About a month ago, a Manchester NH area Home Seller held an open house type event where agents could come, view their home and make their best pitch why they should list with them. Located in a desired neighborhood that I sell a lot of homes in, it is a home I know i can sell.
I knew it would be an uphill battle from the start as not even through the door, the home owner welcomed me with the statement that "All real estate agents are the same, What makes me different?" The home was not as nice on the inside as it was on the outside. There was many projects he started, and were not finished. They also smoked in the home, add that in with the cats and it was pretty stinky.
Getting to his question though, The answer was easy, that would be SERVICE. In a sellers market we have "order takers" and we have full service agents. With many new corporate models swaying towards less personal service, it makes personal service stand out more from those agent who still offer it.
Mr. Home Owner was very anti agent. He told me "My ship is sinking, I better get some FLEX TAPE ." He said Real Estate agents are not needed these days. I was waiting for him to tell me a monkey could sell his house.
Now this explains why i saw agents leaving very flustered as i walked in. This did not bother me, I was there to get information and introduce not only myself, but what I can offer them. We walked through the home. I stayed the course, i asked lots of questions and took lots of notes. I thanked the sellers for having me and left them my card.
FAST FORWARD a month later. The seller tried to sell himself. That did not work. He listed with a discount broker in week 2 and went under contract right away. Now a month later, the deal has fallen through. His home is all packed up ready to move. They can not purchase their new home unless this one closes, which is not going to happen.
Mrs. Seller called me in tears. Mr. Seller just fired the discount agent. They just learned they lost the deposit on the new home they wanted to buy. Their house is packed and they are living out of a suit case. What can they do? She remembered what I said about service. I made a comment that "the hard work comes after getting the home under contract." That getting the home to close is harder than finding a buyer." They learned that the hard way she said.
She invited me over and asked if I could help. I let them know they would have to work with me and not against me. I asked why the sale fell through and it was Inspection and appraisal issues. There was many things not finished. The inspector caught that. The buyer agent wrote a horrible addendum for the seller to pay to have some done and credit the buyer a HUGE amount for the rest. The buyer agent submitted to the mortgage company who made the appraiser check they were done. They were not. How did the listing agent even allow them to sign this???
They soon learned SERVICE does matter.
IN SUMMARY, they listed with me. They let my maintenance man complete some of the repairs for little money. We put the house back on the market and priced it "as is". Within 2 days i had many offers, each accepting the sellers terms. The home went under contract with the best offer.
As far as their purchase, they were buying a home that was remodeled by a flipper, he had another home not yet on the market that he would transfer their deposit to. I saved their deposit and found them a better home, their dream home Mrs. Seller told me.
IN THE END: There is a difference between agents and that is the level of service they are both willing and able to deliver. The seller was amazed, he called me, I answered. I was there for each step of the selling process. LET ME SHOW YOU THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN AGENTS.
To CONTACT Scott Godzyk please call 603.661.2121 or EMAIL: Sctprop@aol.com .
About the Author: Scott Godzyk is the Owner/Broker of the Godzyk Real Estate Services in Manchester NH. Proud to be locally owned and operated with 34 years of experience, Scott is a leading Agent for Listing and Selling Homes in this area.We are Full Time Agents ready to serve all of your Real Estate needs. Servicing Hillsborough, Rockingham, Merrimack and Belknap counties.
We stand by you through every step in selling your home
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