| I used to encourage people to try | | | | engine. The Realtor will input the |
| selling their home for-sale-by-owner | | | | buyer's criteria into the MLS and email |
| before calling me, then play the | | | | to the buyer a list of homes within that |
| superhero and swoop in when all else | | | | criteria. And every time a home comes on |
| fails to save the day. Not anymore. | | | | the market that fits within that |
| That's because although they may "save" | | | | criteria, the Realtor's system will |
| some money on the front end of the deal, | | | | automatically email the property |
| it's the lawsuits and contractual | | | | information to the buyer. Additionally, |
| disputes that'll bleed them dry in the | | | | the MLS reaches buyers who are not |
| end. | | | | represented by a real estate agent by |
| No, not every FSBO contract ends in | | | | also posting the listing on |
| court, but too many of them get so | | | | Another avenue of marketing not |
| distorted by both parties inexperience | | | | available to the general public is the |
| and stubbornness that they're | | | | Homes magazine. This is a publication |
| unrecognizable as legal transactions and | | | | offered to the community at no charge, |
| oftentimes result in more than one | | | | and the full-color pages can sometimes |
| person scratching their head and | | | | attract genuine interest. |
| wondering what made them do this in the | | | | Yard signs, open houses, websites and |
| first place. For example, a buyer and | | | | ads in local papers work too, but |
| seller may just skate through | | | | another excellent resource is simply |
| negotiating the repairs after a home | | | | word-of-mouth. Realtors talk. We talk at |
| inspection without wringing each other's | | | | meetings, classes, through email, |
| necks, only to find that the buyer's | | | | charity events and even while giving |
| lender requires more repairs to be done | | | | feedback on a showing. We send mailings |
| to bring the property condition to a | | | | to specific neighborhoods, past clients, |
| certain standard. Neither the buyer nor | | | | and family and friends. We've met |
| seller knew about it, but the seller | | | | hundreds of people and worked with |
| feels he's already compromised too much | | | | dozens of real estate agents. We get |
| and refuses to make any more repairs and | | | | around. What better person to talk up |
| the buyer feels the same and won't | | | | your home than someone with connections? |
| settle for less. They're at an impasse. | | | | As Realtors, we also have access to all |
| How do you make it work so both parties | | | | the paperwork necessary to make the |
| are satisfied? How do you get out of the | | | | home-selling process both legal and |
| contract without inviting breach of | | | | painless. We have contracts, addendums, |
| contract? Who gets the earnest money | | | | request for repair forms, seller |
| deposit? Who has the legal right-of-way? | | | | disclosures, one-time showing |
| Realtors aren't miracle workers, but | | | | agreements, lead-based paint |
| we've got the know-how to answer those | | | | disclosures, listing agreements, |
| questions, as well as combat just about | | | | contingency forms, smoke detector |
| any crisis that may arise. We have | | | | affidavits, release of contract forms, |
| extensive schooling, followed by | | | | etc. You name it, we have access to it. |
| required classes in real estate and real | | | | Realtors also negotiate on your behalf. |
| estate law. We keep up-to-date with as | | | | Oftentimes a seller doesn't know when to |
| much information as we can. There are | | | | push and when to back off, when to |
| very few things that can surprise a | | | | accept an offer or counter an offer or |
| Realtor. | | | | where to draw the line on inspection |
| Showing home after home after home after | | | | repairs. Years of experience |
| home to our buyers has also enlightened | | | | interpreting subtle (and not-so-subtle!) |
| us as to exactly what buyers are looking | | | | nuances in negotiations has equipped us |
| for . . . and what scares them away. | | | | to read most situations and act |
| Most of us won't claim to be | | | | appropriately. For example, if we know |
| professional stagers, but we do know | | | | that a buyer has already sold their |
| that the armoire crowding the stairs has | | | | home, that tells us that anxiety might |
| got to go, the dirty siding needs to be | | | | be setting in and they may be more |
| power-washed, the junk on the dresser | | | | amenable to negotiations. If we find |
| just needs to be boxed up and stored, | | | | that a buyer already backed out of a |
| that couch needs to go there and that | | | | contract because the sellers refused to |
| chair needs to go over there, trim that | | | | make any repairs after the home |
| bush, paint that door, caulk that | | | | inspection, we take that into |
| baseboard, change the color on that wall | | | | consideration as well. If the buyer's |
| and remove the wallpaper on that one, | | | | agent says that the buyer is only in |
| and the list goes on. Surprisingly, | | | | town 24 hours, we can presume that |
| sometimes it's the little things that | | | | they're hoping to find a home and make |
| can drive a buyer away. | | | | an offer on it all in the same day. |
| Pricing is another area where we can | | | | Everything comes into play in |
| really shine. The method we use to value | | | | negotiating, whether it be the obvious, |
| a home is the very same method a | | | | or even something as simple as a |
| licensed appraiser uses to value a home. | | | | dejected tone in the buyer's voice. And |
| Word of caution, though: if you already | | | | if you decide to play good cop/bad cop, |
| had an appraisal because you've decided | | | | we'll be the bad cop! |
| at some point to refinance, we won't use | | | | The icing on the cake is that Realtors |
| it. Most appraisals resulting from | | | | will often go way above and beyond |
| refinancing are high, very high. On the | | | | what's expected of them. We've let the |
| flip side, we shamefully use it to | | | | dog out while our sellers are on |
| better sell your home, as in "Priced | | | | vacation. We've waited for contractors |
| below appraisal!" | | | | to let them in the house. We've even |
| But that's not where we really excel! | | | | hired neighborhood kids to mow lawns. |
| Years of experience have taught us | | | | We've cleared backyards of dog poop and |
| everything we need to know to market | | | | scrubbed kitchen sinks to make the home |
| your property effectively. First and | | | | more presentable. To sum it up, we go |
| foremost is our access to the Multiple | | | | that extra mile to sell your house. Our |
| Listing Service (MLS). The MLS is the #1 | | | | goal is to develop relationships with |
| vehicle to selling your home. Buyers | | | | our sellers that will last not only |
| working with Realtors have available to | | | | through the final paperwork and closing, |
| them through the MLS an automated search | | | | but a lifetime. |