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
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Market your services for FREE!
Certified Homes allows Homeowners to trouble shoot potential pitfalls that may arise during a transaction; prior to arrival!
In addition, we have also created a Real Estate social networking platform where industry professional can network, refer clients, generate leads and market themselves. To join our network and become a Certified Provider or to help a homeowner Get Certified please visit us online at http://www.certifiedhome.com/
Happy Selling!!
Stephen Smith
ssmith@certifiedhome.com
In addition, we have also created a Real Estate social networking platform where industry professional can network, refer clients, generate leads and market themselves. To join our network and become a Certified Provider or to help a homeowner Get Certified please visit us online at http://www.certifiedhome.com/
Happy Selling!!
Stephen Smith
ssmith@certifiedhome.com
Thursday, April 15, 2010
A Certified Home
Certified Homes, Inc is a web site solution for all Real Estate needs. In today’s competitive market it’s more crucial than ever before to make sure a seller takes advantage of every opportunity to insure that their home stands out above the rest.
Certified Homes removes the negative anxieties for both the seller and buyer by performing an Appraisal, Home Inspection and Title Report before the home goes on the market or the sellers enter into an agreement with a potential buyer. All reports, flaws, defects, deferred maintenance, repairs etc. can be easily accessed so all expectations can be managed from day 1.
As a result of purchasing a “Certified Home”, questions such as “Will it appraise” or “does it need a new roof” in addition to any last minute title issues simply go away. Offers can be made with and accepted with confidence and decisions can be made by using the proper information on hand from the start.
Certified also provides Sellers and consumers in general with a directory of the top professionals in the industry such as Attorneys, Contractors, Stagers, Insurance Agents, Mortgage Professionals etc. that are ranked by the consumer and listed on the site accordingly; the higher the consumer rating the better the listing. Each provider pays an annual fee to advertise on the site, however, certain qualification parameters must be met in order to be a Certified Provider.
Ultimately, this process creates a win-win situation for the buyer, seller and all other third party vendors involved in the Real Estate process. The buyer purchases a home with no last minute surprises and the seller gets a comprehensive understanding of the condition or their home and current market value while potentially saving thousands of dollars on unexpected repairs or wasted time on market adjustments and unforeseen title issues.
Happy Selling,
Stephen Smith
ssmith@certifiedhome.com
Certified Homes removes the negative anxieties for both the seller and buyer by performing an Appraisal, Home Inspection and Title Report before the home goes on the market or the sellers enter into an agreement with a potential buyer. All reports, flaws, defects, deferred maintenance, repairs etc. can be easily accessed so all expectations can be managed from day 1.
As a result of purchasing a “Certified Home”, questions such as “Will it appraise” or “does it need a new roof” in addition to any last minute title issues simply go away. Offers can be made with and accepted with confidence and decisions can be made by using the proper information on hand from the start.
Certified also provides Sellers and consumers in general with a directory of the top professionals in the industry such as Attorneys, Contractors, Stagers, Insurance Agents, Mortgage Professionals etc. that are ranked by the consumer and listed on the site accordingly; the higher the consumer rating the better the listing. Each provider pays an annual fee to advertise on the site, however, certain qualification parameters must be met in order to be a Certified Provider.
Ultimately, this process creates a win-win situation for the buyer, seller and all other third party vendors involved in the Real Estate process. The buyer purchases a home with no last minute surprises and the seller gets a comprehensive understanding of the condition or their home and current market value while potentially saving thousands of dollars on unexpected repairs or wasted time on market adjustments and unforeseen title issues.
Happy Selling,
Stephen Smith
ssmith@certifiedhome.com
Thursday, April 8, 2010
The Certified Advantage
“Some times the obvious eludes us all,” states Heather Dale-Barcelona. “Nothing could be truer for a real estate transaction.” This past summer, Dale-Barcelona was in the unenviable position of having to sell her home quickly and in a tough real estate market. Her husband’s job had been moved to South Carolina and the family had been given roughly three months to sell their home in Somersworth, New Hampshire and move. “It was a nightmare scenario,” says Dale-Barcelona. “And what added salt to the wound, was that we lived in a neighborhood where several comparable homes had been on the market for more than a year.”
