When selling real estate, it
helps to give as much
information as you can to
prospective buyers. Here are
some of the things they need to
know.
When you are selling real
estate, what should you say in
your flyers, advertisements and
listings? Almost everything.
Okay, not your motivations, how
low you will go on the price, or
anything else that will hurt
your negotiating position. But
everything else.
Think about this for a moment.
Do you like shopping where there
are no prices on the products?
Of course not! And if you saw a
list of vacation packages, and
some neglected to name the
destination, you might pass over
hose ones, right? It is no
different in real estate.
So why do real estate agents
advertise homes with no price,
and sometimes trick people into
assuming a home is in a town, by
failing to say where it is? Are
hese good techniques for
selling real estate? Perhaps for
he agent, but not for the
owners of the properties.
You see, the agent is hoping to
get curious people to call. He
doesn't care if a $120,000-buyer
is calling on a $250,000 home
hat listed no price. Once he
has him on the phone, the agent
hopes to sell him any house he
can. If a buyer calls, thinking
a home is in town, so what? He
can be steered to one that is.
Meanwhile, the poor sellers have
he real potential buyers
skipping over the ads for their
homes. Many people like myself
won't waste time on misleading
ads, or those that list no
price. There are enough other
homes with prices and decent
information to look at.
Okay, you can see that for
selling real estate, more
information may be better.
Buyers know that you either have
something they might want, or
hey don't waste your time. They
prequalify themselves for you.
What should you let them know
hen? At least the following.
Information To Give When Selling
Real Estate
You should always mention the
price and terms in any written
information, as well as the
location, style, square footage,
number of bedrooms and bathrooms
and school district. Look at
what others are advertising, and
opt for as much information as
you can fit in a given ad or
listing.
In addition to this information,
have more information ready for
interested buyers. Your goal
here is to take away as much
uncertainty as possible. For
example, if the buyer have to
replace the roofing in a year or
wo, get a quote. A buyer may be
okay buying a home with a poor
roof, but walk away if the cost
of this is unknown. Uncertainty
kills interest.
I once bought a piece of land,
and then sold it for 25% more a
month later. I am convinced that
what helped sell it was marking
he property lines and outlining
where a driveway could go. I
spent a dollar for spray paint
for this project. When I bought
he property, it was difficult
o see where the property lines
were. People like to know what
hey are getting.
Are you selling real estate that
has problems? Hiding problems
can be illegal as well as
unethical. A better idea is to
either resolve them, or get
quotes on what it will cost to
resolve them. Generally, a buyer
is less frightened by the
prospect of paying $2,300 for
new carpet than by the prospect
of paying an unknown amount for
it.
This probably fits your own
experience, doesn't it? You want
information when you buy
anything. We will always pay
something more for less
uncertainty. Every buyer will,
so have that information ready
when selling real estate.