Realistic price
Statistically, the #1 reason a home does not sell is because asking price is too high. Price is always a common denominator when selling a home. Whether it's in good or poor condition, or whether you hire a great or not-so-great Realtor, it all comes down to price. When deciding on asking price, you will need to answer a few questions: 1. How soon do I need to get it sold? 2. How well does it show? 3. How good is my (or my agent's) marketing plan? (If you're selling it yourself you will need to have a very aggressive plan of action and a good amount of time and money to advertise the home.) You will not only need to look at what comparable homes have sold for, but also to pay close attention to pending sales, withdrawn and expired listings. Pricing of actively available homes for sale is important because this is your direct competition. But keep in mind that there is a good chance that other active homes may be overpriced. In order to come up with correct price, you and your agent will need to analyze not only active, but sold, expired and withdrawn listings as well.
Thinking from Buyer's perspective
This is easier said than done. When selling a home you can not be emotional about the sale, but you have to be rational about it. You need to stop thinking like a seller and start thinking like a buyer would think. Buyers don't care how much YOU think your home is worth, what YOU owe on the mortgage, how much YOU want or need to get from the sale… Buyers will purchase the home that represents the best home, in the best condition, for the best price. Period. If your home is the second best it will not sell. Put yourself in the buyers place – what would you do?
Remember: BUYERS DETERMINE VALUE!!!
Hiring an aggressive marketer
Now more than ever you need expertise of a professional real estate agent to sell your home fast. Brevard real estate market has changed dramatically over the last 5 to 10 years yet many REALTORs failed to fine tune their marketing methods. They are still doing passive and hopeful selling. Their weak and ineffective marketing plan consist of putting it in the MLS, sitting open houses and having an office tour with other $5-a-hour-coffee-drinkers. You never hear from them because they have nothing to tell you. Needless to say, this will not get your home sold in today's market.
If you want to get your home sold you will need to hire a professional Realtor® that has experience in the current market conditions! Someone who uses pro-active and aggressive marketing. Someone who:
- Uses technology for your benefit
- Advertises in newspapers
- Advertises in the magazines
- Advertises on internet
- Hires a showing company to set up showing appointments
- Employs call capture
- Employs call tracking
- Puts together a team of professionals
- Constantly monitors the market
- Keeps you constantly updated
- Makes ethics and hard work his/her priority
- Has experience
- Ha knowledge
Staging and conditioning
Staging and condiotioning is the most overlooked step of selling a home. Buyer will low-ball or even will not consider you home if s/he feels that the home has not be properly taken care of. Every buyer wants to buy a "cream-puff" (unless s/he is an investor buying with a large discount). You will need to condition and stage your home to sell.
