You are off to a good start if you plan to hire a professional to sell your home. Yes, many people do “For Sale by Owner,” but they are missing out on the expertise and knowledge that a professional brings to the table. When you hire one, don’t expect to get the house on the market right away. Here are some steps your real estate agent will take before he sets up the listing:
1. The initial visit involves a preliminary walk-through of the house. He will make notes of the condition of the house as well as the flow of the floor plan. A real estate agent is an expert at what can close or break a sale when it comes to location and floor plan.
Some things you can’t do anything about, like living next to a freeway, but you can diminish the affects of some negative aspects. For example, if you have a very small guestroom, he will suggest to ways to make it look bigger like leaving only essential furniture in the room, adding mirrors and making sure it is well lit.
The first thing he is going to tell you is to de-clutter. This means packing up all of your personal effects like pictures, knick knacks and excess furniture. If your floor plan doesn’t make sense, he will suggest ways to arrange furniture to make it look more sensible. Be prepared for him to suggest some bigger changes as well. For example, replacing and updating worn carpeting cane make a significant difference in the look of the interior.
2. With the next visit, your real estate agent should bring a market analysis for you to look at and see how houses similar to yours are doing on the market. This is one of the main tools for arriving at an asking price which you will also decide on at this meeting. He will make his recommendations based on the market analysis and the pros and cons of your home.
3. When the house goes on the market, he should come by again to make sure that his recommendations and any changes you have made work. He will also offer last minute staging tips to help sway a buyer in your favor. There are little tricks of the trade that can help entice buyers. After it is listed, don’t expect to hear from him every day. Likely, he will call when there is a prospective buyer or simply to do a weekly check in with you.
If at the first visit, he does not make a good impression, you should continue your search. You are not obligated to list with that person. Once you have found the right real estate agent, you are on your way to your first showing and he can wait for the offers to come rolling in.
real estate agent
October 24, 2009
Preparing your home for the real estate market is key for a faster sale.
Equally important, and what your agent should be providing you, is the marketing plan your agent intends to use while your home is listed. This means your agent should have a definitive plan of where and when your home will be advertised to the general public. If your home is prepared for the market and it is not advertised properly, then all the time and money you have put into the preparing it is wasted. 90% of buyers look on the internet and look at homes with “showcase” photos; so, it is important that you specify and ask questions of how, when, and where your home will be advertised.
Open houses should be advertised at least a week before hand and skillfully noted in the MLS , Realtor.com, etc. Professional looking photos that capture your home’s architecture, room ambience and special features should be used in your home’s advertising.
For more staging tips by an accredited staging firm, contact us at http://www.thestagehand.info or 1-888 STGE NOW!
October 24, 2009
Lisa, well said. The problem most home sellers face is that there are realtors who will not go the extra mile to get this can of advertising done. I have seen beautiful home that stay on the market for a long time because of poor advertising.
October 26, 2009
Getting paid thousands of dollars to put the home in the mls and not do any other advertising ?- Alabama wake up – this is what agents do for a living . . . marketing your home – to other agents and to the general public; publishing in newspapers, advertising open houses, advertising in the Land and Real Estate Magazines, etc. that’s what agents are paid to do! Get it in writing before you sign and don’t sign anything longer than 90 days. If the agent is doing all the above, then you can renew the listing. Make them work for you, the seller – after all your the one that loses the equity but they still get paid a hefty commission even if the house has had numerous reductions. Do your homework – for more great tips. Visit our website at http://www.thestagehand.info.