Laura Stevens's Blog

No time to play with the asking price of your home.

Laura Stevens (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:42:28 -0800

Attention all home sellers... The next 50 days are going to be the most critical for getting your home sold.

Buyers who are going to take advantage of the government's credit of up to $8000 need to be in a signed purchase and sales agreement by April 30th and close by July 1st.

In a normal market, this would mean that the asking price of homes for sale would tick up a little. Usually, that is what happens when the demand rises. NOT this time. There are so many homes on the market in almost every corner of the United States that the sellers still need to be very competitive on their pricing.

If you are just coming on the market, you need to have your agent price your home "ahead of the market", that is, about 2% LESS than what the homes are selling for right now.

If you have been on the market for a while, and have either never had a price reduction, or, have had a few minor price reductions, you need to jump way ahead of the market RIGHT NOW. That means pricing your home at about 3-4% below what just sold.

If you are serious about selling your home this year, chances are there is not going to be a better climate for accomplishing that goal than exists right now. Price your home right, right now.

There is speculation that the government may extend the tax credit, and although that is a possibility, I would not want to plan my strategy around that. Better to assume that it will not be renewed and act accordingly. Even if it is extended, it will not cause home prices to rise, so be smart, price ahead of the market and beat your competition to the closing table.

When it comes to pricing homes, it is much better to be the best house available in a given price range than to be the worst option in a higher price range. When you are the former, buyers flock to your door because they recognize the bargain. When you are the latter, all you are doing is helping others in your price range to shine, and therefore sell.

If your home is on the market, CALL YOUR AGENT and talk about an updated market analysis.

If your home is not yet on the market, call a KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY agent in your area, for the best advice and service.

If you don't know of a KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY professional, call or email me and I will be happy to recommend one to you.

Good luck with your sale...

LAURA STEVENS

Keller Williams Realty

413-565-5478

laurastevens@kw.com

Is Real Estate Sales still a good choice?

Laura Stevens (Keller Williams Realty) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:37:33 -0800

YES. That is the simple answer. The long answer is a bit more complicated. There are still buyers buying property and there are still sellers that are selling property. In fact, there are many agents earning above average commissions in this market.

The key to earning an unlimited income in this shifting market is lead generation. Those agents that understand what it is and how to do it are getting their unfair share of the income potential. Those agents that have not shifted their behaviour in this new uncertain market are left doubting their ability to earn a living right now.

We see this happening more and more and the evidence is the disproportionate number of real estate agents that are taking full or part time jobs to augment their income right now.

On the other hand, those professionals who have learned the art of lead generation are getting more leads than they can handle right now.

So, how can you join them and start getting your unfair share of the business? email me at laurastevens@kw.com and I will be happy to share some lead generation tips with you. You can also join in on our classes that teach lead generation on all levels. Just ask for a training schedule and we will be happy to share it with you too.

Careers in Real Estate offer unlimited opportunity

Laura Stevens (Keller Williams Realty) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:03:07 -0800

As the OP of a Keller Williams Realty office, I wear many hats at different times. One of my hats is as the director of our Real Estate School, aptly named, The WESTERN MASS REAL ESTATE ACADEMY.

If you are considering a career in Real Estate, step one is to get licensed. In order to sit for the exam, you must first take a course on Real Estate. This is true in all states, although the length of the course differs depending on what state you reside in.

In Massachusetts, the course is 24 hours, usually spread out over a period of days or weeks. We offer the course in a 6 days configuration (4 hours per day) for day students and also a 9 session evening class for those who are not available days.

Real estate sales can be extremely rewarding, but it is work. Many people get into real estate thinking that it is "easy money" but they quickly learn that this is not the case. You must work at this job just like any other job.

If you are outgoing, not afraid to approach people, but also, not too overly aggressive, then this just might be the career for you. If it is a good fit, the earning potential is unlimited. I have many agents earning six figures on an annual basis and it is not unheard of to earn more than a quarter million per year. You just have to work at it. My job is to show you how. Are you interested? email me at laurastevens@kw.com