This is my column for this week from the Arizona Republic (permanent link). I’m posting it now in the hopes that Realtors reading this will email it to all their sellers. I’m showing a lot lately — curse this slow market! — except I’m not because I can’t get into the houses:
Your house can’t be sold if it can’t be shown
Here’s a simple fact about the sale of your home:
If I can’t show it, I can’t sell it.
When I’m working with buyers, the ideal home is listed this way: Available, lockbox, vacant. The house is empty of occupants — although it would be great if it were staged — but there’s an MLS lockbox so I can get in with my party. I don’t want to have to call the lister, and I don’t want to talk to the seller. I just want to show the house.
The next easiest homes to show are not very easy to show: Alarm activated. Now I have to talk to the listing agent — who may be unavailable. I can’t go into the house until I hear back from the lister, which might be hours too late. This is not the worst form of seller self-sabotage, but it can be more than enough to sell another home instead.
What’s worse than an activated alarm? How about no lockbox? Now I not only have to make contact with the lister, we have to coordinate with each other. By-appointment-only listings might make sense at $3,000,000. At $300,000, you’re getting in your own way.
Buyers hate occupied homes. They feel they are invading your privacy at the same time you are invading theirs. Occupied homes are almost always stuffed with stuff, which makes it difficult for buyers to imagine their own stuff in its place. Still worse, half the time, the sellers will be hovering around. Even if they’re not trying to eavesdrop, buyers will feel that they are.
Pet advisory is another obstacle to be overcome. Now, even if the sellers have sense enough to be out of the house, I have to protect my party from the pets — and keep the pets from escaping. Dogs, cats and all their odors should be moved out of the house before you list it.
Again, the best way to get the house sold is: Available, lockbox, vacant. The closer you can come to that, the better your chances of getting an offer.
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Missy Caulk says:
All true Greg, but all of this is irrelevant if the price is not according to market value. In my area, we are pricing our homes at the best of the top 5-10 depending on what the competition is. No more pricing according to sold data. Obviously we look at the solds, but then price it for the active ones.
October 18, 2007 — 10:37 am
Greg Swann says:
Agreed. But I only get 350 words a week, so I have to focus. Allen Butler’s post yesterday was spot on: The best house at the best price is the one that will sell first.
October 18, 2007 — 10:45 am
Loan-South-Africa says:
Too true man. Too true. It’s like people who list their properties on Private Property sites or try sell the properties themselves,I think everyone refers to this term as For Sale By Ownwer…
Biggest mistakes they make is forgetting that people like empty apartments, people like to be shown around by estate agents. People like for the apartment to be clean etc etc…
Nice article.
October 18, 2007 — 2:01 pm
Lake Wallenpaupack Real Estate | Karen Rice says:
I absolutely hate it when I have to get the key from the office – especially if it’s a little one-horse show in the middle of nowhere. If you don’t want the lock box to be seen, then HIDE it somewhere and note it on the MLS.
The best though is when the listing says electronic lockbox, and you get there…and it’s a combo.
And you’re out of cell service.
October 18, 2007 — 8:25 pm
Mike Taylor says:
I think all real estate agents can related to this one. I guess that most of this comes from sellers, however, it the duty of the listing agent to tell them how important it is to make their home easily accessible.
With so many homes on the market, the listing agent needs to be paranoid about doing anything that could possibly cause someone not to show their home.
October 19, 2007 — 4:30 am
Doug Quance says:
Right now – the vacant home is the only home I want to show!
Nothing like a motivated seller, I always say!
😆
October 19, 2007 — 5:48 pm
Orlando says:
Nothing worse than having to go to the listing agents office to pick up a key. Especially when it is 15 min away from the home.
October 21, 2007 — 7:49 pm