Well, it’s been another week. My, how time flies. This just goes to show you folks, make every moment count! Don’t dilly dally on anything. This is also the last segment of my How to Sell in Any Market Series. You want any more, you’re going to have to hire me! In any case, let’s not dilly dally, and get right to it!

Important First Impressions
Although there are no concrete statistics to support this, you guys would not believe the amount of sales that have been blown by minute details. Like what? Like unkempt lawns, cluttered closets, unpainted front doors, hard-to-work locks, blown light bulbs, bad colors, stains, unlit areas and bad smells.

Spend time on the little things! I can’t stress that enough. Double up on your gardening, keep things cleaner than usual. Take serious control of your pets during this period. It will pay off in the long run.

The Right Kind of Repairs
However, yes I know, I tend to contradict myself, it is important that you don’t be tempted to make improvements prior to listing without consulting your Agent. Some upgrades will not yield any real increase in value, while others may increase property value substantially.

You don’t want to put in a swimming pool in your yard in San Francisco, for example. Not only will it not increase the value of your home, you won’t get back the cost of putting it in. However, getting a permit for converting an office into a bedroom, would be a worthwhile task. Not only will the value of your property go up, you only need to make a few minor changes to do it, such as putting in a closet and paying for the apllication fee.

Not Giving the Sales Effort Enough Time
You should never give too little time to what is inherently a long process. Homes may take 3-6 months to sell, in any market. Well, more like 7-10 months now. Estimate how much time you have before you need to sell and then plan ahead to allow extra time. You don’t want to be forced to accept a disappointing offer.

Sit down with your Agent and go over a weekly plan. Meet often and stay in touch. With the market as volitile as it is, it always good to meet and refine your weekly plan.

Screening Prospects
One of the best reasons for hiring an Agent (me) is his (my) ability to prequalify a prospect financially before valuable negotiation time is lost. More importantly, your Agent (me) may discover when a prospect has an ulterior motive for shopping homes, other than purchasing.

Basically, let me do all of the leg work for you. I can toss out the lookie-loos, and make sure that the people I bring to your house, actually wants to buy it. Or for that matter, CAN actually purchase it.

You Can Make a Difference
The top agents in the industry report that sellers themselves are responsible for at least one out of ten sales! You can network your business and personal friends, you can hand out fliers at your place of business and elsewhere, and you can keep the house in move in condition. Your Agent should be ready to hand you all sorts of assignments to make the team effort successful.

Testing the Market
I know I have said this before but this is something I have to stress. Never put your property on the market, unless you really want a sale! Don’t waste my time or yours. Get ready for a professional sales push when you list with a great agent (ahem, me). If your plan harbors some indecision, resolve it before you list, because success is every great Real estate Agent’s objective!

Well, that’s it for me folks! Please keep all of these things in mind next time you want to sell your house. See you in seven. I’ll come up with more things to help you save money.

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Welcome back guys! Today I am going to continue with the next five tips I have for assisting in your home sale in any market. No dilly dallying this week, let’s get right to it!

1. Staging Your Property
This is more important now then ever. First impressions are everything when it comes to purchasing, especially in a downward sliding economy. Make sure to put unwanted and unnecessary items in storage. Open the curtains, turn on the lights, do anything to create more light. Play soft music or otherwise improve the ambience. Remember, you are selling a home. People associate home with comfort.

Be sure to refer to your Agent. He or she can offer helpful advice to create the right first impression. What I like to do when showing a residential home, is to have cookies baking in the oven. Not only will the kitchen smell wonderful, you will have fresh cookies to offer clients!

2. Seasonal Selling
Many clients I have met in the past years believe that selling property is seasonal. While it may seem like that makes sense, with people staying inside during the winter months and coming out during the spring months, it is not true. Don’t base selling decisions on the seasons. Property sells year around.

3. Low Pricing
Don’t price your property too low. It will give off the wrong impression. Buyers who are serious about purchasing a home will have done their homework. Or, their Agent would have fully informed them of the current market. If your home is priced too low, people will get the impression that there is something wrong with it. So, hire an Agent to make sure that no money is left on the table.

4. Not Re-evaluating
I make it a rule of thumb to re-evaluate my marketing plan with my clients every ten days. You and your Agent should do so too. You never know when you may need to make intuitive changes based on the current market.

5. Trust Your Agent
It is easy to believe your Agent is not going the job when there aren’t any offers. That is not always the case. Most sellers are unaware that eighty percent of all buyer activity comes from the sign and the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Any Agent can provide those things. So, if you don’t have a problem showing the home, but it hasn’t generated any interested buyers, it may be that time to re-evaluate the price!

That’s all the time I have for this week folks. Thanks for continuing to read!

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So, you fixed up that starter home top to bottom, and are finally ready to put it on the market and make a killing. Sound like it’s a couple of years ago? Think it’s impossible in today’s market? Well, you are wrong. A good businessperson can profit in any type of market. Believe it or not, just as many real estate transactions are occurring right now.

While reasons for home sales have changed, if transactions are still occurring, money is still being made; just by different people. But what if you could be one of those people that have transactions in any and all types of markets? Wouldn’t that be great?

Let me give you an example. When the economy is booming, lenders become more lenient, or creative so to speak. It seems that during the “up times,” everyone and their grandma could get financed for a home purchase, with zero down and pay interest only. Ah, the good ol’ days… Well, in those markets, the idea is to make minimal payments until the value of the property increases, and then sell. Basically, you’re making money using the bank’s assets.

Now, when the economy is in a downturn, many careless investors lose out on big money when the value of property drops, and suddenly they find themselves owing more than their properties are worth. My suggestion? Rent it out. Rentals always increase during recession periods. Make sense?

In any case, let’s get to the tips for this week.

1. Pricing Your Home
Do not price your home too high. Better yet, get an objective opinion and have your Real Estate Agent research comparable sales and advise you of the appropriate price range for your property. Leave emotion at the door. This is business.

2. Financing Position
Be flexible on financing options. Don’t pigeon hole yourself into only accepting all cash. Not everyone has cash lying around. Being flexible on financing options may secure a better selling price, and a better selling chance! For example, no one likes to offer rent to own options. However the upside to offering this is expanding the pool of potential buyers. Imagine, finding a great family to purchase your home, when you would not even have met them, had you not offered the option. It may require more work, but we’re talking hundreds of thousands of dollars here. It’s worth a bit of sweat equity.

3. Market Timing
Don’t make the mistake of selling something at a time when no one can afford it. Ask your Agent to determine whether the market cycle is ripe to net you the money you need.

4. House Showings
Provide easy access to your home for sale. With the internet, people have gotten used to buying certain things unseen, but not a big purchase such as a house. Do not do “Appointment Only.” It is the most restrictive. In contrast, houses on lock box are the most accessible. The more accessible it is, the chances for the right buyer to show up, increases. However, people have different lifestyles. Let your Agent help you determine a solution that will best fit your situation.

5. Marketing Technology
Don’t fear technology. Put it to good use. make sure your Agent is up with the latest technology, such as internet sites that cater to home buyers. Check around to see what technology is being utilized in your area. In some places, cable television advertising is popular. In others, using 800 numbers are the norm. A good Agent will know where you can get the best exposure, and properly advise you.

Okay, that’s it for this week folks. Check back next time for five more tips!

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