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Many homeowners underestimate the power of holding an open house when selling their home. Now, more than ever, with our economy the way it is and the state of our real estate market – it only makes sense to do whatever it takes to get the house sold. One of the best ways to achieve success is to show as many people the home and get word out to as many people as possible. Here are five reasons why an open house is a great way to accomplish this goal:
The Ripple Effect of Exposure
Potential homeowners, prospective buyers and Realtors who are in a position to connect the two are all exposed to quality homes through open houses. As an added measure of advertisement, an open house is the perfect way to show off a home or property to a person or group of people who will most likely spread the word virally. Many times you will reach unsuspecting individuals who may have been alerted by someone else who has visited the home. We have seen some cases where someone who had no intention of buying a home did so after they were told of a home seen at an open house.
Neighbors and Realtors are both your allies in your quest to sell your home. Neighbors are among the best people to share news of your open house and the home itself because they are living in the very same community and they can vouch for it. Realtors have the unique position of being able to serve and be exposed to people who are seeking quality homes as well as selling. They are familiar with the areas in which they are selling homes and can also vouch for your property.
Pictures Don’t Do A Home Justice – A Walk-Through Is Tangible Evidence of Features
Many times the photos that are posted along with MLS home listings only show a very limited side of the home. The space and/or size of a home are not accurately depicted in photos and it is impossible to share all aspects of the home through one-dimensional media (written and photographic content). Though there are tools online lately that work to supplement the old school listing format, such as YouTube videos of the home, bird’s eye view maps or virtual tours – nothing is as effective as walking through the very walls where a buyer would place their own furniture or see themselves living.
Prospective Buyers Can Visualize Themselves In A House As They Walk Through It
Being able to imagine living in a space as they walk through is a powerful selling tool for homes. Physically opening kitchen cabinets, walking out onto a deck and experiencing the breeze, as it would be if they were living there and other such first-hand experiences all directly impact a prospective buyer’s decision-making process. You also will avoid losing potential offers by those people who may not like what they see in photographs and may be missing out on the real deal because the pictures are not showing the house as it is. Many buyers shortlist at the listing stage and only view a few homes that they may have really liked based on the initial exposure.
Seeing Others Vying for the Same Property Prompts Serious Buyers to Come Forward Sooner
Regardless of what is being sold, whether in a clothing store, car showroom or a real estate open house – there is something to be said about competition. As people walk through a home while others are also walking through and possibly vying for the same property, those who are serious will be prompted to express their interest sooner. In fact, it may even yield a better selling price for the seller if there are more than one offers on the table – all a product of successful open houses.
Surprises That You Wouldn’t Expect in Listing Photos, Show Up in An Open House
No matter how much one may try, there is only so much that can be shown in photographs. During an open house, prospective buyers will get a feel for a room’s character or they will be able to sense how clean and fresh the home is (pictures don’t show pet or smoking smells). Small features and amenities like extra storage corners or interesting architecture – many things like that – are shared during a walk-through and allows a buyer to immediately know whether it is a home they may be interested in or not.
~There are so many advantages of having a house opened for showings and walk-throughts and it is a strongly advised tool that many Realtors encourages sellers to engage in. The concept is simple: the more people that walk through your home, the more people will like it. The higher chances you will sell the home.
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Tips on How to Make Sure Your Home Sells – And Sells at a Good Price
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Anyone can put their home up for sale – but if you do things correctly, you can be the seller that gets the home sold at a price you want AND in the time you want to sell it. You will be surprised how simple it is. With just a few steps and a little bit of energy put into sprucing things up, you can be on your way to a successful sale and then move into something better.
Motivation
The number one thing that will help drive your sale is for you to know and understand your motivation to sell. If you have put your home up for sale and leave it up there passively, waiting for someone to come by and show some interest – the home will probably sit there for as long as you sit back and relax. But if you really want that home to sell, tapping into your true motivation will do the trick.
HERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU CAN DO TO GET THE HOME READY:
- Prepare the Home for Perpetual Showings
- Clean Up, Clear Up and De-Clutter
- Highlight Its Best Features
- Spruce Up the Exterior
- Effectively Price the Home
Your home should always be ready for prospective buyers to visit for a look. That means that everything should be in working order, nothing should appear unkempt, the home should be appropriately heated or cooled (depending on the season) and there should not be too many signs of your life there. The less personal it appears, the more the buyer will be able to visualize their family in the home.
No one will find a dirty, cluttered home with smudge marks, scuffed doors or dented walls attractive. Make an effort to clear up any clutter, remove signs of personal belongings that would hinder a buyers’ ability to imagine living there. Clear up kitchen counters, shine up fixtures in bathrooms, remove any pet smells and turn on lights so they can see the home well.
If your kitchen counter tops are high-end, make sure that there is no clutter on them. If your deck is one of the best features of your home, try to highlight it with nicely arranged patio furniture. Showing off the home’s best features will attract plenty of attention and keep serious prospective buyers there lingering longer for a closer look.
Make sure there is plenty of curb appeal. Pay attention to the condition and quality of siding, outdoor lighting, trees and flowerbeds, weeds, the grass and main entrance through which potential buyers will enter. Nothing beats that first impression when people are actively shopping for the perfect home.
Price your home realistically and appropriately so you do not risk losing prospective buyers to other homes in the neighborhood that might be priced lower. Ask your listing agent to conduct a detailed CMA to determine where your property fits on the pricing scale. Be realistic and remember that what you paid for the home or what you may still owe on it has nothing to do with what you will be able to price the home for, especially during a challenged market.
Discretion
One of the biggest mistakes many homeowners make when selling their home is to freely discuss all aspects of the process with anyone or everyone in their social and professional circles. This can backfire if the information that you may not have intended for someone else, reaches him or her inadvertently. By keeping the details of your transaction between yourself, your Realtor and maybe one or two very close friends or family members, you will protect yourself from any unforeseen circumstances that could negatively affect the deal.
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At the end of the day, no one better than your Realtor understands the selling (and buying) process for real estate. Be sure to hire someone you can trust completely – and then leave things in their hands and follow their lead and advice. You will indeed sell your home very successfully!
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Tips on Finding the Perfect Real Estate Agent to Sell Your Home
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As you embark upon the endeavor of selling your home, it is important to have the right team in place. Pivotal to your home selling success will be a qualified, experienced agent that specializes in your area and one that connects with you and understands your needs. To help you ascertain which agents fit the bill and which are best left alone, here are some tips to use when you go about your search.
Talk To The Manager Of The Local Realty Company
One of the best resources of finding the right agent for you is the management of a realty company in your area. Call and ask to speak to the manager of one or a few of these firms, tell him or her where your house is located and ask to be referred to the best qualified agent for the purpose of successfully selling your home.
Drive Around The Neighborhood And Scout Out Signs
One of the most important components of selling a home well is for the agent to understand the area and be able to effectively price the home to sell. Industry professional conduct a detailed Comparative Market Analysis to determine some of the important statistics and recent trends that will point them in the right direction to price your home and sell it effectively.
Shortlist Only A Few Agents To Interview
While the temptation may be there to interview as many as five, ten or even more Realtors to find the perfect one – you should resist that impulse and only interview one or two that are on your shortlist. If they are not hired, not only does this pose a potential problem for you in the future in case that agent happens to be the buyer’s agent for prospects later interested in your home, it also becomes awkward in an industry where often everyone knows each other.
Check Out Their Website
Visit the agent’s website. Review in detail the listings they have already closed, others that are in progress plus also check out their accolades and testimonials. One of the best ways to determine how an agent performs is through customer comments. Of course keep in mind that Realtors will typically post only their best client’s comments so you should always ask for contact information of the three most recent clients they have served to get a better idea.
Personally Meet With The Agent
Once you have shortlisted a couple or few agents you would potentially like to work with it is time to schedule an interview with them. Are they easy to work with in terms of scheduling? Do they seem organized? Are they able to answer your questions with ease? And do they seem engaged and tuned in to you as a client? If there are any red flags now is the time to back off. It is also helpful to go in to the interview with a few key questions in mind that are specific to your own situation.
