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Selling Real Estate is Hard Work!

By
Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Lake Norman ~ Cornelius NCREC License #285201

So the title of this post is one of those "It goes without saying" sort of statements, but the title refers to something you might not expect!  While making a career in the real estate business can be challenging for many reasons, none of which we'll explore in this blog today, the "hard work" I'm actually referring to is that of the seller.  Allow me to explain.

When a seller decides that it is time to put his/her property on the market there are many considerations, and they are all very important!  The first, and perhaps the most important consideration is choosing the right agent.  A seller should always decide, right from the beginning, that he/she will interview at least 3 agents to find out which one has the best plan to get to the desired result, and that is to sell at the highest possible price in the shortest amount of time.  The interview process may take a few days or even weeks to accomplish, but in the end you will have made a decision on which agent best understands your objectives and can provide the best possibility of meeting those objectives.  Once the agent is selected, you're just getting started!  I told you this is hard work!!

The second consideration is how you will prepare your home for market.  A seasoned agent can provide you with ideas on how to make your property more appealing to prospective purchasers.  This may mean undertaking significant renovations, painting the interior / exterior, landscaping improvements or it may just mean staging your home properly.  The degree of preparations and the cost will largely depend on how well you have maintained your property up to this point.  Preparing your property for market is closely correlated with how much you can sell it for.  More hard work?  Perhaps, but with the right advice it's well worth it!

Another consideration is pricing your home for market.  While this work may not make your back ache and your knees wobbly, this part can take a large mental toll on you.  Once you have agreed on what preparations are to be done your agent will have an idea of what the "finished product" might look like.  If you choose not to renovate that kitchen you probably won't be able to get that "home with a new kitchen" price.  If your flooring is outdated, don't expect to compete neck and neck with your neighbor down the road with the new hard wood flooring.  You and your agent should have an honest discussion about what you do have and what you don't have to offer and develop a pricing strategy that is honest and consistent with market expectations.  Hard work?  Not as hard as it could be if you don't work through this process with your agent.

Lastly, once you have hired the best agent, prepared your property to the degree that you can and priced your property within market expectations, you must make sure that the property is available to be seen!  I know this may sound strange, but many owners only want to show their property when it is convenient.  "I can only show during the week on my lunch hour" or "I can only show after 6:00 p.m. on weekdays" are all ways to prolong the selling cycle.  Properties that are available when the buyers are available have a much better chance at selling!  Insisting on being at every showing not only has the potential to turn off prospective buyers but increases your work load!   If you have established a working relationship with your agent, which surely you have by now, you should place your trust, and a key, with that agent.

As you can see, selling real estate is hard work, but with the right agent and the right plan you can minimize your work load and stress and get to your goals much more quickly!  For more information on selling real estate in The Bahamas, visit my personal website at www.ZacksIslandProperties.com.  I can't wait to hear from you!

Comments(21)

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Li Read
Sea to Sky Premier Properties (Salt Spring) - Salt Spring Island, BC
Caring expertise...knowledge for you!

Nice post...and says it all!

Aug 27, 2012 06:20 AM
Leslie G. Rojohn
MoonDancer Realty - Sylva, NC
GRI, ABR ~ MoonDancer Realty

All good points.  Sellers sometimes think all they have to do is sign the listing agreement and then we will twitch our noses and work magic. Wrong!  They have to be on board with all of it or it's going no-where fast.

Aug 27, 2012 07:12 AM
Peter Matyko
Keller Williams Realty Advantage - Oviedo, FL
Keller Williams Realty
Great advice just wish most adhered to it
Aug 27, 2012 07:36 AM
Gene Mundt, IL/WI Mortgage Originator - FHA/VA/Conv/Jumbo/Portfolio/Refi
NMLS #216987, IL Lic. 031.0006220, WI Licensed. APMC NMLS #175656 - New Lenox, IL
708.921.6331 - 40+ yrs experience

Zack:  Excellent twist offering this info from the Seller's view and side!  As a mortgage lender, I always say NOTHING about buying or selling is easy anymore.  No matter what part you are playing too.  It just is far more demanding than in the past.  Knowing that prior to starting any transaction is important ... Big thumbs up!

Gene

Aug 27, 2012 07:46 AM
Hella Mitschke Rothwell
(831) 626-4000 - Honolulu, HI
Hawaii & California Real Estate Broker

Zack: It always amazes me when sellers or landlords don't think through. I talked to one owner who wants to lease her house for a few months while she was going out of state. When I mentioned that she would need to take out or lock up her personal items such as papers and clothes, it took her by surprise. She hadn't thought it through. Same with selling, you need to get your personal stuff organized to move out within a short time (you hope the house sells fast).

