The 10 Proven Strategies to Make Your House Sell Faster ... Dol… · to Make Your House Sell Faster and For More Money by Paul Vyhnalek. 2 ... A good professional stager makes good

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The 10 Proven Strategies to Make Your House Sell Faster and For More Money

by Paul Vyhnalek

2909-319-8338 | SOLDBYPAULVYHNALEK.COM

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................................................3

PRE-MARKET STRATEGIES: APPEARANCE

1. The Look: Stage it. ................................................................................................................................4

2. The Feel: Get Rid of Clutter ....................................................................................................................5

PRE-MARKET STRATEGIES: IMPROVEMENTS

3. Make-up for Your House: Fresh Paint, Flooring, & Roof .........................................................................6

4. First Impressions: Fresh & Young Landscaping .....................................................................................7

5. Gourmet Kitchens and Beautiful Bathrooms ..........................................................................................8

6. “Green”Upgrades:EnergyEfficient&EnvironmentallyFriendly ........................................................... 10

MARKET STRATEGIES

7. Easy Sells: Make it Easy for Buyers to View .......................................................................................... 12

8. Marketing: Maximum Exposure, Maximum Interest ............................................................................. 14

9. TheBuzz:EventPricing ....................................................................................................................... 16

10. The Deal: Skilled 3rd Party Negotiation ................................................................................................ 18

REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................................ 21

REVIEWS ..................................................................................................................................................22

Copyright©2010-2018,PaulVyhnalek.Allrightsreserved.


INTRODUCTIONSelling your house for top dollar is not about luck or gimmicks or fancy marketing. No matter how you market a mud pie, it stillisgoingtotastelikemud.Gettingthemostmoneyforyourhouserequiresastrategic,provenapproach.

There are a lot of myths and misconceptions about how a homeowner can best get top dollar for their property. There is also often a trade-off between getting top dollar and what I call the “hassle-factor.” Netting the most money in your pocketwilloftenrequireextrainconvenience,extraout-of-pocketexpenseupfront,andbeingopentoideasthatmayrequireadjustingsomeofyourexpectations.It’simportanttonotethateveninareaslikeSouthernCaliforniaasmanyas22.3oralmost1in4homesthatgoonthemarketdon’tsellthefirsttimeandequallyimportantisthatoftenbetween40%and67%oftheactivehomeshaveoneormorepricereductionswhichresultsinmorecost(housepaymentsetc.)andaloweroverallsellingprice.

This book is designed to educate and guide you on some of the different things that you may want to do to get the most money out of the sale of your property. While there are no guarantees that you will get as much as you want for your house, theseareprovenstrategiesthatwillmaximizethevalueofyourhomeandhelpyouprotectyourhard-earnedequity.

First,wewanttodefinewhatexactlyis“topdollar”foryourhouse.Topdollaristhemostmoneyaqualified,motivatedbuyer is actually willing to pay for your property in the current market.

It’simperativetounderstandthat“topdollar”hasnothingatalltodowithhowmuchyoupaidfortheproperty,howmuchyouwantforyourproperty,howmuchyouoweontheproperty,orthecostofimprovementsyou’vemadetotheproperty.

Ahouse’svalueisalmosttotallycomparativeinnature…meaningitsvalueisbasedonhowitcomparestoothersimilarpropertiesthathavesoldrecentlyandtoalesserextenttopropertiesthatarecurrentlyonthemarket.Anappraiserwillusethethreemostcomparablerecentsalestoestablishacurrentopinionofvalueasofthedateoftheappraisal,butattheendoftheday,ifthereisnotabuyerwillingtopaythatamountforit,thentheappraisedvaluereallydoesn’thaveanymeaning.

Intoday’smarket,buyersaremoreeducatedthaneverbecauseoftheinternet.Theyarealsobusierthanever,meaningtheyaremoreinterestedthaneverbeforeinturn-keyhouses(propertiestheycanbuyandmoveintoimmediatelywithouthavingtodoanycleaning,repairs,orupdating).Andiftheyareinterestedinapropertythatneedssomework,theyexpectasteepdiscountfortheirtrouble(i.e.sweatequity).Ageneralruleofthumbfor“asis”salesistoexpecttodiscountyourpropertytwodollarsforeveryonedollarofneededupdatesorrepairs.Itcanbemoreorless,dependingonmanyfactors,butthatgivesyouageneralstartingplace.

THERE ARE THREE BASIC WAYS TO INCREASE THE SELLING PRICE OF YOUR PROPERTY.1. Appearance Appeal.Thesearestepsthatmakethehomeshowbetterandormakeitmorevisuallyandemotionally

appealing to buyers. Steps one and two fall into this category and are key in today’s market if you want top dollar for your property.

2. Physical improvements.Thisisbymakingupgradesorchangestoyourpropertythatwillcausetheaveragebuyertobewillingtopayextra.Notallphysicalimprovementswillgiveapositive“returnoninvestment.”Some improvements simply bring the property up to marketing standard.

3. Positioning.Howtheproperty,priceandtermsarepositionedandpromotedtobuyersinthemarket.Stepsseventhrough ten are strategic steps that will position you and your house for getting top dollar.

THE FOLLOWING 10 STRATEGIES ARE SIMPLE, POWERFUL, AND PROVEN ACTION STEPS TO GET QUALIFIED BUYERS’ ATTENTION AND CAUSE THEM TO BE WILLING TO PAY THE MOST MONEY FOR YOUR PROPERTY.


PRE-MARKET STRATEGIES: APPEARANCE1. THE LOOK: STAGE IT.In a way, you could say today’s Buyers are spoiled. In the 1900’s staging was much less important than it is today. As long asthehousewascleanandnothing“weird,”therewaslittlebenefitthatstagingoffered.Today,thingshavechanged.Becauseoftheinternetpeopleareusedtoseeinggorgeouslystagedhomes,andsotheirexpectationshavebecomemuchhigheroverthelastdecadethantheywerepreviously.Bottomline,makingyourhomeshowatitsbesthasneverbeen more important.

A good professional stager makes good money for good reason. They know how to make a house look it’s best to thelargestnumberofpeople…andtothepeoplethatmatterthemost…QUALIFIEDBUYERS.Whataskilledstagingprofessional will do is help you make the house look fantastic in a way that is still “neutral,” which helps it appeal to potentialbuyerswithwidelyvaryingstylesandtastes.Thismayvaryfromyourtastesbutreflectscurrentmarketresearch.

Evenhomesthathavebeenexpertlydecoratedbyaninteriordesigner,willstilloftenbenefitfromstaging,becauseaninterior designer customizes the look of the house to match the current owner’s tastes. It may or may not be a look that will create the maximum appeal to the largest cross section of Buyers.

