Local Selling Tips
You can’t expect a piece of property to sell itself. Even the most beautiful house will need skilled marketing and exposure to sell in today’s market. I’ve seen many great houses attract little to no buyer interest simply because the sellers did not know the market and did not price their property appropriately. The following are a few tips for homeowner’s trying to sell their home.
-Who you’re in business with matters, and that is especially true when choosing a listing agent. A listing agent is not just someone you casually hire to sell your property. You are entering into a professional relationship with that person. It is important to pick a good one.
-There are many traditional methods for promoting a property such as newspaper ads, promoting the listing on multiple websites, and the agent presenting the property to the Association of Realtors at the weekly meeting. Technology has allowed the evolved Realtor to have an advantage over the traditional Realtor. The evolved Realtor is using social media to reach out to thousands of potential buyers in a matter of minutes. Think of it as a supercharged referral or word-of-mouth system. Stage the property accordingly and have nice flyers and other promotional items printed out. Pictures are very important. When possible, hire a professional photographer. The photographs of your property are a buyer’s first impression of your home.
-You need to get an agent that’s a hyper-local expert. He/She must have a local presence within the community in addition to his online one. This agent will be involved in the city they work in, and will be aware of the different ins and outs of local business. This can include working with the chamber of commerce to local escrow, mortgage, and real estate companies. He/She knows where to find great business and by extension, potential buyers and sellers.
-Some sellers may not want to hear this, but price does dictate whether a property is going to sell, or sit around gathering dust. Sellers want listing agents to work miracles and sell the property for $50,000 over the appraised value. You could get lucky, but I suggest you rely on strategy over luck. One of my goals when selling a property is to encourage a multiple-offer scenario. Multiple offers can drive up the selling price considerably. Ironically, to do this, you need to first set an enticing price to generate a bidding war.
-In summation, pick your agent wisely. They should be a hyper-local expert and be able to utilize all the available resources to market your property. Know your market and price your home accordingly. Stagnant properties present red flags to potential buyers. Finally, know your homes shortcomings and try to rectify them with strategic staging. Good luck and if you would like to ask me any questions please email me at ny2sell@aol.com.
