Agents – Educate Your Sellers

Key Highlights

• Agents need to educate sellers about realities of this housing market
• Agents need to help sellers set and manage expectations in this market

This Housing Market a Whirlwind for Seller

After finally deciding to bite the bullet and put their house on the market, this housing market can easily overwhelm sellers.

The staggering demand, the uncertainty about pricing, the pressure from multiple buyers, the pace of sales, etc. are more than enough for sellers to second guess their decision to sell in the first place.  Then there’s the pressure sellers have to find another home they can actually afford when and where they want it.

Agents…you must help your sellers.

Tips for Agents to Help Sellers

Savvy, knowledgeable, empathic, experienced agents can help sellers understand the realities of this market.  Agents can help sellers set and manage their expectations about selling in this market.

1. Properly Preparing Home for Sale

   1. No clutter…no signs of wear and tear
   2. Repair what needs to be repaired
   3. Either DIY or get help to clean, stage and organize the house

2. Help Sellers Become Market Literate

   1. Market data and timing depend on supply and demand for theirhouse in theirneighborhood
   2. Sellers’ expectations about pricing must be based on comparable properties and comparableamenities…only apple-apple comparisons make sense…no apples-oranges comparisons
   3. Comparables are noton MLS sheets – talk with listing/selling agents to get necessary details and share the information with the sellers
   4. Sellers need 360—degree view of each comparable sale including whether the sale was all-cash, financed, conventional, etc.
   5. Know going in agents that sellers most always feel seller’s remorse, regardless of the sale price

3. Buyer Audience

   1. Is the potential buyer local, out of the area, international?
   2. Where is the potential buyer relocating from a more/less expensive market?
   3. Buyer profiles impact the price the potential buyer can and will afford to pay…and how.

4. Contract Terms

   1. #3 above leads to how the transaction is structured…if the buyer needs financing, it’s likely the transaction will be contingent on financing and an appraisal
   2. Same goes for closing timelines and costs
   3. Seller needs to understand if and when to consider contingency waivers in an offer

5. Inspections

   1. Sellers need to understand that large issues such as old roofs, leaks, structural concerns, mold, etc. can be deal-killers
   2. Sellers either need to repair large issues and/or provide buyers with either estimates on those issues or credit in lieu of repairs

6. Closing Dates and Post-Closing Occupancy

   1. Just because a seller’s friend was able to work out staying in the home after closing or a lease-back arrangement doesn’t mean a potential buyer will or be able to agree with such an arrangement
   2. Buyers financing a loan may not be able to allow sellers to remain in home for more than 60 days past closing due to insurance, maintenance and upkeep on the home once the home is sold

7. Showings

   1. Yes, real time showings are happening and sellers need to be prepared.
   2. Determine with sellers showing schedules, appointments, parking management, etc.
   3. Determine basic practices such as mask wearing, hand sanitizers, number of people in the home at one time, etc.

8. Multiple Offers

   1. Multiple offers can be sellers’ dreams or sellers’ nightmares
   2. Highest offer isn’t necessarily the best offer…terms matter
   3. Check out buyer’s choice of lender so seller understands how that choice can impact the deal
   4. Any offer that is full of incomplete/incorrect information screams of red flags no matter the amount of the offer.

Final words…agents already know that anything that can go wrong in the selling process will.  Sellers need to understand that reality as well and it’s definitely up to agents to tell them.

Thanks to Inman.

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