Youcanfindlotsofdo-it-yourselfstagingideason-lineforfree,thatwillgiveyousomegreatideasonmakingyourhouseshowatitsbest.However,hereisanimportanttipthatwillhelpyouunderstandthepsychologyoftoday’sBuyer.

WhenapotentialBuyerwalksintoyourhome,howtheyFEELaboutthepropertyisvery,veryimportant.Ortosayitadifferentway…howthepropertymakesthemfeel.Here is the question to ask yourself: When buyers walk into my property, is there anything about it that could keep them from feeling at home and excited to submit an offer?

OnceBuyershaveidentifiedthekeycriteriaoftheirpurchase(suchasprice,location,size,condition,etc),theywillultimately buy based on emotion. How does the house make them feel? So, if a Seller has “eccentric” tastes in paint colors,flooring,furniture,ordecorthatdoesnot“feel”comfortabletotheBuyer,theBuyersimplycan’t“feelathome”inthe house. People buy on emotion and justify with logic.

Grantedthiscanbeanannoyingprocess,becauseyoumaytendtosaytoyourself,“Hey,iftheydon’tlikethewayI’vedecoratedmyhome…andtheycan’tseepastit…that’stoobad.I’mnotchangingit.”Andyouhaveeveryrighttotakethatapproach…becauseafterall,itisyourhouse.However,keepinmindthatthegoalistomakeitNOT be your house, AND…to get top dollar. So, take a deep breath and be willing to de-personalize it to make is most appealing to Buyers.

Here is huge tip that is not so much about physical staging of the property as it is a way to position your home in the market with a higher perceived value.Providea“HomeWarranty”onyourhome.Anythingpre-ownedfeelsbetterifitcomeswithawarranty.Then,makesureyouhighlightthewarrantyinyourmarketingasavalue-addedbenefitforthebuyer.

Inadditiontothemarketingvalue,having a warranty already covering the house benefits you because it eliminates many post-closing issues caused by a brand-new home warranty that does not go into effect until closing. The problem with that is that the home warranty company may exclude issues for the buyer calling them “pre-existing.” Consequently, the buyers maycomebacktoyouseekingforyoutopayforsometimescostlyrepairs.Youmightcallahomewarrantya“virtual”stagingfeaturethatmakesyourhome“show”betterandwithmorevaluefromthebuyers’perspective.


2. THE FEEL: GET RID OF CLUTTERMostofushavewaytoomuch“stuff”inourhouses.Infact,it’soneofthemostcommonreasonsformoving.Weneedmore space.

Anover-stuffed(forlackofabetterterm)housemakesitlooksmaller.Second,itmakesahomelookolder,becauseitpresumablytakestimetoover-fillalivingspace.Andthird,itmakesthespacefeeldisorganizedandsometimesevenuncared for.

Becauseofthis,ithasanegativeeffectontheBuyers’emotions.

Why? Because clutter creates stress. Emotionally clutter is not peaceful or relaxing. We become accustomed to our own“clutter”becauseittendstoincreasegradually,andweknowwhereeverythingis,soitdoesn’tfeellikechaostous.However,tosomeonelookingatahousethey’veneverseenbefore,clutteristheultimatedistraction.It’slikenotbeingable to see the forest for the trees. The clutter simply gets in the way of them seeing or feeling the house as if it were theirs.

So, what is the best way to deal with clutter? Here are some ideas that may help. First, go through your closets and take allyourclothesthatyouhaven’tworninoverayearanddonatethemtocharityorpackthemformoving.You’llfeelgreataboutitafteryou’vedoneit,andyourclosetwillmagicallygrow!

Second,anyfurniturethatisnotgoingtoyournewplace,getridofitnow.Sellitorgiveitaway.Bigfurnitureand/ortoomuchfurnituremakesanyroomlooksmaller.Obviously,ifitisstillyourprimaryresidence,youwanttokeepenoughfurnituretokeepyourhomelivable.

Third,goaheadandboxupeverythingthatyouwillnotneedoruseinthenext6monthsandputitinstorage.Again,thegoal is to de-clutter. I know this is a hassle but trust the experts…it will be worth it. Two especially important areas are your kitchen countertop and your bathroom counter space. This is the law: the fewer items the better.

TIP:TakeaSaturdayorSundayafternoontogolookatsomebrand-newhomesthathavebeenprofessionallystaged.Remember,thereisprovenstrategybehindwhattheydo,soyourgoalistomakeyourhouselooklikethosehouses.

Onefinalwarning,relocatingclutterfromtheroomtotheclosetorgarageisNOTde-cluttering.That’scalled“stuffing”or“stashing,”anditain’tpretty!Nowyourhousefeelslikeithasnogarageandnoclosetspace.Yikes!Bitethebulletandrenta storage space or “PODS”®.


PRE-MARKET STRATEGIES: IMPROVEMENTS3. MAKE-UP FOR YOUR HOUSE: FRESH PAINT, FLOORING, & ROOF Repaintingtheinteriorandexteriorofahouseisoneofthemostcommonupdateitemsthatcangiveyouagreatreturnoninvestmentwhenyou’replanningtosell.Replacingflooringcanbeslightlymorecostly,butoftenmakesabigdifference.Finally,theconditionoftheroofismorethanjustacosmeticissue,it’salsoasignificantstructuralcomponentofyourpropertyandbasicallyprotectseverythingelse.Thischapterwillfocusmostlyonpaintingsimplybecauseitistypicallythemostcost-effectiveimprovementtoconsider.

Just like you may get dressed up to go out, you want to “dress to impress” when it comes to presenting your house to the market. Freshpaintonahousehasbeencomparedtoputtingonmake-upforalady.It’sinconvenient,buttheresultissimplywellworththeeffort.Freshpaintmakesthehouselooknicer,newer,andmoreattractive.

Arecentpaintjobalsomakesyourcareforyourhomeobvious.Ifthereareobviousmaintenanceneedssuchaspaintingthathavebeen deferred, buyers and buyers’ real estate agents will automatically wonder what less-obvious items have been neglected.

Exterior paint is much more than a cosmetic item on a house. In addition to making your home look better, the outside paint job also protects your house from the elements. If the existing paint job on your home is cracking or peeling at all and is showing exposedwoodonyoureavesorwindowsasanexample,paintingtheexteriormaybealenderrequirementformanybankstobewillingtogivethebuyeranewloanontheproperty.Paintthatisshowingthesesignsofwearisconsidered“deferredmaintenance,”andifnotaddressedwillallowmoisturetopenetrateanddamagethestructureofthehomeovertime.

Of course, masonry sidings, such as brick and natural stone normally do not need paint at all. And repainting exteriors such as stucco or Hardi-Plank is typically not required for protecting the exterior from the elements so much as just making the home look good.

