What Can A Seller Expect From a Licensed REALTOR®
Being a Realtor is not a glamour job…much more to it than putting a sign in front and holding an open house! We climb through bushes with stickers, walk in mud, deal with vicious dogs, in order to find a lockbox! Here are a few items for you to think about:
- Professional Representation–As Realtors we have “a fiduciary duty of utmost care, integrity, honesty and loyalty”. Sounds simple enough, but not always simple in practice. How ’bout when buyers ask me “Why are they selling, where are they going?” Isn’t that a personal question? Do they need to know your future plans? And the neighbors…sometimes they just ask to be nosey, and it puts the Realtor in an awkward position.
- Accurate and reliable information regarding the local market–Pricing, days on market, comparables, etc. Sites such as Zillow, Realtor dotcom, Trulia, etc., are not always accurate, especially when they quote the values of manufactured homes, as well as interest rates when you do not own the land. I have buyers who think the rates are as high as 10 to 12 percent…not true at all. I have trusted lenders who can offer buyers very attractive rates. Just call me. Of course, there are variables, such as your FICO score, age and location of the home, down payment and terms.
- Honesty and truth–Truth is sometimes hard to hear and equally hard to tell to a seller who thinks their home is perfect and needs no work or updating. It may not be what a seller wants to hear…but sometimes certain things need to be done in order to maximize the value of the home.
- Marketing–Seller’s property needs maximum exposure, starting with beautiful photos, creative marketing remarks on the MLS, neighborhood flyers, open houses, newspaper ads, broker caravans, but mostly exposure on the many sites featuring homes for sale. Over 90% of today’s buyers research the internet before driving around, burning gas, etc.
- Staging–Sometimes a vacant house can benefit from staging, but often an occupied home needs a little “lift”. As a Realtor, I often move furniture around, buy fresh plants and flowers, remove inappropriate photos, bottles of medication, and any brand items cluttering up the bathroom or kitchen counters! Kitchens and bathrooms must be absolutely spotless! Eye-appeal is buy-appeal!
That’s is for now! Stay tuned!
See you soon . . .
Sally Fisher
818-268-2200
