Carole SanekIf you have done some research recently into what your house is worth or you have thought about listing it only to have the rug pulled out from under you when the Realtor gives you the numbers then you have possibly already been through the shocking news.
The truth is that you will be more successful in selling if your house is priced right. Plain and simple, people, that is the truth in this market.
You, as a seller, are in control of the pricing. You know what you owe, you know what you want to “make” on the sale of your house, but do you really know how much your house is worth?
This is the way I work when I am about to talk to people about pricing at my first phone call. I gather all the information I can. I ask what condition their home is in. I ask what updates have been made in the past 3 to 5 years. I always ask what makes their property special because this information will help me determine pricing.
Pricing is an issue that gets people in the gut. I address it right up front. All the sellers I have ever worked with have told me they appreciate this approach because if you have ever listed your house, you know you are sitting on pins and needles waiting to hear what your house is worth and where the pricing falls.
I get all the listing and tax information on comparable houses. I do drive-bys of those same properties because while they are your competition I am going to step away from this post for a minute and tell you who your real competition is – your real competition in any market is the house in your neighborhood in close proximity to yours that is impeccable in curb appeal and it is not for sale. Think about it – anyone who comes to see your property is scoping out the neighborhood and if your house doesn’t measure up – well you know what happens. But that is another posting for later.
Getting back to how I approach pricing, I might send my potential sellers a comparable market analysis by email but they are often difficult to read, so I always bring a hard copy to review with them.
I always set a date with my sellers at my listing presentations for a potential price reduction. All my sellers know the date that we will discuss a reduction in pricing. No surprises!
I do not pick a number out of cyber space when it comes to giving anyone a suggested price on their house. I do my research. What many sellers do’t realize is that values have gone down in many areas. In my own development those who purchased at the end of the buying frenzy are upside down. Some are upside down by as much as $35,000 and know that this is not the time for them to try to sell and make a profit.
If the reality of a suggested price for your house has shocked you speechless then it might be the wrong time to sell, I cannot say it any plainer than that. If I have a potential seller who wants to price a house above what the market is saying, I don’t take the listing. I can’t sell that house. The sellers will get ticked at me, I will get ticked at them and it is a lose/lose situation.
Pricing is a skill, that is why you hire a real estate professional, just keep in mind that in this market when you hear the reality of what your house is really worth, don’t shoot the messenger.
Carole Sanek, Licensed Florida Realtor
TeamSanek can get you started down the road of your real estate adventure. We can get you started, walk you through everything, hold your hands through the process and be there when you are handed the keys to your new home. That is why we are TeamSanek–and this team will be there for you all the way because we want you to capture the dream.
Author Bio
Carole L. Sanek is a licensed Realtor in Florida and member of the National Association of Realtors. She holds an active real estate license with her husband’s brokerage Castle Dream Real Estate LLC in Brooksville, Florida. She has six years of experience in selling and listing real estate in Florida and enjoys helping families relocate to Florida to Capture The Dream. Visit her website at www.castledreamrealestate.com or contact her directly at 1-888-51-DREAM (37326) or you can email her at her personal email address teamsanek@castledreamrealestate.com
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Filed under: Knowing your real estate market, Selling Tips
[...] unknown wrote an interesting post today onThe Shock of Finding Out What Your House is Really Worth « Carole …Here’s a quick excerptWhen it was time to move back to the Sunshine State Carole reactivated her real estate license and brought all her caring understanding ways back to helping people find their dream. The slogan for Castle Dream Real Estate is “Capture … [...]
[...] unknown wrote an interesting post today onThe Shock of Finding Out What Your House is Really Worth « Carole …Here’s a quick excerptCarole is a licensed Florida Realtor with more than 6 years of experience in selling and listing real estate in the sunshine state. Carole’s husband Larry is the Broker/Owner of Castle Dream Real Estate, LLC where Carole is employed. … [...]
[...] unknown wrote an interesting post today onThe Shock of Finding Out What Your House is Really Worth « Carole …Here’s a quick excerptCarole is a licensed Florida Realtor with more than 6 years of experience in selling and listing real estate in the sunshine state. Carole’s husband Larry is the Broker/Owner of Castle Dream Real Estate, LLC where Carole is employed. … [...]