Questions to ask:
Do they seem personally connected with you?
Are they accessible?
What is their track record?
How extensive is their experience in the industry?
Do they specialize in your area or are they a “one-size-fits-all” Realtor?
~
At the end of the day, you want to get your home sold for the best price and you want to work with a Realtor who is personable, experienced and well versed with the negotiations process. It is critical that your agent is familiar and specializes in the area where you are selling your home. Good luck!
-----------------------------------------------
Watch on your mobile device >>
Anyone can put their home up for sale – but if you do things correctly, you can be the seller that gets the home sold at a price you want AND in the time you want to sell it. You will be surprised how simple it is. With just a few steps and a little bit of energy put into sprucing things up, you can be on your way to a successful sale and then move into something better.
Motivation
The number one thing that will help drive your sale is for you to know and understand your motivation to sell. If you have put your home up for sale and leave it up there passively, waiting for someone to come by and show some interest – the home will probably sit there for as long as you sit back and relax. But if you really want that home to sell, tapping into your true motivation will do the trick.HERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU CAN DO TO GET THE HOME READY:
- Prepare the Home for Perpetual Showings
- Clean Up, Clear Up and De-Clutter
- Highlight Its Best Features
- Spruce Up the Exterior
- Effectively Price the Home
Your home should always be ready for prospective buyers to visit for a look. That means that everything should be in working order, nothing should appear unkempt, the home should be appropriately heated or cooled (depending on the season) and there should not be too many signs of your life there. The less personal it appears, the more the buyer will be able to visualize their family in the home.
No one will find a dirty, cluttered home with smudge marks, scuffed doors or dented walls attractive. Make an effort to clear up any clutter, remove signs of personal belongings that would hinder a buyers’ ability to imagine living there. Clear up kitchen counters, shine up fixtures in bathrooms, remove any pet smells and turn on lights so they can see the home well.
If your kitchen counter tops are high-end, make sure that there is no clutter on them. If your deck is one of the best features of your home, try to highlight it with nicely arranged patio furniture. Showing off the home’s best features will attract plenty of attention and keep serious prospective buyers there lingering longer for a closer look.
Make sure there is plenty of curb appeal. Pay attention to the condition and quality of siding, outdoor lighting, trees and flowerbeds, weeds, the grass and main entrance through which potential buyers will enter. Nothing beats that first impression when people are actively shopping for the perfect home.
Price your home realistically and appropriately so you do not risk losing prospective buyers to other homes in the neighborhood that might be priced lower. Ask your listing agent to conduct a detailed CMA to determine where your property fits on the pricing scale. Be realistic and remember that what you paid for the home or what you may still owe on it has nothing to do with what you will be able to price the home for, especially during a challenged market.
Discretion
One of the biggest mistakes many homeowners make when selling their home is to freely discuss all aspects of the process with anyone or everyone in their social and professional circles. This can backfire if the information that you may not have intended for someone else, reaches him or her inadvertently. By keeping the details of your transaction between yourself, your Realtor and maybe one or two very close friends or family members, you will protect yourself from any unforeseen circumstances that could negatively affect the deal.
~
At the end of the day, no one better than your Realtor understands the selling (and buying) process for real estate. Be sure to hire someone you can trust completely – and then leave things in their hands and follow their lead and advice. You will indeed sell your home very successfully!
---------------------------------
Tips on Finding the Perfect Real Estate Agent to Sell Your Home
Watch on your mobile device >>
As you embark upon the endeavor of selling your home, it is important to have the right team in place. Pivotal to your home selling success will be a qualified, experienced agent that specializes in your area and one that connects with you and understands your needs. To help you ascertain which agents fit the bill and which are best left alone, here are some tips to use when you go about your search.
