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The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideHow to master the 5 price influencers and sell your home for moreEdition 1

02.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideThe Ultimate Home Sellers Guide (Edition 1) Published by Bestagents Management Pty Ltd PO Box 7537 South Penrith LPO NSW 2750 Australia Phone 1300 556 663Library Cataloguing-in-publication data:Copyright 2015 Bestagents Management Pty Ltd. The Ultimate Home Sellers Guide All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written consent of the publisher.The material contained in this publication is for general reference and guidance and is not intended as advice on any particular matter general or specific. No reader should act or fail to act on the basis of any material contained herein. The authors expressly disclaim all or any liability to any person whatsoever in respect of anything done or omitted to be done by any such person in reliance whether in whole or in part upon any of the material contained herein. Readers should make their own independent enquiries and consult professional advisors.

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04.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideIntroductionWelcome to the Ultimate Home Sellers GuideHow to Master the 5 Price Influencersand Sell Your Home for More.

05.Let’s jump in the time machine, set the dial to a month from now and imagine you’ve just sold your property.You’re 110% happy with the result and the overall process was a great real estate experience.You achieved a top market price, on the terms you wanted, without spending months on the market. The timing is perfect and lets you do everything you want with your next real estate purchase and there’s even a little left over.Your agent kept you updated with offers, buyer feedback and the number of visits your property received on the major real estate portals.

06.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideYou were never left to wonder what was happening with the sale and you feel you were well represented throughout the entire process.Looking back, there is nothing you would change.Does that sound like the perfect scenario?The unfortunate reality is that most sellers would change a number of things if they had their selling time again.Many sellers feel there are things that could have been done differently that would have produced a much better result.As a seller, you really only get one chance to ‘hit’ the market properly and maximise buyer interest.

07.Selling a property for a top market price is relatively simple as long as the critically essential rules are followed. But this doesn’t always happen.Perhaps you’ve noticed how some properties sit on the market for longer than usual and sell for a price below what you expected, while others sell within a few weeks for a great market price.Great results don’t happen by accident. They are created by sellers working with their agent to present the property to the market in the best possible way, maximise their marketing reach, attract quality buyers and negotiate a top result.My mission with this book is to guide you through the 5 main price

08.The Ultimate Home Sellers Guide As a seller, you really only get one chance to ‘hit’ the market properly and maximise buyer interest.

09.influencers so you know exactly what’s needed and can look back with satisfaction, secure in the knowledge you did everything within your power to achieve the best possible result.Sooner or later you’ll be asked to sign a document to confirm your acceptance of an offer. When that time comes it’s nice to know you took the necessary actions to swing the odds in your favour.My main objective with this book is to take you inside the process and make it completely transparent so you can see what goes on behind the scenes.If I’m working for you, I’ll feel better if you know what I’m doing every step of the way.

10.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideThe 5 price influencersThere are 5 key price influencers that will directly affect your selling price and overall real estate experience:1. Presentation2. Marketing3. Buyer Management4. The Market5. The Real Estate AgentIn these pages, I will provide you with specific advice on each price influencer and exactly how to get top dollar for your property with a minimum of inconvenience, stress and expense.

11.But before I do, let’s identify one of the key issues when selling real estate many sellers ignore.No recommended retail priceOne of the reasons I love real estate so much (and love selling it) is because it has no specific or recommended retail price.This lets me use my skill and experience to help my sellers achieve a better result. Put simply, our joint mission is to influence the sale price using available resources and following proven strategies.Understanding the way real estate is valued is key to manipulating the end result.

12.The Ultimate Home Sellers Guide My main objective with this book is to take you inside the process and make it completely transparent so you can see what goes on behind the scenes.

13.Let me explain:When you take a look around, almost every physical thing you can see was purchased at a recommended retail price. Okay, it might have been on sale and you scored a great deal but there was still a price anchor point to begin with. Not so with property.Real estate has a few unique features that allow the seller to influence the selling price if they know what to do. First, there is no fixed price. Real estate values live in a free market environment because buyers will normally have a choice of what to buy. This is where the rules of simple supply and demand come into play. Obviously, if there are

14.The Ultimate Home Sellers Guidemany homes to choose from, buyers have more choice and prices will usually be lower. Where there are less homes available for sale, prices will be higher.Second, the purchase of a residential property is almost always an emotional decision. Every buyer will be influenced by the comfort, convenience and lifestyle features a home can offer. In fact, the pulling power of emotion is usually the driving force behind a higher than expected selling price and from a marketing perspective, the more emotionally driven a buyer becomes, the better.

