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New Years Resolutions for Home Sellers

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Crescent City Living LLC Licensed LA RE Commission

 checklist

Everyone has that list, whether they write it down or just keep it in their head.   All of the things they vow to improve on, change or implement in the New Year.  Lose weight, get organized, spend more time with the family, focus on business....the list goes on and on.

If your West Bank home is currently for sale or you are getting ready to sell, have you considered making a list of New Year's resolutions related to how you can accomplish that goal?  Here is my short list of suggested resolutions for all New Orleans West Bank home sellers:

1.  I resolve to have my home ready to show.   Don't lose out on a sale because you weren't prepared to meet buyer expectations.  Need to know how?  Read these articles:

2.   I resolve to price my home right.   Take a hard look at what is selling in your area and price your home accordingly.  Consider how much it is costing you each month that your home doesn't sell...can this be offset with a lower price to reach a quicker sale?

3.  I resolve to treat selling my home like a business.  It's time to put your emotions away and take a new approach to home selling.

4.  I resolve to listen to my West Bank agent.  Selling a home is a partnership between the agent and the home owner.  We have to work together to attract as many potential buyers as possible.  As your agent, I promise to do my part, the rest is up to you!

 Happy New Year

As we move into the New Year, it is a great time to take stock of what has worked or not worked for us in 2007.  It is also the time to resolve to change the things we can to make 2008 even better.  Here is to your home selling success in 2008.

 

 

Lisa Heindel

 

 

When buying or selling a home on the West Bank of New Orleans, you deserve professional, local expertise and advice. Lisa Heindel provides full time, professional real estate services to home buyers and sellers in Algiers, Algiers Point, Belle Chasse, Gretna, Terrytown, Harvey, Marrero, Westwego and more.

West Bank Homes for Sale – Find a home for sale on the West Bank or other New Orleans metropolitan area.

Contact Lisa Heindel for help buying or selling your New Orleans area home

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Copyright 2007. Lisa Heindel, All rights reserved.

Elaine Hanson
Coldwell Banker Realty - Malibu | Topanga - Malibu, CA
REALTOR - Topanga, CA Real Estate Agent
Lisa, you have really distilled this down to the essentials, the best things a seller can take to heart.  You are providing great, no nonsense advice to your sellers.  It is hard to remove the emotion from the sale of one's own home and treat it as a business deal, but with your guidance, a successful sale will follow.
Dec 27, 2007 12:16 PM
Jessica Horton Jessica Horton Realty
Jessica Horton - Jessica Horton & Associates - Griffin, GA
Jessica Horton: I'm not #1... You Are!

Lisa:

I like it!  I love it! 

I think your clients will enjoy their experience when working with you!  You bring your "A" game!

 

 

 

 

You get my gold star award of the day!

Dec 27, 2007 12:23 PM
Lisa Heindel
Crescent City Living LLC - New Orleans, LA
New Orleans Real Estate Broker

Elaine, truly, what more can a seller do but prepare their home and price it right?  The market is not in our control, the buyers are not in our control...we can only offer up the best product at the best price, which almost always leads to success.

Jessica, THANK YOU!  I hope my clients like me...I sure do like them!