Talk To The Manager Of The Local Realty Company
One of the best resources of finding the right agent for you is the management of a realty company in your area. Call and ask to speak to the manager of one or a few of these firms, tell him or her where your house is located and ask to be referred to the best qualified agent for the purpose of successfully selling your home.
Drive Around The Neighborhood And Scout Out Signs
One of the most important components of selling a home well is for the agent to understand the area and be able to effectively price the home to sell. Industry professional conduct a detailed Comparative Market Analysis to determine some of the important statistics and recent trends that will point them in the right direction to price your home and sell it effectively.
Shortlist Only A Few Agents To Interview
While the temptation may be there to interview as many as five, ten or even more Realtors to find the perfect one – you should resist that impulse and only interview one or two that are on your shortlist. If they are not hired, not only does this pose a potential problem for you in the future in case that agent happens to be the buyer’s agent for prospects later interested in your home, it also becomes awkward in an industry where often everyone knows each other.
Check Out Their Website
Visit the agent’s website. Review in detail the listings they have already closed, others that are in progress plus also check out their accolades and testimonials. One of the best ways to determine how an agent performs is through customer comments. Of course keep in mind that Realtors will typically post only their best client’s comments so you should always ask for contact information of the three most recent clients they have served to get a better idea.
Personally Meet With The Agent
Once you have shortlisted a couple or few agents you would potentially like to work with it is time to schedule an interview with them. Are they easy to work with in terms of scheduling? Do they seem organized? Are they able to answer your questions with ease? And do they seem engaged and tuned in to you as a client? If there are any red flags now is the time to back off. It is also helpful to go in to the interview with a few key questions in mind that are specific to your own situation.
Questions to ask:
Do they seem personally connected with you?
Are they accessible?
What is their track record?
How extensive is their experience in the industry?
Do they specialize in your area or are they a “one-size-fits-all” Realtor?
~
At the end of the day, you want to get your home sold for the best price and you want to work with a Realtor who is personable, experienced and well versed with the negotiations process. It is critical that your agent is familiar and specializes in the area where you are selling your home. Good luck!
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How To Set Up the Perfect Show-Ready Home To Get Your Home Sold!
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What do we do when we are looking for love, go out to meet others and attract their interest? We make sure we look our best, present our best effort and highlight our endearing qualities to “reel in” the perfect catch. The real estate market is no different. When you are selling a home, you are looking for the perfect buyers to show interest in your home and you hope to share with them what it is you love about the house.
Like meeting a new person in the dating scene, selling a home can be a hit or miss game but unless you make the effort to present your home in the best light, you may be in for a string of not-so-perfect buyers that are less than interested in making an offer. Here are some things you can do to make sure that buyers get that twinkle in their eye when they first set their sights on your home.Make Them Love It At First Sight
The old adage about not judging a book by its cover certainly does apply to properties but the last thing you want to do is lose a potential sale because you haven’t paid attention to first impressions. Most homeowners these days have watched some HGTV and one of the things that come up in many of their shows is “curb appeal”. Curb appeal refers to how attractive or enticing the exterior of a home is in terms of landscaping, the driveway area, front porch, entryway, garage and other exterior features.
It goes without saying that you should repair any damage and clean up areas that are out of sorts. Adding soft touches like some flowers or even some professional landscaping can also make a world of difference in buyers’ impressions of the home. If you are showing a home after dark, one thing you can do is to turn on exterior lights, creating an appealing peek through as people first drive up to the home.
Keep Things Classic, Clean and Clutter-Free
Nothing is more of a turn off to buyers than a home filled with too much stuff. The last thing buyers want to see is closets and counter space bursting at the seams with too many things, an over-abundance of personal items or a mismatched and unattractive arrangement of furniture. Classic, simple décor with clean lines and neutral colors is most appealing. Not only does this allow them to see the actual house but it also gives them the opportunity to visualize their own customization in the space.
Walk through the home and remove all extra items that are lying around, clear off kitchen counters and remove all personal items from bathrooms and other surfaces. Imagine walking into the perfect hotel room – while looking lived-in, the space is still elegant without too many things crowding the space.