Whatcolorpaintshouldyouuse?Aaah…whatagreatquestion.Fortheexteriorit’sgenerallybesttogowithacolorthatisfairlyconservativeandthatfitsinwithotherhomesintheneighborhood.Therearealwaysexceptionsandtherearealotofoptions,howeverearthtonesareusuallyasafebet.Ifyouarejustnotsure,thiscouldbeagreatquestionforaprofessionaldecorator.Andyoucanprobablygetasaferecommendationfromthemjustbyhavingaconversationwithone.

On the interior, there are a lot more options to think about, such as using different colors in different rooms or two-tone color schemes,etc.Again,goconservativeandstayneutral.Ifyou’rerepaintingtheentireinteriorjustforthepurposeofgettingyourhome ready to put on the market, one or at most, two colors will generally work great for the entire house. There are exceptions tothis.Forexample,ifyouhavealuxuryhomewithextensivetrimworkortexturedsurfaces,paintchoicescanbealittlemorecomplicated. It an interior decorator designed it to begin with, it is probably a good idea to consult with them on any changes. However,inmostcases,asimplesolutionistosimplystaywiththeexistingcolorsunlessthey’reobviouslyoutdatedorhideous.

Evenifyourinteriorpaintstilllookslikenew,butisauniquecolor,youmightwanttoconsiderneutralizinganycolorsthatarereallyloud(suchasyelloworlimegreen)orintense(likeadarkredorpurple).Again,thiswouldbeagoodconversationtohavewithaninteriordecoratororstageroryourrealestateagent.Anothergreatoptionistovisitmodelhomesofnewhomebuildersin the area and see what colors they are using.

Ifyourinteriorpaintisfairlyrecentandstilllooksfresh,youcanoftengetbywithjusttouchups.However,makesurethatthetouchuppaintisatruematchwiththeexistingpaint.Touchuppaintshouldbeinvisibleonceitisdone.Ifyoucantellwherethetouch ups were made, it is really bad news. Re-paint. Nothing looks worse that a shoddy touch up job.

Yourgoalistomakethepropertylookappealingandattractivetothelargestcross-sectionofpotentialbuyers,soyouwantittolookcleanandfresh.ThegoalhereistypicallyNOTtomakeastatementorbedistinctivewithyourcolor.Goforpleasant,notloud. Remember the goal is to make a sale, not to make a statement with your colors.


4. FIRST IMPRESSIONS: FRESH & YOUNG LANDSCAPING Curbappealisthemostpowerfulfirstimpressionabuyergetswhentheyfirstpullupinfrontofyourhouse.Andastheysay,firstimpressionsarelastingimpressions.Havingwell-maintainedandattractivethelandscapinginthefrontyardmakesahouselookhappyandloved.Ifanicelymanicuredfrontyardmakesthemwanttocomeintothehouse,acleanlylandscapedbackyardmakesthemnotwanttoleave.Thisistheone-twopunchthatyou’relookingfor.

Whatifyouhavelandscapingthatismoremature?Evenifithasbeenwell-maintained,older,largerbushesandshrubsmakeahouselookolder.Thisisespeciallytruewhereyouhavebushesthathavegrownsohighinaflowerbednexttothehousethattheycoverthewindows.

Somepeopleconsiderthisabenefitbecauseitscreensthewindowsandcangiveextraprivacy.Whilethismaybetrueforthehomeowner,itisalsotrueforhomeburglarswholookforcoverandlovetocomeinthroughwindowsthatareshieldedfromstreetorneighbor’sviewbyhugeshrubbery.However,themainconsiderationforsellingfortopdollarissimply the aesthetics.

Beforeyourushoutandstartdigginguptheoldovergrownbushes,doalittlemoreresearchandlookatallyouroptions.Landscaping,especiallybuyingnewshrubsandtrees,cangetveryexpensiveveryfast.Rememberthegoalisreturnoninvestmentwithanymoneyyouspendtoimprovethelandscaping.

Asageneralrule,youngershrubsandplantsmakeahouselookyoungerandaccentuatethehomeitself.Plantingflowersisalwaysagoodidea,becausetheygivegreatcolorandlifetoapropertyandmakeitcomealive.

Thisisnottosaythatmaturetreeandshrubsneedtogo.Infact,maturetreesgivecharactertoahouseandcanbeanextremelyvaluablefeaturebothforshadeandaesthetics.

Onethingtoconsiderandpayattentiontowithlargetrees,especiallyfast-growingtrees,istheaffectrootscanhaveonfoundations and underground plumbing including sprinkler systems and sewers. Many times, builders will plant fast-growingtreesbecausetheylookbetterfasterandbecausetheytendtobelessexpensive.Theproblemisthatthesespeciesoftreestendtobemoresusceptibletodiseaseandinsects,andmorevulnerabletostormsbecauseoftheirrapid growth.

A large tree planted close to the foundation can hurt the foundation in 2 ways. First is from direct pressure of the tree or itsrootspushinguporagainstthefoundationofahouseordrivewayorsidewalk.Secondisthatrootscangrowalongway under a house and can pull the moisture from the soil, cause the soil under the foundation to become too dry and contractwhichcanleadtopossiblestructuralproblemswiththehouse,especiallyifthehouseisbuiltonanexpansivesoil such as clay. Check with an experienced landscaper in your area, or better yet, consult a structural engineer.

Native,low-maintenancelandscapingisbecomingverypopular.Inadditiontorequiringlesswaterandmaintenance,itcanlookreallyawesome.Youjustwanttomakesureitdoesn’tlookovergrownorun-cared-for.Thereisahugedifferencebetweennativelandscapinganda“naturalweed-patch.”Thegoalistomakeyouryardlookcleanandenvironmentallyfriendly,notovergrownandneglected.

Beforeyoudoanything,takethetimetodrivebysomeofthenicernewhomesornewerhomesinyourarea.Noticethelandscaping.Noticetheshrubsandbushesandflowersespecially.Noticethattheplantsforthemostpartlookyoung.It’scleananddoesnotlookovergrown.Visitalocalnurseryortwoandtalktothestaffthere.Youmayhavetotalktotwoorthreepeopletofindonewithsomereallandscapingexpertise,butthatcanbeaveryworthwhileconversation.Finally,your best bet is always to consult with a professional landscaper. You can probably get a great referral from your real estate agent or stager.

Lastbutnotleastinthisareaarepatios,drivewaysandhardsurfaces.Stainedanddirtydrivewaysandgaragesurfacesare a turn off and usually un-necessary.


