If you are thinking about selling your home, you may also be considering working with a discount brokerage. Before you decide to hire that discount brokerage, there are a few things you should know in order to make the best possible decision for your home sale.
1. How much does it actually cost? Many people believe that working with a discount brokerage means that you will pay a flat fee. While that may be true, there will probably be a note in the small print requiring you to pay the additional buyer agent fee. Make sure you add those two numbers up together; many times, you may have been able to utilize a full brokerage service after all.
2. What do you get for that money? Some sellers who have hired discount brokerages in the past find that, although their house is on the MLS, they do not get any additional marketing from the discount brokerage.
3. What type of communication will you receive when you work with a discount brokerage firm? In the world of real estate, communication is key. However, most sellers who’ve worked with discount brokers have shared that they didn’t get much communication at all.
4. What kind of negotiation support will you get? When it comes to negotiating your sales price, you want to make sure you work with a good negotiator. You aren’t guaranteed that type of service with a discount brokerage.
5. Will they share liability? When it comes to selling your home, there is a lot at stake in terms of liability. When you work with a full-service brokerage, you will share that liability. If you work with a discount brokerage, you are the only one who’s liable.
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If you work with a full-service brokerage, your house will sell for 24% more money.
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Another thing to keep in mind is that, according to the National Association of Realtors, sellers who work with full-service brokerages earn 24% more when selling their house than those who worked with a discount brokerage.
While you can certainly sell your house with a discount brokerage, remember the old adage: Sometimes, you get what you pay for.
If you have any other questions about selling your home or about real estate in general, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!
Many people are starting to come around to the idea of home staging. When you look at it from a buyer’s perspective, it doesn’t make sense not to stage your home.
For sellers looking to get the most money possible for their home, home staging has become a popular strategy. But what is staging and why is it important? We’re here to answer that and other questions today.
Staging is the process of preparing your home for the market in a visual way, whether it’s with photography, video, or open houses and showings. Staging is important because it has been found that homes that are staged sell faster and for more money than homes that aren’t. It’s something to take seriously.
The first thing to do when staging is to depersonalize your home. When a buyer comes to see the property, they want to be able to look at your home and make it their own. When you have pictures of your kids or sports memorabilia strewn throughout the home, it doesn’t help. In addition to the sports memorabilia, it’s also a good idea to take down any religious icons as well. You want to do whatever you can to alienate the least amount of people possible.
Those are all great things to have in a home, but removing them in order to stage the home properly will allow the buyer to more easily envision their family in the home.
The next step is to define (or redefine) each room. Maybe you turned your living room into a playroom or an arts and crafts room. When you are staging that room, make it look like a living room.
For a visual buyer, having less in the home is more appealing. When in doubt, clear it out. Minimizing the items in your home will maximize its space.
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Each room should have a specific purpose.
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Finally, smile for the camera. In 2017, a majority of buyers are beginning their home search online. You have about two and a half seconds to wow a buyer through either pictures or video. Homes that are staged with minimal clutter look the best on camera.
Taking these things into consideration when getting your home ready for sale will really help you out in the long run. That’s why we offer free staging services to our sellers. If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home anytime soon, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you.
What happens when you list your home for sale and it expires off the market? Your next steps are crucial if you want to get the house back on the market and sell.
What happens if your home was listed for sale but expired off the market? Unfortunately, you're not alone because many people experience this when trying to sell their house. More often than not, it isn't the homeowner's fault.
So what can you do when your home expires off the market?
Start by taking into account what has happened up to that point. Look back at your past showings, where you are right now, and what got you to that point. Typically, the best suggestion is to start interviewing agents. Most markets across the country are doing well, so now is the time to list your house. Do your homework and interview several agents.
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When you interview agents, be sure you're asking the right questions.
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When you interview agents, be sure you're asking the right questions. Ask them how many homes they have sold, because you want them to have experience. Since the real estate game has changed these days, you also need to ask the agent or agents to show you their marketing budget and marketing plan. Over 90% of homebuyers start their home search online, so if your house isn't being marketed online globally, you're at a disadvantage.
When going back on the market, it's also important to talk with an agent about the process itself. Talk about closing and negotiation and ask the agent about their past. How long have they been in business? All these things will add up to a successful sale.
If you have any questions about getting your house back on the market, we'd love to help you out. Just give us a call or send us an email soon. We hope to hear from you!
