When it comes to selling your home you may think you’ve heard it all before. Getting your home listed in the MLS by a real estate agent is the easy part. Finding a REALTOR® who takes listing and selling a property to a whole new level is the challenge. I’m into the details, and I get results.
To be clear…it is possible to sell your home on your own…or by hiring a limited service real estate agent to simply enter it into the MLS System for a flat fee, then wait for showings, and hopefully an offer. It gets some exposure, and agents & most home buyers can find it via the various property search sites. But most of the time that’s not enough. I love it when sellers try “For Sale By Owner”, or a limited service agency listing, and when it doesn’t sell (or they get crazy low ball offers) they contact me. It happens far more often than you know.
I personally believe the more time and effort you put into a listing, with attention to detail, the faster it will sell, and for a higher price. It has to be out there for the world to see in as many ways as possible. Think of it as playing the lottery just one time expecting to win the jackpot. The more ways the listing can be found…the better your odds of selling it. Believe me, it makes a difference.
What to expect when I list your property for sale:
- 100% personal attention. No “team members” or listing coordinators. Clear and direct communications, and I’m there, by your side, every step of the way. From advice in preparing your home for sale, to coordinating any pre-listing upgrades or repairs, to negotiating the purchase contracts (when we get an offer…and we will!), working through the buyer’s repair request list, to the final settlement and closing…and delivering you the check.
- Thorough research on all the property features, schools, and the neighborhood, a professionally measured floor plan including room dimensions (by an outside company), with all documentation glue bound in a hard cover full color brochure (no cheap spiral binding) which I prepare and assemble myself.
- Professionally photographed High Definition photos with extra attention to the home’s special or unique features.
- Panoramic and High Definition Virtual Tour
- Every property listing is highlighted as a Showcase Listing on Realtor.com.
- Comprehensive listing syndication via List Hub on over 25 web based real estate/property search websites.
- Since I’m no longer affiliated with Prudential or RE/MAX (see About Me), and their structured listing processes, you can be assured that my listings are available to every real estate agent in the area, and every potential home buyer in the world. There are simply no marketing limits when working with me.
- My yard signs even utilize a special reflective paint for increased visibility at night!
Some things to consider…
- Be sure to research the local market area comparables (resale homes sold locally in the last 6-12 months) when pricing your property. Don’t rely on the tax value, what you think it’s worth, or what a neighbor tells you. These days Buyers are savvy. Pricing it too high will just waste valuable time. In the end, once we get an offer, what really matters is the appraiser’s opinion, which can stop a deal in it’s tracks when a potential buyer secures financing with a lender. The price point is driven by the real estate market values in your area, plain and simple.
- From experience – having property flyers available in a box in front of the home virtually eliminates sign calls. It can also help a buyer form a less than positive opinion of the property without knowing all the facts, it can be a marketing tool for the listing agent (not the property), and it provides quick info for nosy neighbors. Sometimes the less shared the better. Anyone truly interested in a home will look into it further. Sign calls answered by the fully informed listing agent (me!), and directing visitors to the detailed property websites, are where it’s at.
- In the Raleigh NC area an open house seldom if ever sells a home. It can also be a great resource of potential buyer leads for the onsite agent, and it gives people (and nosy neighbors) access to your home that really have no interest in buying…or in some cases may have more interest in what you have in your home.
- How often do you see a yard sign hanging sideways on the post (or even laying in the yard), or an empty brochure display in the home, or a vacant listing that looks like it’s abandoned? I visit my listings almost daily, I blow leaves off driveways and sidewalks, I even clean toilets and vacuum when necessary! Whatever it takes to sell your home. And I WILL sell your home! This extra effort is for vacant homes…no creative ideas please!
- How often have you called the phone number on the yard sign and couldn’t reach the agent? Or someone answered the phone who had no idea what you were talking about? My personal phone number and website are the only ones listed on my signs. Sign calls never get answered by a front desk, or a coworker who has no information about the property. If someone has a question, or wants to see my listings, they can always reach me. And I usually answer the phone on the first try. Believe me…it makes a difference!