Dec 27, 2007 12:30 PM
Anonymous
Kathy Bernacchio, Stage to Sell
Lisa,  That is eactly what I tell my clients.  The only things you control are the price of the house and how it is presented to the buyer--staging.  If it is cluttered or many times it can be very well furnished but buyers cannot see past the furnishings to the bones of the house.  Staging helps present the house to the potential buyers to help them mentally move into the space.  It is the essential ingredient in today's real estate market.
Dec 27, 2007 01:17 PM
#4
Lisa Heindel
Crescent City Living LLC - New Orleans, LA
New Orleans Real Estate Broker
Kathy, you are so right!  With so many homes on the market, the ones that "show" the best and allow the buyers to picture themselves at home will always be the first to sell.
Dec 27, 2007 01:34 PM
Kathy McGraw
CELLing Realty - White Water, CA
Riverside County CA Real Estate
Lisa- Well I see you already got a Gold Star for this .....so now all you need is for the right buyer and seller to connect :) :) seriously, I like your take on New Years Resolutions.....and if your sellers will listen, then maybe they will in fact get one of those coveted successful sales :) :)
Dec 27, 2007 02:18 PM
Lisa Heindel
Crescent City Living LLC - New Orleans, LA
New Orleans Real Estate Broker
Kathy, keep it simple, right?  Sticking to the basics...preparing and pricing...is what will sell houses in this market.
Dec 27, 2007 02:22 PM
Judi Morgan
RETIRED - San Antonio, TX
San Antonio, TX Real Estate
Lisa, Very Well Done.  I like the New Year's Resolution approach.  I have 2 new listings to start the New Year, I've told them that pricing the property right and making sure the home is always ready to show are key right now.  We don't want to refuse any showings either.
Dec 27, 2007 02:35 PM
Lisa Heindel
Crescent City Living LLC - New Orleans, LA
New Orleans Real Estate Broker
Judi, thank you!  Refuse showings?  That's a sure fire way to keep a house on the market...there are so many to choose from that the buyers just move on and never look back!  Congrats on your new listings!
Dec 27, 2007 02:49 PM
Lisa Heindel
Crescent City Living LLC - New Orleans, LA
New Orleans Real Estate Broker
Andrew, thank you!  Since I can't wax poetic about scenery like you, I just give them lots of data.  Must be that accounting major coming out in me :)
Dec 28, 2007 01:07 AM
Anonymous
Barbara Ayres
All your blogs and your advice is great!  I am an inactive real estate broker and mortgage broker in Tucson and have a house to sell, and found your articles extremely interesting!  Thanks!
Dec 28, 2007 06:41 AM
#11
Elizabeth Nieves
The Elizabeth Nieves Realty Group - Durham, NC
Bilingual Raleigh - Durham North Carolina Real Estate Team
LISA:  What a cool play on New Year's Resolutions. I love it! So simple...yet so true. I pray that this upcoming year is extra special for you!!
Dec 28, 2007 07:25 AM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher
Lisa, That's a terrific list you put together and something all your sellers should follow. I think you're going to have your best year ever in 2008 with all the help you provide your clients with!
Dec 28, 2007 01:50 PM
Lisa Heindel
Crescent City Living LLC - New Orleans, LA
New Orleans Real Estate Broker

Barbara, thank YOU!  I appreciate the feedback and hope you found something that helps you.  If there is anything I can do for you, feel free to call me anytime.

Elizabeth, you know that my best wishes are with you and yours for 2008 as well.

Carole, thank you, my friend!  I can feel those positive vibes coming my way!

Dec 28, 2007 02:22 PM
Julie Neerings~Lifting Hearts ♥ Building Dreams~
Agent Referral - Salt Lake City, UT
Lisa-Look at you!  You have really put out an excellent post for consumers and from the comments you have people reading all over the place.  This truly is fabulous and I hope for you to have a very Happy New Year!
Dec 28, 2007 03:09 PM
Melissa Grant
A Serendipity World - Greenbackville, VA
The Law of Attraction In Life & Business
This is GREAT ! Sellers should consider this their bible !
Dec 28, 2007 03:09 PM
Lisa Heindel
Crescent City Living LLC - New Orleans, LA
New Orleans Real Estate Broker

Julie, thank you...I was very happy and surprised to see a consumer comment!  My best wishes to you for a fabulous 2008!

Melissa, thanks.  It's really all about the basics, right?

Dec 28, 2007 03:12 PM
Lisa Ryan
Callaway Henderson Sotheby's International Realty - Montgomery, NJ
Selling Princeton,West Windsor and Montgomery Town
Great job Lisa.  I especially think #3 is crucial, and it's what I always remind my sellers of.
Dec 29, 2007 12:38 AM
Lisa Heindel
Crescent City Living LLC - New Orleans, LA
New Orleans Real Estate Broker
Lisa, that IS crucial!  Sellers need to remember that they are selling a HOUSE...it is no longer their home.  They are moving on to a new HOME and will be happy when they get there :)
Dec 29, 2007 01:07 AM