1. Be casual, not
serious, about selling.
A sage once quipped, "Money is only important when you
don't want something enough." Real estate expert R.L.
Brown said that if half of the 58,000 sellers in
Maricopa County removed their for-sale signs we'd be at
normal inventory levels. Actions speak louder than words
in this market. Discretionary sellers should wait for a
less competitive environment.
2. Price it wrong.
A home properly priced is half sold. No amount of
full-color ads, glossy fliers, multiple photos, virtual
tours, agent luncheons, Goodyear blimps, pom-pom girls
or Saint Joseph statues will compensate for a wrong,
timid retail price.
3. Ignore your agent.
Attorneys believe if you represent yourself, you have a
fool for a client. Doctors don't self-diagnose.
Professionals use professionals. Even though many people
believe they're experts on raising kids and real estate,
full-time, career pros usually know what's best. Listen
to them very carefully.
4. Micromanage the marketing.
If you sold cookware in college, carts in California, or
carpeting in Cranston, it does not qualify you to
second-guess your agent. If you had a real estate
license years ago, save your stories about the "good old
days" for your children. You can share your concerns and
timelines, but leave the details to the listing pro.
5. Reject staging suggestions.
Someday shag multi-colored, sculptured carpeting will
come back. Whitewashed cabinets, Navajo white walls,
linoleum flooring, southwest decor, lots of personal
photos, and Elvis paintings on black velvet need to go.
Now.
6. Let Fido loose.
I recently entered a house and had two frisky, friendly
black Labs run up to sniff me. Unfortunately, I had
light-gray dress slacks on that day. Both wet stains
lasted for hours. Until that day I didn't realize dogs
enjoyed chewing the tassels on expensive loafers.
7. Talk to the buyers.
Life gets lonely at times. Why not ask the buyers where
they grew up? Or how much they qualify for. Tell them
about the vacant rental next door. Maybe they could
babysit next weekend! Why not share war stories, horror
movies or meatloaf recipes?
8. Sell personal items.
Wow, maybe the buyers want to buy the patio furniture,
rotary lawnmower, or life-size statue of Saint Anthony.
You have only four more boxes of Girl Scout cookies to
sell. Why not ask for a donation for the March of Dimes,
the Humane Society, the local PBS station? Remember the
saying, "loose lips sink ships."
9. Discount that smell.
My house doesn't smell of pets, baby diapers, curry
powder, garlic, fried fish, coconut incense, cigars,
manure, mulch, dairy farms or low tide. The buyer must
be confusing my castle with a tract home.
10. Dismiss feedback.
What do buyers know anyway? They can't possibly mind my
barbed wire fence, heavy-duty rebar, backyard bomb
shelter, airport runway views, lights from the power
plant, hum from the high-voltage lines, railroad
tremors, scorpion skeletons, termite mud tubes and pet
snakes. What are they thinking?
Copyright © 2008 RE/MAX International Inc. 2/4/08