Whether showing off shiny granite countertops, impeccable resurfaced wood floors or displaying the backyard pool – it is important for buyers to be able to see all that the home offers in terms of amenities and features. If the walkout basement is a strong selling feature, you could clear the area and pose potential uses for the space such as making it a media room or workout area. When buyers see versatility with which the space is utilized it will create more interest in your home.
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Remember, buying a home is just like finding a new love. There must be chemistry. And unless you make the effort to present the home in its best light, chances are you will not find the perfect buyer.
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One Strike – You’re Out! Getting It Right the First Time When Selling a Home
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Anyone can become a real estate agent and with the right gimmicks anyone can attract a fair amount of attention too. But what does it really take to get the job and get the job done? Selling a home is definitely a challenge these days as we delve deeper into this difficult market – however with the right tools and techniques it can and is done very successfully!
The key is to be working with a solid Realtor that knows their business, knows the area – in fact specializes in that vicinity – and an agent that brings myriad experiences to the table.
If you find yourself at a standstill and are unable to sell your home – it is time to scrutinize the listing and everything that goes along with it, to see what is going wrong. Essentially, unless you have a strong Realtor that knows what they are doing you can often find yourself in a position of home having to sell on its own. Traditional methods of selling mean just that – the home sells itself, meaning the transactions are largely reactive.
But top-producing Realtors have a far more proactive approach.
What Can I Do Differently To Get This Home Sold?
Now that you realize that the wrong techniques may have been in place, what do you do next? All is not lost. With over 500 homes sold, there are countless clients served by the Robert Radcliffe Group where there was no movement on the home prior to engaging the more proactive Realtors.
ENGAGE IN SOMETHING FRESH AND NEW
The first thing we advise is that more than just getting the home back on the market, it is essential that something new, innovative and unique is done. If the home was posted on an MLS service before – perhaps the photographs were not appealing enough to attract the right attention. The description may very well need to be reworked and enhanced to appeal the type of buyers you are seeking. It is very possible that the price is way off and a detailed analysis needs to be conducted to compare other similar properties in the area so that your price can be accurate.
MAKE SURE THERE IS WIDE MARKETING REACH
Marketing reach is critical. Most homeowners simply do not have enough personal and business contacts to be able to tap into and sell their home. They rely on their Realtor and their extended network. There is a lot of active prospecting going on in realty companies and this includes a host of buyers. By cross matching potential buyers with your home our success rate skyrockets.
PROVIDE BUYERS SOME ADDED VALUE
There are many more methods of relaying information to buyers. Our high-level, international website has global reach and is attractive while providing value-added information for readers. Through this style of subtle advertising, buyers feel less pressure but are nonetheless exposed to properties we have listed.
UTILIZE AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGY, TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES
More aggressive sales techniques include actively engaging in technological advances and utilizing all tools such as panoramic videos of the property, active email campaigns and the use of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. By using these techniques the sellers automatically have an edge over others. In fact, there are many Realtors that are still only in it for the sake of commission. Those that seek to produce results for their clients are concerned with their clients’ best interests – and are the ones that end up getting something done.
GET PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE HOME
Involve professionals wherever possible. Whether this means having professional photographs taken of the home, the money spent is well worth it. Not only that, be sure to prepare the home in advance so that it shows well once photographed. It could mean a sizable difference in the selling price of the home.
Honesty really is important when it comes to the client/agent relationship. Even though many people would like to hear that everything is fine – until and unless your agent does not spell out exactly what needs to be done, chances of success are greatly diminished. Whether this means advice about changes that may be needed done on the home, a price point that does not seem realistic as per the current market – or even which lender to approach.
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As a proactive Realtor, I strive to provide value to my relationships with my clients. For your benefit, I’ve posted a great article titled “6 Reasons That a Home Won’t Sell – Even In a Hot Market”. Also on my site, I’ve detailed what we do that is different and why we provide results. Visit our site at www.RobertRadcliffe.com to learn of our Home Sale System; the marketing system in place that will get your home sold.
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