5. GOURMET KITCHENS AND BEAUTIFUL BATHROOMSTherearetworoomsinahousethatareconsistentlythemostimportanttobuyers.Thefirstoneisthekitchen,andtheother one is, you guessed it, the bathrooms. This is especially true for women. And when a couple is looking at your house, thewomanisvirtuallyalwaystheprimaryonethatmustbeimpressedwiththehouse.

Consequently, the kitchen and bathroom are the two rooms where you generally get the most “bang for the buck” on upgrades.Thisdoesnotmeanthateveryimprovementyoucanmakeinkitchenorbathroomwillpayforitself,butingeneral these are rooms to pay special attention to. A knowledgeable real estate agent, stager, or interior designer can giveyouadvicespecifictoyoursituation.However,thischapterwillgiveyousomehelpfulsuggestionsandguidelines.

Step one is to de-clutter walls and counter tops in both the kitchen and bathrooms. As mentioned in Chapter Two, clear, unclutteredcountersmakeyourhomelookcleanerandthespacelarger.Plus,thisstepisverysimpleandcostsnothingtodo.Granteditmaybeaninconveniencetoputyourtoasterorblenderawayoffthecountereverydayforawhile,butitmakesabigdifferenceinthe“look.”Iknowit’sapaintohavetounplugthehair-dryerandcurlingironandputthemaway,butitwilldefinitelymakeyourhomeshowbetterandbemoreattractivetobuyers.

Remember,thewaypeopleliveinahome,isNOTthewaytheylookforahomewhenplanningtobuyit.Cleanandunclutteredistheorderofthedayforyourkitchenandyourbathrooms.Hidethetoiletbrushandplungerthatlivebehindyourtoilet.Andthebasketofvitaminsandsupplementsorotherodds-and-endssittingonyourkitchenbreakfastbar…yep…theygottago.Enduretheinconveniencefortheshort-termtogetthebetterresultinatop-dollarsale.

Onceyougetbeyondcleaninganddecluttering,nowthebiggerdecisionsbegin.Shouldyouupdatethekitchenand/or bathrooms or not? It doesn’t take long to spend a lot of money in these two rooms, so again before you go all out, getsomeexpertadvice.Butakitchencounter,paintingbathroomcabinetsandinstallingsomemoderatelypricedcontemporarylightfixturescangoalongwaytoupdatingthehomeandappealingtobuyers.That’sagoodthing!

Some homeowners make the mistake of thinking that the more upgrading and remodeling they do, the more money they willmakefortheirhouse.Theywatcharemodelingshowontelevisionanddecidetheyneedtodoamajorremodeltogetmoremoneyfortheirhouse.Keepinmindthatreturnoninvestmentiswhatyou’relookingfor.Itdoesn’tmakesensetodoa$40,000kitchenremodelthatonlyadds$20,000tothevalueofyourhome.Havingsaidthat,herearesometypicalimprovementsthatyoumayconsiderforyourkitchenandbathrooms.

First,goingbacktoChapterThree,stronglyconsiderrepainting.Ifyouhavewallpaper(whichismostlyoutofstylewithsomenotableexceptions),youmaycheckintoremovingitandreplacingitwithanicepaintjob.Again,comparecostbenefitbeforeyoustartrippingofftheoldwallpaper.

Next,consideryourappliances.Inthekitchen,appliancesvarywidelyintheirenergyefficiencyandlooks.Iftheyareold(10yearsormore)theyarealsogoingtolikelybeunappealingtobuyers.Upgradingtonewappliancescanmakeahugedifference in the marketing and sale of your home.

Therefrigeratoristhesecondhighestenergyconsumerintheaveragehome,secondonlytoyourHVAC.Ifyourrefrigeratorisold(andugly),consideranupgradedstainless-steelrefrigerator/freezer.Dependingonthepricerangeofyourhomeandthearea,youhavealotofoptionshere.Insomecaseyoumayopttonotincludearefrigeratorinthesaleof the home at all. Just make sure that your real estate agent makes that exclusion clear to potential buyers, otherwise youmaygetstuckunintentionallyleavingyourfridgeorbuyinganewone.

TIP:Ifyoudecidetostaywithyourexistingrefrigerator,atleastcleanit(includingthetop)andremovealltherefrigeratormagnets and “stuff” that occupies the outsides of many refrigerators.

Cabinets,countertops,andfixturesarethenextthingtolookat.Thesearelistedinorderofexpensetoreplace.Replacingcabinetsisoneofthemostcostlyimprovementsyoucandoinanyroominyourhouse.Unlesstheexistingcabinetsareinprettybadshape,itisoftenbesttoleavethemandconsiderrefinishingorrepaintingthem.


Upgrading from Formica or laminate countertops to granite or synthetic hard surface countertops has become a fairly commonimprovementwhenupdatingkitchens.Itmakesabigdifferenceinappearanceandisnotasexpensiveasonemight expect. Again, there are countless options and qualities of granite, marble, or synthetic hard surfaces with widely varyingpricepoints.

Updatedplumbingfixturesandlightfixturescanbedoneonatighterbudgetandcanaddbrightambiancetothekitchenandbath.Thereisawiderangeofoptionsandpriceranges.Plumbingandlightingfixturesnotonlyservetomakeyourhomelooknewer,butalsohavetheaddedbenefitofbeingenergyefficient.

Aeratedsinkfaucetsandwater-savingshowerheadsarecost-effectivewaystogreenyourbathroomwhilemakingitlookbetteratthesametime.LEDLightsorevenFluorescentlightfixturesprovidethesamedualbenefitofupdatingthelookandsavingenergy.

Another“green”optiontoconsiderinthebathroomsistoinstallwater-conservingtoiletssuchasdual-flushtoilets.Insomeareas,water-conservingtoiletsareevenbecomingmandatoryasapoint-of-saleitem(meaningthatwhenahouseissold,ifitdoesnotcurrentlyhavewater-conservingtoilets,themunicipalityrequiresthemtobeupdatedwhenthehouseissold).

Finally,ifyourkitchenappliancesareoldorreallyoutdated,considerupdatingthem.Anupgradedstovetop,oven,built-inmicrowave,venthood,anddishwasheralongwiththerefrigeratorwilltransformakitchen.Again,thecost/benefitoftheseupgradescanvarywidelydependingontheageandpricerangeofyourhouseandwhatothercompetinghomesinthemarkethave.Italsodependsonhowmuchofanegativetheexistingappliancesare.Aretheyobviouslyoutdatedandugly or just not the latest and greatest?

Energy-conservingappliancesandupgradesimprovethelookandfunctionalityforthenextgourmetcheftoownyourhome. It also comes with a price. Check with your real estate agent, stager, or decorator to get some great insights on what’s right for your property and your situation.


