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/