15. The purchase of a residential property is almost always an emotional decision.

16.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideGreat results usually occur where two or more buyers are forced to compete on price to win the property. This might be under the auction hammer where a competent and engaging auctioneer can judge buyer emotions to maximise competing bids, in a non-auction situation where an agent skilled in multi buyer negotiation knows how to handle the process to ensure each buyer ‘bids’ to their limit, or a sale by tenderThird, sellers who know how to maximise the appeal of their property will always do better than sellers who don’t. For example, let’s say a property owner is getting ready to sell their home in a strong family area close to a popular primary school.

17.Their obvious buyer is a young family looking to move into the area. So anything they can do to enhance appeal to a young family will be an influencing factor. So the sellers might look to install some play equipment or a sand box in the back yard. This may well turn out to be a prudent investment when you consider the prize of a great selling price generated by competing families. When a buying family visits the open home, the children will head straight for the play equipment and what busy parent isn’t looking for extra ways to entertain the kids?

18.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideNormally, a family will visit a home more than once before making a decision to purchase. Each time the family visits the home, chances are the children will head straight for the play equipment. This reinforces suitability in the mind of the parents and will influence their decision to not only want the property, but how far they are prepared to go to own it.Throw another similar family with similar needs into the mix and that’s where the magic happens.As a real estate professional, this is the exact scenario I’m looking to engineer because I know what can happen when two or more buyers are emotionally motivated to own a specific property.

19. Sellers who know how to maximise the appeal of their property will always do better than sellers who don’t.

20.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideThese targeted features, such as the play equipment, are also valuable marketing images that will appeal to a family looking to buy the best property they can for their money and when it comes to marketing, images are everything. More about that shortly.

21.Getting the formula right.The 5 price influencers strategy I’m about to share is a proven success formula for maximising your selling result.A cake won’t rise if you use the wrong flour and bake it for the wrong time at the wrong temperature. The success formula for selling property is not much different.By following the proven success techniques explained in this book, you can expect success.If you’re interested in boosting your selling price, I’m going to assume you’ll be a willing accomplice to work with me and make your property irresistible.

22.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideWithout seeing your property I don’t know if there is a little or a lot required to boost marketing and buyer appeal. However when we meet, I’ll be only too happy to tell you what I think.De-cluttering and clearing floor and bench space is fairly obvious. So, in addition to the presentation basics, I’ll be giving you some specific presentation ideas used by the top home staging and presentation experts, plus many of the proven strategies used by best selling real estate marketing Author, Ray Wood in his book: How To Sell Your Home For More. Naturally, what you decide to do is up to you. I’m here to help and leverage my experience with relevant advice and suggestions to help you attract more buyers and achieve your real estate goals.

23.The 5 price influencers for a successful property sale. Here are the 5 price influencers that will determine the selling price of every property in any market, anywhere.1. Presentation2. Marketing3. Buyer Management4. The Market5. The Real Estate AgentThey all play a central role and four out of five are almost completely in the owner’s hands.

24.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideObviously, The Market is something a seller can’t control but there are some ways to use the market to your advantage as you’ll see.As I’m always closely watching the marketing and sale of every property in my area, I’m constantly amazed at the number of sellers and agents that miss even the most basic opportunities to enhance these key factors.When seller and agent work together to make the magic happen, a better looking home attracts more buyers, sells faster and for a higher price.

25. Throw another similar family with similar needs into the mix and that’s where the magic happens.

26.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuidePresentationThat Excellent First ImpressionHow to Master the 5 Price Influencersand Sell Your Home for More.01.

27.PresentationPresentation is how a home looks, feels, smells and even sounds. Presentation creates the ambience that forges a positive buyer experience. Presentation will determine if a buyer decides to invest the time and trouble to look at your property. Presentation will powerfully influence the one thing that makes a buyer ignore realistic price levels and what every seller is ultimately looking for: Emotional motivation!Presentation will determine the time your property spends on the market.

28.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuidePresentation is the foundation on which your entire sale is built.Poorly presented properties attract fewer buyers, take longer to sell and generally sell for less. People sometimes ask me if it’s worth investing in presentation to enhance the appeal of a property and how much can you expect in return.The best way to answer that is “Yes” and “It’s impossible to say”.But, as I’ve already mentioned, when the moment comes to pick up the pen to sign the selling document, it’s very comforting to know you’ve done all you can to present your property in the best possible light. There will be no regrets.

29.And the good news is that many presentation ideas, which can totally transform the look of a room, can be done on a shoestring budget. In fact, the amount you decide to invest in boosting your sale price is totally up to you. Every seller has different priorities and a different budget. Which is why we’re flexible when it comes to preparing a property before the marketing campaign starts.Sometimes our clients need to consider major maintenance or condition upgrades like re-tiling, plumbing, kitchen, bathroom or landscaping work. Which is why we keep an up-to-date list of competent and reliable tradespeople and repair specialists who can supply fast, competitive estimates for sellers who know they need to get things done before they go on the market.

