What not to do to woo buyers…. #1

Vertical blinds and wallpaler

It’s Spring!

It’s spring here in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan, and it’s the perfect season for everything Real Estate!  If you are thinking about listing your home for sale, don’t miss this awesome market!  Now is the perfect time to give me a call for a consultation; check out a few of these recently listed homes whose owner’s did just that:

What the Realtor REALLY means is…

Since you’re a smart, saavy shopper, you’ve seen descriptions of homes on the market and may even be a bit skeptical of what you’re reading. See, in these tough economic times, Realtors are highly trained professionals who must be as creative as ever to market homes to prospective buyers. The following is a brief synopsis of some of the professional terms used, meant for those with a little sense of humor. 🙂 ~~~~~

OLD CHARMER – an old and ugly house

STUNNING HOUSE – the house is not ugly

BUILD SWEAT EQUITY – the house is not habitable

BEDROOM IN BASEMENT – basement has a 1′ by 2′ window

CAPE COD – styled after Third World slum dwellings

SUNNY CORNER LOT -noisy intersection of two busy streets

EASY FREEWAY ACCESS – noisy arterial street close to freeway

STORYBOOK – the house is old and the roof is not flat

USABLE LAND – all the trees are gone

WILDLIFE NEARBY -kids and pets get fleas and ticks

DOLL HOUSE – tiny place filled with ugly knick-knacks

TUDOR – two bedrooms are in the attic which is not insulated, very HOT in summer and cold in winter

LOW MAINTENANCE LOT – no yard, the kids will have to play in the street

METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED IN ORIGINAL CONDITION – appliances are 50 years old

READY TO REMODEL –  house is about to collapse, you’ll have to invest twice the asking price in repairs before move-in.

READY TO MOVE IN – the interior has been painted with a coat of cheap paint

1-CAR GARAGE – you can drive your Smart Car into the garage, but there’s no room to open the door

RECREATION ROOM WITH WET BAR – basement has been painted and has a faucet

LOTS OF STORAGE SPACE -basement too small to be called a family room

WATER FRONT VIEW – you can almost see water if you climb the roof and lean to one side

EFFICIENTLY DESIGNED KITCHEN – the kitchen is too small to fit two people at the same time

COZY – not  a single room could fit a full size bed

THREE SEASON SUNROOM – a small addition the owner could not afford to insulate

CLOSE TO ALL AMENITIES – the backyard is a shopping mall parking lot

MUST SEE INSIDE – the outside is ugly

EASY TO HEAT – see “cozy”

NEAR TRANSPORTATION – Amtrak train goes through backyard every 15 mins, day and night

PET-FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD – organic matter consistently deposited on front lawn

I’m always looking for NEW ones, so send ’em over!

This message from a client made my DAY!

Hi Jody!

I think you totally go off the charts on customer service!!!  You work hard for your clients before during and AFTER the sale!  I feel you have gone above and beyond more times than I can mention.  Everytime someone mentions anything related to home buying/selling I sing your praises.  I even ran around the office yesterday showing off the picture of my pumpkin.  LOL

Hope you’re doing well!

Michelle

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I’m gushing.  Thanks, Michelle!!

Toledo Home Builders Association Parade of Homes is

going on NOW THRU SUNDAY SEPT 26! Wanna go?

I GOT your tix!  Just holler.  As a local real estate expert, that’s just what I do.

Locations are scattered throughout NW Ohio and SE Michigan.  Here’s the hours.

5-8pm Friday

1-8pm Saturday

1-6pm Sunday

Here’s a link with the homes and a map to their locations. 🙂

Parade of Homes Map 2010

A case where spell check worked!

Having done a *little* time in chaotic newsrooms, I can see how this might happen.

How unfortunate.  But I’m sure the fire had it coming. Devastated family members frantically searched the home for any sign the fire might have survived, but authorities believe the extinguishment was complete.  No word yet on what sparked the blaze.

Thank god nothing like this would ever happen in real estate world.  We’ll be right back after these messages.

An MLS HOTLINE for your speed-dialing enjoyment! Call 877-405-JODY

Next time you’re driving around your favorite neighborhood and you want to know how much they’re asking for a listing, just call my MLS HOTLINE!  Of course – you’re always welcome to call my cell, but this is just one more way to get the info you want immediately. Once you’re prompted, you’ll only need to punch in the house number.  From there, my robot assistant (she’s adorable, by the way, almost human-like) will help you select the correct street. From there, she’ll give you the ALL info you want – right off the top of her head!

This is a great way to educate yourself about the market!  I’d like to thank Lindsay Birr from Port Lawrence Title and Laurie Patterson from Fifth-Third Bank for helping me support this super handy service for my buyers.  Laurie can help you get a pre-approval letter so that you know EXACTLY where you need to be price-wise! It truly is the first step.  Call her at 419-304-1911.

Thanks for supporting me and the MDA over Labor Day!

I recently went to jail for Jerry’s Kids and truly appreciate y’all bailing me out. I raised nearly $1,000. I’m truly blown away by the generosity. Together, we sent at least 1 kid to camp. Thank you for helping make a difference!

