Comments on: Show Sellers You Care With Honesty http://agbeat.com/style-and-living/show-sellers-you-care-with-honesty/ News, insights, tools, and inspiration for business owners and professionals Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:13:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Chris Powell http://agbeat.com/style-and-living/show-sellers-you-care-with-honesty/#comment-16732 Chris Powell Mon, 25 Aug 2008 17:33:26 +0000 http://agentgenius.com/?p=3620#comment-16732 I find that if I replace some of the words I use when suggesting things to a client, it becomes much easier for them to hear what I am saying. For example, I use "we" instead of "you".And I use "the home" instead of "your home" As in "we need to make some changes to the home". I think that this immediately help the client start to "disconnect" from the home and think of it simply as an object to prepare to sell. I also use the term"the market" instead of "I". As in "the market is telling us that the price should be". I find that this approach takes any personal feelings off the table because it's very hard for them to get mad at "the market". I find that if I replace some of the words I use when suggesting things to a client, it becomes much easier for them to hear what I am saying. For example, I use “we” instead of “you”.And I use “the home” instead of “your home” As in “we need to make some changes to the home”. I think that this immediately help the client start to “disconnect” from the home and think of it simply as an object to prepare to sell. I also use the term”the market” instead of “I”. As in “the market is telling us that the price should be”. I find that this approach takes any personal feelings off the table because it’s very hard for them to get mad at “the market”.

]]> By: Nickie Rothwell http://agbeat.com/style-and-living/show-sellers-you-care-with-honesty/#comment-16517 Nickie Rothwell Fri, 22 Aug 2008 03:36:03 +0000 http://agentgenius.com/?p=3620#comment-16517 Everybody has such great ideas! It can be tough talking to sellers about what needs to be done, but more and more, it is becoming the norm. I think that coming to the listing presentation with before and after pictures of your sold listings is another thing that makes it easier. Your new client can see for themselves that it isn't just them that need to make some changes for market, it is every home. Showing them a previous "winner" can help them understand and even get excited, especially if it has a great "Sold" story to back it up. Thanks so much for sharing all your great ideas too! Everybody has such great ideas!

It can be tough talking to sellers about what needs to be done, but more and more, it is becoming the norm. I think that coming to the listing presentation with before and after pictures of your sold listings is another thing that makes it easier. Your new client can see for themselves that it isn’t just them that need to make some changes for market, it is every home.

Showing them a previous “winner” can help them understand and even get excited, especially if it has a great “Sold” story to back it up.

Thanks so much for sharing all your great ideas too!

]]> By: Elaine Reese http://agbeat.com/style-and-living/show-sellers-you-care-with-honesty/#comment-16513 Elaine Reese Fri, 22 Aug 2008 01:46:14 +0000 http://agentgenius.com/?p=3620#comment-16513 Like Paula, I won't take a listing that doesn't agree to make it presentable. I "try" to soften the blow (if needed) by using a retail store as an example. There are lots of products on the shelves and we're going to place their HOUSE (not home) on one of those shelves, yada, yada. I also might use their car as an example in that they usually clean out the french fries and dirty socks before they take it to the dealer to try to negotiate top dollar. I've found those two examples allow them to begin to think in terms of their "house" as a product. That helps remove some of the emotional aspect. Like Paula, I won’t take a listing that doesn’t agree to make it presentable. I “try” to soften the blow (if needed) by using a retail store as an example. There are lots of products on the shelves and we’re going to place their HOUSE (not home) on one of those shelves, yada, yada. I also might use their car as an example in that they usually clean out the french fries and dirty socks before they take it to the dealer to try to negotiate top dollar. I’ve found those two examples allow them to begin to think in terms of their “house” as a product. That helps remove some of the emotional aspect.

]]> By: Fred Carver http://agbeat.com/style-and-living/show-sellers-you-care-with-honesty/#comment-16512 Fred Carver Fri, 22 Aug 2008 01:19:22 +0000 http://agentgenius.com/?p=3620#comment-16512 Hi Nickie...Great post..You hit the Naill right on the Head..with a shift in our market place, I too have lost recent listings due to pricing or Seller preception on what Buyers want. I find Motivation is a key factor when discussing pricing and getting a home ready to list and sell. Even in our Slowing market my motivated sellers say "Fred...are you sure we're low enough and I've done enough to be ready", that sellers home Sold in two days with three offers, selling $13,000 over asking in a Buyers Market.Another in 4 Days. I just checked and the homes I did not get the listings on over the last month, are still for sale. Once again Great Post, thanks for sharing your story. I'd love to mail this to every possible home seller or give it to them in my pre listing package and have this story on my Blog and web sites..keep them coming! Hi Nickie…Great post..You hit the Naill right on the Head..with a shift in our market place, I too have lost recent listings due to pricing or Seller preception on what Buyers want. I find Motivation is a key factor when discussing pricing and getting a home ready to list and sell. Even in our Slowing market my motivated sellers say “Fred…are you sure we’re low enough and I’ve done enough to be ready”, that sellers home Sold in two days with three offers, selling $13,000 over asking in a Buyers Market.Another in 4 Days. I just checked and the homes I did not get the listings on over the last month, are still for sale.

Once again Great Post, thanks for sharing your story. I’d love to mail this to every possible home seller or give it to them in my pre listing package and have this story on my Blog and web sites..keep them coming!