6. “GREEN” UPGRADES: ENERGY EFFICIENT & ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLYOneofthebonusesofcreatingahomethat’sfriendlytotheenvironmentisthatitalsomakesyourhouseworthmore!Ofalltheimprovementsandupgradesthatyoucanmaketoyourhome,ithasbeenshownthat“green”improvementsoftendeliverthemost“returnoninvestment”intermsofdollar-for-dollaraddedvaluetoyourhome.Thischaptercontainsanoverviewofsomeofthebest“green”upgradesyoucanmake.

Let’sstartwithaverysimple,no-brainermaintenanceitemthatshouldbedoneregularlywhetheryou’replanningtosellrightawayornot,andthatistoreplacethefilter(s)inyourcentralheat/airconditioner.It’samazinghowmanysellersneglectthissimpleandinexpensiveitem.NotonlydoesitsaveyoumoneyonyourutilitybillsandmakeyourHVACunitmoreefficient,italsogivesyoucleanerairtobreath.Plusittellsthebuyersthatyoutakecareofroutinemaintenanceitems in your home.

Yourheatingandairconditioningsystem(HVAC)islikelythelargestconsumerofenergyinyourhome,soitmakessensetohaveitfunctioningasefficientlyaspossible.Makesuretheoutsideunitoftheair-conditionerisinprimecondition,thatthefinsarestraightandunobstructed.Itcaneasilybecomecloggedwithgrassclippings,spiderwebs,ordirt.Agoodpower-washingwilldowondersfortheefficiencyofyouroutsideunit,nottomentionmakingitlooknicerandnewer.

Next,checktheductsintheatticthattheyaresealed,insulated,andthattheairflowisunobstructed.Ifasmokerhaslivedinthehouseoralotofpets(especiallycats),sometimesitpaystohavetheductsprofessionallycleaned.Thisimprovestheflowofairandalsothequalityoftheairbyremovingpotentialallergens.

Onefinaltipforgreeninganolder,existingHVACunitistoinstalladigitalthermostatwithprogrammabletimersifyouhaveoneoftheoldmechanicalthermostats.Athermostatensurestheheatingsysteminstalledinyourhouseworksoptimally.Thisgadgetcanbesettoturnyourheat/aironoroffatcertaintimes,andtowhattemperaturetheheatwillriseor fall. A thermostat can be your partner in lowering your energy bill. When shopping for a new thermostat make sure you select one with an ENERGYSTAR symbol.

Anewerarrival(thelast10yearsorso)intheline-upofgreen,energyefficientupgradesaretanklesswaterheaters.Theyheatwaterondemandandcaneasilysupplyimmediatehotwaterinanormalfamilyhome.Thebenefitisthatyouarenotwasting energy keeping 50+ gallons of water hot day and night. It also takes up a lot less space than the traditional water heatertank.Youcannowreclaimthatwaterheaterclosetforotheruses!

Ifahousehasoldsingle-panewindows,installingenergyefficientdouble-panewindowscanmakeahugedifferenceinmaintainingacomfortablehome.Plus,newwindowslooksomuchbetterthanoldwindows,whichalsoaddsvalue.

Adding insulation in the attic lowers utility bills and keeps a house warmer in winter and cooler in summer while dramatically reducing heating and cooling bills. Properly installed weather-stripping around doors and windows also will make a big difference. Especially in older homes, anywhere there is a draft or air coming in from the outside.

Ceiling fans are also a great “green” feature. They circulate the air in the room which makes it feel cooler in the summer. This allows you to keep the thermostat set two or three degrees warmer in the summer without feeling warmer because oftheairmovement,soyourairconditionerrunsless.Manyhomeownersdonotrealizethateveninthewinterceilingfanscanbeusefulandactuallykeepyouwarmer.How?Inthereversesettingatlowspeed,theycirculatethewarmerair(whichalwaysrisestotheceiling)downthewallstothefloor.Theresultisthatyourheaterdoesn’thavetogenerateasmuch heat in the winter.

Addingmorenaturallightisagreatfeaturethatalmosteverybuyerwilllove.Youmaylookataddingaskylightorsky-tubeorenlargingwindowswhichcanbefairlyexpensive.Oryoucandosomethingassimpleasreplacinglight-inhibitingwindowtreatments(suchaslarge,darkdrapes)fornewerwindowblindsorcurtainsthatallowinmorelight.Thatcanmake a huge difference. Light and bright makes a home look more welcoming, pleasant, and bigger all at the same time.

Whenitcomestoelectricallighting,goingfromincandescentlightstofluorescentorevenLEDlightsmakesanothersignificantdifference.LEDandevenfluorescentlightsreduceheatproductionandlowersenergyconsumption.Theinitialinvestmentwillbehigher,butthelongerlifeofthelightsandthedrasticreductioninenergyconsumptionwillmake


thempayforthemselvesandthensome.And,ofcourse,theygenerallymakeahouselookmoremodernandup-to-date.Ifyou’reonabudget,youcandosomethingassimpleasjustreplacingtheincandescentlightbulbswithfluorescentbulbs,whichcanoftenbepurchasedveryinexpensively.

Inadditiontoalloftheenergyandaestheticbenefitsofgreeningyourhome,therearesometimesgovernmentcreditsformakingcertain“green”upgradestoyourhome.Takeadvantageofthesepotentialrebatesandincentiveswhichmaybeavailableforitemssuchas:

• Water-conservingappliancesandlow-flowplumbingfeatures.

• Addingsolarpanels,insulation,orefficientwindowsanddoors.

• Replacinggrasswithnative/drought-tolerantlandscaping.

Herearesomewebsitesthathavemoreinformationaboutenergyrebatesandincentives:

United States: http://dsireusa.org

Canada: http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy/efficiency/housing or http://ec.gc.ca

Nowit’stimetochampionyourenergyefficient,environmentallyfriendlypropertytobuyers.Onceyou’vedoneallthis“greening” of your property, make sure that is highlighted in the marketing of your home. Depending on how much greening-upyou’vedone,theseupgradesmayormaynotnecessarilybeaheadlineritem,buttheyaredefinitelyfeaturesthat grab buyers’ attention and may fetch you a higher sales price.


MARKET STRATEGIES7. EASY SELLS: MAKE IT EASY FOR BUYERS TO VIEW Whenitcomestosellingyourproperty,keepinmindthatthetargethereisreal,wellqualifiedbuyers,not“tire-kickers.”Also(andthisiscrucial)neverforgetthattheaimisgettingthepropertysoldfortopdollar,notmakingthingseasyandconvenientforyourself.So…atleastforafewweeksyourgoalistoaccommodatethebuyers’convenience,notyours.

Here are a couple of the key things to understand about today’s buyers. First, people who are in the process of buying a home are making a huge, life decision, which naturally carries with it a large amount of stress. Consequently, buyers are typically feeling a lot of stress as they go through the process of shopping for a new home. It’s good stress with lots of excitement, hopefully, but it’s still stress.

