search on the internet so the number of sites that your agent’s company pushes listings to will be important. The newspaper gives the seller a concrete reminder that their property is being advertised, but generates few, if any, calls. Yard signs let your neighbors know what you are doing and they will be the first to call but that’s OK because they may know someone interested in moving to the neighborhood. A sign also attracts buyers driving around who may not be considering the neighborhood but find your house particularly appealing.
4. Allow easy access to your home for showings. This means a lock box and, unless there are special needs, Call/No Answer/Go showing instructions. Try to be flexible-if the house isn’t as perfect as you’d like but the agent tells that the clients are only in town for a short time, let it be shown. No matter how hard we try to be organized and arrange showings ahead, clients will spot something as we drive around and want to see it right then.
5. Do not embark on remodeling projects specifically in preparation for a sale until your agent goes through the property and do not be offended by anything your agent says about your property. Our job is to get your house sold for the best price in a timely manner. At times we may seem opinionated or rather blunt but we’ve seen lots of homes and worked with lots of buyers and some things clearly do not help sell a house. We want your dollars to be spent where they will most help a buyer choose your house. Location and price are most important. While location has always been #1, price, as in “I got the greatest deal in the world on this house!” has at times, in this market, become #1.
6. Basic items on every “to do” list prior to selling include: Dispose of everything you don’t need for everyday living. This includes personal photos, the magnets, schedules and art work on your fridge, collections of various types (it’s not a museum tour), your favorite pieces of furniture that overcrowd a room or block clear paths through a room, dated, fragile or potentially offensive décor (think mounted things from your last expedition) and worn-out or broken items. Shuffle these items to a storage unit if you must but it’s much more productive to give things you won’t be using in your next life to relatives, friends or charities or garage sale or Craigslist’s them. Items can also be boxed and stored in the garage or inside storage rooms-just be neat and organized about it.
Patch and paint any interior walls that are too personalized in color or style or too worn. Ask the staff at the paint store what are popular neutrals in the off-white range. At the same time, do any repairs or touchups on the exterior. Consult an expert if your colors aren’t what you’re seeing in newer subdivisions before you make any changes.
Next, find the source of any odors and enlist someone outside of your housemates to help. Buyers and agents never forget an offensive odor or suspicious stain. Get expert advice on whether a carpet really can be rendered odorless or whether you just need to seal the floor underneath and get new carpet. Ask you local carpet store’s decorator what’s popular in styles and colors and pick a contractor grade or a little higher if the home price is in the upper ranges for your area. The next owners may change it immediately but they may not even consider the home with odors and stains.
Evaluate the landscaping for condition and style. Overgrown junipers, unruly shrubs and improperly placed trees can threaten, hide or date a home and overwhelm buyers who are not particularly interested in landscape overhauling. Hire a professional for tree maintenance advice and trimming. Replacement landscaping can be simple and not too expensive but it’s best to pay for some advice on getting the best curb appeal for you dollars. Potted flowering annuals can be used around the entry and then taken with you when you move.
In Summary
Listen to your agent’s advice on price and condition and follow it. Don’t be offended by buyer comments. Use them to improve the salability of your home if they are relevant and doable otherwise forget them. No matter your reason for selling, this is the beginning of a new phase in your life. Make it the best that it can be!
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