30.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideOther clients need to do very little or nothing before buyers inspect their property. It all depends. Every property is different.The easiest way to approach presentation priorities is to look at the critical marketing images you’ll be using once your marketing starts.Chances are that most buyers will first become aware of your property from an Internet, newspaper or magazine listing. For a free-standing home, this will normally be an image from the outside. This single photo is what we call the ‘hero’ shot and I will get in to this in more detail under Marketing but the outside image is the main influencing factor here.If a buyer, searching online sees a home they like then this will

31. Presentation is the foundation on which your entire sale is built.

32.The Ultimate Home Sellers Guideprompt them to spend more time looking at the property and start searching other images.A buyer’s brain works fast. They know there are a number of homes they could buy and this is just one.In a fraction of a second they will see images of your property and decide if they really see themselves living there. They will be asking if they belong in the picture.This primary engagement is central to your success as many great buyers miss their perfect real estate match because the hero shot didn’t really ‘sell’ the advantages the property offered.The buyer’s brain will also be rapidly processing one listing versus

33.the next and forming decisions on which homes to drive by, attend an open home or call the agent and make a time to view.If you own an apartment, what’s your hero shot going to be? Is it an image of the living room, the kitchen or the view? Where is the ‘wow’ factor and what’s the main selling point?In most cases, the best image for a free standing home is the home itself. I can’t stress enough how important this image is. If this is the image that attracts that one extra buyer who will push buyer offers higher, it’s worth it. And, in all reality, you’ll never know.So, if you and your agent are comfortable that the front of your

34.The Ultimate Home Sellers Guideproperty is your best marketing image, then that’s exactly where you need to prioritise your presentation efforts.So, take a look at your home from the footpath. How’s your street appeal?How’s the front fence? How’s the garden, exterior walls, roof and spouting?Is this an image that will photograph well for your marketing? Is this your hero shot? If you’re unsure, ask a friend or better still, ask me. Even if you’re not planning to sell for a year or so I can still help you with a presentation program. So that when the time comes your property looks as good as it can and is ready to be devoured by eager buyers.

35. I keep an up-to-date list of competent and reliable tradespeople and repair specialists who can supply fast competitive estimates

36.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideDeciding on your presentation ‘hit list’It’s not unusual for sellers to get a little confused and overwhelmed when preparing their property for sale.It starts out with a couple of cool ideas that will make a room look fantastic then somehow grows into a monstrous ‘to do’ list of chores.So here’s what I do when I’m working with a seller to prepare their property for sale:If we agree a home needs presentation work and there are more than a few things that need doing then we sit down and write up a list.We include every possible thing that will not only make our

37.photos look great but also look for ways to enhance the viewing experience. These are the things that will ‘wow’ our buyers when they come through.When our list is done we look at each item and grade it in importance from zero to 10. Zero being not important and 10 being essential to helping us attract a heap of great buyers.As you can probably imagine, the process from here is fairly straightforward. We target the tasks we scored as a 10 as our priorities and then move to the nines and so on.This is what we call the ‘hit list’ and it works very well if you stick to the rules.Many sellers take on too much which can get messy.

38.The Ultimate Home Sellers Guide The good news is that many presentation ideas, which can totally transform the look of a room, can be done on a shoestring budget.

39.Suddenly, there are multiple works in progress and things seem to grind to a halt. The best way to avoid this is to draw up your hit list and then focus on the number one task before moving to number two. It’s when you have a plan that stuff gets done.If you’re selling a property that needs a lot of work then there’s a point where you are better off doing nothing.While a property that needs a lot of work will not photograph well, there is usually a strong sector of the buying public that would love the opportunity to pay less for a property and make their own improvements.

40.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideYou will often see a property that is offered for sale or auction as part of a deceased estate that attracts lots of buyer traffic because savvy buyers understand the opportunities. These homes are often located in popular established areas and may well benefit from the ‘worst home in the best street’ scenario.So how much should you spend on presentation?Sometimes there are things that simply must be done.Let’s say you’re selling a home with serious structural defects. If possible, you’re way better to address these issues before you start marketing.Otherwise, there’s every chance your home will ‘fail the physical’

41.when the buyer brings a building expert through the home. In fact, these experts will often look until they find something wrong with the property, so better to avoid disappointment from a failed building report later by acting now.There is no formula for deciding what should be spent on a property to prepare it for sale.Some homes need little or nothing whilst others need a lot.My personal rule-of-thumb is to spend up to 5% of the property’s approximate value if required. After that, you’re sailing into unchartered waters.

42.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideHow can I help?• I’m often asked by clients to recommend a prompt, reliable and competitive tradesperson. Whether you need a plumber, painter, handyman or landscape gardener, I probably have your guy. Call or email me and ask for my ‘Trades List’

43. You Only Ever Get One Chance To Sell A Home And Do It Right.

44.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideMarketingGetting Noticed by the MassesHow to Master the 5 Price Influencersand Sell Your Home for More.02.

