As a full-time REALTOR, much of my time is focused on reviewing my local market of Oak Ridge, NJ, and surrounding markets. Among my scheduled activity is a daily online review of what is newly listed, reduced in price and sold.
Hardly a week passes when I'm not astounded by the downright awful pictures that are uploaded on the MLS systems. My shock soon wears off as I realize that the homeowners must not be aware of the pictures that are being used as a marketing tool to sell their home! The homeowners don't know that their largest asset is being marketed in a much less than desirable manner.
Years ago, (actually it feels like light years ago) before I became licensed, my husband and I listed our home with a real estate agent. I was naïve about the process and trusted the agent to market my home to the utmost degree....certainly that meant using flattering pictures, right? Not.
When I reviewed the pictures on the MLS, I was horrified. My son's room was painted a bright blue. It showed as NEON BLUE in the pictures. The picture of the front of the house showed the garage door open and her car in the driveway. I called her immediately and told her the pictures needed to be changed and/or deleted and replaced with pictures that were more flattering. IMMEDIATELY.
Dare I say this ... Homeowners: get involved in the marketing process. Review the pictures that will be used in the marketing materials and online. Go to REALTOR.COM and see what your home looks like online. And why not? You're paying a fine sum of money to have your house marketed to its highest and best degree!
When you hire a REALTOR to market your home and you hand over the keys to your house, review the pictures that are taken of your home! Ask to see the copy that has been written for submission to real estate websites! Ask which real estate websites the listing will be submitted to!
In this challenging market, you need a REALTOR who is going to give it their all when marketing your home.
In 2005, I decided to earn a designation as an Accredited Staging Professional (ASP). The course was informative and the knowledge I've gained has proven exceptionally useful to my clients. Once it's determined that a client will hire me to market their home, I give them a free consultation on what they can do to improve their home's marketability. Basically walking through your house, room by room, and making suggestions on what to move...what to remove... How we live in a home and how we sell a house are two different things. Is a REALTOR going to put some thought and effort into positioning your house favorably or are they just going to take pictures of the home "as is", stick a sign in the ground and slap the listing onto the MLS system?
Do you really know if your home will be positioned in its most favorable light? Here's some pictures of homes that are currently listed or have sold in Oak Ridge, NJ.
Is this how you want your home to appear in front of your prospective buyers? You decide...
These rooms are otherwise beautiful. Great fireplace, vaulted ceiling. The kitchen has great stainless appliances and lovely cabinets. But the mess just screams "DISTRESS." No wonder this home sold way below asking price!
More pictures...
Catch the overturned hamper in the bedroom, along with the crumpled tissues on the floor?
If you're contemplating selling your Oak Ridge NJ home, call "Antoinette" Scognamiglio of Prudential New Jersey Properties. My specialty is marketing homes so that buyers feel "they must see that house immediately!"
As of this writing, Jefferson Township has over 190 homes on the market...that's a lot of inventory! When your home becomes available for sale, ensure your representation is doing everything they can do make your house outshine the competition.
I don't take my listings or my clients for granted! I work hard to ensure every home that's entrusted in my care looks its best when it's time to shoot those property pictures. Compelling ad copy that highlights the unique attributes of your home is written and submitted to numerous real estate websites.
Why just list your home with any agent? Call the REALTOR who'll care to handle your business with kid gloves... from marketing to closing!
© 2008, All Rights Reserved. "Antoinette" Scognamiglio, REALTOR® Associate, Prudential New Jersey Properties, 64 Diamond Spring Road, Denville, NJ 07834.
"Antoinette" Scognamiglio specializes in the northern New Jersey markets of Northern Bergen County, Morris and Sussex Counties, in addition to several townships in Passaic County. Certified by Prudential New Jersey Properties as a relocation specialist, I take exceptional care in assisting my clients in finding their new home and community.
Please visit http://www.antoinetteshomes.com/ to learn more about my philosophy in conducting real estate business, and also to access the resources I offer to the public at large. My credo is..."The title of REALTOR® should be held with great care or not held at all." Put your real estate transaction in careful hands. Contact me directly on my cell at 201-240-8699 or my Denville office at 973-625-1250, ext. 105.
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