Certified Homes is the only company in the country that truly packages homes for sale. To use an analogy, we are the Home version of Certified Pre-Owned Cars.
In short, we take all the guess work out of Real Estate so Sales Agent can focus on what they do best – bring sellers and buyers together and work them through the process.
To learn more about Certified Homes please visit us online at http://www.certifiedhome.com/
Happy Selling!
Stephen Smith
Founder
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Why Certified Homes Sell Fast!
Simply put: It just makes sense….
By doing all the research and answering questions up front, buyers can move on to more important things quickly; like writing up an offer. And not just any offer that starts out 50K below the asking price.
Potential sticking points such as Appraised Value, Home Inspection and Title issues are resolved or in process of resolution when buyers enter into an agreement. As a result of purchasing a “Certified Home”, questions such as “Will it appraise” or “does the home need work” in addition to any last minute title issues simply go away. Offers can be made and accepted with confidence and good decisions can be made by using the proper information in hand from the start.
To use an analogy; can you imagine a loan officer asking a borrower for credit or income information just days before a closing? That would be considered extremely poor professionalism and I’m sure wouldn’t go over too well with all the other parties involved if that information didn’t come back favorable.
It’s a loan officer’s job to answer all the questions and address all the “things” that could go wrong during the transaction and make sure they are addressed long before an underwriter ever sees the file.
So my question is: Why isn’t it like this in real estate? Do we all think that problems can just be swept under the rug? Or are we all still under the mind set of “maybe the buyers won’t notice”. In this day and age of information and Buyer Brokers it’s highly doubtful. The information on every property eventually surfaces to the top, it’s just a matter of when and what the impact is to the buyers and sellers.
If you want more evidence ask yourself a simple question the next time you go shopping for a car. For example; two cars basically look the same and have the same functional utility but one has been “Certified” by the dealer and the price validated by a third party source and has a car fax pulled so you know the history. The other car is a for sale by owner down the street and you don’t know anything about the details. Which one would you buy?
To learn more about Certified Homes please visit us online at http://www.certifiedhome.com/
Happy Selling,
Stephen Smith
ssmith@certifiedhome.com
By doing all the research and answering questions up front, buyers can move on to more important things quickly; like writing up an offer. And not just any offer that starts out 50K below the asking price.
Potential sticking points such as Appraised Value, Home Inspection and Title issues are resolved or in process of resolution when buyers enter into an agreement. As a result of purchasing a “Certified Home”, questions such as “Will it appraise” or “does the home need work” in addition to any last minute title issues simply go away. Offers can be made and accepted with confidence and good decisions can be made by using the proper information in hand from the start.
To use an analogy; can you imagine a loan officer asking a borrower for credit or income information just days before a closing? That would be considered extremely poor professionalism and I’m sure wouldn’t go over too well with all the other parties involved if that information didn’t come back favorable.
It’s a loan officer’s job to answer all the questions and address all the “things” that could go wrong during the transaction and make sure they are addressed long before an underwriter ever sees the file.
So my question is: Why isn’t it like this in real estate? Do we all think that problems can just be swept under the rug? Or are we all still under the mind set of “maybe the buyers won’t notice”. In this day and age of information and Buyer Brokers it’s highly doubtful. The information on every property eventually surfaces to the top, it’s just a matter of when and what the impact is to the buyers and sellers.
If you want more evidence ask yourself a simple question the next time you go shopping for a car. For example; two cars basically look the same and have the same functional utility but one has been “Certified” by the dealer and the price validated by a third party source and has a car fax pulled so you know the history. The other car is a for sale by owner down the street and you don’t know anything about the details. Which one would you buy?
To learn more about Certified Homes please visit us online at http://www.certifiedhome.com/
Happy Selling,
Stephen Smith
ssmith@certifiedhome.com
Thursday, April 29, 2010
How to keep listings from expiring
How do you keep listings from expiring you ask?
