Five Biggest Fears of Working with a Realtor® – Part 2

Part 2 of 5

Fear #2 – Are They Going to Waste My Time?

There never seems to be enough time to get everything done in a day. In this fast paced world we live in, there is always something else to do, somewhere else to go, someone to meet, etc. Everyone feels that their time is important. And it is.

As a buyer, if you want to make the most of the time spent working with a Realtor® to find your home, here are some tips to keep in mind to make the most of your time:

• Make time upfront to meet with your Realtor® for a Buyer Consultation. This will allow you to explore what is most important to you in your home search, while at the same time, give your Realtor® the much needed information to narrow down the search for your new place. This is more than how many bedrooms and square footage. It’s the reasons behind why you’re looking for certain features that really helps paint the picture of your home. For example, let’s say you are married with no kids and you want a four bedroom house with a large yard. It’s important to know the WHY behind the four bedrooms. Maybe you want a guest room, an office and craft room. Maybe you plan to have children in the near future and you want a nursery near the master bedroom and a yard for them to play in. Maybe your parents are moving in with you. Maybe you entertain a lot and want rooms for guests and a large yard for entertaining. These details are most useful when shared with your Realtor® up front.

• If you’re married, it’s important for both spouses to be in agreement on the features that are being sought after. Even more important, in my opinion, is being in agreement on what things you are willing to give up if you find a house that has 80% of the features you’re hoping to find. Maybe you had your heart set on a home with a 3-car garage. You found the home of your dreams but…..it only has a 2-car garage. Is that something you can live with? As simple as it sounds, it’s often difficult to make these kind of decisions, however, if you have these discussions upfront about where compromises can be made you’ll be better prepared to make an offer on a home you love when you come across it.

For more buyer tips, refer to 7 Tips for First Time Buyers and Loans For First Time Buyers, Things You Should Know

As a seller, you have a lot of control over the time it takes to sell your home. Although you are relying on the expertise of your Realtor® to assist you in the home selling process, there are many things you can do to lessen the time it takes to have “Sold” sign out front.

• Make every effort to take out the emotion behind selling a home. This can be difficult to do, especially if you have lived there for many years. High emotions can interfere with getting your home sold when comes to pricing your home, preparing your home for sale and deciding on whether or not to accept an offer.

• If you are selling your home it’s important to remember that you want potential buyers to be able to imagine themselves in your home. That means taking down personal effects, photos and all the things that make this particular house your home. Offer the buyers the ability to imagine THEIR pictures on the wall. Get a head start on your packing and put your personal treasures away to de-personalize your home.

• When deciding on where to price your home, don’t attach all the sentimental memories you have to the value of your home. The current real estate market will determine the right value for your home at the time that you are selling. Your Realtor® will provide you with details on where the market is in your neighborhood and you should use those FACTS to determine your listing price, not your emotional ties to the house.

• Curb appeal and de-cluttering your home can also help speed up the time it take to sell. If all your neighbors have well manicured lawns with flowers, and your house has weeds two feet tall and nothing enticing or welcoming about it, some people may “judge a book by it’s cover” and never step foot inside. If they do go inside and see closets crammed with stuff, piles of things everywhere, etc., they will have a hard time seeing the best features of your home. Pack it up, donate it or just say goodbye to the things that will distract buyers as they walk through your home.

As Realtor’s®, our time is valuable too. We want to make the most of the time we spend with buyers or sellers to help them move on to what’s most important to them, while offering exceptional service along the way. The best way to make the most of the time we have is to work together toward the same goal.

Read part 1 of this 5 part series

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 Adrienne Markes

(714)396-2819

Adrienne@adriennemarkes.com