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WELCOME TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN CROSSVILLE!
Choice Realty is moving to Sparta Hwy. Crossville in July
Located just before you turn to go to the Cumberland County Playhouse will be the new location for Choice Realty's office. Thanks to everyone who has supported and encouraged us while we were growing. Our success is all because of you and the important part each one of you has played to make us what we are today.
We're all looking forward to serving the real estate consumers of Crossville at a closer distance now. We'll keep you posted as to our move so you can come by and see us. Idel Brown, Celeste Chism and Pam Dunn all welcome you with open arms.
1016 Deer Run Sold Today!
Choice Realty Saves Another Seller Thousands When Selling Their Homes! Today we saved our Seller $6,625.00 in Commisison. How did we do that? With our $500 FLAT FEE MLS & REALTOR.COM LISTING services. This example of savings uses a 6% commission as an example. If you're thinking os selling your home in the crossville area ~ contact Choice Realty today and let us tell you how much money you will save.
HOME SALES ARE UP!
The real estate market in the Upper Cumberland continues to improve as year-to-date sales jump 20% over same time last year; this according to the Upper Cumberland Association of Realtors. Although, the total units sold are less than units sold in the fourth quarter of 2009, all other market indicators point to a strong recovery. The number of residential homes sold has increased in almost every price range including the upper end homes that struggled to sell in previous years. Currently, residential home sales for properties priced between $250,000- $299,000 have doubled and homes priced between $300,000 and $399,000 have tripled. Even the average price year-to-date for sold residential property has increased- it is currently at $120,000 versus $108,000 for same time last year.
Price reductions, foreclosures, tax credits, and low interest rates account for the increase in home sales. With winter weather in the past and the onset of the spring and summer buying season, which typically accounts for 60% of homes sales, this could be the best year in real estate since the market declines that began in 2007.
TENNESSEE RANKED AMONG THE TOP FIVE STATES
Tennessee has been ranked among the top five states in the magazine Site Selection for it's annual rankings. This ranking is for 2009 economic development.
Tennessee rated number 5 with just behind Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Texas.
The news release stated that since January 2003 Tennessee's economic development has created more than 179,000 new jobs. There has been 49 corporate headquarters and $29 billion dollars spent in new capital investments.
These tallies are figured on expansion or relocation projects with at least one of the three standards: a capital investment of at least $1 million, creation of at least fifty new jobs or the creation of at least 20,000 square feet of new floor space. These tallies alos only apply to corporate projects.
Congratulations Tennessee! What a great place to live.
ART CIRCLE LIBRARY IN CROSSVILLE
The brand new 33,000 square foot Art Circle Library is scheduled to open on March 15,2010. Crossville is eager awaiting the opening of the new library on Webb Ave.
The new Art Circle Library will have study rooms and the Carol Darling Reading Room will provide quiet areas to sit and get serious about your work. The facility will also offer meeting rooms for local clubs and organizations. There is a great need for places like that in Crossville. The Carol Darling room will have murals that will depict the people, history, and culture and landscape of Cumberland County.
Crossville has grown over 60% in the past two decades and the new 33,000 square foot Arts Circle Library will be enjoyed by many of us. The large meeting room will be able to seat 330 people and have room for banquets and seminars. Smaller groups can also use the conference room or one of the study rooms. Two pianos have been donated to the library to offer musical accompaniment. A baby grand will be available for special events in the meeting room. A cafe' will serve coffee and cold beverages as well as a light lunch as well as pastries.
Much of the space in the new facility is devoted to the young patrons. There will be a dedicated children's library and a young adult section. Congratulations to Crossville for providing the residents of Cumberland County such an awesome facility. I'm looking forward to seeing the Art Circle Library in the next few days.
ECOMONY BRINGS CHANGES IN THINKING ABOUT RETIREMENT HOMES
If your idea of a dream retirement home is a luxury contemporary overlooking a championship golf course ~ Crossville has all that and more.
Arizona and Florida aren’t the only retirement-relocation hot spots these days. In fact, Tennessee, North and South Carolina now top the preferences of baby boomers who will be retiring in the next decade.
The recession has taken its toll not only on nest eggs but also on the traditional concept of a retirement home. That’s the message that attendees at the International Builders Show received in a number of presentations and seminars.
