How fast can you put a home on the market? Can you do it in an hour? Can you do it in a day? On a recent listing appointment a seller indicated that a previous agent suggested if they signed the listing agreement right then they could have the house on the market tomorrow. Gasp!
Sure I can run home and put the basic data in the MLS. I don't have to fill in all the data fields or at least not correctly and certainly I don't care if you clean your house or we take any photos to give buyers an idea of how great your home is. We can slap that puppy on the market and sit back and wait and wait and wait for a buyer to show up at the door.
Or perhaps we could do some prep work and make sure that your home is ready the moment the first buyer walks in the front door. In our current market in Northern Virginia the adage "you only get one chance to make a good first impression" is alive and well. Photos, color brochures, websites and complete MLS data are just a few of the up front activities that need to take place before your home hits the market.
Then there are the things you need to do. De-cluttering, cleaning and touch-ups don't happen over-night unless you happen to have a crew of worker bees on call. Northern Virginia buyers are picky and want your home to be close to perfect before they will put it on the short list.
If an agent suggests to you that if you sign the listing agreement right away they can put your home on the market overnight stop and think about it. Unless your home is already picture perfect then you might want to do a reality check. A well prepared home and listing are the best way to put the SOLD sign in your yard!
For more information on listing your home give me a call at 703-346-2213. I'd be glad to meet you to discuss the right way to get your home marketing and sold in 2009.
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