Archive for February, 2011

Sellers often ask if they can stay in their home while it is being viewed by a potential buyer.

My answer is almost always a resounding “NO!!” 

A simple slip of the tongue can give a buyer a real advantage.  I’ll give you an example.  I took a Buyer to view a house last week and the Seller was home.  I asked the Seller if she was tired of having people traipse through her home.  She responded that there had been more than 30 showings and that she closes on her new home at the end of the month.  Seems innocent enough, right?

WRONG!  That told me that the home had been on the market a long time with many showings – so something was either wrong with the house or it was overpriced.  Not only that, I now knew that the Seller was anxious to sell and move and might accept a lower offer with a quick closing.  That innocent response to my question gave my Buyers an advantage had they decided to make an offer.

From another perspectifve, Buyers feel uncomfortable viewing a home when the Seller is present.  They don’t feel they can ask all of the questions that come to mind, they don’t feel comfortable opening cupboard or closet doors and they feel that the Seller is “protecting” their home from something – and in fact may not even be really keen on selling at all.  A Buyer feels that they are “violating” private space if the Seller is in on the viewing and this prevents the Buyer from giving the home a good inspection. 

If a Seller really wants to sell, they will present the home in the best possible light……clean, uncluttered and “owner absent”.   The same is true for the listing agent – he or she should NOT be there during a showing.

If a Buyer can tour a home with nobody but their own agent in tow, this will allow:

1. A thorough examination of the home
2. Open communication between the Buyers and their Agent about any issues that arise during the showing
3. An atmosphere of sincere interest – the Seller, by his absence, indicates a real intent to sell to the potential Buyer.

So, Mr. and Mrs. Seller, next time there is an appointment to show your home, your absence would be greatly appreciated!

Kris

Everyone has heard, “Don’t sweat the small stuff”…but when selling your home, The Small Stuff can make a BIG difference.  Some Buyers can overlook the small stuff, but many can’t and won’t!  By Small Stuff, I am referring to things like burnt out light bulbs, loose doorknobs, closet doors that are off the hinges, or small tears in the screen on the back porch.  There are also quick & easy “Housekeeping” items that can make the home feel Tidy & Clean & well maintained.   

Here’s one example….I was showing a home last week and opened a closet door and a pile of linens fell out of the closet onto my buyer!  We laughed and put everything away, but it left the impression that the home was lacking storage.  It really had plenty of storage space but the Sellers hadn’t taken the time to go through the closet, fold items neatly and get rid of the items that they didn’t want to move. 

Is your cute little trash can in the bathroom over flowing?….Empty it!  Replace the empty toilet paper tube, remove the stickers from your child’s bedroom door and repaint if necessary.  Maybe the refrigerator needs to be cleaned or the dog hair removed from the baseboards? By all means, do not leave your underwear or dirty socks on the floor…and yes, I have seen that when showing a property!   The Cleaner, The Better when selling your home and that means the outside too!  

The market seems to be picking up here already for “Spring”.   I can guarantee that the homes that show the best and are priced well, sell first and for the most money!  So make yours stand out!  For more tips and suggestions, give me a call.

Kris

Myths about real estate agents usually develop from somebody’s negative experience.  Since I feel that a good real estate agent is worth every single penny you spend for their expertise and assistance, let’s examine some of the more popular myths.

“They make too much money”. According to CareersInFinance.com, the average salary for real estate agents in 2009 was approximately $54,000.  Agents pay significant business expenses such as brokerage fees, the MLS® System of the Ottawa Real Estate Board listing fees, advertising, continuing education and professional organization membership fees.  These expenses quickly add up and eat into a large percentage of earnings.

“They won’t get you a good deal because they make a commission on the sale price”.  Yes, real estate commissions are based on a percentage of the sale price but consider this:  the commission on a $185,000 home might be $4625 at 2.5%, while the commission on a $200,000 home would be $5,000.  The difference of $375 is hardly enough to cause the agent to push a buyer into paying more than they need to.

“They will say anything to make a sale”.  Professional real estate agents work for you.  Our goal is for you to have a positive experience….after all….much of our business comes from referrals.  We cause ourselves problems if we don’t provide excellent service and end up with happy, satisfied clients.

“They don’t do anything you can’t do on your own”.  The truth is that buying and selling real estate can be quite complicated and very time consuming.  Sure, you can order home inspections and surveys on your own.  You can even negotiate your own terms.  However, professional real estate agents are trained to do this and have experience doing so.  As a result, we will save you money, time, and make your life less complicated throughout the entire process.

Don’t ever underestimate the value of a professional real estate agent.

Let me help you save time and money when buying or selling a home.  Call or email me today and let’s get started!

Kris

I was working with Buyers last week who were unable to decide if a particular home they had viewed was “the right” home for them.  It happened to be the very first home they had looked at.  We went on to view a few more, but none of them stacked up when compared to the first home.  By the time they decided to go back and put an offer in on the first home, it was already conditionally sold and in fact, firmed up within 5 days. 

It is difficult for Buyers to stop looking after one viewing….there is always the feeling that there just might be something better out there. When faced with this scenario, I ask my Buyers, “What if there isn’t something better?    What if this is the perfect home for you and you miss out on it because you aren’t prepared submit an immediate offer?

The next time I took my Buyers out to view homes, I asked them how they felt about losing the first home they looked at.  Their response was “Very disappointed”.  
Now, when they see a home that could very well be “the one”, they must ask themselves “Would you be sad if this home was gone once you make up your mind”?  If the answer is “yes”, then let’s write the offer NOW!

Kris