This is an easy one…..Sell them before the contract expires!
The problem with that answer is; how do you sell something that you know nothing about? Better yet, how do you buy something that you know nothing about? Those are tough questions to answer but I’ll give it a try……
1. Make sure the home is priced right: The reason why buyers come in with low ball offers is because the industry itself has trained buyers to do it. As an Agent or a buyer, how many times have you heard: “Just make an offer” or “The Sellers are very motivated”. No wonder the market is saturated with insulting offers. Agents set the tone with buyers with a misaligned expectation and the seller generally comes back with an equally insulting counter. Not a great way to start the negotiation process. It’s kind of that same feeling you get at the car dealership after the 3rd sales manager swings by your table with a rock bottom price.
Frankly, these tactics don’t work – stop enabling buyers!! Simply put, buyers just want answers to simple questions like: Where did you come up with the price? Is the home in good condition? How soon can we close? Give buyers good answers and you will get good results.
2. Know your product: It’s one thing for the listing agent to know some intricate details about the property but is that person able to make every showing and answer questions that only an Appraiser, Inspector or Title Attorney could field. Highly doubtful….The more you know about the home up front the quicker you will close with a lot less aggravation, stress and anxiety.
3. Eliminate surprises at closing: Ever been to a closing and discovered that the title wasn’t cleared or there were a few signatures that still needed to be signed –somewhere across state lines? I have…..It’s not a lot of fun. This, however, with a little research up front can also be eliminated.
Packaging homes for sale for today’s buyers is more crucial than ever before. If you would like to learn how to keep your listings from expiring then give Certified Homes a call today!
Happy Selling,
Stephen Smith
http://www.certifiedhome.com/
This is an easy one…..Sell them before the contract expires!
The problem with that answer is; how do you sell something that you know nothing about? Better yet, how do you buy something that you know nothing about? Those are tough questions to answer but I’ll give it a try……
1. Make sure the home is priced right: The reason why buyers come in with low ball offers is because the industry itself has trained buyers to do it. As an Agent or a buyer, how many times have you heard: “Just make an offer” or “The Sellers are very motivated”. No wonder the market is saturated with insulting offers. Agents set the tone with buyers with a misaligned expectation and the seller generally comes back with an equally insulting counter. Not a great way to start the negotiation process. It’s kind of that same feeling you get at the car dealership after the 3rd sales manager swings by your table with a rock bottom price.
Frankly, these tactics don’t work – stop enabling buyers!! Simply put, buyers just want answers to simple questions like: Where did you come up with the price? Is the home in good condition? How soon can we close? Give buyers good answers and you will get good results.
2. Know your product: It’s one thing for the listing agent to know some intricate details about the property but is that person able to make every showing and answer questions that only an Appraiser, Inspector or Title Attorney could field. Highly doubtful….The more you know about the home up front the quicker you will close with a lot less aggravation, stress and anxiety.
3. Eliminate surprises at closing: Ever been to a closing and discovered that the title wasn’t cleared or there were a few signatures that still needed to be signed –somewhere across state lines? I have…..It’s not a lot of fun. This, however, with a little research up front can also be eliminated.
Packaging homes for sale for today’s buyers is more crucial than ever before. If you would like to learn how to keep your listings from expiring then give Certified Homes a call today!
Happy Selling,
Stephen Smith
http://www.certifiedhome.com/
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Price Reduction- Proceed with Caution!
Price reductions are another way of saying - “oops we missed the market!”
Unfortunately, reductions are far too common and can be extremely unproductive and financially devastating for sellers.
Fortunately, it doesn't have to be this way. With a simple procedural adjustment before or at the time of the listing presentation can pay huge dividends for all.
Here are a few reasons why Certifying a home is a good idea:
- Determine Sticking Points Early
- Distinguish Home From Competition
- Don’t Miss the Market and Potential Buyers
- Reduce Marketing Time
- Generate Good Offers From Confident Buyers
- Answer Buyer Objections Professionally - Don’t Defer Them
- Streamline the Negotiation Process
- Minimize Closing Anxieties, Issues And Delays
- No Last Minute Haggling
Happy Selling!