Downsizing is a trend that is taking hold among all housing consumers, but it is particularly evident among the 55-plus crowd that includes the older baby boomers. And that downsizing includes housing aspirations in retirement. While “warmer climate” was the reigning factor in choosing where to retire in the first boomer survey Del Webb conducted in 1996, today “cost of living” is the most important consideration on where to locate. Although Florida, Arizona and California remain Top 10 retirement destinations, the trend is giving other states a chance to draw even more retirees. Since Crossville offers such affordablility ~ the boomers will be checking us out.
Despite the broadening of potential destinations, baby boomers’ desire to move in retirement has remained relatively stable over the years. Between 30-40% plan to move to a new home in retirement and half of those plan on moving to a new state.
What kind of houses will be in demand among those 55 and older? According to a consumer survey conducted by the National Association of Home Builders, the most important design features that 55-plus buyers want in their homes center on the practical:
-Washers and dryers
-Storage space
-Windows that open easily
-Garage door openers
-Easy to use thermostats
-First floor master bedrooms
-Private patios
-Porches
-Attached garages
-Bigger bathrooms
A lot of the more popular features in new homes these days don’t appeal all that much to older buyers:
-Island work areas
-Separate showers
-Private toilet compartments
-Sun rooms
-Woodburning fireplaces
-Exercise rooms
But a number of items that home buyers don’t find to be of much interest are much more popular with older buyers:
-Bathroom aids such as grab bars
-Kitchen aids
-Light home repair services
-Outdoor maintenance services
-An entrance without steps
-Wider doorways
-Nonslip flooring
Among technology features, older home buyers tend to act like younger buyers when it comes to the basics: Both groups have a preference for security systems, energy management, structured wiring and lighting controls. But older buyers had little use for home theaters, distributed audio or home automation, more-expensive items that younger buyers do like. These older buyers are frugal, probably on a fixed income and so expensive items are not that big on their lists.
The emphasis on services related to home and community is an important one that cuts across many age groups, said John Migliaccio, director of research at MetLife’s Mature Market Institute, which surveys consumers and builders on retirement issues. “Very telling is that the younger group of mature consumers reported enthusiastically that they want services like home maintenance and repair as part of their next home purchase, along with services usually connected to older householders, such as housekeeping, onsite health care and transportation,” he said.
According to Migliaccio, all of those items were ranked higher than the desire for social activities by this group—a surprise given that social activities and amenities have been thought to be valued highly by this group. He said the data support an emerging trend among builders to look for ways to partner with providers of such services to the residents of their active adult/lifestyle communities.
The 55-plus age group represents 38% of all U.S. households and is projected to rise every year to be almost 45% of households by 2019. And that group has high homeownership rates: while the U.S. as a whole has about a 67% ownership rate, those 55 to 74 own homes at an 80% clip. Most buyers in this market are looking for an easy-living lifestyle and affordability.
Crossville has much to offer to those baby boomers and we look forward to helping them with their retirement plans in the years to come.
Crossville Real Estate Market Outlook...
The Crossville real estate market outlook is good. For the first time this year we have five properties in our pending file and several more on their way there! They are not first time home buyers neither. Most of them are second home buyers and folks who have a goal and will retire in Tennessee.
We have been working hard all year, well last year too, waiting for the market to re-bound from the down turn it took in 2007 and it feels like we are heading there. I had someone from my staff say to me today, "If I get any busier, you are going to have to get another buyer agent."
I can't begin to tell you how thankful I am and how good it feels to be busy again.
If your thinking of buying or selling a home or land in the Crossville TN area, we have been serving Crossville Tennesseesince 1999. To work with professional realtors with integrity, contact us today at Choice Realty of Tennessee. We are saving our buyers and sellers thousands of dollars everyday.
Get Free MLS information instantly by going to www.servingcrossvilletennessee.com and registering. You can be put on our listing notifier system and get Free emails of the just listed homes and land in the Crossville area.
Why you need a Realtor.com showcase enhancement to help sell your home?
Did you know that 90% of today's home buyers are finding their next home on the internet? And research tells us, that most of them start on Realtor.com! Why? Because it is user friendly and it is a trusted source of information for today's home buyers. Research also tell us, that most home sellers also begin their exploring on Realtor.com also.
So why do I say you need a showcase enhancement? You have to make your home stand out from the crowd and the showcase enhancement does exactly that. Of course, you will need pristine photos and a home that it totally de-cluttered so that the buyers online can see the outstanding features of your home and not your collectibles. My sellers are amazed at the way their home looks in photos after they have taken their pictures. I have to agree it is amazing what stands out in a photo that you don't normally pay attention to otherwise.
