So you have heard all of the media reports about the real estate market. Foreclosures are at record levels. Buyers aren’t buying. Homeowners have lost all of their equity in their homes. Now what? Tired of waiting for a green light?
This market is about perception. This is truly an unprecedented time in history. Home prices and low interest rates make home ownership more affordable than ever. The opportunity to upgrade your home is even more lucrative. If the negative equity that is perceived by sellers is rolled into their next purchase, not only will they gain more equity by percentage when the market does recover, but they will be enjoying the rewards of the systematic failure of the financial crisis by purchasing a home with more amenities and upgrades. In the end, you win!
Now that you have decided to sell, where do you turn? Do you choose a company or do you choose an agent? Just choosing a company based on its reputation does not mean that you will get an agent with the same work ethic as the next. Be diligent during your selection process. It may be necessary to interview two agents from the same company, because all agents are not created equal.
Aside from that, marketing your home is the key to your success in this or any other market. Compare each agent and company by what they will do to market your home to what they will earn in commission in return. Is it fair to you…and to them? You want your agent to be motivated to sell your house as much as you want to sell it. Essentially that is the goal…to get your home sold, not just stick a sign in the yard. What goes into selling your home after the sign goes into the yard is what separates one agent from the next.
My approach is to have a balanced marketing plan in comparison to the commission for each listing. My goal is not to leave the dining room table with the highest commission that I can get from the seller. My goal is to establish a fair working relationship where both parties are comfortable with the outcome. I offer buyer representation discounts for both sides of the transaction, on top of charging a fair commission. I strive to make it a favorable experience for the seller, so that their last memory of their home is not of their Realtor walking away with their equity at closing.
Sellers deserve the best opportunity to sell their home and that is what I provide to them.