“We went through the typical protocols of engaging a realtor, getting the market appraisal and putting the home up for sale, at the realtors suggested price. After a number of weeks, we didn’t have a nibble, not even one showing. We were getting pretty nervous,” recalls Dale-Barcelona. “We thought that the home was solid but we were unsure. We had such a tight turn around time and therefore had no tolerance for any last minute glitches. We knew we needed help. That’s when an acquaintance told us about Certified Homes. We checked it out on line and it looked like it might work for us.”
Certified Homes is the brainchild of Stephen Smith. Located in Portsmouth, NH the company is transforming, reforming and changing the rules of engagement when it comes to buying or selling a home.
Certified Homes aims to literally “certify” your home before it goes to market. The company provides home owners with an independent market appraisal and inspection of their property along with a title search before the listing process. According to Smith, Certified Homes identifies problems up front. It exposes flaws before they become negotiating points and it sets the sale.
“I’ve been in the mortgage business for fifteen years,” states Smith. “Time and time again I’ve seen real estate transactions fall through at the very last minute. I thought “there’s got to be a better way. There are definite flaws in the current real estate transaction. Procedurally it’s done backwards.”
“Every home that is sold goes through a certain process where the value, condition and ability to transfer title get analyzed extensively, usually during the final days of the transaction,” says Smith. “Think about it! It’s the biggest purchase that the average individual will ever make yet we’re asking them to conduct due diligence, a complete investigation and verification of the details on a purchase of several hundred thousand dollars, two weeks prior to closing. By “Certifying” your property we are completing this analysis before offers are entertained.”
“We contacted Steve by phone,” states Barcelona. “He ran us through the procedure and it made so much sense to us. If we had used the certified information from the beginning it would have alleviated so much stress from our lives and we would have a more realistic expectation of the problems with our home and what it was worth.”
The realtor had set a selling price for the Barcelona’s home in a range between 259 and 269 thousand dollars. Wanting to sell quickly, they decided to price the property on the low end of that range. Then the independent Certified Appraisal came in. “It assessed the value of our home between 230 to 240 thousand dollars. After the initial heart attack, we took a serious look at it. The house had been on the market with no looks, no interest….zip… zilch...nothing. At that moment we realized that our home was overpriced and that the appraiser was not that far off.”
“The house inspection looked at the bones of the house and it was such great information to have! What I loved about it was we knew the house had some pitfalls, things that we hadn’t addressed and were nervous about. The inspector gave us a wonderfully detailed report about what may be red flags and what was strictly cosmetic. It enabled us to get the problems fixed right away. Then when we had our showings, we left the Certified Homes binder out for people to review and in it was all the documentation including receipts for the repairs that we made to the home.”
“In the end, we lowered the price to 239 thousand on a Wednesday. On that Friday, we had four showings and two offers. Once we hit on the right price, that’s when it all came into place.”
And Smith says what’s good for the seller is good for the buyer. A Certified Home levels the playing field and it manages expectations up front.
“Certified Homes are the best homes to look at because you know that the seller has taken the time to properly prepare their home for sale in regard to the value, condition and transferability of title. All reports, defects, deferred maintenance and repairs etc., can be easily accessed. As a result, questions such as “will it appraise” or “does it need a new roof” in addition to any last minute title issues simply go away. Offers can be made and accepted with confidence and decisions can be made by having the proper information in hand from the start.”
“Ultimately, this process creates a win-win situation for the buyer and seller. The buyer purchases a home with no last minute surprises and the seller gets a comprehensive understanding of their home and current market value while potentially saving thousands of dollars in unnecessary last minute negotiating.”
“The buyers of our home had been looking for a long time,” said Barcelona. “ They had seen a lot of properties in that price range. When they walked into our home and saw all the Certified Homes documentation, they were stunned. The house ended up being the right match for them and it saved them some money too. They didn’t have to bear the cost of the home inspection because we’d already had it done. The whole process from the listing to the closing went so smoothly, it was a piece of cake. On the flip side, we wish we could have purchased a Certified Home in South Carolina. We’re dealing with so many unseen problems and surprises. It’s definitely become a money pit!
