Mr. Home Seller, I heard a rumor that you're thinking of selling your Crofton-area home.
I understand you've been doing some research online, where you found an article advising home sellers to:
- Sell your home yourself
- List your home on the MLS for a few hundred dollars
- Offer a big fat commission to the buyer's agent, maybe five or six percent, so they will sell your home instead of another
The guy who wrote that post had a lot of good ideas, in your opinion, and he must know what he's talking about. After all, it was a very official looking website with an important-sounding name!
Okay, I understand how you feel and I applaud your taking the time to do some research to learn about the home sale process. However, I disagree with some of the suggestions you read...
I won't debate the article point by point (unless you want me to when we get together in person), but I do want to ask you a few questions, Mr. Seller. You see, real estate agents work very hard to make the sale of a home as smooth and pleasant as possible for their clients. That makes it appear easy, but that's because agents handle all the details and problems that arise. Without an experienced and well-trained agent, you could encounter some of the situations I've overcome in the past - it would be up to you, and you alone, to resolve them.
1. Do you know how to get buyers to choose your home?
Do you know what it takes to sell a home during periods of inflation or recession, war or peace, seller's market or buyers' market, winter blizzards or summer heat waves? (i.e., have you actually done it?)
Would you know how to handle it if someone told your prospective buyer that a stream runs under your home, but that's not true?
If the appraisal comes in below your sale price, do you know how to save the sale of your home?
If a home seller down the street offers to pay buyers' closing costs or they drop the listing price below yours, what will you do to compete?
Do you know how to increase your bottom line after all selling expenses?
I do!
2. Do you want more money for your home?
Sure, you might sell your home "for sale by owner" and save the commission. But you could end up with less money in your pocket than you would with me working for you.
Just ask Melissa and Ty Eanes who listed their Bowie rental townhome with me via email and fax, without ever meeting me face to face. I sold it for $6,000 more than they expected - in less than three hours.
Ask Dan Stachurski, who listed his Severna Park detached home with me; I recommended selling the side yard separately - for a total of $35,000 more than he expected. (I've helped other people do this, too!)
Or Jacque Boock, who found me here on ActiveRain and listed her over-improved Crofton condo with me. I found a buyer and successfully appealed the appraisal to sell it for about $20,000 more than anyone expected. (To a buyer who is thrilled with the home, I might add.)
Most of my listings have sold at top dollar - many of them in less than a week. If anyone can sell a home in record time at top dollar, I can!
3. Do you know how to get your home ready for selling?
Should you paint the basement walls, or will that look like you're trying to hide something?
Should you replace the carpet, or just clean it?
Should you turn on the lights, or leave them off?
Should you re-arrange some of your furniture to make the rooms look larger?
Should you board the dog or confine him to the kitchen?
Any wrong decision could cost you money, or even a sale.
4. Do you have the experience to know what's really necessary and what's not to make a buyer say "yes!" to your home!
I do! I've been selling homes in Maryland since 1973 - over a thousand of them, one at a time.
And I still learn something new with every transaction that makes me better prepared for the next one. After 35 years of selling homes full time, for people just like you, I continue taking classes including one-on-one weekly coaching sessions,
I invest thousands of dollars and countless hours each year to generate buyers for my home sellers.
You and I will be competing head-to-head for the same buyers.
P.S. Beware of Buyer's Agents!
Since most of today's qualified homebuyers are busy people with demanding jobs, family commitments, long commutes, and other responsibilities, they hire a buyer's agent to help them find and buy a home. (In most cases, the buyers' goals determine which properties buyers see, NOT the size of the agents' commission.)
The buyer's agent will always advocate for the buyer and protect the buyer's best interest - NEVER yours, even if you're paying the buyer's agent fee.
Your most casual and innocent conversation with an experienced buyer's agent may provide valuable information to help the buyer take advantage of you in negotiations.
Yet, it is very likely that any offer you receive will be conditioned upon YOU paying the fee for the buyer's agent, usually about 3-4% of the sale price (but remember - that article suggested you pay 5-6%). And there may be other conditions in the offer that are unfavorable to you. Will you even realize the impact of language in the small print of the offer?
I will!
Mr. Home Seller, I hope you'll reconsider. You see, the VALUE I bring to your home sale is the peace of mind of knowing I can handle any issue that arises, so you will have a smooth and pleasant home sale. You know that my 35 years of training and experience PLUS the power of RE/MAX will give you a competitive edge in this tough market.
Let's talk about RE/MAX now, Mr. Seller...
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Absolutely a great post! Very informative! I give it my highest 5 Star Award!
I love this! Great format & info to boot!