It amazes me that there are real estate agents that don’t seem to get that being completely honest with a home seller may be hard, but it’s the right thing to do. Not long ago, I heard from someone who had been trying to sell their West Bank home with no success. They asked me to take a look at the house and give them my opinion on pricing it for today’s market.
When I visited, I found several items of deferred maintenance that would keep the house from attracting the most qualified buyers, especially the FHA buyers that are making up the majority of home sales in the area. There were lots of little things too, and it’s my practice to let sellers know about everything that could be improved, explain why they need to be improved and recommend the most critical things to be addressed before a house goes on the market.
Sometimes, this means that I don’t get a listing, but I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t address condition. Most owners are open to doing the things that are needed, but there are always those who have a “take it or leave it” approach about the condition of their home, even when just a little bit of time and money can put them into a higher price range.
In my opinion, the house needs to shine from the first day on the market.
So, I gave them a list of repairs and improvements that I thought were necessary before the house would be worth what they are hoping to sell it for.
I got the following email:
Lisa - Thank you for your honesty. I had asked my previous realtor to let me know the things that we could do to fix it up and she didn't have anything to tell me. I appreciate your honesty and frankness….
Why would an agent not tell someone what needs to be done to make their house marketable? It is our job as professionals to promote our client’s best interests and appealing to the broadest market is definitely in their best interest. Also, if there are issues that are going to keep a house from selling quickly or at the listed price, it’s the job of the agent to counsel the sellers in advance about how those issues may affect their ability to sell.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t like to be the person who tells someone that their house needs to be cleaned or decluttered or deodorized. But I also don’t want to be that agent that isn’t honest with a seller.
When you are choosing a REALTOR, make your selection based on more than just what price they are willing to list your home at or the commission they are charging. Find an agent who is realistic and candid about what you need to do before putting your house on the market.
That’s what they are getting paid for.
Originally published at West Bank Living
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