So my advise, is to de-clutter and freshen up the house, take lots of photos and look at each one carefully before placing them out there for the public to see. Why? Because there are so many homes for a buyer to look at that you don't want to give them any reason to click past your home because they didn't like the pictures you took!
For more tips on taking great photos go to our Buyer & Seller Tips page and click on "How to take great pictures of your home."
Fairfield Glade, Tennessee - The Golf Capital of Tennessee
High upon the beautiful Cumberland Plateau Mountains in Tennessee, is an awesome retirement community called Fairfield Glade. Here a lot of folks come year after year enjoying the good life we have here. They enjoy our numerous golf courses, I should mention that Crossville TN is "the golf capital" of Tennessee, and an abundance of activities right at their fingertips everyday. Here life truly is good. We have four distinct seasons but each one is mild in manner. Currently we are enjoying the newness of Spring and all the beautiful flowers & trees that come back to life.
Fairfield Glade encompasses about 12,000 acres of beautiful property just outside of Crossville, Tennessee. The Fall season here is spectacular to say the least. The red, orange, green & yellow leaves dance all over these mountains and folks come from all over the country to welcome the Fall here. Well, and just as beautiful is the winter snows. We get a few every year and when it does snow it is like a winter wonderland because the trees just love to embrace the crispness and wetness of those snow flakes. Well, the only season I haven't mentioned yet is the summer and it opens the door for pleasant nights & warm days with low humidity.
With all that being said, it's no wonder that Rand McNally has named the Crossville, Tennessee area among the top five places to retire in the U.S. Selling real estate is easy here because everyone is so friendly AND retirees can enjoy the lowest taxes, excellent healthcare & very affordable housing. For example, I have a three bedroom home on 20 acres with a pond, two creeks & a two car detached garage and our real estate taxes are only $500 a year! Retirees also enjoy NO tax on their retirement income. These are a few of the reasons why we choose to relocate to Tennessee instead of North Carolina.
For more information on Fairfield Glade, Tennessee and the Crossville, Tennessee area please visit our website at www.choiceoftn.com and click on a few of our links in our Community Information page.
A Characteristic of a Good Listing Agent
In my last article on Activerain, I wrote about what I thought my job was as the listing agent. I said that my job as the listing agent was "to get as many buyers to look at my seller's home as I possibly could." That again I repeat, is the most important job I have for my seller.
Well, a thought comes to my mind as I look through the MLS system and see some of the criteria comments from some listing agents like, the backyard is steep. Having been in this business a long time I tell my buyer agents that they are never to make a comment like that while talking to a buyer. Why? Because when I ask for a definition of steep, it is different to everyone. What you think is steep may not be steep in the mind of that buyer or that person who is sitting in front of their computer scanning through homes. Why would you ever want to put a "negative" thought like that in anyone's mind. All you are doing is giving them a reason to move onto the next house and eliminate looking at your seller's home.
If our job as the listing agent is to get as many buyer's as we can to look at our seller's home, I ask are those other listing agents doing a good job for their sellers? I would say they are not. I have seen many homes sell and sometime sells quickly, that had what I would say, a steep backyard and my buyers didn't even comment on the backyard. I believe that a buyer will buy the home if they find enough favorable features in the home and "disregard" that one unfavorable feature of the home.
I have learned that there is strength in quietness and let the buyer make their own decision on what is steep and what isn't. My job as the listing agent is to be efficient, proficient, professional & rbing as many buyers as I can to my seller's home. The job of highlighting all the positive features in your seller's home. I should strive at making both the buyers and sellers happy each time I can.
Blessings, Celeste Chism...Broker & Consumer Advocate
Not all Flat Fee Companies are the same.
Not all Flat Fee Companies are the same. One must read closely and narrow it down to the best choice for their circumstances and also the best value for the services provided.
As I look over the internet, I see that there are many online companies offering real estate services for a Flat Fee. Sellers really need to be careful choosing a "long distance" company when trying to sell their home. Sellers must realize that selling a home is within their reach but the expertise of an experienced local agent is necessary to successfully sell their home.