Aug 27, 2012 09:54 AM
Kathy Stoltman
Ventura, CA
RETIRED

Zack, well stated. I have a seller now that is really working hard, too hard for the condition of her property and is very stressed out, luckily, I believe we will be getting an offer that she will like tomorrow, I hope!

Aug 27, 2012 11:09 AM
Joan Whitebook
BHG The Masiello Group - Nashua, NH
Consumer Focused Real Estate Services

Zack execellent post.  This is a great way to make an important point about pricing so that the home sales within the timeframe the seller is looking for.

 

Aug 27, 2012 01:08 PM
Digital Digital
Alachua, FL
full service

Hi Zack,

Congrats on the feature!

This blog is a must read for all potential home sellers as you have pointed out some very important aspects to selling a home that most homeowners don't consider.

Aug 27, 2012 02:39 PM
Sharon Parisi
United Real Estate Dallas - Dallas, TX
Dallas Homes

Zack, I like your approach to this post.  It is friendly and gets your points across.  Great job!

Aug 27, 2012 02:59 PM
Christine Donovan
Donovan Blatt Realty - Costa Mesa, CA
Broker/Attorney 714-319-9751 DRE01267479 - Costa M

Zack - You're right!  Getting a home sold is a lot of work for the seller too.

Aug 27, 2012 03:43 PM
Reuben Fine
Fill-In-The-Blanks PDF Flyer Templates www.TurnKeyFlyers.com - Rossmoor, CA

If it was easy, everyone would be doing it! Like any good business, thinking, planning and preparing are vital. *Subscribed*

 

Aug 27, 2012 04:09 PM
Gary L. Waters Broker Associate, Bucci Realty
Bucci Realty, Inc. - Melbourne, FL
Eighteen Years Experience in Brevard County

Selling is work...hard work. A cooperative seller can make a big difference in how quickly the process achieves success.

Aug 27, 2012 09:21 PM
Wayne Zuhl
Remax First Realty II - Cranford, NJ
The Last Name You'll Ever Need in Real Estate

Good morning Zack - excellent post. Homeowners who really want to sell will put in that extra work and get it done, and the opposite is also true :)

Aug 27, 2012 10:33 PM
Harry F. D'Elia III
WEDO Real Estate and Beyond, LLC - Phoenix, AZ
Investor , Mentor, GRI, Radio, CIPS, REOs, ABR

Selling and/or leasing homes is never easy just like fishing. However, we are prepared to bring the fish in.

Aug 27, 2012 11:20 PM
Richard Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

In theory, many things appear simple...In application is where we get the realness aspect of it...good post

Aug 28, 2012 12:06 AM
Rosalind Nicholas
RE/MAX Condos Plus Corporation, Brokerage - Toronto, ON
Toronto Condo Real Estate Agent, Toronto ON

This is a good post for all my future sellers to read and understand, not only do real estate agents have to work hard, the sellers have to, as well. This post will get them in the right frame of mind!

Aug 28, 2012 12:09 AM
Zack Bonczek
Keller Williams Lake Norman ~ Cornelius - Huntersville, NC
"Client Focused, Service Minded, Results Driven!"

Thank you all for your comments!  It is encumbant on all of us to educate our sellers so that these strategies for selling property become the norm, not the exception!  I encourage all of you to share this post with whomever you feel may benefit from it.  The more we all learn, the more we all earn!!  Cheers!!

Aug 28, 2012 03:49 AM
Kim Boekholder Utah Real Estate/ PECO
Results Real Estate 801.580.5624 - Draper, UT
Broker Results Real Estate/Leasing Specialist PECO

I love that you put the sellers twist on this.  Sellers are often overwhelmed once they actually have to start showing their homes and how often it needs to be shown.  They also wear out easily when they do not get feedback and they often expect it even when they are told that many agents never provide it.  Great way to let the sellers know what they are up for.

Aug 28, 2012 03:57 AM
Kevin Mackessy
Blue Olive Properties, LLC - Highlands Ranch, CO
Dedicated. Qualified. Local.
Selling certainly isn't easy. As long as the seller is willing to work with you, that process can be sped up considerably.
Aug 28, 2012 05:19 AM
Mary Hutchison, SRES, ABR
Weichert Realtors, Welch and Company - Kansas City, MO
Experienced Agent in Kansas City Metro area

It's work for BOTH parties...and works best if both parties agree to the action plan!

Aug 29, 2012 11:08 AM