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Pasadena Realtor Tells All: Sellers BEWARE!

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Pasadena Views Real Estate Team, Inc. BRE# 000872112

As a Real Estate Broker working in the Pasadena, California market place, I have been monitoring homes as they come up on the market.  This, of course, helps me understand and to always be on top of the current inventory.  

As new listings come up in my area, I have programmed my computers to send me an automated email with information on the property immediately upon the home hitting the Multiple Listing Service.

Over the last year or so, I have seen some, well... the only way I can describe it is "doozies" come through my email.  I am constantly amazed that we have Real Estate Agents that literally throw the property on the market with no forethought or plan.

So... I decided to write a series of posts for sellers to give some guidance as to what they should expect from their Real Estate Agent and how they can check to see that their Agent is doing their job.

After all, no one cares about your home like you do.  In most cases, it's your biggest investment.  So... please do not take marketing lightly and ensure make sure that you get what you pay for!

Your Number 1 Goal in marketing your home is quite simply to get as many EYEBALLS as you can to see it!  Simple, isn't it?

The more people I can bring in to see your home, the more likely your house will sell faster and at the highest price!  The first TWO WEEKS of the listing period (being officially on the market, in the MLS) will either make you or break you!

Sellers make sure that your Real Estate Agent doesn't just come in, sign the listing agreement and your home is in the Multiple Listing Service the next day!  OUCH... no preparation and no thought given to exposure.

At the very minimum, I would suggest that your marketing plan and preparation include the following:Staged Living Room

 

  • First, before marketing your home, make sure it's been staged.  Make sure that your Realtor is working with a Staging Professional and brings one in for a consultation to talk to you about maximizing your home's appeal and get it ready ready for sale.  If your home doesn't show well, no amount of marketing/exposure will help.  The price will be the ONLY deciding factor.  Please refer to the following post for more information on staging - What Is Staging?  Also, here's a good example of before and after pictures on a vacant property at www.WhatIsStaging.Info.

 

  • Once your house is ready to show, make sure that your Real Estate Agent takes LOTS of pictures of your home - inside and out!  Not just one picture - TONS of pictures!  Your home at a minimum should have 10 to 12 pictures in the MLS.  Remember, that based on the NAR's (National Association of Realtor's) 2005 profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 77% of consumers start their search on the internet.  Price and location gets their attention, but the pictures entice them to actually set up an appointment and visit the home.  There are too many listings in the MLS that have NO pictures what so ever, or just ONE picture.  In today's age of digital cameras, that is just not acceptable.  Sellers, you can easily check the MLS to see how many pictures your home has and the quality of these pictures.  Would you want to visit your own home after seeing the way it looks on-line?  Pictures are worth than a thousand words, right?
  • Make sure that there is a Real Estate Show (Flash Presentation) or a Virtual Tourassociated with your home on the MLS.  82% of all time spent searching for a home is being spent on Realtor.com.  If you go to Realtor.com, you'll see that one of the search options allows you to search for homes with only Virtual Tours.  Why is that?  In my experience, we are all trying to save as much time as possible.  By looking at pictures and virtual tours on-line, consumers are quick to identify the homes they want.  I even had several of my buyers say to me that if they can't see the home on line, they think that there's something wrong with it - otherwise there would be pictures.  Also it will give your potential buyers a much better feel for the house.  Take a look at the show below to see what I mean.
  • Talking about Realtor.com, the question to ask your Real Estate Agent is - Can you FEATURE my home on Featured homes in Realtor.com?Featured Homes on Realtor.com  Folks, it's really simple, if your home is featured on Realtor.com, it will get 500% more exposurethan a home that is NOT a featured home.  Also featured homes feed to sites like MSN.com, MOVE.com, AOL.com and more... Think Exposure.  Now, only 1% of all Realtors in each marketplace have the Featured Home marketing.  Try to find the ones that do.  At a minimum, Real Estate Agents should be able to Showcase (enhance) your listing on Realtor.com.  If a Realtor, doesn't have a Showcase or a Featured home package, your listing will still appear on Realtor.com, but will not stand out or have the same amount of exposure.  Again, ask before you list, and then follow up by visiting Realtor.com to see how your home looks.

