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DO'S AND DON'TS WHEN SELLING A HOME. #1 DON'T

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with 1 STOP REALTY INC.

I WILL BEGIN THIS SERIES WITH ONE OF THE MOST COMMON MISTAKES HOME OWNERS MAKE WHEN SELLING A HOME LISTED BY A REALTOR.

DON'T #1

1) DON'T BE HOME WHILE YOUR HOUSE IS BEING SHOWN IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. THE FACT IS THAT JUST ABOUT ANYTHING YOU CAN SAY OR ANY INFORMATION YOU MAY THINK YOU CAN OFFER IS MOST LIKELY MAKING THE SALES PROCESS MORE DIFFICULT. THERE ARE COMMON REASONS AND UNIQUE REASONS.

REMEMBER I AM A PROFESSIONAL SALESMAN, TRYING VERY HARD TO SELL YOUR HOME. I HAVE A PROCESS AND A PLAN, AND HAVE SKILLS IN THE ART OF SELLING. I HAVE SPENT MY LIFE READING BOOKS, TAPES AND PRESENTATIONS. I LIVE BY SELLING AND DIE BY NOT SELLING. THIS IS ALL I DO. SELL. I HAVE HONED MY SKILLS TO PERFECTION. IF THIS HOME IS FOR THEM I WILL SELL IT TO THEM. IF YOU ARE A BETTER SALESMAN THAN I AM, YOU WOULD NOT HAVE RETAINED OUR SERVICES, YOU WOULD HAVE USED YOURS.

AS AN AGENT, I GENERALLY HAVE A SCHEDULE TO MEET AND EXTRA CONVERSATION BY THE HOME OWNER TRYING TO BE FRIENDLY IS THE LAST THING I NEED. SO I POLITELY LISTEN TO ALL THAT YOU HAVE TO SAY, KNOWING THAT IN THE END I WILL PAY FOR IT.  I WILL BE LATE FOR OTHER APPOINTMENTS, AND EVEN CANCELLING OR RESCHEDULING SOME. 

AS AN AGENT I AM TRYING TO KEEP MY BUYERS FOCUSED ON HOMES THAT MEET THEIR NEEDS, BUDGET AND SIZE REQUIREMENTS. SOME HOME OWNERS FEEL THE MORE THEY CAN SAY ABOUT THEIR HOME THE MORE LIKELY IT WILL SELL. THIS TYPICALLY RAISES MORE QUESTIONS THAT NORMALLY ARE IRRELEVENT TO MAKING A PURCHASE DECISION, YET DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY WHERE INJECTED INTO THE WHOLE PROCESS BY THE SELLER, NOW HAVE IMPORTANCE AND NEED ANSWERS.

WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO KNOW YOUR OPINION ABOUT THE PERSONAL LIVES OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEXT DOOR OR YOUR THOUGHTS ON CITY POLITICS, UNLESS IT IS DEEMED AN ADVERSE FACT. BUT NOW THAT THE BUYER THINKS THE CITY ASSESSOR HAS IT OUT FOR THIS HOME OR THAT THE NEIGHBORS MIGHT BE LEFT WING CULT MEMBERS, WHETHER TRUE OR NOT THESE WILL NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.

AS YOUR AGENT I LIKE IT WHEN I DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS. THIS GIVES ME A REASON TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE BUYERS. IT IS BETTER TO CALL AND GIVE SOMETHING THAN TO CALL AND ASK FOR SOMETHING. IF ALL I HAVE LEFT IS... "SO JOHN AND MARY WILL YOU BUY THIS HOME?" BECAUSE THE SELLERS SPENT SEVERAL HOURS INFORMING US OF EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS HOME, NEIGHBORHOOD, CITY, STATE, COUNTRY ETC. I HAVE NO REAL BULLETS LEFT AS A SALESMAN. MY ARSENAL WAS INADVERTENTLY SHOT OFF LIKE A SUBMACHINE GUN INTO THE AIR, NOT HITTING ANYTHING, BY THE HOME OWNER BEING FRIENDLY. I WILL HAVE LITTLE LEFT TO DISCUSS ABOUT YOUR HOME WITH THE BUYERS. SO WAS ALL THAT INFO REALLY HELPING ME.

IF YOU MUST BE THERE, BE POLITE, SMILE, SAY HELLO. ANSWER QUESTIONS IF YOU KNOW THE ANSWER, IF YOU DON'T TURN TO YOUR AGENTS AND SAY, "I DON'T KNOW" AND I WILL REPLY " JOHN AND MARY I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE EITHER, BUT CAN I CALL YOU TOMORROW AFTERNOON WITH THAT INFORMATION."

 AND AS WE LEAVE YOU CAN BE SURE THAT NOT ONLY DID YOUR HOME GET SHOWN TODAY BUT IT WILL BE DISCUSSED AGAIN TOMORROW AND WILL BE ON THE BUYERS MIND UNTIL THEN. THIS IS A GOOD OUTCOME, THAT COULD HAVE TURNED OUT DIFFERENTLY.

AS YOUR AGENT, TRUST THAT WE ARE GOOD AT WHAT WE DO AND THAT WE WILL SELL YOUR HOME.

 

Comments (3)

Mary Pope-Handy
Christie's International Real Estate Sereno - Los Gatos, CA
CRS, CIPS, ABR, SRES, Silicon Valley
Ouch!  The "all caps" is really hard on the eyes.

It would be great if you could write in regular text (not all caps). It's much easier to read. (All caps is considered to be "shouting" online.)

Best wishes from Silicon Valley....
Apr 07, 2007 03:14 AM
Margie Kaplan
MK Luxury Homes & Condos, Houston Luxury Homes - Houston, TX
Broker, CRS, CIPS, CLHMS, CNHS, TRC
Yes, the "all caps" is hard on the eyes! Even so, I read the whole thing. I can think of numerous time that the homeowner was at the showing and how I wished they were gone.
Apr 07, 2007 03:20 AM
Mary Pope-Handy
Christie's International Real Estate Sereno - Los Gatos, CA
CRS, CIPS, ABR, SRES, Silicon Valley
Agreed, Margie!  Once when my husband and I were shopping for ourselves, the homeowner stayed so close to us that it really put us off.  He followed us all through the house, from room to room. We went into the yard and he followed us again. We were pacing off some space in the yard to see if the garage could be moved and the current garage turned into a family room, so went around a corner. This is the funniest part of all: the seller grabbed a patio chair, followed us, plunked the chair down and sat in it, arms crossed, and watched us pace of the potential garage.

It was creepy to be followed that much. Needless to say, we did not buy the house and I agree 200% that the homeowner really should be gone, if at all possible, during showings.
Apr 07, 2007 04:19 AM