Second,peopletodayarebusierthanever,sotheyaretryingtomakethisbigdecisionandpicktheperfecthousewiththeleastamountofinconvenience.Consequently,buyerswilloftenresentspecialshowingrestrictionsorinstructionsthatmakeita“painintheneck”toviewyourhouse.Insomecases,theywillliterallycompletelyeliminateapropertyfromtheirlistofhomestolookatbecauseitistoomuchofahassle.Itsoundscrazy,butevenwhenthereisashortageofavailablehomes,buyerswilloftenconclude,“ifthesellersaregoingtomakeitthatdifficultforustoevenseetheirhouse,theymustnotreallywanttosellit.”

The reason for this seemingly irrational response from a buyer is the third key to understanding the psychology of today’s buyers…andthatisthatbuyingahouseisaboveallanemotionaldecision.Oncetheirbudgetisdeterminedandthemust-havesizeandlocationcriteriahavebeenestablished,therestisallaboutwhattheywantandhowtheyfeelaboutahouse.Andthiscan be much more powerful than people imagine. So now, when you combine the stress-factors inherent in buying a new home,andcombinethatwiththeiralreadyhecticlives,youwanttomaketheprospectofbuyingyourhouseashassle-freeandpleasant as possible.

Ifseeingyourhomerequiresextrainconveniencecomparedtotheotherhomestheyareviewing,buyerseasilygetirritatedorannoyedaboutyourproperty.Thisaddstotheirstresswhichtheynowattachtoyourhouseasanegativevibe.Andyes,itisthat important. So how can you position your home in the market to make your property feel like “home, sweet home” from the momenttheyarefirstawareofit?Bymakingiteasyforthemtoseeit.Soherearesometipstomakingthebuyersfeelgreataboutyourhomebeforetheyevengettolookatit.

Mostoftheserious,bestbuyerslookathomesduringtheday,notintheevenings,andtheyarejustaslikelytobelookingduringtheweekastheyareontheweekends.Weekenders(suchaspeoplewhocometoopenhouses)aremuchmorelikelytobeunqualifiednon-buyerswhoarejustwindow-shoppingandwishing.Themostseriousandhighlymotivatedbuyersare“inthehunt,” and are out during the week searching for the perfect place to call “home.”

Ifyourhomeisnotreadilyavailabletobeseenbyqualifiedbuyersonweekdaysandonshortnotice,itwillreducethenumberofmotivatedbuyerswhowillactuallylookatyourhouse.Italsoaddstothebuyer’sstressfactorbecauseoftheinconvenience.Makingitavailabletobeseenonshortnoticeandbeingwillingtoaccommodatereasonableshowingrequestswillalwaysplayinyourfavor.Thisisasignificantbenefitofhavingyourhomelistedwithafull-timerealestateagentwhousesaSupralockboxwhich allows licensed agents to show their buyers without you being there.

If possible, keep your security alarm off on days when showings are happening. A security alarm that must be dis-armed by thebuyers’agent,isstressfulforbuyersandcreatesanxietyinbuyersattheverymomentyouarewantingthemtobefeeling“athome”inthehouse.And,heavenforbid,ifthealarmgoesoff,forgetaboutit…thebuyersaredoneatthathouse.Theirfirstassociationwiththatpropertyisapiercingsiren,causingasuddenrushofadrenalinkickinginthefight-or-flightsyndrome,andthatdoesnotleavethebuyerwithfeelingsofcomfortand“homesweethome.”


Let’stalkaboutpets.Petsareasensitiveissuebecause,ifyouhaveanimals,theyareprobablyapartofthefamily,andafter all this IS their home too. The problem is that you want the buyers walking through to feel like this is their own home, notagrowlingdog’sterritory.Aroom,garage,orbackyardthat’soff-limitstobuyersbecauseofananimal(orsleepingpersonforthatmatter),isabig-timenegativeforthebuyers.Theyarenottryingtomakeitpersonal,butit’svirtuallyimpossibleforthemtofeelthishouseasbeingtheirhomebecausethepresenceofyourpetisalivingreminderthattheyare an intruder on someone else’s turf.

Ilovecats.Unfortunately,ifyouhavecats,theirpresenceisarealnegativewhenyourhouseisonthemarket.Alotofpeoplethesedayshaveallergies,especiallytocats,whichmakesthisasupersensitiveissuetothem.Evenifthecatisgone,theyknowthedanderremains.Andiftheyarenotpetowners,manybuyersdetestthepresenceofanimalhairwhichseemstofillupeverynookandcrannyofahousewherepetslive.

Unfortunately,thereisnoconvenientsolutionforthis,butifatallpossible,considerfindingaplaceforyourpetstostaywhilethehouseisactiveonthemarket.Ifyouhaveapro-active,skilledagent,thatshouldnotbealongperiodoftime.Also,doeverythingpossible,intermsofcleaninganddeodorizing,toremoveallsignsofanimalslivinginthehouseespeciallyanyhairand odors.

In summary, here are the key tips that make a house easy to show:

1. Housecanbeseenanytime(withinreason)withminimalnotice.

2. Security system off.

3. Use a Supra lockbox.

4. No pets at the house.

Thesearesimplyguidelinesthatwillhelpmakeahouseeasiertoshowandsell.Ifyouhavespecialconcernsorissues,discussthemwithyouragentandhe/shewillworkwithyoutofigurethebestsolution.Rememberthekeypointisbeingwillingtoenduresomeinconvenienceinordertogetabetterresult.


8. MARKETING: MAXIMUM EXPOSURE, MAXIMUM INTEREST Evenifyourpropertyisashow-stopping,jaw-dropping,gorgeous,modelhomewithnoapologies,itwon’tbringtop-dollarif it’s not properly exposed to the right buyers. Let’s look at how you can get the best exposure for your house.

Ideallyyouwantlotsof“action”…fastandfurious,right?Highbuyerinterestcreatesurgencythatcauseskindofabuyerstampede. Buyers see lots of interest in your home as an indication that this is a desirable property, making them much more likely to submit an offer faster and for more money, after all, highest offers come from multiple offers and multiple offerscomesfromhavinglotsofbuyersviewingandexcitedaboutthehome.Especiallyinthefirstcoupleofweeks.

WHAT MARKETING MATTERS?Obviouslytocreatethistypeofaction,youwanttomakesureyourpropertyisexposedtoALLthebuyersinthemarketandtotheBESTandmostqualifiedbuyersinthemarket…allatthesametime.Becauseoftheinternetandtechnology,thismoreaffectivelyfortheskilledprofessionalthanitusedtobe,provideditisbeingexposedthroughthebestchannelsthat hit the best buyers. Let’s look at what matters most.

