Courtesy pays in real estate; most literally!

If you’re currently putting your house up for sale in today’s complex market (and, of course, preparing to move in the process), then you may find yourself at various times frustrated, impatient, weary, wary, or even angry. These feelings are natural and are bound to come with any life transition; it is important, however, that you not let them show before the people who are considering buying your home.

When you prepare yourself for the showings and open houses that will help you sell your home, you of course will put your best face on your house; making sure that your home is clean, bright and cheery at all times during the sale. Also be sure that your visitors can say the same about the host of the showing or open house that they’re attending; that the home owner with whom they might do business is as warm and welcoming as the atmosphere of the residence itself.

If possible, allow the Realtor representing the buyers to go through your home by themselves.  They will be much more comfortable without you being in the room and listening to their comments.  I know that you’re the best authority about your home, but you are also emotionally attached and as much as you love your home, trying to convince a buyer to fall in love with your home will most likely have the opposite effect.  If you have to stay for the showing try to welcome a guest and potential home buyer through the doors of your home, then treat them more as the former than the latter.

If you absolutely have to be the one showing the home, follow this advice:  Make conversation and—if possible—make friends with your guests before you even dream of making a sale. In other words, make them feel at home in the very home that they might wish to buy.

If possible, offer each guest or family of guests a personal tour of your home; allowing them to see its beauty and assets through your eyes, so that they can know and appreciate fully everything that your home has to offer them. Ask them if they have any questions and answer them to the best of your ability; remembering that no question is dull or unimportant if it might just result in the sale of your home.

At the same time, don’t be too forward or pushy in trying to make a home sale. Just remember that, if you welcome a guest into your house under any other conditions, you wouldn’t constantly barrage your guests with constant inquiries of “So what do you think of my house?”, “When do you think you’ll be coming back?”, etc. In a similar fashion, you don’t want to confront the guests at your showings and open houses by demanding an offer on your home.

If a guest indicates in all politeness that they don’t want to buy your house, then respond with equitable politeness that you were very pleased to meet them and welcome them to your home that day. If a guest says that they need time to consider or think about their potential purchase of your home, then give them that time.

Ultimately you will find that courtesy does indeed pay in real estate; and it might just result in a fair, swift and profitable home sale that is very “nice” indeed!

The Bells and Whistles of Online Real Estate

You may wonder why we as Realtors work so hard to establish such an online presence for you, the potential home seller or buyer whose attention and business we wish to garner.

Once upon a time we Realtors plied our trade face to face, either in the comfort of our office and at public events like showings and openings. And we also were known to do a bit of garden variety advertising here and there, promoting ourselves via newspaper and real estate magazine ads, billboards, and/or perhaps the occasional TV or radio ad.

This formula seemed to work just fine for a long time, as real estate has emerged as one of the most successful and profitable industries in this nation. So now, you may wonder, what’s with all the blogs and the websites, the e-mail marketing campaigns and the social media blasts?

Well for one thing, we as seasoned professionals know that it is important to keep up with the times. Every business and business professional must establish an online presence these days; staying connected to clients and potential clients via the World Wide Web. Online advertising is the wave of the present; and, in all likelihood, of the future!

In addition, everyone knows that the easiest way to make and form meaningful connections with people is to connect online. And as real estate agents who truly care about their customers, we want to connect with you on a personal level. Now we don’t expect our home buyers and sellers to ask us over to their houses for dinner—though hey, it would be nice! Yet we would like you to get a good idea of the homes we have to offer, via high definition photos and video and vivid written descriptions. And, just as much, we yearn to develop a personal connection with you, our buyers and sellers.

Through our blogs and Internet columns, our bios and photos, and indeed through the very look and feel of our websites, we want to build a more personalized bond with the people we serve. Now we can tell you all about ourselves, showcase our body of experience (both as individual Realtors and organized offices) and even encourage you to shoot us an e-mail—anytime!

It’s these little high tech bells and whistles that mean a great deal to all of our customers—and, in all our fondest hopes, to you!  For information on how we use the Internet to help our Stuart Florida real estate clients achieve their desired results, give me a call or email me.