Kathy Jackson: Sins of the Seller or Sins of the REALTOR?? Maybe Both!!

A while back, I read a great blog by Clint Miller called The Sins of the Seller.  It was a great post that really highlighted how a home is viewed from the buyer's perspective.  However, I keep thinking about that blog.  Was it really the seller's fault their home showed so poorly?  Or could it have been the agents fault? Or was it both?  So, I put together my own list of Sins:  Sins of the REALTOR! 

1.  Not preparing a detailed CMA-also call GUESS-TIMATING MARKET VALUE!  Part of our job is education of our potential clients.  I believe this includes completing a detailed CMA that shows the seller what similar homes are selling for in their area.  If similar homes are comping between $100,000 and $110,000, then it is a waste of the seller's time to list the home for $125,000.

2.  Not advising seller's how to prepare their home for showing.  As agents, we go into all kinds of homes and we see first hand what buyer's are looking for in a home.  Having a clean, uncluttered home shows much better than a dirty, smelly, congested home.  We need to tactfully let potential clients know what can affect the sale of their home.  As an agent, if you don't have an eye for staging, suggest that your client hire a stager to make their home show ready.

3.  Not advising clients to remove pets during showings.  This is not only a good idea for the best showing, but for the safety of both the pet and potential buyers.  How would you feel if Fluffy the cat escaped through the door during showing?  Or if cute little Sparky bit a potential buyer?  Not only could your client be looking at potentially expensive hospital bills, but also the loss of their beloved pet.  I've also had several clients who are extremely allergic to pets and started swelling up the second we entered the home. Little Zena-Weiner on left is so cute, but not for everyone!

4.  Not suggesting the client have a home inspection before listing the home.  Yes, this costs money, but the long term benefits are worth it.  With a pre-listing home inspection, the seller will know of any potential problem areas and can address them before it scares off a buyer.

5.  Following the 3 P's. The 3 P's are Place an ad in the paper, Put a sign in the yard and Pray.  Marketing a home has changed so much in the last few years, let alone the last decade.  Agents must keep up-to-date on the latest means of reaching potential buyers.  This has to include Social Networking sites, blogging, websites, email, texting, etc.  The days of the 3 P's being the only way to market a property are gone.

6.  Don't bother communicating with your sellers! Seriously, I have heard many tales from my clients how they listed their home with Suzy Realtor and once the sign was in their yard-never heard from her until the listing was going to expire!! Then Suzy showed up at their home with an extension in hand with a laundry list of ideas on how to get their home sold.  I always make it a piont to keep in touch with my clients at least twice a month, sometimes much, much more!

7.  Ignore the "traditional" methods of advertising.  Yes, I know what I said in #5 above, but there are some markets where some of the traditional methods still work better than Web 2.0.  There is one community here in my neck of the woods that I have to run an ad in the local paper and include my listings in the Catalog Book.  All of the internet contact I have received for one of those properties has been from a potential buyer that is out of state!  So, make sure you don't discount something that does work and add to it with other methods too.

8.  Don't bother updating the CMA.  In my area, it's not uncommon for a property to be on the market for 100+ days.  It's important to update the CMA to make sure that the pricing is still on target for the home.

9.  Video-hah! Clear pictures? Seriously one of my big pet peeves is when I see a listing with no Virtual Tour, one or two photos and they are blurry to boot.  I really just want to find the nearest wall and beat my head against it!!  Take the time to look at your pics & video on the mls or website.  Sometimes, what looks good on the camera does not translate well to the internet!

10.  Hello, you've reached Suzy Realtor and I'm just too darn busy to answer or return your call! I know we can't answer our phones every time it rings, but I have know several agents that never answer their call.  As I'm dialing their number I am rehearsing the message I'm about to leave.  I also know that I will probably be calling them back later in the day because they are too busy to call me.  See above for instructions on beating your head on the wall!

Well folks, there's my ten Sins of the REALTOR.  I hope you enjoyed it.  I plan to be "sin-free" long into my career!  If you are looking for a sinless REALTOR, please feel free to call me-I will answer my phone!