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| Stacie Scott Turner |
| 202.494.8220 |
202. 364.1300 |
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| For most people, selling their home is a BIG decision, financially and emotionally. You have questions and the whole process feels overwhelming . . . but selling you home doesn't have to be stressful, and choosing the right realtor can make all the difference. |
| CHOOSE THE RIGHT LISTING AGENT |
In today's challenging real estate market, it is so important to choose the right real estate professional that can market your home to its greatest potential.
Not all real estate agents work the same way. The most important attributes of a listing agent are: |
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• Sells real estate FULL-TIME! Selling your home is a
full time priority and your agent MUST be available
to you and prospective buyers within a reasonable
time frame.
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• Knows the market - knows your neighborhood, it's
history AND can put it in the context of the broader
region. This provides valuable perspective to you
and prospective buyers when it comes to pricing
and positioning.
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• Understands your needs and will be honest and
assertive with you and buyers/buyer's agent.
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• Has extensive LISTING experience - since working with buyers requires a different skill
set and approach.
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• Has a track record of investing in marketing - and will provide a comprehensive written
marketing plan for your home.
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• Provides advice on how to stage your home to show at its best and recommends
aesthetic updates that will significantly increase the perceived value of your property.
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| 5 IMPORTANT LESSONS LEARNED |
These are few important lessons to remember as you prepare to sell your home:
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LESSON #1: Buyers want to see and agents want to show houses that are good buys
FACT: A buyer is more likely to make a full-priced offer on a home that is priced right, before making a low offer on a home that's priced too high.
Houses that remain on the market a long time tend not to be shown. |
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LESSON #2: Be willing to make smart investments in important aesthetic elements of your home.
A good first impression can influence whether a buyer writes an offer or not. For example: invest in landscaping - curb appeal matters.
• Fix things that could be considered "red flags" (i.e. leaks)
• Invest in important aesthetic updates (i.e. painting, floors, minor kitchen and bath
updates, etc.). Your return should be at least double the expense. |
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LESSON #3: Your cost or profit desire is irrelevant. The market determines the price.
• It is very difficult for a seller to evaluate their home objectively. In a balanced
market (like today), it is important to determine the fair market price of your home
given it's location and condition relative to other properties currently active.
Historical comparables are much less relevant since the market has cooled.
• Assume the buyer is educated & saavy and has done their research |
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LESSION #4: Houses that are marketed well - Move fastest and garner the most money
• Open houses rarely sell houses - they generate interest/buzz when first listed.
However, 95% of homes are sold as the result of an agent or buyer inquiry thru
the internet. It is better to have a few qualified buyers touring your home than
large numbers of random people, most of whom are not actively house-hunting.
• Networking with agents and advertising via the internet and targeted print
publications has proven to yield the best results. |
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LESSON #5: Know your bottom line and communicate it honestly to your agent.
• Your agent is on your side so communicate your "bottom line" price upfront.
Although this figure should NEVER be disclosed externally, it is important
information that your agent will use to determine an optimal pricing strategy and
negotiating position.
• Even though you should consider all offers and take into consideration the total
terms of each (i.e. price, settlement date, contingencies, etc.) knowing your
bottom line saves time by eliminating low-ball offers and enables your agent to
determine the best negotiating strategy to get what you want. |
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| AGGRESSIVE MARKETING IS A MUST! |
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You are paying a listing agent commission to ensure that your home is professionally marketed. Properties that are not marketed aggressively within the first
few weeks of listing, tend to stay on the market longer, become stale and garner lower price offers.
Marketing is one of my FAVORITE aspects of the job.
I develop a comprehensive marketing plan for each property, tailored to the type of buyer that will most likely purchase the property. This plan gives us a road map - so that you and I are on the same page with regard to activities and expectations.
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• Home staging consultation
• STRONG internet/online presence
- Virtual Tours
- Listings on top real estate websites
• Informative sales brochures
- Quality photography
- Detailed home features |
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• Financing information
• Targeted advertising
- Direct Mail campaigns
- Print advertising
- E-newsletters
• Agent Networking |
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Each marketing plan is different – but will include a variety
of marketing tools outlined above, to attract the target buyer. |
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