Four Steps to Sell Fast in a Slow MarketMonday, Oct. 9, 2006By Margaret Steen
Special to the San Jose Mercury NewsBecause buyers now have more choices and many homes are taking longer to sell, the price must be right. But for sellers who feel their homes are already priced just right, other issues can speed up or slow down the sale. Experts offer these tips on avoiding pitfalls:• Make your home accessible. It's inconvenient to have potential buyers coming to your home at unpredictable times. But telling buyers they can't come in the evenings, can only see the house between 9 and 11 a.m. or may only stop by if they have an appointment may mean that some of them go to look at other houses instead. And that's not going to help you sell yours."Now the buyer has so many choices. If you're not going to make yours available, they can go look at others,'' said David Martz, an agent with Re/Max Valley Properties in Willow Glen. "This is simply a game of exposure. More showings equals greater interest equals greater likelihood for more money.''• Make yourself scarce when buyers arrive. Go out the back door as they're coming in the front."Your very presence can be contrary to the merchandising experience,'' said John Dozier, broker and owner of Cupertino Properties. "They'll all say how uncomfortable they were if the owner was there when they walked through it.''• Check your agent's commission arrangement. Make sure the commission being offered to the buyer's agent is competitive, even if your agent is offering to take a smaller than usual commission. The amount of the commission that goes to the buyer's agent is part of the listing that agents see, and if it's substandard, buyers' agents could focus on other houses first."Commissions are negotiable, but in this market if you're the seller, you want to offer out the best bait,'' Martz said.• Eliminate surprises. Dianne Vernon, an agent with Coldwell Banker in Los Altos, once went to see a home that was listed as vacant and discovered a man who lived in the property's guesthouse lying on the couch, watching television and surrounded by beer cans. That's not the only kind of surprise you want to avoid. Make sure that in your zeal to promote your home, you (or your agent) don't forget to mention things that could make a buyer or buyer's agent feel disappointed the first time they see the property: a bad roof, a foundation that needs major repairs.
Labels: Corona, Foreclosure, Home Prices, Inland Empire, Loan Modification, Moreno Valley, Murrieta, Real Estate, Riverside, Short Sales, Statistics, Temecula
