Tumbleweed by Jez Arnold
Some sellers and their agents don’t even have to try to destroy the effectiveness of their listing. Let’s take a look at some of the most effective ways to bury your listing in the eyes of buyers and buyers’ agents.
Getting over the hurdle
4: Open Houses (Open Just a Little Bit)
Your listing normally contains advice for buyers’ agents as to when you might be ready to accommodate an open house showing. Agents will see the days of the week and times when you are ready to vacate for buyers.
If you’re too specific about your preferences and do not leave the buyers’ agents much leeway, you may miss out on busy buyers who can’t show up at the times you specified.
Inaccessible houses are hard (if not impossible) to sell. You should of course be mindful of your family’s privacy and comfort, but if you’re not flexible, you’ll have much fewer buyers to choose from. Remember: you can still be at work or out with friends and family when a buyers’ agent needs to come in. That’s why there will be a lockbox at your place. If you have small children, maybe it’s time for them to visit the grandparents for a week or two.
Be flexible about the availability of your house for showings and you’ll see it sell in no time.
3: Boring (or Even Missing) Pictures
Have you ever heard that an image is worth a thousand words? Your agent may include several pictures with your MLS listing, and so she or he should! Realtors® refer to picture-less listings half-jokingly as “there’s-nothing-to-see-here” scenes. If there is nothing to see, buyers will just move on. It’s that simple.
Make sure that your agent takes numerous quality pictures of your dwelling. View them together and select the ones that present your home in the best light, that are the most welcoming, and that will make buyers feel cozy.
Read more about how bad pictures can ruin your listing here: Ten (or So) Fail-Safe Ways to Completely Discourage a Home Buyer.
2: Mundane Presentation
Double Lock by momentcaptured1
An MLS listing allows for only a brief presentation of your property. The text of the listing appears fleetingly in the sea of other short descriptions, images, and information. If it doesn’t catch the buyer’s eye, it will rarely get a second chance to do so.
Descriptions claiming that your house or condo is “one of the few available in the neighbourhood,” “extremely roomy,” or “a steal” will likely drown. After the buyer has seen twenty “soon-to-be-gone,” “a limited-time offer,” and “won’t last long” offers, chances are that she or he is going to take a coffee break before continuing any further. Cheap and uncreative descriptions will soon become boring to the buyer’s eye.
As a client, you should make sure that your agent is doing her or his best to present your property on the MLS. After your listing has been published, take time to review it. In the comfort of your home, you can search for your address online and see whether and where you can find your listing. This will give you an idea of how your house looks to a third party.
If you’re not satisfied with your listing or have doubts, don’t hesitate to talk with your agent and discuss a possible improvement.
A good MLS description should concisely point out the distinguishing features of your home, especially if they’re likely to be sought after by buyers. Some houses may indeed be unique in their details, but those details may be irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Talk with your Realtor® about the great features of your house and let her or him advise you what might be eye-catching enough to make its way into your MLS listing.
Also, the description should primarily talk about the home, not the neighbourhood, the local schools, or the weather. The worst description by far is no description.
1: Inflated Price
Have you ever looked for a job and not known how much you should ask for? We’ve all been there. But what if there were somebody to advise you, somebody who knew how much you were worth? Home sellers and home buyers hire Realtors® so that they can make the perfect pitch. An experienced Realtor® will make sure that you’re not asking too much or too little for your property. She or he is trying to find the equilibrium between keeping your returns high and chasing away potential buyers.
If your home is easily comparable to other similar properties and if your buyer has any idea of the local market, setting a reasonable price is an absolute must. Overpriced listings will cost you and your Realtor® time, and may even cost you money if you’re relying on a quick sale.
Work with a reputable real estate agent who is familiar with your area and you may be able to avoid most of the headaches.