Certified Homes also certifies realtors and other real estate professionals. All Certified Providers go through a qualification process and are considered to be experts in their field. According to Smith, it gives homeowners a leg up knowing that “they are dealing with an accomplished professional who can get the job done right.”
For more information about Certified Homes or becoming a Certified Provider visit http://www.certifiedhome.com/
“We went through the typical protocols of engaging a realtor, getting the market appraisal and putting the home up for sale, at the realtors suggested price. After a number of weeks, we didn’t have a nibble, not even one showing. We were getting pretty nervous,” recalls Dale-Barcelona. “We thought that the home was solid but we were unsure. We had such a tight turn around time and therefore had no tolerance for any last minute glitches. We knew we needed help. That’s when an acquaintance told us about Certified Homes. We checked it out on line and it looked like it might work for us.”
Certified Homes is the brainchild of Stephen Smith. Located in Portsmouth, NH the company is transforming, reforming and changing the rules of engagement when it comes to buying or selling a home.
Certified Homes aims to literally “certify” your home before it goes to market. The company provides home owners with an independent market appraisal and inspection of their property along with a title search before the listing process. According to Smith, Certified Homes identifies problems up front. It exposes flaws before they become negotiating points and it sets the sale.
“I’ve been in the mortgage business for fifteen years,” states Smith. “Time and time again I’ve seen real estate transactions fall through at the very last minute. I thought “there’s got to be a better way. There are definite flaws in the current real estate transaction. Procedurally it’s done backwards.”
“Every home that is sold goes through a certain process where the value, condition and ability to transfer title get analyzed extensively, usually during the final days of the transaction,” says Smith. “Think about it! It’s the biggest purchase that the average individual will ever make yet we’re asking them to conduct due diligence, a complete investigation and verification of the details on a purchase of several hundred thousand dollars, two weeks prior to closing. By “Certifying” your property we are completing this analysis before offers are entertained.”
“We contacted Steve by phone,” states Barcelona. “He ran us through the procedure and it made so much sense to us. If we had used the certified information from the beginning it would have alleviated so much stress from our lives and we would have a more realistic expectation of the problems with our home and what it was worth.”
The realtor had set a selling price for the Barcelona’s home in a range between 259 and 269 thousand dollars. Wanting to sell quickly, they decided to price the property on the low end of that range. Then the independent Certified Appraisal came in. “It assessed the value of our home between 230 to 240 thousand dollars. After the initial heart attack, we took a serious look at it. The house had been on the market with no looks, no interest….zip… zilch...nothing. At that moment we realized that our home was overpriced and that the appraiser was not that far off.”
“The house inspection looked at the bones of the house and it was such great information to have! What I loved about it was we knew the house had some pitfalls, things that we hadn’t addressed and were nervous about. The inspector gave us a wonderfully detailed report about what may be red flags and what was strictly cosmetic. It enabled us to get the problems fixed right away. Then when we had our showings, we left the Certified Homes binder out for people to review and in it was all the documentation including receipts for the repairs that we made to the home.”
“In the end, we lowered the price to 239 thousand on a Wednesday. On that Friday, we had four showings and two offers. Once we hit on the right price, that’s when it all came into place.”
And Smith says what’s good for the seller is good for the buyer. A Certified Home levels the playing field and it manages expectations up front.
“Certified Homes are the best homes to look at because you know that the seller has taken the time to properly prepare their home for sale in regard to the value, condition and transferability of title. All reports, defects, deferred maintenance and repairs etc., can be easily accessed. As a result, questions such as “will it appraise” or “does it need a new roof” in addition to any last minute title issues simply go away. Offers can be made and accepted with confidence and decisions can be made by having the proper information in hand from the start.”
“Ultimately, this process creates a win-win situation for the buyer and seller. The buyer purchases a home with no last minute surprises and the seller gets a comprehensive understanding of their home and current market value while potentially saving thousands of dollars in unnecessary last minute negotiating.”