One should look for the following traits when choosing a company:
* assistance in negotiating their contract
* internet exposure on 100+ websites
* allow the seller to not pay commission if the buyer buys their home without the use of an agent
* market the property in the MLS
* allow them to be in control of open houses
* allow them to buy a higher commission to a buyer agent, if desired
* guide them through with professional knowledge along the way
* allow them to be in control of property showings & feedback
If the Flat Fee listing company you are considering does not offer you these services we highly recommend you find a company that offers you these important services.
We know that today's sellers want to be more in control of the sale of their property and they want to save money. Please don't take the chance of a buyer walking away because you didn't have a company to offer you the services and experience you needed.
At Choice Realty we offer all of these choices to our sellers and more. Soon I will write an article on the top 10 reasons why consumers today are choosing to list their home our way for more reasons than just saving thousands of dollars when selling their home. Stay tuned.
To learn more about the services a powerful Flat Fee Real Estate company offers please visit us at: www.choiceoftn.com.
Why are home prices dropping substantially?
Why are home prices dropping substantially in today's market in some areas of the country? I believe that it is
primarily because of the abnormal rate of appreciation we experienced over the past five years. According to the Case- Schiller Home Prices Indices, a quarterly nominal housing price report, who looked closely at the appreciation of the median home value over five- year increments dating back to 1980. The research tells us that home values appreciated an average of 26.5 percent on average for a twenty year period from 1980 to 2000. In the six years that followed, the appreciation of the median home was 89 percent!
Well, no wonder we are shocked at the rate house prices are falling in many areas f our country. The real fact is, home prices are now adjusting to the inconsistent and unsustainable growth that occurred during the first six years of this decade. That is a good thing because with the prices moving toward stability we will have healthier markets in the future. The Cumberland Plateau area of Tennessee has not seen many foreclosures and home prices drop so substantially like Florida, Georgia & some of our other neighboring states because our median home prices didn't sky rocket in the first six years of this decade. We enjoyed appreciation but not at a rate of 89%.
Smart investors know "The Stages of a Market Cycle" and they will know that now is an excellent time to buy. Why? It's because the point of maximum opportunity for any investment is when it is at it's lowest point, and that's exactly where we are in some real estate markets today. Clients who are motivated and qualified to buy will be able to look at the "market cycle" and understand why now is the best time to buy real estate. I truly believe, we will never see the prices again we are seeing in today's market. I also believe in about five years we will hear of many investors who capitalized on today's market and became millionaires. Hope you will be one of them!
Clarification of First Time Home Buyers Tax Credit
FIRST TIME HOME BUYER'S TAX CREDIT 2009!
The tax credit included in the economic stimulus legislation is equilivant to 10% of the home purchase price or a maximum of $8000. The credit applies only to first time home buyers and principal residences.
First Time Buyers Defined: A first time home buyer per the current legislation is someone who has not owned a primary residence within 36 months of the new home purchase date. Vacation home ownership will not affect the 2009 tax credit.
Income Limits: The tax credit is subject to income limitations. Single buyers need an adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less to qualify for the full credit,while married couples may earn up to $150,000. Those earning more may be eligible for reduced credits.
Refundable: Because the tax credit is "refundable , qualified buyers may take advantage of it even if they do not have much tax liability.
It's a Beauty Contest Folks...
Welcome Spring! Boy, it feels good to have warm days back again & more sunshine to go with it. While in my office yesterday, I had a lengthy conversation with my home stager. Karen is a very good home stagers, (I have seen good and bad in that field too) and we both agree that a home must be staged before it is listed because first impressions are critical.
As our conversation went on we discussed how she recently had been on the computer looking at some of the homes for sale in the MLS in the Crossville area. She went on to say that she was shocked at the pictures of some of the homes listed and couldn't believe that people actually expected their home to sell before someone else's did! If you have never taken the time to look closely at some of the photos that are in the MLS, take a few minutes and look. You might be amazed at what you see. The thing that is the hard for me to get over, is that these pictures are all over the internet for buyers to see not just us agents.
Some of the ones that really come to mind for me are pictures of the trash can in the kitchen. Now maybe my fellow agent was aiming at the kitchen cabinetry but all I could see in the photo was the trash can. Or a picture of the master bathroom toilet with the lid open on it. Now surely they were wanting to take a picture of the garden tub instead of that toilet??? Then I sit back and say to myself, what were they thinking? I know that we go to real estate school and learn the principals of real estate so we can pass the required exam and get our license. But, I have never had any one tell me that an instructor even mentioned that they would also need to know how to market a home to sell one. Without marketing, you could have the best listing in the state and no one will know it!