Common Mistakes Made By Sellers

Your home is invisible. An online search engine or Multiple Listing Service (MLS) will search for homes based on a buyer’s criteria, including price. Pre-approved buyers know how much they can spend. If your home is listed even a penny over that amount, the search will not find your home and the perfect buyer could be lost. A reasonably priced home around the block may not be as nice, but could win out because the buyer never saw yours.

Realistic sellers win. When I represent buyers, the most frequently asked question is this, “How long has it been on the market?” The longer a house sits with a sign out front, the more a buyer perceives there’s either something wrong with it or they could buy it below market value. Seeing that a home has sat for months with regular price changes could indicate the property may be a little stale. That may not be the best way to market your property.

Price it right the first time. From the time the sign goes in the yard, studies show most marketing activity happening within the first three weeks. Wasting your best marketing time on an overpriced house won’t likely get you the result you want. Your home’s first exposure to the market can be the most crucial.

The higher the price, the higher the expectation. If buyers do see your home, it’s likely they can afford it. But if your property is priced too high, you’re only making the competition look like a better value. Some homes are professionally landscaped and decorated. Others have been maintained flawlessly. Help yours measure up.

But wait! We’ve done so much work! Improvements can help sellers justify a home’s price, but when it comes to resale value some pay back more than others. Surveys show that adding a bathroom or remodeling a kitchen typically pays back at least 90 percent of the costs. A new furnace often recoups 100 percent of the cost; new central air can bring around a 75 percent payback. A pool or finished basement usually pays back less than half. Consider why you’re improving.

Deciding to Not Make Simple Repairs. Seemingly small fix up jobs can have a larger impact that you may think. Items that seem minor to you could have an influence on the overall impression of your home to prospects. Buyers tend to believe some repairs will be more expensive to make than they really are. At the veryleast, they could lengthen the time your home sits on the market.

First impressions matter most. The prospective home buyer’s first impression is the most important. An unbelievable amount of home sales have been lost to unkempt lawns, cluttered rooms, worn or dated carpets, tired paint–all items that by themselves seem minor, but together leave a bad impression. Imagine you were the home buyer. Clean and freshen your place from top to bottom.

Cumbersome Showing Instructions. Accessibility is a major key to profitability. Appointment-only and ‘accompanied’ showings are the most restrictive, while a lock box is the least. The more accessible the home, the better the odds of finding a person willing to pay your price. You never know if that ‘one showing’ that couldn’t wait for you to get home from work, was the one that got away.

What do Realtors DO, anyway?

When it comes to marketing your home, the following is an outline of my plan.

• Visit seller’s property, learn expectations, take notes, take photos, ask questions, and provide disclosure forms. Selling your property is a team effort. It’s helpful for me to know how much or how little personal involvement you want to have during the process.
• Prepare a “Comparative Market Analysis” to help price the property properly. This can also reveal possible market resistance that may be encountered during the marketing process. The CMA will compare the seller’s property to:

SOLDS – Similar properties recently sold in the neighborhood

ACTIVES – Properties currently on the market (your competition!)

EXPIREDS – Properties that didn’t sell during their active listing contract.

• Provide a wealth of insight in helping prepare the home and its contents for the marketing process. This includes suggestions for repairs, cosmetic improvements, and staging to show the home in its best possible light to minimize days on the market.
• Enter the property specifications into the Toledo Board of Realtors and Monroe County Multiple Listing Service Databases. This data is accessed regularly by more than 2-thousand REALTORS in this area—all of them potentially working to help sell your property.
• Install yard and corner signs at the end of the street where appropriate. My signs feature my name, web address, and cell number to field calls for you 24-7.
• Post yard brochure box with property descriptions and replenish as necessary.
• Pay for all your advertising expenses including, but not limited to The Toledo Blade Newspaper and the bi-weekly Harmon Homes Magazine and their websites. Signs, flyers, mailings, virtual tours and photos for the internet are all at my expense. Through broker reciprocity, your home will be listed on Realtor.com giving you national exposure. (By the way, more than 85 percent of buyers find their home using the internet.) I’ll make certain all those buyers can easily find yours!
• Highlight your home to our company’s staff of top agents . Our team is constantly discussing local real estate trends! Our gathering could be held at your property, potentially giving you even more professional advice and more exposure for your home. The REALTOR network is one of the greatest values to you.
• Create a detailed, professional brochure highlighting your homes special features with interior and exterior photographs.
• Schedule appointments for showings and provide you with feedback and communication you deserve and expect in a timely manner.
• Screen potential buyers for lender pre-approval and motivation.
• Depending on the specific property involved, I will undergo targeted marketing efforts. For example, I can focus toward a logical trade-up neighborhood and/or certain professionals such as university faculty to whom your property may appeal.
• Present all offers. I will explain the price and terms of each offer and how it affects you and the bottom line.
• Stay on top of contract deadlines.
• Coordinate closing with the title company. Services include providing a guaranteed certificate of title on behalf of the seller, title insurance for the lender and owner, preparation of all necessary closing documents for lender, buyer, and seller, prorating various items, paying off required balances and recording necessary documents.
• Remove signage, follow up as necessary.
• Receive lifetime membership of Jody’s “circle of premium clients.”