Strategic Use of Showing Feedback Forms It can be a conundrum for both Buyers’ agents and listing agents (representing Sellers): a new-to-market property in a hot neighborhood looks like it’s going to sell quickly, and everyone wants to know what’s going on. Without overplaying their hand. As a listing agent, it’s presumptuous to call an...Read More
Gauging Buyer Interest “Please leave lights on. There are multiple showings today.” –Note to Buyers’ agents on Kitchen table at a newly listed home It’s certainly not as important as knowing whether a home is in multiple offers, but one of the things Twin Cities home Buyers are running into these days — especially Buyers...Read More
“No Stairs to Basement” “Use caution, stairs removed leading to lowest level. Be sure to turn off all lights and lock all doors.” –Showing instructions, MLS listing Showing instructions are usually pretty mundane: besides telling the Buyer’s agent the access code and lockbox location, they typically just request that the showing agent “please remove shoes,...Read More
Showing Directions asMarketing Strategy One of the most famous lines in sales is “always be closing” (“ABC”). Less well-known — but equally important — is “always be marketing.” I was reminded of that yesterday when I was showing homes to Buyers yesterday in the West suburbs. “Out of Bounds” Showing Directions Prior to meeting clients...Read More
Damage Control: Advice to Prospective Sellers As Watergate made plain, the cover-up is often worse than the crime (although in Richard Nixon’s case, ordering a burglary was plenty bad in its own right). The same principle applies to selling homes. Here are three examples where covering up a problem is worse than simply leaving it...Read More
How to Tell if it’s a “Fire Sale” Realtors hear it all the time (often from neighbors or prospective Sellers protesting about the value of their home): “Oh, they gave it away.” “The Smith house? That was a fire sale.” “They sold for way too little.” How to Tell Whenever I hear the foregoing, I...Read More
