Want to sell your home in Central Massachusetts? Develop a good strategy. Agents are almost always better than homeowners at this process because they live, sleep, and breathe real estate. Uncle Harry may claim to know everything about selling real estate, but what worked in 1975, does not typically work well today. Interview an agent, and if you feel that you can trust him/her, hire that person.
Here are a few other things to do for those who want to sell their homes quickly:
Listen to your agent. If he/she recommends hiring a professional cleaner, it's because they want your home sold. Don't take it personally if the agent tells you to remove furniture, pictures, etc.
Marketing. If the agent interviewed doesn't mention technology, start looking for another agent. Most buyers go to the Internet first when searching for homes. Make sure you're comfortable that he/she understands things like search engine optimization, social media, blogging, etc.
Many seasoned agents resist technology, and will continue using strategies that are much less effective today. But that three-line classified ad in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette probably won't work as well as it did in the past.
Other types of marketing. Many of the old methods of marketing still work. Some agents get great results from direct mail, for example, Other agents get better results using other methods. The important thing is to trust your agent. If they advise against print advertising, it's because they've learned that other avenues deliver better returns on marketing investments.
Open Houses. Don't eliminate an agent if he/she recommends that you do not hold an open house. Many agents only do open houses, because the seller wants it, even though less than 2% of homes get sold via open house. Another reason why agents do open houses is to develop buyer leads for themselves. If a walk-in wants a home with an extra bath, the agent has developed an opportunity to sell a home other than yours. If your prospective agent advises against doing an open house, more often than not, he/she is looking at strategies that will actually deliver results for you the seller.
Price. People see from their personal perspectives. Given this, it should be no surprise that homeowners often view their homes as being worth more than the value that others would place on their properties. Look at the numbers, and try to be objective. If an agent shows you sale prices of comparable homes, and advises a sale price lower than what you had envisioned, it's not personal. He/she wants to see you get the home sold at a competitive market price.
Let's face it, selling a home can be quite stressful. It's difficult having the house look presentable all of the time, especially for families with children, pets, etc. It's also time consuming which is why it amazes me how many homeowners "suddenly" think they're real estate experts, and opt out of using brokers in favor of going it alone. Often, when this happens, however, these homeowners end up selling through brokers anyway.
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