Stephen M Smith
http://www.certifiedhome.com/
Sunday, April 25, 2010
How much is Real Estate worth?
If you answered this question by saying “whatever a person is willing to pay” then you’ve probably been in the business for a while.
Unfortunately, with the presence of the internet we added new rules to the game. With the integration of social networking forums and research tools such as Realtor.com and Google, buyers have become much more educated and savvy. They know what they want - A good value and a fair price. To be frank, buyers are tired of being taken advantage of and the writing’s on the wall. Even when homes prices and mortgage rates are at all time lows (a rare event) sellers are still finding it challenging to get offers.
Whenever I see the same property on the market for several months I often ask myself what the owners are thinking. Are they contemplating:
• I need to get a certain amount?
• My home is better than the neighbors?
• If I can’t get X, I’m not selling!
I’m not sure what the thought process is but at the end of the day, buyers just don’t care! The art of buying and selling a home has become a business transaction not an emotional one- and buyers want facts not speculation. To learn more about putting the emotion back into real estate and to show sellers how to attract buyers and accelerate the sales process please visit us online at http://www.certifiedhome.com/
To read similar articles please visit our blog at http://certifiedhome.blogspot.com/
Happy Selling,
Stephen Smith
ssmith@certifiedhome.com
Unfortunately, with the presence of the internet we added new rules to the game. With the integration of social networking forums and research tools such as Realtor.com and Google, buyers have become much more educated and savvy. They know what they want - A good value and a fair price. To be frank, buyers are tired of being taken advantage of and the writing’s on the wall. Even when homes prices and mortgage rates are at all time lows (a rare event) sellers are still finding it challenging to get offers.
Whenever I see the same property on the market for several months I often ask myself what the owners are thinking. Are they contemplating:
• I need to get a certain amount?
• My home is better than the neighbors?
• If I can’t get X, I’m not selling!
I’m not sure what the thought process is but at the end of the day, buyers just don’t care! The art of buying and selling a home has become a business transaction not an emotional one- and buyers want facts not speculation. To learn more about putting the emotion back into real estate and to show sellers how to attract buyers and accelerate the sales process please visit us online at http://www.certifiedhome.com/
To read similar articles please visit our blog at http://certifiedhome.blogspot.com/
Happy Selling,
Stephen Smith
ssmith@certifiedhome.com
Thursday, April 22, 2010
The Broken Real Estate Process
If you’re a listing agent the question may be: How do I broach this subject of Certifying my home with the seller?
The answer is pretty simple….it really boils down to Knowledge. He who has the knowledge has the power and is in control.
One of the main reasons why homes don’t sell is simply a function of the breakdown of information between the seller and the buyer leaving questions or objections unanswered, coupled with the fact that most sellers don’t know what skeletons may be lurking in the closet.
Tell me if this makes any sense:
Seller: Hi, I’m looking to sell my home. Why don’t you buy my house but first, I want you to figure out what the bank will lend on it and then determine what condition the home is in and if there are any repairs that need to happen? Oh yeah, I’d like you to pay for that too….
Today’s Buyer: You want me to do what??
Strange isn’t it? Would you make a half million dollar purchase on blind assumptions? Of course not….but that’s what we ask real estate buyers to do every day. I honestly can’t think of any other product on the open market that we ask buyers to go through this process in any sales cycle.
So the next time you’re at a listing presentation make sure you position your sellers to:
• Be in control of the process
• Be educated in all areas of price, condition and title
• Present and Package their home for success
• Differentiate their product from the rest
• Get the home Certified!
For more information on how to be successful and fix the broken process please visit us online at http://www.certifiedhome.com/
Happy Selling,
Stephen Smith
ssmith@certifiedhome.com
The answer is pretty simple….it really boils down to Knowledge. He who has the knowledge has the power and is in control.
