Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Let Your Seller Prospect Talk & Get Comfy with Your Commission

First of all You need to know as much as you can about the seller's situation and motivation before you can properly advise him. Heck, you need to know this stuff before you can decide if you even want the listing! So, besides the fact that the seller will love you if you let him talk more than you talk, it also gives you the opportunity to better understand if, and how you can best help.So, here's what to do when you get to the house. Have the seller show you around, ask questions, take notes, and really listen to the seller's answers. If this is the first time you've seen the inside of the seller's house, you can't really be expected to tell him what
it's worth; you have to go back to the office and do your homework. But the more you listen and show interest, the more that seller will be impressed with you - seriously! LISTEN, and the seller will trust you. Leave your sales pitch in the car.

Get Comfort with Your Commission Many new agents are nervous about the prospect of
discussing their commission with a potential seller. If this is the case for you, it will help tremendously if you’re 100% comfortable with the commission fee you're going to propose. If you have concerns that you're overcharging for your value, it will be crystal clear to the seller prospect. It can be a tough spot to be in for a new agent! On one hand,the rookie may not be confident in her listing expertise, and therefore her value, but on the other, she must HAVE confidence to negotiate effectively! Here’s the secret - you need to convince yourself that you're worth it before you can ever convince a seller.

http://www.realtytimes.com

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Home selling tips for FSBO

Once you decide to sell your home, it can be helpful to start thinking of yourself as a businessperson and a home-seller rather than as the home’s owner. By looking at the transaction from a purely financial perspective, you’ll distance yourself from the emotional aspects of selling the property that you’ve undoubtedly created many memories in. Also, try to remember how you felt when you were shopping for that home. Most buyers will also be in an emotional state. If you can remember that you are selling not just a piece of property but also an image, a dream and a lifestyle, you’ll be more likely to put in the extra effort of staging and perhaps some minor remodelling to get top dollar for your home. These changes in appearance will not only help the sales price, they’ll also help you create that emotional distance because the home will look less familiar.

Although real estate agents command a hefty commission, trying to sell your home on your own, especially if you haven’t done it before, is probably ill advised. A good agent will help you set a fair and competitive selling price for your home that will increase your odds of a quick sale. An agent can also help take some of the high emotion out of the process by interacting directly with potential buyers so you don’t have to, and eliminating tire kickers who only want to look at your property but have no intention of putting in an offer.

An agent will also have more experience negotiating home sales than you do; potentially helping you get more money than you could on your own. Further, if any problems crop up during the process - and they commonly do - an experienced professional will be there to handle them for you. Finally, agents are familiar with all the paperwork and pitfalls involved in real estate transactions and can help make sure the process goes smoothly.

article source: http://www.yourrealestatetips.com