45.MarketingNow that your presentation plan is coming together, let’s take a look at marketing.This is where your presentation efforts pay off. This is what you’ve worked for.I like to think of marketing as the overall process of not only reaching out to potential buyers, but connecting on multiple levels using powerful, attractive images and great advertising copy.We understand buyers have choices and we know when you’re selling a property that the enemy is other similar properties for sale competing with you for buyer attention.

46.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideThat’s why we like to change the game wherever we can and go to the extra effort to position our clients’ homes ‘above’ the rest.This… is marketing!The days of selling real estate ‘sausage factory’ style where each listing and advertising campaign is pretty much the same, are long gone.And timing is critical as each area, suburb, town or city has its own selling window. This is also called Days On Market or List-To-Sell Time and defines the average time a property takes to sell from when it first hit the market.

47.This is important because history tells us a property that sits on the market for too long will normally sell for a lower than expected price. When a property first hits the market, hot buyers who are ready to sign a contract and pay a deposit have their radar finely tuned so any new listings that come onto the market will quickly get their attention and become a priority.This becomes even more intense in a hot or seller’s market where there are more buyers than properties for sale.In fact, the whole industry is focused on getting fresh property for sale noticed by as many buyers as possible as quickly as possible.

48.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideThis is because a new property, fresh on the market is big news to buyers looking in that price range.There are a number of ways a hot buyer will become aware of a new property for sale. Let me explain each one so you’ll know what happens when you go live on the market.• The main real estate portals. You may have done this and already know how it works but any buyer can feed their buying criteria into a buying profile or search and the real estate domain will send them an alert when a property that suits their specific search requirements is listed for sale or auction.

49.• Numbers show that most buyers today begin their search online. So, even if they haven’t set up an alert on a real estate portal, their search will quickly reveal a new property for sale.• Serious hot buyers will usually ‘stalk’ an area solidly to see if any new listings have come on to the market. This is where a good property sign is an essential part of the marketing mix. • As I’m always connecting with new buyers and recording their specific buyer needs, my real estate software lets me create a ‘buyer match’ to target potential buyers I have recorded in my system. I then follow up with email and phone calls to let them know a viewing time or offer more information.

50.The Ultimate Home Sellers Guide• Buyers will often become aware of a new listing when a friend, work colleague or relative tells them about it. This secondary marketing is very valuable.• In many areas, newspapers and magazines play an important role in promoting new listings to potential sellers. While not as immediate as online marketing, print media tends to sit around a little longer.As an agent, what am I looking for? What’s the one thing that will help me deliver a stunning result for my client, the seller? Buyer competition!

51. The whole industry is focused on getting fresh property for sale noticed by as many buyers as possible as quickly as possible.

52.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideBy carefully spreading my marketing mix and presenting my new listing to the market in the right way and with the right timing, I can possibly have 2 or more buyers competing to own the property.Naturally, this is not always the case but it’s certainly the intention wherever possible.

53.Deciding on your Marketing Mix.Your marketing mix is where and how you decide to build your campaign.When building the marketing campaign, I need to get the ‘mix’ right in order to have the best chance of making sure my new listing gets in front of as many eyeballs as possible.Without giving away all my trade secrets, I like to start with a great photo that summarises the listing then support it with other images that help a buyer appreciate the benefits and features the property offers.

54.The Ultimate Home Sellers Guide Hot buyers will usually ‘stalk’ an area solidly to see if any new listings have come on to the market. This is where a good property sign is an essential part of the marketing mix.

55.I use my buyer response data to help me decide where I need to focus my marketing efforts. Obviously, online marketing via the main Internet portals and our own website is always good for heavy traffic so that gets priority.I like to work with my selling clients to explain the marketing options and build the perfect campaign to ensure maximum exposure and genuine buyer interest.

56.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideBuilding Buyer Excitement With An Open HomeMany people believe an open home is just a convenient way for the agent to save themselves from doing individual buyer appointments. Whilst it’s hard to deny the efficiency of setting a single time window, so all buyers can view a property at once, there’s another more important reason behind an open home:We want multiple buyers to visit an open home at the same time. This sends a message to each buyer that the property is attractive and attracting. This doesn’t always happen but it’s a powerful marketing tool when it does. We all want to own something that someone else wants. That’s why a Van Gogh painting is so valuable. There is serious demand.

57.The fact is, buyers notice other buyers at an open home. They will often hear comments made and definitely pick up on their body language.On the other hand, some sellers prefer their agent to schedule private appointments where the environment is much more controlled. This might be for security reasons or personal preference. It really depends on the seller. A private appointment means the agent needs to quickly interview the buyer to ensure they meet three important qualifying criteria relevant to the property; The buyer is ready to buy, the home suits their needs and it’s within their intended buying price range.If the agent doesn’t do this then they are wasting their own, and their seller’s, time.