First, who are the best buyers for your house?

1. Theyhavethefundsandfinancingtopurchaseyourhomenow.

2. Theyarehighlymotivatedandserious.Whichmeanstheyarenotcasuallylookingathomes.Theyarefocusedonfindingtherighthomeandtheywanttomakesuretheydon’tmissit.

Second, where are ALL of these best buyers really looking for homes?

Answer: Online and with an agent. That is why you want to market your house where all the best buyers are shopping.

Let’ssayI’maqualified,seriousbuyer.Whichiswhatyou’relookingfor,correct?Ineedtobuyahousenow.Idon’twanttowastemytimeormisstheperfecthouse.Ihavetwooptions:

Numberone,Icangetanewspaperorlookoninternet,findsomehousesforsale,andthenusemyowncar,myowngas,andmyownenergyandgolookatalimitedselectionofhouses,notreallyknowingwhatI’mgoingtofindwhenIgetthere.AndthendoalltheworkmyselfandhopeIfindahouseIlike…andstumblethroughwritinganofferandgettingfinancingand hopefully being able to close on the house.

Ornumbertwo,Icanfindaprofessionalbuyer’sagentandtheiraccesstoallthehomesonthemarket.Plus,Igettousetheircar,theirgas,theirexpertise,andtheirknowledgeofthemarkettofindtheperfecthouseatafairpricewithoutthehassle,andhaveprofessionalguidancethroughtheentireprocess.Andthatiswhatalmostallmotivated,qualifiedbuyersdo.

Thereisareasonthat90%ofresidentialsalesarepropertieslistedontheMultipleListingServiceusedbylicensedRealtors.AgentswhohavethebuyersrelyalmostexclusivelyontheMultipleListingServiceandotheragentstofindpropertiesforsale.Itputsallthehomesinonecentralplace.Itprovidescompleteandaccurateinformationfortheagent.Plus,theyknowthatsellerswhohavelistedtheirhomewithanagentareseriousaboutselling,sotheyarenotgoingtobewasting their buyers’ time. Work with an agent who promotes your home to all of the top producing agents in the area and knowshowtousethetoolsintheMLSavailabletoidentifypeoplelikelytobeinterestedinyourhome.Not all Realtors are savvy in this area.

THE “FOR SALE” SIGNAsignintheyardisincrediblyimportantforobviousreasonsandforsomenot-so-obviousreasonsaswell.

It announces that the home is for sale to people who are coming to see it and to people who just happen to be passing by yourhouse.Peoplewholiveinyourneighborhoodmayevenhavesomeonetheyknowwhoisinterestedinlivingintheirneighborhood. They are not looking for a house for sale in the neighborhood, but when they see your for sale sign, they immediatelyarecallingtheirfriendorfamilymembertoletthemknow.Also,buyerswhoareactiveandmotivatedstilldriveneighborhoodslookingfortheperfecthome.Youwanttomakesuretheydon’tmissyoursifthey’vemisseditonline.Sidenote…IsthesignyouragentusesaboutthemorusingaUSP(uniquesellingproposition)aboutthebenefitsofyourhome?


Whatifwedon’twantaforsalesign?Considerthis…

Thereisapsychologyofcustomersthateveryretailerandmanufacturerwithaproducttosellknows:Theeasieritisforthecustomertofindyourproduct,themorelikelytheyaretobuyit.Therefore,youmaketheproductyouwanttoselleasyforthe buyer to spot, and they are more likely to buy it. The same is true with home buyers.

Itgoesbacktothepowerofthebuyer’semotioninthebuyingprocess.Youwantbuyerstofeelonlypositiveemotionsaboutyourhousewhentheycometoseeit.It’spartofthecriticalfirstimpressionstheyhaveaboutyourhouse.

Whentheyaredrivingdownthestreettocomeseeyourhouse,thesignintheyardannounces,“HEREIAM!”It’seasytospotand welcoming and they feel good about that.

But,whenthereisnosign,thebuyersandtheiragentarehavingtosearchforyourhouseforsalebylookingforasetoftinynumbers pasted on your house to distinguish it from all the other houses next to yours that are not for sale. Or by trying to spotitfromthepicturestheyhaveseen.

Iknowitsoundscrazy,butthiscausesconfusion(“Whichhouseisit?”)andthenfrustration(“Whydon’ttheyhaveaforsalesign?Theymustnotwanttosellthatbad.”).Itmaysoundminor,butthatnegativethoughtaffectsthewaytheylookatyourproperty.

There is another reason a sign matters. A prominent for sale sign draws the focus straight to your home, which is where you want them focused.

On the other hand, if there is no sign, if forces them to pay attention to all the other houses around yours as they scour house numberslookingforyours.Thelastthingyouwantthemdoingastheydriveuptoyourhouseislookingattheotherhouses.

“Wow,Honey,lookatthatgorgeoushouse!Isthattheone?”“No…it’sthisnextone.”“Ohrats!Iwishthathousewastheonefor sale.” Oops. Now they are wishing they could buy your neighbor’s house. Not exactly the outcome you were going for, right?Soundfarfetched?I’veseenithappenmultipletimes.And,attheexactmomentyouwantthemfallinginlovewithyourhouse,theyarewishingtheycouldhaveanotherhomenexttoyours.Theylostinterestintheveryhouseyouwantthemtobuyattheverymomentyouwantthemfallinginlovewithyourhouse.

Remember, the goal is to get your home SOLD. Maximum exposure maximizes interest, which generates more demand thereby increasing the odds of a better offer.

Ifyouhaverealsecurityconcernsorabouthavingyourhouseonthemarketorpersonalreasonsfornotmakingthemarketing of your house public, discuss it with your real estate agent. He or she should be able to guide you and work with youinawaythatservesyourbestinterest.


9. THE BUZZ: EVENT PRICINGEveryonelikesnewstuff.Theydon’tlikestale,unwanteditemsthathavebeensittingontheshelftoolong.Thisistruewithmilk,withbread,andwithhomesforsale.Thatisoneofthemajorreasonstoavoidpricingyourpropertyinawaythatcausesittositonthemarketandbecomestale.Justlikealoafofbread,homesonthemarkethavea“shelf-life”too,evenif they are beautiful.

Thatiswhystrategic“EventPricing”canbeverypowerful.Strategicallyyouwantyourpricetoaccomplishsomething.Youwant it to create urgency in the mind of the buyers, not resistance, because the buyer’s sense of urgency is what will help you get get more money.

