Sellers :: SoundBiteBlog.com

(sung to the tune “Let it Snow!”

Oh, the Real Estate Market is Frightful,

but for Buyers it’s quite Delightful.

And since there’s so many homes,

“Let it Show, Let it Show, Let it Show!”

It doesn’t show signs of Improving,

so if you really want to be moving,

whenever a Buyer’s Agent calls,

“Let it Show, Let it Show, Let it Show!”

~   o   ~   o   ~   o   ~   o   ~   o   ~   o   ~   o   ~   o   ~

Okay, so I’m making some phone calls yesterday, trying to line-up a few showings for my Buyer clients. Here in Kitsap County WA, most of the ‘Phone-to-Show’ numbers listed on the MLS data-sheets are direct lines to the Sellers. And so, when you’re making arrangements to show a property, chances are you’re going to be making an appointment with the Sellers…..

I don’t know about your local real estate market, but here in Kitsap County WA the pendulum has pretty much swung over in favor of the Buyer’s side of things. We’ve got a fairly sizable amount of inventory to choose from, prices have dropped rather attractively, and for the ‘not-so-faint-of-heart’ Buyers, there are a number of short sale or bank-owned properties to pursue.

Given the current market dynamics, Sellers must confront the challenges of selling their home ‘head-on!‘ and take a very aggressive approach in effectively marketing their home.

So back to my phone calls from yesterday…

My Buyers have some very specific criteria in what they are looking for in a home: They want a view home – mountain, water, or both; a Master Bedroom/bathroom on the main floor; preferably a 3-car garage; and natural gas. Their price range is up to $500K.

I had picked out 4 potential properties for my Buyers to look at – 2 of them were vacant, and 2 required appointments.

My first phone call went something like this:

Me: “Good Morning! My name is Rich Jacobson, and I’m with Windermere Real Estate in Silverdale WA. I have some Buyers who would like to see your home this evening around 6:45pm. Would that be a convenient time for you?”

Seller: “Oh tonight isn’t going to work for us. We’re currently out-of-town this week and have someone house-sitting for us. Can you bring your Buyers over sometime next week?

The second call went like this:

Me: “Good Morning! My name is Rich Jacobson, and I’m with Windermere Real Estate in Silverdale WA. I have some Buyers who would like to see your home this evening around 7:15pm. Would that be a convenient time for you?”

Seller: “Oh, we’re over in Seattle right now, and the house is a total mess. Can you show it on Friday instead?”

The first property has been on the market for nearly 150 days. The second property for just over a year.

I realize this may seem like fairly basic and obvious advice, but it amazes me how many Sellers continue to throw-up roadblocks that prevent the potential sale of their home, or demand unnecessary hoop-jumping that only serves to discourage Buyers from viewing their homes.

‘Maximum Accommodation’ is the rule of the day! As a Seller, you must make every possible effort for Buyers to see your home. I realize that it gets really old, really fast, trying to keep your home picked up and ready-to-show at a moment’s notice. This is especially difficult if you have kids, or pets, or both.

Give each of your kids a specific task that allows them to contribute to the process of getting the house ready to show. If you’re out of town and someone is house-sitting, give your Listing Agent their cell phone number, and make it the ‘Phone-to-Show’ number for that period of time. If you know you’re going to be away from the home on a given day, make sure the place is presentable before heading out.

Making your home presentable and easy to show will help to give it the greatest amount of exposure to potential Buyers, and increase your chances of getting it sold more quickly!

~     o     ~     o     ~     o     ~     o     ~     o     ~

Rich Jacobson is a licensed real estate professional providing knowledgeable empowerment and relentless representation for his clients of residential properties and vacant land throughout all of Kitsap County WA and portions of Pierce, Mason, and Jefferson Counties. You can also find him at KitsapLife.com, ActiveRain, and Crabbing in the Hood, or e-mail:  kitsapagent@gmail.com

Posted in Sellers | No Comments »

Tags: Kitsap County WA real estate, Sellers, selling your home, Silverdale WA Real Estate

In the Gospel according to Luke, we find the following saying:

“Do to others as you would have them do to you.”    Luke 6:31

This verse provides the basis for what many refer to as ‘The Golden Rule‘ or the Ethic of Reciprocity, which states one has a right or expectation to receive fair and just treatment, and a responsibility to offer similar fair and just treatment towards others.

Just recently, I had the pleasure of representing a 1st Time Home Buyer in the purchase of a property in West Bremerton WA. Overall, it was a fairly smooth transaction. I had the good fortune of working with the Listing Agent previously and knew her to be a very competent professional, as well as a strong advocate for her clients.

We navigated through the inspection process, where the Sellers kindly accepted to remedy all of the items the Buyers had requested. The required work was performed promptly and copies of relevant receipts were provided.

The weekend before closing, I performed a final walk-through with my Buyer to visually verify that all work had been performed. The Sellers were busily packing the last few loads of household effects, so we could meet our Monday closing deadline.

On the day of closing, after receiving notification from escrow that the contract had funded and recorded, I turned the keys over to my joyful and excited Buyer, who immediately began the process of moving into her first home!

Imagine her disappointment at finding the home in less than ‘move-in’ condition. It was clear that the Sellers had made very little, if any, efforts at cleaning the home after removing their belongings. Even the most basic tasks of vacuuming and sweeping had been neglected. After several days delay and several hundred dollars paid-out for cleaning expenses, my Buyer was finally able to move in.

Let’s face it, the relocation process can be a very hectic and stressful time for both Buyers and Sellers. There can be instances where time or travel constraints can prohibit us from ensuring that the home is left in reasonable move-in condition. In such situations, Sellers should be advised to budget for professional cleaning services paid out of escrow, or to provide the Buyers with a credit at closing to cover such expenses.

Both Buyers and Sellers (and their Agents) need to remember and apply the Golden Rule:

“Do to others as you would have them do to you.”    Luke 6:31 

Posted in Real Estate Bites | 2 Comments »

Tags: Buyers, cleaning, golden rule, relocation, Sellers