58.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuidePricing Your Property For A Successful SaleNaturally, every seller wants to make sure they sell for the highest possible price while every buyer wants to make sure they don’t (in their opinion) pay too much.Managing buyer expectations and nurturing them through the process is one of the key price influencers and I’ll be getting into that shortly.There obviously has to be qualified and informed discussion around price between seller and agent but I believe the agent’s primary role is helping the seller research a likely selling range and then market the property accordingly.

59.When it comes to researching a potential selling range, or asking price, recent sales of comparable properties will usually provide the clearest evidence on which to form an opinion. A good buyer is almost certain to be aware of recent sales of similar properties. In fact, they may have even been the losing bidder on one or more properties for sale. Their price opinion will be almost totally based on sales of similar properties and emotional attraction.Every now and then a seller may be influenced by the asking price of a similar property for sale in their area but it’s only actual sales that count when you’re researching real estate values.

60.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideI’ve already talked about the fact that real estate has no recommended retail price which can often make choosing an initial figure something of a challenge.Just because all indications and thorough research of comparable property sold may point to a certain price doesn’t mean that a property may not sell for substantially more.One of the biggest personal rewards I can experience is working with a seller to build a marketing campaign that lets us achieve a sale price substantially higher than we all initially thought. I love it when that happens because it justifies our collective planning and attention to detail.

61.In order to test the marketing price of a new listing, I’ve devised a test before the full marketing attack begins that tells me if we are priced correctly within 48 hours! Please be sure to ask me about it when we meet.

62.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideHow can I help?• A great photo means a great ad. Which is why I use an outstanding professional photographer. When you’re ready to go, let me know and we can make a time to catch up.• My marketing mix often changes depending on where the very best buyer interest is coming from. When we meet I can show you where buyers are seeing our listings for sale and tailor the ideal campaign for you.

63. Comparable properties will usually provide the clearest evidence on which to base an opinion

64.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideBuyer ManagementBuilding Strong ConnectionsHow to Master the 5 Price Influencersand Sell Your Home for More.03.

65.Buyer ManagementWe can’t make a sale without a buyer. Managing buyers is therefore essential to the success of the project and a key price influencer. When it comes to parting with large sums of money, buyers have a sixth sense. They’re also looking for evidence to support the price a seller is asking. They are looking to satisfy themselves as to just how much your home is worth or, perhaps more specifically, worth to them.Handling buyers can be tricky because this is a relationship that often begins from a cold start. Where there is no history between agent and buyer there is no relationship and naturally, no trust.

66.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideFrom a selling agent’s point of view, building rapport and authority with a buyer will help the process in any number of ways.We all like to purchase something from someone we like and this is especially important when it comes to high-ticket items like real estate.Have you ever found yourself in a buying situation where you just didn’t get along with the salesperson? You can’t quite put your finger on it but something wasn’t right and you felt uncomfortable. In fact, your discomfort may well have prevented you from completing the purchase.When marketing real estate, we know that every buyer enquiry is a potential contract. When we first start communicating with a

67.potential buyer we need to be ready to respond to any number of situations.We are building this relationship from scratch to develop rapport and trust as quickly as possible because we know we may soon find ourselves in a negotiating position.Naturally, a buyer will be wary and guarded. They will often be reluctant to part with much information until they can establish the basis of a trusting relationship with the agent.Typically, buyers come into the market for a length of time and undergo a period of research with their buying options including the location that most interests them and the type of property that best suits their needs.

68.The Ultimate Home Sellers Guide Without giving away all my secrets, I like to start with a great photo that summarises the listing

69.A skilled agent will guide the buyer through the process and often help them address the all-important financial requirements like linking them up with a bank or mortgage broker if they don’t have one.We do this because when the buyer makes an offer we want to know if they are likely to secure the loan needed to complete the contract. The buyer then moves into the actual buying phase where they start to get serious about actually putting pen to paper. They will start to make offers or bid at auction because they feel confident and comfortable enough with the market to do so.

70.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideSometimes a buyer will appear ‘out of the blue’ and quickly buy a property but this is not the norm.When I first meet a buyer, I don’t know how far along in the process they are so my main objective is to reach out and assist wherever I can.To be totally transparent about this, it’s in my interest to build a relationship as they may become a future client.But I need to be clear about who my ‘boss’ is in this situation.When I’m hired by a seller to help them sell, I do all in my power to represent them to the best of my ability. I obviously need to build trust, authority and rapport with as many buyers as possible but the seller remains my ‘employer’.

