Come closer. I’m going to give away a secret or two; I’m going to tell you what goes on inside a listing agent’s head when she, or he, receives the call to list your house. After the initial conversation of setting time and date, most agents trust what you told them, but behind the scene verification process gets underway:
1) Check the tax assessor’s record and verify the seller is the owner and has authority to sell. If you don’t own it, you can’t sell it.
2) Check with title company for outstanding trust deeds and liens–if the property is over-encumbered and in a short sale situation the agent will need additional documents and financial information from the property owner. If the bank has a voice in the sale, we need to make sure they have the information they need to make a decision.
3) Compare tax record information with seller’s statements regarding number of bedrooms, baths etc. Discrepancies in listing information can cost the seller showings, sales and money.
4) Review recent sales, current listings and pending sales in the neighborhood. Pricing cannot reflect yesterday’s values or some hoped for future value. Present value is the only number that matters. An appraiser will use recent sales to establish value; a savvy listing agent will use the same tools. The statistics and numbers tell an undeniable story of current value.
5) Tour the property, take notes and make recommendations that will increase the likelihood of achieving top market value for the property. Your agent sees many properties each week. They know which homes are selling and which homes are simply building an unimpressive number of days on the market. You may not think washing the windows or removing heavy draperies is important, but coupled with other recommendations it will help your home rise above the competition and tilt the selling odds in your favor. Condition counts!
6) Hit the nail on the head with the price. We know you want more and believe your home is worth more than a similar house on your street. That is true for you because you are vested in the property and have emotions as well as money wrapped up in the property. Remember, those are your emotions and your money, not the prospective buyer’s.
It takes time to compile the necessary information, knowledge to understand it and experience to apply it. Begin the listing process with the groundwork firmly in place and you will achieve your goal of selling your property. After all, your end goal is to sell, and not languish in listing limbo month after month.
Norma Toering & Team RE/MAX Palos Verdes Realty
(310) 493-8333 / Office Phone: (310) 831-0800
PalosVerdesLifestyle – Nominated by Relocation.com as one of the top ten Los Angeles area real estate blogs. Ranked by Technorati in the top 1% of all blogs. As seen in the Daily Breeze newspaper.
South Bay Los Angeles cities I sell real estate, property, houses and homes in: Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Long Beach, Torrance, Lomita, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
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