Home staging is a vital part of marketing a home and so is taking the best photos you can for your seller. I promise you, there isn't a buyer out there who wants to see the trash can or the open toilet bowl! The real estate industry is changing everyday and we must realize that selling a home today really is a beauty contest folks... AND THE PRETTIEST ONE WINS! And to my fellow realtors, please let's conduct ourselves like the professionals we should be. It makes no wonder why many sellers today are out there thinking they can sell their home better than we can. When I look in the MLS, I have to say sometimes I agree with them!
To see my Activerain Blogs go to: www.activerain.com
We Sell For Less...
That is what Wal-Mart says and they are the largest retailer in the world. Do I feel like I get less for my money because I have chosen to go to Wal-Mart instead of K-Mart? I really do like having the extra choices I get when I shop at Wal-Mart and the prices are usually less than the other stores,aren't they? Maybe that why we shop there? Well, then I ask do we always get what we pay for?
I read the post today on how to compete with minimal service real estate firms. I own a company in Crossville, Tennessee that offers a menu of services for our sellers. I know that even if our seller chooses our minimal services, in most cases they are getting more than some of our full service competitors do when they list a home. I really like giving people choices. For years I practiced "traditional" real estate and did what everybody else was doing. I went on a listing appointment and in not so many words, told the home owner they had to pay our company's set commission rate and get the usual services or get nothing? Why? Why didn't we offer them choices and let them decide which of our services they wanted and how much they wanted to spend to sell their home?
I love the way I practice real estate today. I am excited about offering people choices and letting them decide how much money they want to spend to sell their home. I sense a new outlook from my sellers. I no longer walk into a home for a listing presentation and feel like I'm throwing fleece to the wind because I'm doing what everybody else is doing. Now it feels good to enter their home knowing that I am there to save them money and a lot of it. It takes a change of heart to sell for less. I also know that people who can set aside self ambition and genuinely seek the good of others have an attitude that pleases God.
When I bought my first Honda in 1990, I was so impressed by the service of that company that to this day I still own a Honda. Well to answer my question, do we always get what we pay for? No, we don't always get what we pay for, sometimes we get more!
www.activerain.com
Settling for less and paying more?
Why are there so many real estate agents who don't give their sellers the service and exposure they need to sell their home?
I have been in the real estate world for a long time and everywhere I turn it seems that the agents are all doing the same things over and over again without any desire to grow and learn something new. Recently, my Buyer Team Experts and myself set up at the Crossville Home Show. We had a nice time at the show and met a lot of wonderful people and made some good associations. I was delighted to see that some of our fellow agents attended the show and stopped by to visit us.
We know that about 90% of today's home buyers & sellers are looking on the internet before they step out the door to actually see a home. When we shared with those agents some of the internet avenues we were using to reach out to the real estate consumer, most of them were not even aware of these internet avenues. Now, what does that tell me? We also know that most of the real estate offices in our area charge 6% to the seller to sell their home. If we are out there advertising our listings on these websites for our sellers and we charge our sellers a $500 Flat Fee and 1/2 of 1% at closing, why aren't they giving their sellers the exposure they deserve too? After all, they are paying 6% for their services aren't they?
So I began to think that so many real estate consumers are settling for less and are paying more than they should today. I will strive to educate as many sellers as I can about our flat fee real estate services and show them how much they can save and benefit by using Choice Realty.
Crossville Real Estate...  We're excited to be the only real estate company to offer to their Seller's a $500 FLAT FEE LISTING* and the opportunity for sellers to sell their home themselves and save money on commission. We're offering our sellers full service real estate services with a powerful twist and saving our clients thousands of dollars by doing it. As a matter of fact, we have been selling Fairfield Glade, Crossville, Cumberland & Putnam Counties since 1999... and we're pretty GOOD at it to.
Over the year we have learned that it is a whole lot harder to find a qualified buyer and sell a house than it is to list a house. So we ask, why does the commission usually get split equally between the company that lists the house & the company that sells the house??? That is exactly why we have decided to even the tables and distribute the commission amount alittle more fairly. So if your SERIOUS about selling your home, you owe it to yourself to call us for more information on this win - win program and find out how much money we can save you!
*(and Just 1/2% or 1% paid at closing)
Does Saving Money Make You Happy? 
If it does, and if you are SERIOUS about selling your home call us to learn how our Flat Fee Listing Program can save you thousands of dollars! You owe it to yourself to check this out.
