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August 2009
Index of all
past
Affiliate Corner columns
How to sell a home in a buyer’s market
and become a hero to your clients
By Lisa Sachleben,
Design Refined
People who want to buy a house right now may be looking at a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Bargain basement prices combined with all-time low interest rates make home buying remarkably affordable.
But many people, fearing that they will not be able to get a good price for their current home (or not be able to sell it at all!), are missing out on an incredible opportunity. This article outlines three things you can do to become a champion to your sellers by getting their home sold and helping them buy their dream house.
List at the right price.
First, it is crucial to put the home on the market at the right price. Remember that it’s a price war and a beauty contest. Correct pricing gets people in the door; staging makes them fall in love and compels them to write an offer.
List in the right condition.
Secondly, in today’s market buyers are looking for and expecting good deals. There are basically two types of buyers: those who want a home requiring fix up at an extremely low price and those who want a beautiful move-in ready home at a fair price. If your listing does not show exceptionally well, it will either be eliminated from the search or become a magnet for lowball offers. Following are some things you can do to place your property at the head of the pack and attract the best offers.
• Clean and de-clutter
• Lighten and brighten
• Repair, refresh and replace
• Create urgency and excitement by using professional staging
The art of staging is much more than simply de-cluttering and takes the home preparation to an entirely new level. People shop with a predetermined list of needs and desires but when they walk into a house that knocks their socks off emotionally, that list goes right out the window. Effective staging can actually add as much perceived value as a mountain view or a three-car garage.
List with the right presentation.
Lastly, the home must be marketed aggressively by taking advantage of cutting-edge technology.
Getting your property noticed takes a lot more these days than an MLS posting and a sign with flyers stuck in the front yard. Eighty-four percent of buyers search online for the properties they want to visit, then they hand this list to their REALTOR® and off they go.
To make sure your property makes the cut, it must not only be effectively staged but professionally photographed with virtual tours and be visible on all the top websites. Some homes are eliminated simply because there is no virtual tour or because the pictures reveal an unattractive presentation. Curb appeal no longer begins at the curb but online long before a potential buyer ever steps foot on the sidewalk leading up to the home.
Don’t let potential sellers pass up this golden opportunity to protect the equity they have built, create wealth and insure financial security for their family. Bring in a stager to make sure their house is the prettiest penny on the block; give it excellent visibility online; and price it right. Do all these things and you will have no trouble getting it sold quickly for a fair price. Once you help your clients get their home sold and buy that next house they’ve been dreaming about, you will become their hero and they your raving fans!
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