One of the main reasons why homes don’t sell is simply a function of the breakdown of information between the seller and the buyer leaving questions or objections unanswered, coupled with the fact that most sellers don’t know what skeletons may be lurking in the closet.
Tell me if this makes any sense:
Seller: Hi, I’m looking to sell my home. Why don’t you buy my house but first, I want you to figure out what the bank will lend on it and then determine what condition the home is in and if there are any repairs that need to happen? Oh yeah, I’d like you to pay for that too….
Today’s Buyer: You want me to do what??
Strange isn’t it? Would you make a half million dollar purchase on blind assumptions? Of course not….but that’s what we ask real estate buyers to do every day. I honestly can’t think of any other product on the open market that we ask buyers to go through this process in any sales cycle.
So the next time you’re at a listing presentation make sure you position your sellers to:
• Be in control of the process
• Be educated in all areas of price, condition and title
• Present and Package their home for success
• Differentiate their product from the rest
• Get the home Certified!
For more information on how to be successful and fix the broken process please visit us online at http://www.certifiedhome.com/
Happy Selling,
Stephen Smith
ssmith@certifiedhome.com
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Why Homes Sit On The Market: A MUST READ!
Ok, I’m going to offend many on this one – but trust me, it’s for your own good! The simple truth, however, is that 99.9% of Real Estate sales professionals fail before they even leave the listing appointment. Why? Because they don’t properly manage the sellers expectations and don't properly prepare their product for the market. Some of the best and completely overused excuses as to why their listings don’t sell are:
• It’s priced too high
• There were problems with the home inspection
• The appraiser killed the deal
• A lien or Judgment couldn’t be satisfied in time
Great excuses? You bet! Over used?.....YUP! Legitimate? Absolutely not….
Here’s why. These are all avoidable if the home is positioned properly and expectations are managed up front. The over promising and under delivering tactics of old just don’t work for today’s savvy buyers.
Folks, it’s time to wake up your sellers and give them a reality check. After all, it’s your name on the sign, not there’s! Why would you want to take a listing that is overpriced and advertise the fact that you have no idea what you’re doing? Nice job getting the listing but before you take it you may want to ask yourself how much it’s going to cost you. Let me spell it out for you:
• Gas
• Time
• Countless phone calls
• Family time (Weekends)
• Anxiety
• Marketing time and dollars
• Future business
• Bad publicity
If you actually took the time to read this and perhaps a nerve was struck along the way – Congratulations! Now it’s up to you to do something about it. To learn more on how to alleviate the above pain points, work smarter and earn more with less hassle please visit us online at www.certifiedhome.com
Happy Selling,
Stephen Smith
ssmith@certifiedhome.com
• It’s priced too high
• There were problems with the home inspection
• The appraiser killed the deal
• A lien or Judgment couldn’t be satisfied in time
Great excuses? You bet! Over used?.....YUP! Legitimate? Absolutely not….
Here’s why. These are all avoidable if the home is positioned properly and expectations are managed up front. The over promising and under delivering tactics of old just don’t work for today’s savvy buyers.
Folks, it’s time to wake up your sellers and give them a reality check. After all, it’s your name on the sign, not there’s! Why would you want to take a listing that is overpriced and advertise the fact that you have no idea what you’re doing? Nice job getting the listing but before you take it you may want to ask yourself how much it’s going to cost you. Let me spell it out for you:
• Gas
• Time
• Countless phone calls
• Family time (Weekends)
• Anxiety
• Marketing time and dollars
• Future business
• Bad publicity
If you actually took the time to read this and perhaps a nerve was struck along the way – Congratulations! Now it’s up to you to do something about it. To learn more on how to alleviate the above pain points, work smarter and earn more with less hassle please visit us online at www.certifiedhome.com
Happy Selling,
Stephen Smith
ssmith@certifiedhome.com
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