We're looking forward to introducing another new proven technique to our sellers. If you are listed with us will can use this proven technique to possibly sell your home.It's called a REVERSE OFFER. Give us a call today for more details on what we're using to get today's buyers off the fence and start signing sales contract!
We Work with You to Get Your Home Sold!
So your home has been on the market for awhile and you begin to get nervous. There have not been any offers, but you have had many showings-What is wrong? The feedback you get from your Realtor is very general
With our listing program at Choice Realty - you schedule the showings therefore YOU get the feedback! So if your home has been shown to the same buyer twice, you call me and let me know. I will call the buyers' agent with your feedback ,see how interested the buyer is and their objections and see if we can make a deal! Many times it is something that we can fix easily- We will make the offer to the buyer! I know this is out of the box thinking-but have you ever found out that an objection to your home was an easy fix? Let's not just sit on our hands-let's be proactive and not reactive! It does not work 100% of the time,but many times it WILL work. Let's work TOGETHER to sell your home!
BUYERS ARE SEARCHING THE INTERNET FIRST!
When you are ready to BUY a new home-what is the FIRST thing you do? Of course-you search the internet! I found my home on the internet 7 years ago. As a buyer, you do your homework.You know what area, neighborhood, price and amneties you desire. You ususally hand the Real Estate agent. you are working with. the listings you want to see.
At CHOICE REALTY OF TENNESSEE, in Crossville Tennessee, we appreciate your hard work. So we REWARD the buyer for their time. We share our commission with the BUYER! Why would you use any other Real Estate Company? Do they share their commission with you?
Is Opportunity Knocking???
It seems as though we keep hearing from folks, now is the time to buy. Are they saying that because they are trying to get sales going again or is it really the truth? The doom and gloom in the media is bombarding everyone 24/7 telling everyone to wait... wait for what?
Well, I have been in this business a long time, and I have seen alot of changes over the past 25 years since I obtained my first real estate license in Pennsylvania. My philosophy has always been to be honest, do a great job, go the extra mile and to try my best to save my client money. These moral attitudes & beliefs have been the foundation of my business, and for years I have sowed those beliefs and now I am reaping the blessings of an outstanding referral business and a good reputation.
Do I believe this is a good time to buy? Yes, I do. And I am not saying that because I am trying to make a sale, I am saying it because I truly believe it is a great time to buy here in the Crossville, TN area. I believe without a doubt, that homes in the Crossville area will never be more affordable than they are right now. And thinking about the baby boomers who will be getting ready to retire and move to "the mountains," we will someday soon become the next North Carolina. When I say that I mean that home & land prices will be on the increase and someday they will be unaffordable for many folks. The supply and demand trends will drive the prices upward when the retirees start heading our way. Back in 1995, my husband & I chose Tennessee over North Carolina because it was affordable to us. There is no state income tax and no retirement income tax here. Crossville is so affordable and offers so much to the millions of folks who will be making the retirement move soon. We really enjoy living here and plan to spend the rest of our lives here.
So, maybe you are thinking that you will wait to buy until someday later. I fear that if you wait too long, someday may never come. Don't let fear hold you back from making such a positive and affordable move. Call us if you would like to discuss the Crossville area real estate market conditions in more depth and also find our about our Buyer Reward program, were we give our buyers back a portion of our commission back at closing! We are the only real estate company in this area that is helping the consumer save money.
How to Talk to Buyers That Come To See Your Home
Since we want our buyers and sellers to be empowered, we encourage interaction between the two parties. Why not get to know the person who is possibly thinking about buy your home?
Since we want you to sell your home without the help of an agent, it is critical that you know how to talk to buyers when they come to see your home. Here are some guidelines that will help you connect to them as pass along some ideas that have worked for us over the years.
Start the process by telling the buyers that you are going to let them walk through first and then you will take them on a quick tour and let them know the important things about the home that brings value to the home.
Step 1 - Don't ask personal questions like:
Where is home for you now?
Have you sold your home yet?
Can you afford our home?
What do you do for a living?
Step 2 - Don't follow them around. It is perfectly okay to know where your buyers are in your house, but they need space to see the home.
Step 3 - Don't talk during their walk-through. Let them ask you questions. They don't need a tour guide on the first round.
Step 4 - Make the walk-through for them reflective of important things that they can't see or that are not obvious that brings value to your price. You can also add cards to the areas of the home that you have upgraded.
