I mean it makes sense. Why else would people spend half of their annual salary to advertise their home on the internet and toss an ad in the paper?
Who among us hasn't thought "Maybe I will be better off..."? It boils down to the fact that for you to be better off you would have to put a value on the service provided. 5% of the value of your home, or 20% of your equity, is tough to justify.
It is amazing how deep this penetration of their fear mongering goes. They have spent thousands of your commission dollars to help scare the bejezus out of you and your neighbours.
This video should help you get through it... Leave your brains to be eaten by more important people. What else will the politicians be sustained on?
I love looking through the paper to see the different ads and ideas people have when placing a classified ad for their house. I came across one this week that included the street name and the phone number but not the house number. As I drive to the area I find the deep caverns of water main repair. Dare I cross? I am glad to report I survived the treacherous trip across the chasm.
When I talked to the gentleman at the property I suggested he may want to ad the house number to his ad. His response surprised me a bit. "That was done with purpose. If people are interested they are forced to either call us or drive by if they so choose."
In today's world of information overload people not only want, but expect information at their fingertips on their schedule, not yours. As a buyer I would not want to jump through hoops when I have plenty of options available to me. I can search through hundreds of homes on the internet, including photos and virtual tours. Why am I going to play your game to call you to get your address? NEXT!
In this instance it seems very much a control issue. The home seller wants to control each and every buyer and when and what information they get. A strategy that could work but is very labour intensive. This takes away a key benefit of selling privately. The ability to talk to qualified buyers and work within your schedule. You actually spend your time qualifying them instead of letting them qualify themselves!
Qualified buyers are something real estate agents claim as their own. They proclaim to spend hours with all the perspective buyers getting to know their wants, likes, desires. Maybe so, but it is on your time schedule. In speaking to many people frustrated with the traditional system one complaint often heard is that agents will bring just about anybody through a home. They use the homes as part of the process of narrowing down what a client might like, meanwhile forcing you to leave while they show an uninterested, unqualified, tire kicker through your home.
Having the control of the sale by selling privately allows this to stop. You show the home when it is convenient for you. When they have made the decision to pick up the phone and book an appointment, they have already looked online and ogled your photos. They know that your basement is not finished. They know that you have a large backyard and a new deck. It's what they are looking for, they have self qualified.
Your duty as the home seller is to verify two things on initial phone calls. Have they viewed your property on PropertyGuys.com and are they pre-qualified for a mortgage in the amount of your home. When they pass this test they are invited across the bridge.
My grandfather was a farmer. He raised cattle and grew grapes in the lushness that we know as the "banana belt" sandwiched between Grimsby and St Catharines. It's not easy being a farmer. Early chores 7 days a week, sick animals, too hot and no crop, too wet and no crop yet they always seem to be one step ahead. Next time you see that your local Farmer's Market is open, pop in and have a walk around. You will see plenty of beans and tomatoes and lettuce and potatoes. There will be plenty of smiles and earthy hand shakes. The term "salt of the earth" must have been coined about a farmer.
While you are there at the market you will notice something peculiar. People all around you are buying fresh vegetables, meats and cheeses, preserves and honey, fresh cut flowers and hummus. Maybe even a fresh baked pie (apple with some old cheddar is my favorite). Know what you won't find? Check out counters, pharmacy sections, a pop & chip aisle. Look long and hard but these are not grocery stores, just simple little markets with people selling their goods to people that want to buy them.
I know exactly what you are thinking. How is this possible? I mean these are farmers. How do they know how much to sell their beans for? They never went to some fancy university like Queens to get their MBA. My lord how do they know the value of that cucumber???
You see the farmers have a little secret. I was blessed in my travels to have a few local farmers bestow their secret on me. I am going to share it with you under the expectation that you TELL NO ONE! I will deny it was me. Do you think I want to be black-balled by the farmers?
OK, here it is. It has a few basic steps but the concept is sound (It has been handed down for generations). Are you ready?
The market will dictate your pricing
Here is how they do it.
See what other people are selling similar products for. ie. green beans and yellow beans could probably sell for the same price but watermelons and strawberries not so much.
Price yours in a similar fashion and display them where buyers might find them. ie a farmer's market
If the farmer at the next table is selling beans like they are going out of style while yours sit and wilt in the heat of the sun, check to see how he is priced. ie. his are $2.00 a basket and yours are $5.00
Adjust accordingly. ie. lower your price or get a bigger basket
Well there you have it, the secret of the farmer's market. Man I hope no one tells the farmer's I told you about it, they may make me dance....
Maybe my next post I will get back to talking about something that a home seller could use to help them. Something about the economy, because we all know you can't sell a house in an economy. Right?
Posts
