As a leader in real estate, I am repeatedly asked specific questions about today's market - especially in today's economy. In an effort to provide more information to my community, I am sending you this Top 5 Real Estate Social Networking Systemsm “e-Article,” in which I provide useful real estate information to my real estate networks. If you find the enclosed information beneficial to your family and friends, I encourage you to forward it to your “social network" as well.
Is Your Home Merchandised to Sell? Top 5 Ways to Find Out
You have probably noticed that it is taking most homes a lot longer to sell in today’s buyer’s market. As a Member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, I am constantly asked, “What can I do to make my home sell faster and at a better price?” The answer? Proper merchandising.
The right merchandising is critical to the effective sale of your home—in a reasonable time frame and at a price point you are happy with. Merchandising is often referred to as property preparation or staging—but true merchandising goes far beyond that. If the agent you are considering working with can only offer obvious suggestions like, “empty the closets, de-clutter, paint the front door, cut the grass, and remove personal items,” then it’s all the more important that you ask any agent you are interviewing the following questions:
1. Please explain the difference between marketing and merchandising. (If they say they’re the same thing, that’s a red flag).
2. What are the things we can do, at no additional expense, to add greater value to our home?
3. What investments in merchandising could we make that would generate a significantly greater return?
4. Are we in a marketplace that - because of the supply-and-demand ratios, how the market is trending and the number of days on the market - lends itself to merchandising our home?
5. What concerns might prospective buyers have about our home? Is there anything that can be done to address these concerns through effective merchandising?
Also be sure to ask the agent for examples of other properties in your area that he or she helped merchandise and how that merchandising influenced the results. Asking these questions will allow you to determine if the agent you are considering has a deeper understanding of merchandising in order to secure a successful outcome for the sale of your home. These questions will also provide insight as to the agent’s own feelings about your property.
If you—or any of your friends and family—would like more information on how to select the best possible real estate agent to handle the sale of your home, please e-mail me for a free copy of the Top 5 publication, What Every Home Seller Should Demand…of Their Real Estate Agent.
Remember, your home only has one chance to make a first impression, so it is crucial that your real estate agent possesses the techniques to get your home looking its best. If you believe that this information can be beneficial to others, please forward this e-mail to them.
Sincerely,
Andee
Andee Hausman
RE/MAX Experts
Top 5 in Real Estate Member
AHaus@AndeeHausman.com
www.andeehausman.com