71. They are looking to determine just how much the property is worth both to the seller, and to themselves.

72.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuidePreparing A Buyer To Make An Offer. (For Sale)In a regular ‘For Sale’ marketing scenario, a property is presented to the market for sale and, unlike an auction, there is no deadline so an offer may come in at any time. When a buyer starts warming to a property they may start to indicate a potential offer amount. At this point there will be other considerations. For example: which chattels are included in the sale; the amount of deposit payable; and choosing a date for final settlement.Naturally, every situation is different and, to cut a long story short, these are negotiating points. I am there, as the seller’s representative, to ‘package’ the very best proposal from each buyer.

73.As soon as I’m aware that an offer is likely to be made, I like to call my seller and let them know what’s going on.The important point to mention here is that a sale cannot be formally recorded unless all legally required documentation is present.So even if a buyer makes me a ‘dream’ offer within a few days of the property hitting the market, nothing happens without the paperwork.In any case, a genuine buyer (or their legal representative) will want to look at all documentation before making an offer.Helping a buyer prepare to buy is where the real ‘selling’ comes in.

74.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideTo me, the process of selling is creating the best possible environment for a buyer to buy. This usually means one or more viewing appointments at the property and answering specific buyer questions to pave the way for the buyer to make an offer. I also like to ask direct qualifying questions to establish if the buyer is interested and if I need to help them further. Naturally, each buyer is different and each has different needs.

75. Helping a buyer prepare to buy is where the real ‘selling’ comes in.

76.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuidePreparing a buyer to bid. (Auction) There are selling situations and particular markets where offering a property for sale by auction will work exceptionally well.Without getting into the specific mechanics of auction marketing, preparing a buyer to bid at auction is central to the process. The agent needs to make sure the buyer is not only comfortable bidding to buy, but that they understand the process and their obligations.

77.How To Handle An Early OfferSometimes a property hits the market and instantly attracts the attention of a hot buyer or buyers. Getting a great early offer brings the whole process forward as both agent and seller want to make sure they have every chance to capitalise on the opportunity.A good early offer may be just the start of negotiations or it may quickly disappear. This is where agent and seller need to review the offer and what will happen if it’s rejected.

78.The Ultimate Home Sellers Guide Getting a great early offer brings the whole process forward as both agent and seller want to make sure they have every chance to capitalise on the opportunity.

79.Post Sale EssentialsManaging a contract for the sale of real estate doesn’t stop after buyer and seller have signed the document. Naturally, every sale situation will be different, but managing the contract through to a successful completion is of critical importance.For example, the contract may be subject to the buyer completing specific condition reports on the property. These reports may reveal unknown issues that need to be addressed.This is where it’s critically important to manage the post sale process and the buyer’s expectations.

80.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideIf a property is sold conditionally, meaning certain conditions agreed to by both buyer and seller need to be satisfied before the sale becomes unconditional, it’s important we help the buyer through the process step by step as the successful completion of the sale depends on their pre-settlement conditions being met.Let’s say, for example, buyer and seller agree on a price, but the buyer wants to make sure there are no ‘invisible’ issues with the property before they fully commit to the purchase. The buyer will then arrange for a report and hire a building expert to come by and spend an hour or two looking over the property.

81.They will look under the home (if possible), in the ceiling and on the roof. They will look at the electrical circuitry, the heating, cooling, hot water service and flooring so that they can give the buyer an accurate report on the overall health of the structure.Sometimes, especially with an older property, an inexperienced buyer will become alarmed at any negative finding the report uncovers.This is where an experienced agent can quietly and methodically help the buyer understand that many homes require maintenance from time to time as that’s simply the nature of property.

82.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideNaturally, any serious defect will normally cause the buyer to either abort the purchase or seek a selling price adjustment to accommodate the cost of potential repair work.The seller then has the right to decide if they agree or they may prefer to keep going and find another buyer.The point I’m making here is that a good agent is always prepared to handle any post sale issues to represent their client, the seller, as best they can.

83.Buyer’s RemorseThere’s a common condition that sometimes occurs and it’s known in the retail world as ‘buyer’s remorse.’This is where a buyer has second thoughts about their purchase after they’ve paid their money.This may happen for any number of reasons and isn’t always based on logic. The buyer may simply feel they have made a commitment they shouldn’t have and they become stressed and anxious about it.When this happens to a buyer of real estate the anxiety can be enhanced because of the amount of money involved.

84.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideA big part of my job is helping a buyer understand that they may experience these feelings well before they actually do.Naturally, many buyers don’t experience buyer’s remorse but it is an issue for those that do. This is why I usually like to give a pre-emptive caution if I think it’s warranted.The way a buyer is handled post sale plays a big part in keeping the sale together. Fortunately, I’m able to draw on considerable experience to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible in order to preserve the top market result I’ve work so hard to produce.

85.How can I help?• If you’re also looking to buy a property then I can help in any number of ways. If you let me know your buying criteria I can tell you more about your options and offer some guidance. My contact information is at the front and back of this book.

