How to Avoid the Real Estate Listing Black Hole in Western New York.
By Colleen Kulikowski • Category: Sell my WNY Home
Why it is important to work with a dedicated Professional!
Awhile ago, our team went to a listing appointment with a frustrated Cheektowaga NY property owner. They want to get their home sold, but there has been no activity. They had moved into their new home and are happy there. They have been for a couple of years now. Their listing was up and they wanted to interview us to see if we could assist them in selling their home.
Yes you just read that correctly! We are not talking about no activity for weeks or months, but YEARS! The Agent that they had this property listed with could not sell it over several years. More than three in fact!
Let's review why this Cheektowaga home has not sold:
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It is comparable to the other houses on the street, which one sold 6 months prior within a couple thousand of the asking price of ours.
- New roof a year ago, updated bath at the same time.
- It is vacant, no showing instructions in the MLS and no lockbox!
- Price is a little high but not enough to not consider it in a showing list.
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In fact it is in a neighborhood that homes are typically selling in 60-90 days.
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It is in the MLS with a bear bones description and one of the world's worst photos taken by a Realtor.
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MLS Details are incorrect, placing it in a different section of town, tax details wrong, number of bedrooms and baths wrong, square footage incorrect - so many opportunities for this home to be missed!
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I google the address, it doesn't even come up! Not even Trulia or Zillow!
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Go to the agent's website, nope not there. Other listings, but not this one. Oh and on their front page boasting that they have a great internet coverage for all their listings.
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Owner has checked the newspapers - nope never been there.
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The first time the owner saw the MLS Listing was when we brought it to our appointment.
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No sign out front - hmm if a buyer cannot find it on the internet and there is no sign out front, not advertised in the local newspaper - how do you propose it get sold?
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No postcards, no property flyer - since there wasn't a sign there wasn't a flyer box out front!
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Absolutely no feedback why this home was not selling, the only contact the owners had with their Agent was a price reduction request 8 months ago to a relisting call the other day.
Anyone else see a problem here? Now they found us through another listing we had because they were impressed with what we were doing to get there friend's home sold.
Selling a home is not Rocket Science!
What we are doing is what has to be done in today's highly competitive Real Estate Market. Selling a home takes a concentrated effort and a lot of hard work! That includes things like:
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Taking a complete set of photographs of the property
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Insisting on a lockbox - and a complete set of showing instructions on MLS
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Writing interesting text and telling a story about the house, engaging potential Buyers
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Creating a Slide show presentation and featuring it on our website and elsewhere on the Internet
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Giving our sellers helpful tips, and explaining the process and what they could expect during the listing
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Creating an electronic flyer and publishing it via the Internet
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Write about the property on our BLOG
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Keeping in touch with owners, letting them know what is going on or what is not happening
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Feature it On our Websites
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Google the Address - you can find it. We have at least 1 and in most instances 5 or 6 links show up in the Results on Page 1
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Traditional stuff, property flyers, postcards, walking the neighborhood
We were sad to see this happen to good people. Were we surprised? Not really, times are tough and Agents are cutting corners and some are not doing what is necessary to have successful sales! Don't be afraid to challenge your Agent, and partner with someone that is going to do the job! Don't get sucked into the Real Estate black hole!
These folks won't be listing their property for sale with us. They are going to hold onto the property and rent it out.
Attention Western New York Sellers!
If your agent is not keeping in touch with you perhaps it is time to call them and see what is going on.
Thinking of Selling your Western New York home? Then call us today (716) 990-7384 for a FREE Comparative Market Analysis and find out how we can get your WNY home SOLD!
Colleen Kulikowski is your Western New York Real Estate Expert focusing on Buffalo and Niagara Falls neighborhoods of Western New York. If you are on Twitter, please follow me... If you enjoyed this post by your Buffalo & Niagara Falls Home Sales Expert, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!
Email Colleen Kulikowski | All posts by Colleen Kulikowski
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