This is an interesting question....it is actually part of a question potential clients (people who are getting ready to list their home) asked me recently as I was sitting and having a cup of coffee at Starbucks.
The question itself actually went more like this: "Jeffrey, what do you do that others don't when listing a property?"
They asked the question with a little smirk on their faces because they had sold many homes in the past all over the Country and had received a similar level of service in each of these areas....a lockbox, a sign and entry in their local MLS. They had been told that this was "full service representation" and the agent would of course handle all the negotiations once offers started rolling in.
Funny thing...I hear many agents today pointing out that their local MLS will send the home to trulia, zillow, homes.com....in fact a whole bunch of real estate related websites...so the clients home will be "all over" the Internet. This is part of their "full service"...in fact it is likely in their listing presentation documents.
Let me give you a little description of what I do. (Ask any Brevard County real estate agent who you are considering using to sell your home if they do the same things...before you sign the listing documents):
(in addition to MLS input, a sign in front of the home and a lockbox on your front door):
1. Electronic Lockbox (this type of lockbox will tell me who was in the home...as well as how long they stayed! This type of lockbox requires the agent showing the home to have a special electronic key to get it...and not a four digit number that a criminal could steal and come back in at any time...day or night!...does the other agent feel you are worth that level of security?)
2. Visual/Virtual Tour (attached to your listing in MLS as well as any site on the Internet that allows attachment).
3. Video Flyer with built in Virtual Tour (the flyer will be emailed to agents who work the local area as well many Internet sites like Craigslist and backpage.com...as well as clients who request additional info)
4. Full set of photos (you can not believe how many homes I see that have fewer then the maximum amount of photos allowed...a great disservice to sellers)
5. Build a website for your home (that's right...your home will have its own website! This will increase web exposure)
6. Personal home QR code (this is for use with smartphones and will direct a client directly to your listing...ask the other agents if they even know what QR codes are....or how to use them).
7. Open Houses (that's right...I am happy to do them...if your agent says an open house will not sell your home check out the stats...5% of all homes are sold through open houses...folks that's 1/20th of all buyers)
8. Ads in local news and magazines (again...a very small percentage of buyers come from these...but since I do not know where your buyer will come from I take out the ads...at my expense)
9. Entry into 70 plus Internet sites (...and here is the key...re-entry on these sites 2 times per week until the home is sold...the re-entry is what keeps you at the top of searches)
10. Home Staging (...that's right...I am a certified stager...and I give you staging advice at no charge...this can save you hundreds to thousands of dollars...and make your home sell faster....and again, all at no additional charge to you!)
11. 30 years of negotiating experience (can the other Realtors give you that level of professional experience?)
12. Entry on my highly rated www.SouthBrevardBeachHomes.com website (I personally maintain the website and it has been designed to capture the info on potential buyers for you home as well as others I have listed. Ask the other agents if they have a personal website...or do they just use the "company website" they have been given by their broker (or worse yet...no website at all.)
13. Proper Pricing Strategy for today's market (This one is REALLY important...in a market where 95% of all clients go to the Internet first when shopping for a home...pricing your home wrong by just a few dollars can cost you up to half your showings...ask me about this one!!!!!)
You know what...there are lots more...but if the other agents you are interviewing do not do all of these at a minimum...are they really FULL SERVICE? Keep in mind...I do all of these things at my expense...if your home does not sell it costs you nothing.
Comments(3)