 

  • Your Real Estate Agent should market your home to your neighbors.  It's been proven time and time communityagain that your neighbors will know someone who wants to live in their area.  If your neighbors know about your house and are invited to participate in helping them select their next neighbor, your home's chances of selling faster and for more money increase.  I recommend sending out at least 200 to 400 Just Listed Cards to the neighborhood.  Also, your Realtor should hold a special Neighborhood only Open House - I like holding Twilight Open Houses and inviting neighbors to see the home before anyone else sees it. 
  • Your Real Estate Agent should market your home to the Real Estate community.  Chances are that another agent will represent a successful buyer for your home.  Does your agent have a database with names and email addresses of top agents in the area?  Do they have established relationships with these agents?  How do they market their listings to the real estate community.  What format does the marketing take?  Your agent should utilize both email and the "old fashioned" distribution of flyers to their fellow agents to encourage them to come preview your home.  Also, it's critical to have your home advertised on a Broker Tour.
  • Will your agent create a website specifically for your home?  Will it have it's own domain name that can be advertised on the sign riders and in other marketing materials.  For example, visit http://www.1506Holliston.com
  • What kind of brochures will your agent order?  Are they professional?  In color?  Printed on nice paper?  I sort of like to think of it as writing a resume for a job interview... the brochure represents your home and will be picked up by other real estate professionals, neighbors and potential buyers.  You want it to stand out!
  • Is there an 800 number with a specific message about your home?  A lot of home buyers do NOT want to speak with a Real Estate Agent at the begining.  They are just not comfortable.  But, if they see an 800 number with information about your home that they can call 24/7, they'll do that.  What's more interesting is that as an agent, I automatically get notified of any phone calls that come in on any of my assigned 800 number listings.  I can always follow up with the prospective buyer.
  • Public Open Houses - I am not a huge proponent of Open Houses, but the first weekend that the house is on the market, is very critical.  Holding the home open both Saturday and Sunday makes it easier for potential buyers to stop on by and see your home first hand.

As you can see, there's so much to be done - taking pictures, creating website, publishing flyers, updating Realtor.com and other websites, creating 800 # messages, etc.  It can not be done in one day. 

There are so many steps along with the ones that I have listed here that need to be done before your home hits the MLS.   It's not as easy as just putting a sign in front of your home and saying that it's now on the market for sale. 

Sellers please be aware of what your agent is doing for you!  Don't be afraid to ask questions.  Selling a home is a partnership, both agent and seller working in concert for a common goal.

Please ensure that your home is represented professionally!  Ensure that your agent communicates with you every step of the way.  Ultimately, your bottom line is impacted. 

GOOD LUCK with the sale of your home!

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If you're thinking of buying or selling your home in Pasadena, CA and surrounding cities, please visit me at http://www.irina4realestate.com/ or email me at Irina@Irina4RealEstate.com.

For information about Pasadena, please visit the following links:

Other interesting information:

My Recent Listings:

Upcoming Listing:

  • Highland Park Architectural - stay tuned for more information

 

Comments (18)

Randy L. Prothero
eXp Realty - Hollister, MO
Missouri REALTOR, (808) 384-5645
Irina - Without asking I know you offer all of the above on your listings, putting you in the 1%.  That is a great set of questions for prospective sellers.
Jun 12, 2007 08:21 AM
Irina Netchaev
Pasadena Views Real Estate Team, Inc. - Pasadena, CA
Pasadena CA Real Estate
Hi Randy, thanks for visiting!  I know you are enjoying the ocean in Hawaii right now.  :-)
Jun 12, 2007 10:36 AM
Jack Haydon
Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater Beach, FL
Clearwater Beach Condos - Real Estate Homes for Sale

Irina,

Very good post. I really like the way you have setup this series.