86.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideThe MarketInfluence Your AreaHow to Master the 5 Price Influencersand Sell Your Home for More.04.

87.The MarketWhilst the property market is one of the 5 key influencing factors in determining your eventual selling price it’s also the hardest to influence.Where a market is hot and there are more buyers than homes for sale then potential for competing buyers is much higher. As agents, these are the markets we live for. The excitement of offering a home in a high-demand environment doesn’t necessarily make our job easier, but it’s definitely more fun. Being part of a process that helps a seller achieve a sale result

88.The Ultimate Home Sellers Guidemany thousands beyond their wildest dreams is a very rewarding professional experience.Whether the market is hot or not, doing all you can to present your property to buyers in the best possible way will pay dividends.In a hot market, buyers understand that they will need to lift their buying limit in order to buy. In a flat market, anything that can be done to enhance the presentation of your home is worth the time and trouble. So in either market, the seller wins when they follow the formula.As I mentioned earlier, when you’re selling a property your enemies are those other sellers with similar homes for sale.

89. So, in either market, the seller wins when they follow the formula.

90.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideThat’s why I like to make sure my sellers are aware of the competition and to help them consider every possible way to make their property more appealing to buyers.The Internet has made this task somewhat easier as we can normally see how much traffic each property listing is getting. For example, if a property we’re selling is receiving lots of online visits but few inspections then we need to look at our marketing to make sure we’re capturing maximum buyer attention. Traffic to real estate portals is a great barometer for marketing success.Each specific property market has an average ‘days on market’ time window. This means that the majority of real estate listings will usually sell within that window.

91.When a property takes longer than normal to sell we need to establish what needs to happen in order to increase buyer interest. The last thing we need is for a great property listing to go stale.

92.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideHow can I help?• Pricing your property to generate maximum buyer interest is one way you can influence the market. If I’m yet to give you my opinion then please let me know and I’ll stop by soon. This is obviously without any charge or obligation.• If you’re not planning to sell for some time but would like some ideas on how you can influence your selling price then please let me know. Many of the homes I sell were prepared months, and sometimes years, before they actually went on the market. That way the sellers got to enjoy the improvements before they sold. (In some cases they even decided to stay!)

93. Traffic to real estate portals is a great barometer for marketing success.

94.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideThe Real Estate AgentTried and True Professional SupportHow to Master the 5 Price Influencersand Sell Your Home for More.05.

95.The Real Estate AgentMany sellers wonder exactly what it is that a real estate professional brings to the table and I’m sometimes asked what I actually do to produce such great results for my clients.A skilled surgeon repeats a similar operation on a regular basis. No two procedures are ever exactly alike but they are similar and the surgeon’s expertise, professional education and experience is enhanced each time a patient goes under the knife. But it’s normally only when things go wrong that the skilled and experienced surgeon knows exactly what to do. There are so many variables that will determine success.

96.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideA trial defense lawyer is trained to build a testimony of protection for their client so that they can defend them to the very best of their ability. Again, no two trials will ever be exactly alike but an experienced and skilled courtroom attorney knows the key influencing factors that will influence their client’s chances of a ‘not guilty’ finding. They know whom they want as jurors and whom they don’t. They know which witnesses will help their client and which witnesses will not. They know which questions to ask a witness and whether or not to put their client on the stand. Again, there are so many variables that will determine success.A real estate agent’s operational procedure is somewhat unique. Okay, we’re not managing life or death operations or defending the accused in a court of law, but we are almost entirely responsible for

97.helping our seller successfully secure the sale of their property for a substantial sum of money.In many cases, we know and understand our client’s long-term financial well-being will be determined by our skill, experience and expertise to market their property and secure the highest possible selling price.And while we follow a set procedure or formula that we’ve proven produces the best outcome, every sale is different. Every property is different, every seller has different needs and every buyer has their own agenda.I believe real estate success is really about making two sales.First, we have to sell ourselves to our client, the seller.

98.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideTo be appointed as their agent they need to be confident and comfortable that we have what it takes to effectively and efficiently market their property, attract quality buyers and negotiate a contract for the highest possible price on the best possible terms.Second, we have to go out and do it. We need to help our seller prepare the property for sale then build our marketing campaign to make sure we attract as many buyers as possible.My first priority as an agent is to make sure that my client, the seller, understands the complete process as well as possible and naturally, every client is different. Some want me to handle everything and give them a regular update whilst others wish to be hands on and involved as much as possible.

99.Either way is fine with me because my job is to accommodate my client’s needs and work with them on their agenda to achieve the result they are looking for.Each client is obviously selling for a specific reason. So, I try to extend my assistance and professional care to help achieve their desired outcome and deliver the ultimate real estate solution. If I’m successful then my client pays a fee-for-service. If I’m not then I go without.Unlike the Surgeon or Lawyer, who receive compensation regardless of the outcome, my remuneration is entirely success dependent. That’s the nature of our business and the way our industry has evolved.

