Wow! It's been real busy. Just when I was starting to worry about getting low on inventory, I got slammed. Five new actives and three more coming on after they clean and de-clutter. That's a pretty good weekend.

What I'm noticing too, in my market, Poinciana FL, is that Sellers are starting to get it. They are very receptive to pricing right and getting their home in condition to sell. Of course, these were all expired and withdrawn listings, that had been on the market for months. I guess after six months of very few showings and no offers, their "best house in Poinciana", "don't build'em like this anymore" HOME, has now turned into the HOUSE that they need to sell. Reality has set in. They're with the program. Elvis has left the building.

A couple of things I try to do to get Sellers to be "real" about pricing are:

1. Get them excited about their move. I spend a lot of time asking questions and listening, about the new house they are buying and the area they are moving to. I want them to stay focused on their future, not the past. I want them to be mentally "moving". There's a reason they are selling. Harp on it.

2. If they are moving to another area, but have not purchased a home yet, get them information on house prices in that area. It may be less than they think.

3. Don't spend time on the positive aspects of their house. Highlight the negatives. These are the items the Buyers are going to consider when making their offer.

4. If they think their house is worth more than it is, then look then in the eyes and ask them to explain why? "Justify that price to me. Show me your comparables."

If you do these things and have a strong "Market Analysis" to justify market value, then you should be able to get them to "see the light".

Seller's are not stupid. Most times, they already know what their house is worth, but like any of us, they want as much money as they can get for their property. If you have the facts and are confident in your presentation, they will listen. They want that. Honesty, likeability, confidence and market knowledge, in that order, is what will get you the listing. Not only will you get the listing, but you will get it priced right, cleaned and ready to sell.

I had a Seller today, who couldn't get over the fact that he only had $65,000 in equity instead of the $100,000 he wanted. So I whipped out my credit card and set it in front of him. He said "What's that for" I replied "I have a $10,000 credit line on that card, if you can make it turn into $20,000 then I will make your $65,000 turn into $100,000." He got it! A light came on in his head and I got the listing $35,000 less than he had wanted.

So, folks, Sellers are ready. Be ready for them. When they call you wanting to place their home on the market, tell them "I don't sell HOMES I sell HOUSES." They will listen.