Step 5 - Get their phone number and ask them when you can follow-up to see if they have interest.
Step 6 - Call all buyers back if you add an incentive, change your price or terms.
Step 7 - You might consider putting your photos and flyer on a CD and giving this to your buyer.
Step 8 - Feed the buyer cookies or something if you can during the visit and have them sit down. Talk about your family cookie recipe, your family etc... not about their house hunt.
Step 9 - Sitting down brings me to my last suggestion, tell the buyer to please sit in each of your rooms so that they can see the rooms from all angles.
The point to all of this is that you should allow buyers to connect to your home and somewhat to you. Buyers want an emotional connection that allows them to feel confident in their house purchase. Avoid your own curiosity to ask questions and put on a show instead!
If you are showing your home and an agent is there with the buyers, still follow these rules if you are home.
Why You Should Seriously Consider Staging Your Home to Sell
Home staging is a relatively inexpensive way to change the interior appearance of a home. It has evolved into one of the quickest and best marketing tools for improving a property's salability. Staging focuses on eye catching tactics through the reemployment of accessories, rearrangement of furniture and just plain simplifying the often overly decorated rooms most owners have grown accustomed to.
People usually think interior decorating and home staging are one in the same. Professional interior decorating focuses on fulfilling the owners’ decorating desires and often involves remodeling and the purchase of a lot of furnishings and accessories.
Home staging, on the other hand, promotes the use of what you already have or uses inexpensive acquisitions as props in order to provide a simplified and depersonalized look. The stagers encourage you to view your home as a product to be marketed, not as the refuge that fulfills your needs. Staging is also referred to as real estate staging, home enhancement, interior redesign or simply redesigning.
Whatever the name it goes by, the goal is to get buyers to view your home as their home. Staging zeros in on modifying your home to maximize its appeal to home buyers, without spending a lot of money.
Rather than trying to impress buyers with your choice of decor, you should strive to influence these prospects with the potential your home offers. This can be accomplished with as simple a concept as rearranging a room’s contents to provide an aesthetically pleasing environment. It may not function the way you want it to, but staging often involves classic examples of form over function.
You must remember that people only see things the way they are and not always the way they can be. Home Staging is one of the best ways to lead to a quick and top dollar sale of your home.
Who is a Listing Expert?
Who is a listing expert? Many sellers are in search of this everyday when they are interviewing agents to sell their home. But, when asked what they are looking for, they say someone who can sell their home. So, let's breakdown what that means. What does it take to sell a home in this market or any other for that matter?
The things that an agent must know to get your home sold:
They must know how the internet search fields for public sites work. This includes the pricing methods used when they are pricing a home. Search engines pull in big round numbers. Make sure that your agent knows that they should not be pricing you at $299,900 because you will miss all the buyers searching from 300,000 to 350,000. You want to make sure your asking price is on a big round number.
They must know how agents search the MLS and how they manually put in prices. A home listed in between a 5,000 range will only be in no-man's land. Again homes must be listed in big round numbers in 5,000 ranges no matter what the prices are in your neighborhood.
They should know how to push the line to get your home listed in MLS with the most features or search fields shown. The listing agent's job is to yield the most buyers to your home through buyer searches. In other words, your listing should not be sparse. The more features listed, the more chance they will start a search query and bring up the property for viewing.
They should understand that quality photos are a must and the more the merrier. The first time people see your property is not when then physically come out, it's when they see it on the Internet.
They should know ways that you can avoid having printed flyers from the info tube dropped on your lawn. This is one of the biggest aggravations for a seller during the time that they are listed. Wet flyers, no flyers or outdated flyers are not necessary. Audio information of your home on a recorded message is today's technology's best substitute for flyers.
They should have a game plan on what you should do in 30 days, 60 days etc. as you are on the market. For example, instead of lowering the asking price, you should consider offering more buyer agent commission to entice more agents to come to your home - and create urgency.
They should insist that you stage your home with a professional.
They should help you with suggestions on how to make your home very appealing to today's buyers.
They should help you enhance your curb appeal.
Honesty is needed from a listing agent. If you feel that they are too nice to you just to schmooze you to get your listing, if that schmoozie attitude persists after you are listed with them, then plan to sit on the market longer than you may need to. You need an agent to bring you common sense and honest input, even if it risks being insulting. You are looking for someone to help you sell a home, not a friend.
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