Here's the third, well, kinda the fourth (if you count the introductory teaser) installment in my series "Pricing Historic Homes in Urban Neighborhoods." You can read the rest of the series here:
Introduction
Step One - Before you price, prepare!
Step Two - Preview, preview, preview
I've had a few comments come in to the tune of "Wow - that's a lot of work - is it really necessary to spend so much time pricing a home?" Well, I say - YES! It is necessary! After all, our product is property, and our sellers pay us darn good money to know our product and move THEIR product off the shelf... so I believe with all my heart that we owe it to our future adoring fans to do our homework and make the most knowledgeable recommendations we're capable of.
Although... we'll never be perfect. Sigh.
Back to Pricing.
In the last installment, I talked about how important it is to preview preview preview. The more competing listings you preview, the better sense you'll have of where your listing falls into the mix.
Remember, the houses you're previewing are 1) the competition for your listing and 2) houses that haven't sold.
Why is it important to check out the active listings? Some agents don't preview because they don't think the active listings are relevant. "All that matters is SOLD." Eh, I disagree. First, what's SOLD is not competing with your upcoming listing, and when you're dealing with older homes, buyers don't always have a lot of options that meet their criteria. In many cases, the buyer will only find one or two homes that even come close, so knowing what they're comparing your listing to is critical.
Second, it's important to know WHY that active competition hasn't sold. Especially if it appears to be "priced well." You'll never know for sure why a house hasn't sold by looking at the MLS, although you may have your suspicions. It's not as if the listing agent is going to tell you that the house reeks of cat urine or point out that there's no bathroom on the main floor.
So, when you're previewing, ask yourself...
- WHY hasn't this house sold?
- WHAT makes it superior (or inferior) to "my" listing?
- HOW could the listing agent do a better job marketing this home?
- WHO is the ideal buyer for this property and is it the same ideal buyer as "mine" will attract?
(I can't think of a "when" or a "where," so I'll move on).
Training yourself to ask these questions at every house you preview makes you a better previewer, and therefore, a better pricer. It also helps you to remember each house so you can speak intelligently about the competition with your seller when discussing pricing, as well as down the road when that homes' status changes (sells, withdraws or reduces the price), you'll be able to nod and say to yourself, "Hmmmm, I thought so!"
Speaking of down the road... this is another important reason to preview. When or if the competition sells, you'll be familiar with it in case appraisal problems come up on YOUR property and the appraiser wants to use comparables that aren't appropriate. If you've been IN all the comparables, it's much easier to make a compelling case!
Okay, ‘nuff about previewing. Next time, we'll talk about how to evaluate the SOLDs in your CMA to help you price your historic home in your urban neighborhood!
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The Daily Seduction
Tips & Inspirations to Generate Business from the Very Important People Who Know You
Maryland, and Baltimore in particular has been voted the most visibly historic town in America. There are lots of historic neighborhoods, historic homes not just in Baltimore but across the state. Pricing homes that are visibly historic, on the National Register of Hisoric Places or within historic districs can be both a challenge and time consuming. The most important thing you can do to help your client is to preview other homes in your marketplace, so you know how the homes compare and therefore how the prices compare. 
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