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How to Choose A Realtor
Four Common Mistakes REALTORS® Make When Selling a Home
(And How to Spot the REALTORS® Who Make Them)
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Wherever you live, there are probably thousands of real estate agents you could choose from to sell your home. So how do you differentiate between Realtors who have the knowledge, expertise and dedication to market your home effectively and those who don't?
Here are four common mistakes Realtors make when selling a home, as well as specific tips to help you know whether the Realtor you're considering makes them. So before you sign a listing contract with any Realtor, do your homework and find out if they're making any of these common mistakes.
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1. Telling the Seller Exactly What They Want to Hear
Every seller likes to hear that their home is the most valuable home in the neighborhood. But you should be leery of the REALTOR® that tells you they can get a higher listing price than anyone else. In the real estate profession, this is known as “buying a listing”. Setting the price too high might get the agent a listing, but it won't get you a higher sales price. The key to getting the most for your house in the shortest amount of time is to establish the right price initially. Your home will get the most attention when it is newly listed. If the house is priced too high, the buyers who see your home initially will be the wrong buyers for your home. The longer the house sits on the market, the less a buyer is willing to pay for it. If another home is listed for sale in your neighborhood, that seller is likely to list their home at a price that will compete with yours, taking into consideration how long your home has been on the market. Even if you lower your price in turn, which home do you think is going to get the better offer: the one that’s been on the market for 150 days or the one down the street that’s priced exactly the same but has only been on the market for a week?
You never get a second chance to make a first impression, so it’s imperative that you and your agent set the price right the first time. Of course, in a fluctuating market, this isn’t always possible. But your agent should be able to provide comparisons in your neighborhood to justify the listing price they are suggesting. Make sure your agent is taking into consideration all factors that influence the home’s value and not just the number of bedrooms and baths and the square footage. Does your home have modern updates that comparative homes don’t, such as a newer kitchen or bath, new windows or a maintenance-free exterior? What amenities do the comparison homes have, such as such as central air, fireplaces, a porch, a garage, etc?
Find an experienced REALTOR® who will look at all these factors and take the time to explain to you how he or she determines a fair value for your home. Don't just select the agent who offers to list your home at the highest value. In the long run, this could cost you thousands of dollars. If you'd like to know the value of your home in the current market, contact me for a free comparative market analysis of what your home is worth.
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Let Me Find The Best Realtor For You!
As a member of a prestigious network of the most knowledgeable, experienced, qualified, and proven real estate professionals in the country, I can help you find a qualified Realtor in almost any market in the United States.
I know how to find top Realtors in your area and pre-screen them in minutes. Contact me today and I will be happy to help you find a great Realtor who can help you buy or sell a house in any area of the country.
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2. Not Spreading the Word Far and Wide Enough
These days, it’s not enough to list your home on the MLS. Today’s buyers, who are performing their own online searches, sometimes discover the home of their dreams before they even have access to the MLS. There are dozens of sites where buyers can go to search homes, and your home should be listed on all of them.
My listings display in a featured home spot all three of the top real estate websites – Yahoo, Realtor.com and Zillow – when prospective buyers search by price range and the town where my listings are located. This makes my listings stand out from others giving them more exposure - typically hundreds of views each week. In addition to having a prominent spot on the these websites, my listings appear on dozens of popular real estate advertising websites, including Trulia, Homes.com, AOL Real Estate and Century 21.
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3. Incomplete or Poor Quality Listings
Eighty five percent of the buying public starts their search online. Overwhelmingly, studies have shown that the #1 thing these house hunters are looking for is pictures. Yet, it’s astounding how many listings I’ve seen on major real estate sites that have no picture at all. Others have only one photo of the front of the home although the site allows 20 or more.
Another problem is low-quality pictures. To sell your home, you have to get buyers in the door. You would be amazed at the number of dark, distorted, blurry or poorly staged photos that are posted by “professionals” on real estate websites. If you've spent any time searching for homes on real estate websites, you understand what I'm talking about. Low-quality pictures make a negative impression on buyers before they even step a foot in your door.
Determining the quality of pictures a prospective Realtor will use is easy. Find the agent's profile on a prominent real estate website and view their listings. If you see multiple, high-quality photos of each of their listings, that's a good indication. Read the listing and make sure it’s complete and there are no spelling errors. This will give you a good idea of the agent’s commitment to quality. Go to the agent’s own website and look at a few of their listings. Keep in mind that pictures can only show the house in the condition it is. So be sure you are not confusing the quality of the pictures with the quality of the home itself. You can view my listings here.
4. Not Making Your Home Appealing to the Most Number of Buyers
Beware of agents who seem anxious to get your home on the market as quickly as possible without asking you to take some critical steps that will help your home appeal to the most buyers. Today’s buyers are pickier than ever, and who can blame them with so many homes to choose from, and numerous HGTV shows that have raised their expectations. Find an agent who will show you how to make minor changes that can make your home attractive to more buyers. You don’t have to hire a contractor to make changes that can make a big difference. Your home should be clean, de-cluttered and in good repair to start with. De-personalizing is an approach that helps buyers to view the home as their own, and not yours - which is essentially what you want, right? Beyond that, consider neutral paint colors and fresh, neutral décor.
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