You’re selling your house. What would Ferris say?
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The personal stories of one Realtor’s battles and triumphs in the highly-competitive Bay Area Real Estate Market, seeking to illuminate and humanize the very real ups-and-downs of homeownership.
“My wife and I have received no offers on our house,” the anxious Seller said on the telephone, “I think we did everything we WEREN’T supposed to.”
Such as?
- We got caught up in the “stories” of other sales, and set our expectations too high.
- We listed with a friend of the family.
- The Agent lives and works in another city.
- He came with a young ‘team member,’ who quickly took over the listing, and we never saw the ‘recommended Agent’ we thought we were hiring again.
That’s just for starters:
- Your Agent(s) also listed the property for too much.
- There was no signage on the corner directing prospective Buyers to your hard-to-find street.
- The property didn’t have a Brokers’ Tour.
- He used a C-level stager who brought in too much of everything including plastic plants. (Tacky.)
- There was no Supra Box on the house for easy access.
- The MLS instructions requested 24-hours notice to show the property, even though it was vacant,
- The MLS failed to mention the 2-car garage, fireplace, high-end appliances, terraced yard, or any of the many other assets in the “features” section of the form.
- And finally, your Agent clearly failed to keep you informed, leaving you unsupported and in the dark. (Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?)
Tell me again, why you chose this Agent?
“My best friend’s sister’s boyfriend’s brother’s girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who’s going with the girl who saw . . . ” (Got it, and now you are paying the price.) I’m sure he meant well; he just didn’t DO well . . .
“They kept telling us to ‘trust the process,'” Mr. Seller said, “and so my wife and I did even though we had serious doubts along the way. I mean, what do we know about selling a house? You all are the professionals.” (Not ALL of us, as it turns out.)
But I see your point; you SHOULD be able to hand your Realtors the keys to your house secure in the knowledge that he/she/they will leave no stone unturned. Suffice it to say, we’ve had the same conversation with Sellers many a time, and frankly, Sarah, Jill and I are always grateful for those who CAN quickly move into faith and trust. Believe me, it’s not lost on us how scary letting go can be. (The vast majority of Sellers give up control with great difficulty.)
However, “trusting the process” only works, if you are in good hands to begin with. (Not all Agents are created equal.)
The truth is, I don’t know if my dentist is amazing or below average; if my doctor graduated at the head of her class or in last position; if the pilot in the cockpit can execute an emergency landing (or not) and so it goes. Whatever the challenge, we’re trusting highly-educated “professionals” to know what they are doing and to deliver the goods (typically without question) and in retrospect, that’s probably a mistake.
No matter the task, there are those who work more diligently, have more training, are more experienced, and simply care MORE. (“More” being the operative word.) The difference in one’s work ethic is true for REALTORS as well.
How do you know the difference?
You don’t.
You’ll need to ask pointed questions, listen to your gut, and follow your instincts.
Who your realtor is matters.
At the end of the day, this is your house and you have a right to know what’s going on, but by all means, speak with a few Agents, grill them about their process, take notes, fully understand what they do and DO NOT do, and above all else, hire LOCALLY! No matter how great your house is, it isn’t going to sell itself.
At the end of the day, your Realtor is not just selling your house, he/she/they are selling a community, a lifestyle, and a sense of well-being. How does an outsider speak to the nearby hiking trails, the Sunday Farmers’ Market, or the highly-rated public schools? How does someone who lives elsewhere adequately deliver the message if they haven’t walked the walk (quite literally).
They don’t.
When it comes to selling your house, you’ve got one opportunity to make a first impression so who you work with IS going to matter.
In the word of Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
Hiring the right Agent to begin with may be the single most important thing you do!
How can we help you?
Julie Gardner & Sarah Abel | Compass Realty
Not just Realtors, but consultants in all things house and home, we’re here to educate, explore, examine and refer . . . In short, you may count on us to take care of your home as if it were our own and anyone who knows us, knows we take pretty darn good care of our homes.
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