“The buyers of our home had been looking for a long time,” said Barcelona. “ They had seen a lot of properties in that price range. When they walked into our home and saw all the Certified Homes documentation, they were stunned. The house ended up being the right match for them and it saved them some money too. They didn’t have to bear the cost of the home inspection because we’d already had it done. The whole process from the listing to the closing went so smoothly, it was a piece of cake. On the flip side, we wish we could have purchased a Certified Home in South Carolina. We’re dealing with so many unseen problems and surprises. It’s definitely become a money pit!
Certified Homes also certifies realtors and other real estate professionals. All Certified Providers go through a qualification process and are considered to be experts in their field. According to Smith, it gives homeowners a leg up knowing that “they are dealing with an accomplished professional who can get the job done right.”
For more information about Certified Homes or becoming a Certified Provider visit http://www.certifiedhome.com/
Gauging Seller Motivation
As a Real Estate professional what’s the best way to gage a seller’s motivation? Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to determine how serious a seller is:
Are the Sellers in tune with the market and your evaluation of a fair market list price?
Determining the fair market value of a home is really no different than analyzing a stock price for a company. Company stocks go up and down with the market as is true with Real Estate. Now granted, you don’t live on Wall Street so there is a certain sentimental value that goes into the equation when purchasing a home. However, the price still has to be in line with the market in order for a buyer to feel comfortable making an offer. I really like Nike sneakers, but am I going to spend 20% over the market value to buy into the company? Probably not.
So make sure the list price is based on the current market and not the market 2 years ago or even 6 months ago. If you don’t, the bank doing the financing and their new HVCC (Home Valuation Code of Conduct) regulations will!
Is the Seller open and willing to learn about and fix defects of the home that could deter buyers from making offers?
This question may be more important than the first? Sellers often invest money in the wrong place such as new carpet or kitchen counter tops. The problem being, the new homeowner will more than likely have different tastes and plans for the home than the original seller. What’s most important to buyers is the bones and systems of the house. In other words, answering questions like: Is the foundation solid, does it need a new roof, how is the furnace, is the electric up to code, etc, etc….is more important than basic cosmetics. People can live with a pink rug for awhile as long as there isn’t a pool of water on the sofa from a leaking roof.
Does the Seller have the financial resources and equity to cover the transaction costs?
Let’s face it, any time someone sells Real Estate it’s going to cost money. This has become very crucial especially in a market that is littered with short sales and foreclosures. Not much you can do in those situations….The good news is those homes are only a small representation of the overall market. For the rest of the market you want to make sure that the seller is capable and willing to invest the time and money to understand the home that they are marketing to the public. Educating buyers is more than half the battle when selling real estate. Giving buyers the right education and solid answers to their concerns and objections will pay huge dividends in the end.
If the answer is no to any or all of these questions you may want to re-think whether or not that house you’re trying to get listed is worth the risk of putting your name and reputation on the line.
For more information on how to maximize your success on listing and selling homes please visit us online at http://www.certifiedhome.com/
Happy Selling,
Stephen Smith
ssmith@certifiedhome.com
Are the Sellers in tune with the market and your evaluation of a fair market list price?
Determining the fair market value of a home is really no different than analyzing a stock price for a company. Company stocks go up and down with the market as is true with Real Estate. Now granted, you don’t live on Wall Street so there is a certain sentimental value that goes into the equation when purchasing a home. However, the price still has to be in line with the market in order for a buyer to feel comfortable making an offer. I really like Nike sneakers, but am I going to spend 20% over the market value to buy into the company? Probably not.
So make sure the list price is based on the current market and not the market 2 years ago or even 6 months ago. If you don’t, the bank doing the financing and their new HVCC (Home Valuation Code of Conduct) regulations will!
Is the Seller open and willing to learn about and fix defects of the home that could deter buyers from making offers?
This question may be more important than the first? Sellers often invest money in the wrong place such as new carpet or kitchen counter tops. The problem being, the new homeowner will more than likely have different tastes and plans for the home than the original seller. What’s most important to buyers is the bones and systems of the house. In other words, answering questions like: Is the foundation solid, does it need a new roof, how is the furnace, is the electric up to code, etc, etc….is more important than basic cosmetics. People can live with a pink rug for awhile as long as there isn’t a pool of water on the sofa from a leaking roof.
Does the Seller have the financial resources and equity to cover the transaction costs?
