1.   Know your reason for selling

Your motivation for selling is the determining factor as to how you will approach the process.  It affects everything from what you set your asking price at to how much time, money, and effort you’re willing to invest in order to prepare your home for sale.  For example, if your goal is a quick sale, this would determine one approach.  If you want to maximize your profit, the sales process might take longer, thus determining a different approach.
 

 2.  Keep your reason to yourself

The reason you are selling your home will affect the way you and your agent negotiate the sale.  By keeping your reasons for selling to yourself, you don’t provide negotiation ammunition to your potential buyers.  For example, if they learned that you must sell and move quickly, you could be placed at a disadvantage in the negotiating process.

 3.  Do your homework before setting a sales price

When you set your sales price, you make buyers aware of the price at which you’ll definitely accept their offer should they choose to meet your asking price.  As a seller, you will want to get a selling price as close to the list price as possible.  If you start out by pricing too high, you run the risk of not being taken seriously by buyers and their agents.  Pricing too low can result in selling for much less than you could have received (no one wants this to happen).  Realtors are well equipped to help you decide on a sales price to maximize your profit.

 4.     Deciding on a Realtor or Realtor Team

According to the National Association of Realtors, nearly 70 percent of people who sell their own homes say they wouldn’t do it again themselves.  Primary reasons included:  Setting the proper price to maximize profit, marketing handicaps, legal liability concerns, and time constraints.  When deciding upon a Realtor, it’s important to realize that all Realtors are NOT the same.  A professional Real Estate Team knows the market and has information on past sales, current listings, a complete marketing campaign plan, and will happily provide references.  Evaluate anyone you consider according to those qualifications.  Be sure you choose a Realtor you trust and feel confident that they will do a professional job acting on your behalf.

 5.     Appearance Matters – Make it count

Appearance is VERY critical when marketing your home to maximize profit.  The look and “feel” of your home will generate a greater emotional response than any other factor.  Prospective buyers react to what they see, hear, feel, and smell even though you may have priced your home to sell quickly.            
              Remember…emotion sells!

 6.     Don't choose a Realtor based on commission

Many sellers believe that choosing a discount broker saves money which in turn ends up in the seller's pocket.  Don't fall into the same trap when you list your home!  An expert Real Estate Team will provide you with the marketing exposure you need to find the buyer who is willing to pay the most for your home, & bring negotiation experience to the table so you don't end up giving up precious dollars during the transaction.  Don't save a couple thousand dollars in listing commission just to find out you lost $10,000-20,000 because your Realtor didn't market properly or didn't know how to effectively handle the negotiation process.

 7.     Ask your Real Estate Team if they pay referrals

Many real estate agents or Real Estate Teams will offer referrals ($$$) if they obtain a customer while marketing your home for you (example: Your agent meets someone at an open house who decides they don't want your home but want your help to find another home).  Hint: you will have better luck with this if you've hired a team (two or more) of realtors.  It is not uncommon to gain $1,000-3,000 during your listing and escrow period from transactions initiated by your listing.  

 8.     Do they GUARANTEE to perform?  In writing?

Most real estate agents brag about how well they'll perform after you hire them.  And that's probably the best performance you'll see... their listing presentation.  Many sellers sign on only to find out later that the Realtor they've hired isn't performing.... and what's worse, they're locked into a long contract with a substandard agent.  If you interview an agent who does not offer you a guarantee, ask them... WHY NOT?

How much commission will you be paying your agent?  Think about the last time your spent that much money... Did you say "Oh well, we'll just trust that the job will be done right", or did you insist on a warranty or guarantee?

Why would you settle for any service that is not backed by a written guarantee when you are spending that much money?  We know you must be thinking... "Sure, guarantees are not that common in the real estate industry", but that is only because the consumer does not demand it!

Demand the best service and demand that it be backed by a Written Guarantee!  If they won't provide one, you've got the wrong agent.



Do this one thing to make your agent work twice as hard for you...
Click here to find out what it is!