Jack

Jun 12, 2007 11:16 AM
Gary Bolen
McCall Realty - South Lake Tahoe, CA
CRS - Lake Tahoe Real Estate Information

Irina,

You worked on this one. If every agent out there did as much for each client.... Cheers,

Jun 12, 2007 12:26 PM
Irina Netchaev
Pasadena Views Real Estate Team, Inc. - Pasadena, CA
Pasadena CA Real Estate
Jack, thanks!  Now back to being on stand - by for your for I.C.E. calls.  :-)  BTW... did not want you to misunderstand the comment - on phone display only when Cyndee calls you - not real emergencies, of course. 
Jun 12, 2007 02:51 PM
Irina Netchaev
Pasadena Views Real Estate Team, Inc. - Pasadena, CA
Pasadena CA Real Estate
Hi Gary & Richard, thanks for visiting!  Now back to selling homes in Lake Tahoe for you!
Jun 12, 2007 02:52 PM
Cyndee Haydon
Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater, FL
727-710-8035 Clearwater, Beach Short Sales Luxury Condos &Homes

Irina - Congrats on a great post = congrats on your feature.

Clearwater Beach Gold Star   

Jun 12, 2007 03:12 PM
Irina Netchaev
Pasadena Views Real Estate Team, Inc. - Pasadena, CA
Pasadena CA Real Estate
Hey Cyndee, thanks for the papaya and the star!  You seem to be the first one to know when I get featured.  Thanks my friend!
Jun 12, 2007 03:14 PM
Cyndee Haydon
Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater, FL
727-710-8035 Clearwater, Beach Short Sales Luxury Condos &Homes
I've soooooooooooooooo excited for you! Glad we're getting to know each other here!!!  
Jun 12, 2007 04:19 PM
Edith Wharton
Cottage and Loft Realty - Midlothian, VA
Realtor - Chesterfield VA
Great post, Irena! There really is a lot more to selling a house than just slapping it on the mls and sitting back. Thanks for putting it out there.
Jun 13, 2007 12:27 AM
Joyce Heffner-Williams
Keller Williams Clients' Choice Realty - Monument, CO
Owner/Broker/EcoBroker - Monument Real Estate
Wonderful post!  All key points. Still can't believe so many agents use so few photos...
Jun 13, 2007 02:42 AM
Irina Netchaev
Pasadena Views Real Estate Team, Inc. - Pasadena, CA
Pasadena CA Real Estate
Cyndee, me too!  I'm really enjoying visiting your blog!!!
Jun 13, 2007 06:23 AM
Irina Netchaev
Pasadena Views Real Estate Team, Inc. - Pasadena, CA
Pasadena CA Real Estate

Edith, yes there is, isn't there? That's why I'm so frustrated with agents that just put a home in the MLS (with no pictures, most of the time) and stick a sign out.  What a disservice to the seller!

Jun 13, 2007 06:26 AM
Irina Netchaev
Pasadena Views Real Estate Team, Inc. - Pasadena, CA
Pasadena CA Real Estate

Troy, thanks for the kind words!  I can't believe that there are still agents NOT using ANY photos!

Go sell lots of homes in Marina Del Rey!

Jun 13, 2007 06:29 AM
Ana Connell
G & C Properties - Burbank, CA
Burbank Real Estate Agent
Excellent post!!!!!  Great information that is very true!
Jun 14, 2007 04:52 PM
Irina Netchaev
Pasadena Views Real Estate Team, Inc. - Pasadena, CA
Pasadena CA Real Estate
Ana, thanks for visiting!
Jun 14, 2007 05:02 PM
J Perrin Cornell
Coldwell Banker Cascade Real Estate - Wenatchee, WA
Broker, ABR, VAMRES
The days of the three P's are long gone... put up a sign, place an ad, pray...lol
Jun 14, 2007 05:15 PM
Irina Netchaev
Pasadena Views Real Estate Team, Inc. - Pasadena, CA
Pasadena CA Real Estate
Perrin, Amen to that!  LOL
Jun 14, 2007 05:27 PM