Just yesterday, some feedback came in on a home that had been vacated the day before. There were some spots on the carpet and a mark on the master bedroom wall. So, I got into my car with my steam cleaner and my supply of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers and headed on over. In one hour, the objections that the agent brought to our attention were resolved. The few little coffee dribbles on the beige carpet where the coffee table had been sitting were removed and the mark on the wall, caused by a fabric headboard, wiped off with very little effort. I went back to the office and placed a call to the agent. I thanked him for the feedback and let him know the problems were resolved. The agent said he thought it was a great house, but that this buyer's real objection was that the home had a formal dining room, but no formal living room. In the day of touring homes, the agent discovered that having both formal rooms was really a must for this particular buyer, so there was no way that this listing was going to be a match. But, the agent said he would show this house again in a heartbeat if he met another buyer who matched the criteria.
As a Realtor, I spend part of my time marketing my listings and part of my time following up on the resulting showings to see if we can reach a mutual gain for the prospective buyer and the seller. I don't always personally eliminate the objections, but in this case, the home was vacant, and I knew what needed to be done. There was no need to hire someone to do it. It was an hour out of my day and close by. So, I knocked it out. Sometimes, I have to advise a homeowner that they'll need to hire a contractor to fix some objection that may not have been apparent at the time of listing. By continuing to work to overcome objections, if any, we work our way closer to the buyer with each showing. After all, this is a process.
My Husband laughs when I head out on a Monday morning to refresh the vacuum lines on that vacant short sale in Plano on my way to the office. He had to help me remove the dead squirrel from the pool, though. I draw the line at dead squirrels. After all, I am a girl and that's really gross. When you list homes to sell, especially vacant homes, a vacuum, a broom, some Windex, and Oreck's No Return spray can be some of your best tools-of-the-trade. Top producing real estate agents don't do windows, right? WRONG! I've never met another top producing agent who wouldn't put in a little bit of effort to keep a home show-ready. Right now, as we clear out short sale and foreclosure inventory, even in our region, it is important to show that someone cares about the house.
As a home seller, I suggest that effort is made not only to identify the objections the touring public has to buying the home, but working to overcome them if they are within the realm of possibility for you to do. Some of the objections are surprisingly simple to resolve. Sometimes, as in the case of the buyer who wanted both formal rooms, you aren't going to change the mind of the buyer, as the objection they give online isn't the real objection to purchasing the home. In other cases, you very certainly can take an active role in bringing the buyer back for a second look. After all, in the process, if there is no second look, there will be no offer.
Have a blessed day!
Ronda
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