100.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideHow can I help?• If you’re looking for an agent and would like to know more about me then I would be happy to supply you with the name and contact number of some recent clients.

101. We are almost entirely responsible for helping our seller to secure the sale of their property for a substantial sum of money.

102.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideTips & IdeasIdeas to Make Buyers Drool!

103.General Presentation Tips and Ideas to Make Your Buyers Drool!Without seeing inside your home it’s obviously difficult to suggest any pre-sale presentation ideas but let me give you a generic overview.To do this, I always put myself in the buyer’s shoes and ask myself 3 questions:1. Which image of your property will most appeal to me?2. Which supporting images will most appeal to me (this is important when buyers are browsing online and start to warm up on your home)

104.The Ultimate Home Sellers Guide3. How will your home physically inspect when I take a look through?Images are not just important when it comes to real estate marketing, they are everything. Anecdotal evidence tells us that a buyer probably won’t pursue a property if they are not first engaged by an image or images. Choosing the best formula for great real estate presentation is not particularly difficult and by focusing on these 3 presentation priorities I can quickly build a compelling and highly attractive campaign for my seller.If you’re selling a free-standing or terrace style home with street

105.frontage then your buyers are going to be expecting to see the façade of your property in your marketing. So, check out the competition. Do a search online for property that’s for sale, similar to yours, in your area. Then, ask yourself the tough question: How will online images of your home compare with others for sale? Then, what can you do to visually enhance your façade?If you’re selling an apartment in a complex then do the same thing. Take a look at similar properties for sale in your area and see how they look. How can you make your living room or dining/kitchen area look more awesome?

106.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideIf I’m marketing an apartment, townhouse or a property that doesn’t have actual street frontage then I will look for other attractive benefits that may be of interest to buyers. This could include local features such as transport terminals (bus, train) local popular shops, restaurants, sporting fields, community facilities & swimming pools.Many agents ignore these selling points that are so important to buyers. “Location, location, location” has been drummed into buyers from birth so it’s important to play up your proximity to local features wherever possible.Moving to the interior of your property, my presentation emphasis is always on creating the most appealing images and viewing experience.

107. Many agents ignore these selling points that are so important to buyers.

108.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideBuyers are generally looking to get as much bang for their buck in terms of light and space. Obviously, you can’t move walls but reducing furniture to essentials will help you to show off as much floor space as possible. ‘Off-white, or lighter-coloured, walls and ceilings will add brightness, space and appeal to any home.If you currently have strong, or darker colours, in your home and you’re not entirely sure what to do, then let me know. Another key to attracting and keeping buyer interest, after your images have sparked an initial response, is to reduce the possibility of any ongoing maintenance in the mind of the buyer.

109.When a buyer is comparing homes on the market and considering making an offer, or bidding at auction, the condition of bathrooms and kitchens will play an important role in their decision.If you’re selling an older or run down property then major repairs to costly areas like kitchens and bathrooms may not be viable. But, if the rest of your property is looking good, and it’s simply a matter of fixing some tiles, a leaking shower or a dodgy cupboard, then it’s probably worthwhile getting an estimate.A seriously motivated buyer will usually open every draw, cupboard and door to make sure his or her real estate choice is the right one.

110.The Ultimate Home Sellers Guide If you currently have strong or darker colours in your home and you’re not entirely sure what to do then let me know.

111.How can I help?• Your presentation initiatives are entirely your decision but I would be happy to come by and give you my opinion even if you don’t plan to sell just yet. I can provide you with what I consider to be the key priorities to help you stand out from every other property on the market in your area.• I also keep a list of competent, reliable and competitive trades people including painters, carpenters, plasterers, carpet layers, floor sanders, plumbers, electricians, landscape gardeners, rubbish removers and general handymen.If you’d like me to email this list to you or to drop it off then please let me know.

112.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideExtra resourcesI find my clients get plenty of awesome ideas from 2 books: • ‘How To Sell Your Home For More’ by property marketing expert Ray Wood, and • ‘Hot Seller Tips’ by home staging specialist, Deb Lindner. I usually keep a copy of each handy for clients so please let me know if you’d like these and I will get them to you immediately.You can also check out HotSellerTips.com for plenty of awesome tips and home presentation ideas to help you prepare your property for sale and to maximise buyer interest.

113.I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this book.I’m passionate about real estate and also about the selling success of my clients.I know great real estate results don’t just happen and a little effort in preparation will almost always reward the seller with a top market sale price.I strongly believe that every seller has the opportunity to engineer such a result. My job is to help you do it.

114.The Ultimate Home Sellers GuideNotes & IdeasHad a Thought? Write It Down!

115.Notes & Ideas

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