*The Power of a Professional *
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When there are more homes available for sale than the marketplace demands, selling a home requires an extra level of attention and professionalism. Every effort must be made to make your listing the most appealing, from the staging to the price. That is why hiring a selling agent is a critical move when selling during a buyer’s market.
The duties a selling agent will perform depend on the contract signed, but in general real estate professionals will execute in four key areas.
* Analysis: A selling agent will analyze the comparable home sales in your area and recommend a listing price. This is perhaps the most important step in the home sale process. Price too high and you will turn off prospective buyers. Price too low and you won’t make the most on your investment. The insights of a trained and experienced Realtor can drastically reduce the guess work.
* Staging: Preparing a home for sale takes work. A good selling agent has a knack for knowing how to make a home look its best. To-do items might include painting, clearing clutter, updating floors or fixtures, rearranging furniture and even small scale home improvement projects. Done right, staging can increase appeal and even price.
* Marketing: Marketing a home for sale takes a lot of time, organization and attention to detail. In addition to posting in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), there are Internet opportunities, print advertisements, and direct mail options. Other marketing efforts include open houses for both Realtors and the public.
* Negotiating: The act of negotiating a price that both parties are comfortable with is no easy task. A selling agent can offer invaluable advice on counter-offers, contingencies, timelines and more. Also helpful is expertise on what makes one offer or buyer more appealing than another.
*Project Time*
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If you are considering putting your home up for sale this spring, now is
the time to decide if you need to undertake a home improvement project to
increase the home’s appeal and potential asking price. Starting now should
allow you enough time to outline the project scope, define the budget, hire
a professional, apply for permits and complete the job before the “for sale”
sign is put in place.
When considering where to invest, remember that kitchen and bathroom
updates traditionally yield the greatest return without having to increase
the square footage.
Work with your Realtor and contractor to craft a project that will boost the
home’s appeal at the right price. In other words, you will want to choose
cabinets, fixtures, tiles, flooring and countertops that are current, but
not necessarily top-of-the-line. When selecting items look for good quality
and consider what appeals to today’s consumer.
Your real estate and construction professionals can let you know what is in
demand in the marketplace, such as stainless steel appliances in the kitchen
and double vanities in the master bath. Be sure to capitalize on their
expertise.And it is always a good idea to make sure the changes are in
keeping with the character of the home. If you own a small Cape Cod, a
kitchen with a cottage feeling is probably a better idea than a modern
design that does not mesh with the home’s history or feeling.
*A True Professional*
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Are you tired of working with a “part time” agent, one who is difficult to
get a hold of? With our current economic times many real estate
professionals are getting part time jobs, or even getting out of the
business completely.
You can feel confident that Team Ropp/Quinn is a full time real estate team,
averaging over 120 hours each week. We will be here today, tomorrow, and
years to come.
We specialize in Central Oregon, but travel the whole state to represent our
client’s the right way, the Old Fashioned way of honesty and hard work. We
also love to refer our friends to similar Realtors wherever our friends may
be. You can count on us to find you a hard working agent in your town.
Merry Christmas,
John Ropp