Let’s face it, any time someone sells Real Estate it’s going to cost money. This has become very crucial especially in a market that is littered with short sales and foreclosures. Not much you can do in those situations….The good news is those homes are only a small representation of the overall market. For the rest of the market you want to make sure that the seller is capable and willing to invest the time and money to understand the home that they are marketing to the public. Educating buyers is more than half the battle when selling real estate. Giving buyers the right education and solid answers to their concerns and objections will pay huge dividends in the end.
If the answer is no to any or all of these questions you may want to re-think whether or not that house you’re trying to get listed is worth the risk of putting your name and reputation on the line.
For more information on how to maximize your success on listing and selling homes please visit us online at http://www.certifiedhome.com/
Happy Selling,
Stephen Smith
ssmith@certifiedhome.com
Monday, April 5, 2010
Know your product
As a Sales Agent, have you ever gone into a home and felt overwhelmed with questions that you just didn’t have answers for? When buyer objections are left unanswered the likelihood of an offer being generated is greatly diminished.
In today’s market, it's more important than ever to truly UNDERSTAND your product and deliver a consistent message that can be easily conveyed to your target market. In order to effectively do that, sales agents must be given the tools to gain all the facts about the good, the bad and the ugly. After all, who wants to buy other people’s problems and take risks with the unknown?? I think we all know the answer to that one.....
So if you’re representing 1 or several homes on the market – make certain that the Buyers Agent has access to all the answers and the buyers will take care of the rest!
For more information on how the best way to sell homes, please visit us online at http://www.certifiedhome.com/
Happy Selling,
Stephen Smith
ssmith@certifiedhome.com
In today’s market, it's more important than ever to truly UNDERSTAND your product and deliver a consistent message that can be easily conveyed to your target market. In order to effectively do that, sales agents must be given the tools to gain all the facts about the good, the bad and the ugly. After all, who wants to buy other people’s problems and take risks with the unknown?? I think we all know the answer to that one.....
So if you’re representing 1 or several homes on the market – make certain that the Buyers Agent has access to all the answers and the buyers will take care of the rest!
For more information on how the best way to sell homes, please visit us online at http://www.certifiedhome.com/
Happy Selling,
Stephen Smith
ssmith@certifiedhome.com
Monday, January 11, 2010
Sell more, earn more and work less!
Ever try selling something that you know little or nothing about? Kind of hard isn’t it? That’s exactly how a Real Estate agent must feel when they walk through the doors of a foreign house with the perfect buyers. The idea of a house selling itself may have worked before the internet age but in today’s market consumers are faced with so many options at their fingertips it makes making a decision far more difficult than in the past. It’s a proven fact that when consumers are presented with too many options they are far less likely not to make a decision at all vs. only having a few viable options to choose from. This is human nature.
In today’s market consumers want accurate facts about the product in which they are buying….not too much to ask, right? You wouldn’t think so, however, one of the few exceptions to this rule is within the confines of the Real Estate industry. The term caveat emptor is taken to the extreme. We put all the emphasis of determining the value and condition of the home on the buyer’s shoulders. Talk about making a tough decision even tougher. It’s also no wonder why you hear about all the post closing nightmare stories from both buyers and sellers due to the lack of accurate and timely information.
For more information on how to sell more homes, earn more referrals and work smarter please visit us online and become a “Certified Provider” today! http://www.certifiedhome.com/
Happy Selling,
Stephen Smith
ssmith@certifiedhome.com
In today’s market consumers want accurate facts about the product in which they are buying….not too much to ask, right? You wouldn’t think so, however, one of the few exceptions to this rule is within the confines of the Real Estate industry. The term caveat emptor is taken to the extreme. We put all the emphasis of determining the value and condition of the home on the buyer’s shoulders. Talk about making a tough decision even tougher. It’s also no wonder why you hear about all the post closing nightmare stories from both buyers and sellers due to the lack of accurate and timely information.
For more information on how to sell more homes, earn more referrals and work smarter please visit us online and become a “Certified Provider” today! http://www.certifiedhome.com/
Happy Selling,
Stephen Smith
ssmith@certifiedhome.com
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