]]> By: Mark Eibner http://agbeat.com/style-and-living/show-sellers-you-care-with-honesty/#comment-65877 Mark Eibner Thu, 21 Aug 2008 23:17:14 +0000 http://agentgenius.com/?p=3620#comment-65877 <span class="topsy_trackback_comment"><span class="topsy_twitter_username"><span class="topsy_trackback_content">we're at it again Show Sellers You Care With Honesty: Commenting on this post might mak.. http://tinyurl.com/62r9cu</span></span> we’re at it again Show Sellers You Care With Honesty: Commenting on this post might mak.. http://tinyurl.com/62r9cu

]]> By: Paula Henry http://agbeat.com/style-and-living/show-sellers-you-care-with-honesty/#comment-16509 Paula Henry Thu, 21 Aug 2008 22:51:09 +0000 http://agentgenius.com/?p=3620#comment-16509 Nickie - Couldn't have said it better! I would much rather lose the listing than try to market a home which is not ready for the market. All the listings I have sold this tear were clean, staged and priced right from the beginning. (or short sales) :) You have to set the stage for buyers from the start. and.......sellers need to know how buyers are reacting according to CURRENT market conditions. Nickie – Couldn’t have said it better! I would much rather lose the listing than try to market a home which is not ready for the market. All the listings I have sold this tear were clean, staged and priced right from the beginning. (or short sales) :) You have to set the stage for buyers from the start. and…….sellers need to know how buyers are reacting according to CURRENT market conditions.

]]> By: Todd Waller http://agbeat.com/style-and-living/show-sellers-you-care-with-honesty/#comment-16506 Todd Waller Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:29:09 +0000 http://agentgenius.com/?p=3620#comment-16506 @mark: thanks! In combination with the permission based presentation, I have found that the added touches of professionalism go a long way too; like an agenda for the presentation. "Mr and Mrs. Seller your time is valuable and I would not want to waste it. To assist us in coming to a meeting of the minds, I have drawn up an agenda that will help us stay on track, answer your questions and come to a decision." Then briefly address each point on agenda (no more than 6 points). Couple that with your "Marketing Audit" (will have to use that term now) and the presentation feels even more professional. FTW - Mark Eckenrode ;) @mark: thanks! In combination with the permission based presentation, I have found that the added touches of professionalism go a long way too; like an agenda for the presentation.

“Mr and Mrs. Seller your time is valuable and I would not want to waste it. To assist us in coming to a meeting of the minds, I have drawn up an agenda that will help us stay on track, answer your questions and come to a decision.” Then briefly address each point on agenda (no more than 6 points).

Couple that with your “Marketing Audit” (will have to use that term now) and the presentation feels even more professional.

FTW – Mark Eckenrode ;)

]]> By: Mark Eckenrode http://agbeat.com/style-and-living/show-sellers-you-care-with-honesty/#comment-16505 Mark Eckenrode Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:23:04 +0000 http://agentgenius.com/?p=3620#comment-16505 @todd: liking the "permission based presentations" it's the whole "don't call my baby ugly" bit... but by asking permission first, you soften the weight of the critical assessment that follows oftentimes, you can soften the blow by giving a fancy name/title to your feedback. for example, i do a "Marketing Audit"... the term "audit" communicates that this is serious, professional feedback i'm providing and that some of the feedback may not be pretty but, in the end, it's all for their benefit. asking permission and using titles/names help frame perceptions from the get-go. that's the whole key... @todd: liking the “permission based presentations”

it’s the whole “don’t call my baby ugly” bit… but by asking permission first, you soften the weight of the critical assessment that follows

oftentimes, you can soften the blow by giving a fancy name/title to your feedback. for example, i do a “Marketing Audit”… the term “audit” communicates that this is serious, professional feedback i’m providing and that some of the feedback may not be pretty but, in the end, it’s all for their benefit.

asking permission and using titles/names help frame perceptions from the get-go. that’s the whole key…

]]> By: Julie Emery http://agbeat.com/style-and-living/show-sellers-you-care-with-honesty/#comment-16504 Julie Emery Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:02:43 +0000 http://agentgenius.com/?p=3620#comment-16504 Chris, My experience has been that while they may look back and say that to themselves, they almost never call me and say it! Pride seems to get in the way. I've been trying to figure out how to diffuse that up front so that they feel able to call me when they get to that point. But I'm not sure that's always achieveable. If someone else has found a good way to set that up, I'd love to hear about it! Chris,

My experience has been that while they may look back and say that to themselves, they almost never call me and say it! Pride seems to get in the way. I’ve been trying to figure out how to diffuse that up front so that they feel able to call me when they get to that point. But I’m not sure that’s always achieveable. If someone else has found a good way to set that up, I’d love to hear about it!

]]> By: Todd Waller http://agbeat.com/style-and-living/show-sellers-you-care-with-honesty/#comment-16502 Todd Waller Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:58:02 +0000 http://agentgenius.com/?p=3620#comment-16502 Julie- Good news for you is that as your market place gets even more bombarded with "bad" real estate news, it becomes easier to talk about price. Here in the Ann Arbor area, the question isn't, "How much can we get for the house?" it is, "Ok, how bad is it going to be?" And permission based presentations are great! Keep it up. Nickie- After all, real estate agents are hired to assist a consumer in purchasing or, in this case, selling a property. In a market where prices are descending, price and condition are the two biggies. If you've got one but not the other, a sale may happen eventually. Get the two right up front and the property will sell! Julie-

Good news for you is that as your market place gets even more bombarded with “bad” real estate news, it becomes easier to talk about price. Here in the Ann Arbor area, the question isn’t, “How much can we get for the house?” it is, “Ok, how bad is it going to be?”

And permission based presentations are great! Keep it up.

Nickie-

After all, real estate agents are hired to assist a consumer in purchasing or, in this case, selling a property. In a market where prices are descending, price and condition are the two biggies. If you’ve got one but not the other, a sale may happen eventually. Get the two right up front and the property will sell!

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