Aswehavealreadydiscussed,buyingisanincrediblyemotionaldecisionforbuyers.Thisiswhyit’simportanttounderstandtheBuyer’sperspective,becausewhattheysee,BEFOREtheyseethehouse,istheprice.Doyouwantbuyersto come see your house emotionally eager and excited about your house? Of course. A great price makes them want to be excited about the house when they see it.

Ahighpricemakesthemguarded,becausetheydon’twanttoover-pay.TheunintendedconsequenceisthatprospectivebuyersactuallytrytofindreasonstoNOTlikeyourhousebecausethepriceishigherthanthecompetition.Theyareemotionallyafraidtofallinlovewithyourhousejustbecauseoftheprice.

Oneofthemostcommon(andbiggest)pricingmistakesmanyhomeownersmakeistopricetheirhomehighwiththeideathat“Wecanalwayscomedown.”Today’sbuyersaremuchmoremarket-savvyandknowledgeablethantheyusedto be. They look at comps and at the competition and they know before they see the house if the price is realistic or not. Unrealistic prices can actually make buyers not look at all.

On the other hand, if your home is correctly priced it will make buyers feel they need to snap it up before someone else does.Thiscreatesurgencyandbuzzaboutyourhouse,whichincreasedtheperceived“demand”foryourproperty.

Think about it this way. There are two things that you want buyers to be excited about:

Number one, is your property.Over90%ofthetime,theywillseeyourpropertyonlinebeforetheywillseeitinperson,soitisimportantthatyouhavegreatqualitypicturesofyourhomeontheMultipleListingServiceandontheinternet.Thisisthefirstimpressionbuyerswillhaveofyourhome.Ifthepicturesarenotexcellent,theymaynotevenwanttoseeyourhouse.Thisisalsothereasonhavingyourhouseshowatitsbestisimportant.Whentheyshowup,youwantthemfallinginlovewithyourproperty.Asthesayinggoes,youwantyourhouseto“sellitself.”

The second thing buyers must be excited about is the price.Iftheyloveyourhouse,butfeellikethepriceishigh,theyemotionally put up resistance to liking your house because of the price. This is the last thing you want. First, because it maycausethemtonotmakeanofferatall.Andsecond,becauseeveniftheydodecidetomakeanofferontheproperty,it causes them to be hesitant. They tend to think about it longer and look extra hard at other properties on the market (yourcompetition)becausethey’retryingtofindawayoutoflikingyourhouse.Theresultisoffersdonotcomeinasquickly, and some will not come in at all.

Ontheotherhand,whenyourpropertylooksawesomeANDyourpriceisattractivetobuyers,theyflocktoyourpropertylikemothstoaflame.Bestofalltheycometoseeitwantingtofallinlovewithit…lookingforeveryreasontojustifywhytheyshoulddowhateverittakestogetthathouse.Now,yourhouseis“THEBUZZ.”Inanymarket,thebestwaytogettop dollar for any house is to hit the market with a price that stimulates demand for that house. The result is the most interest,themosttraffic,andthemostoffers,which(whencoupledwiththerightnegotiator)willalwaysresultinthehighestprice.Lessthan1%ofrealestateagentshavetakenprofessionalnegotiationtrainingandobtaineddesignationssuchasCertifiedNegotiationExpert(CNE)whichisbyfaroneofmyfavoritesdesignationsandfavoriteaspectsofrepresenting my clients and their best interest.

Whenahomeisover-priceditactuallyendsupsellingforless,becauseitsitsonthemarkettoolongandbecomesstagnant.Andthen,afterweeksandweeksonthemarketthe“WWWTH”Syndromekicksin…“What’sWrongWithThatHouse?”


Youwantsomeonewhowillfallinlovewithyourhouse,becausethatisthebuyerwhowillpaythemostforit.TheironyisthatpricingithighwillactuallyKEEPbuyersfromfallinginlovewithyourhouse.

Here are 4 Common Myths about Selling for Top Dollar:

MYTH: If a home gets an offer quickly it was probably priced too low.

REALITY:Thedayyourhomegoesonthemarket,therearealreadyqualified,motivatedbuyersinthemarketwhosecriteriamatchesyourhome.Oftenthesearebuyerswhohavealreadymadeoffersonotherhomesandgotbeatoutby a competing offer, so when your home hits the market there are often multiple buyers interested in your home. And when it’s priced and marketed correctly, these buyers will act quickly because they don’t want to risk losing the house to another buyer.

MYTH: If we are willing to wait long enough we’ll get more for our home.

REALITY:Thereisacorrelationbetweentimeonthemarketandthepropertygettingtopvalue,butnotthecorrelationmany sellers think. Generally, the longer it takes, the less the seller makes. Why? Because of the “WWWTH Syndrome” (“What’s Wrong With That House”).Ifapropertyhasbeenonthemarketforanextendedperiodoftime,buyersbegintowonder why no one has bought that house. The result is often lower offers or no offer at all.

MYTH: Better marketing of my home will get me a higher price.

REALITY:Therealityisthatmarketingdoesnotmakeyourhomeworthanymore.Theimportanceofeffectivemarketingistoputyourhomeinfrontofthehighestnumberofqualifiedbuyerstogetfullmarketvalueforit.

MYTH: I will just wait until the right buyer comes along who is willing to pay the price I want for my home.

REALITY: Itisstatisticallyproventhatthelongerahousesitsonthemarketthelowertheoffersitwillgenerate,whetherithaspricereductionsornot.Whennewbuyerscomeintothemarket,theywantthefreshinventory,notthestalelistingsthatallthepreviousbuyershaverejected.Yourhomebecomesa“beenthere,donethat”propertyontheMLS,makingagentsandbuyersmuchmorelikelytosubmitlowoffers,orevenworse,passoveritcompletely.

As you can see, pricing your home right from the beginning is simply the best pricing strategy to get the most interest fast, the best offers, and consequently the best price and terms.


10. THE DEAL: SKILLED 3RD PARTY NEGOTIATIONOfalltenstrategiesforgettingtopdollarforyourproperty,thisisverylikelythemostimportantandthemostunder-rated.Whilethischapterisnotacrash-courseonnegotiations,itwillgiveyousomekeypointsfornegotiatingthebestoffer for your property.

Yourhomehasbeenpreparedtoshowatitsbest.Itisbeingmassivelymarketedtothebestbuyersusingthebestmarketingchannels.Andnowyouhaveinterestedbuyerswholoveyourhouseandwhowanttobuyit!

Withthefirstcommunicationfromthebuyerorbuyer’sagent,thenegotiationshavealreadybegun.Isitpossibletonegotiateahigherpriceandbetterterms,evenbeforeyougettheoffer?Absolutely.Evenbeforethat!But,unfortunately,mostSellersandmostagentsandbrokers,havenocluewhattodonexttomaximizethevalueoftheproperty.“Arethesellersfirmontheprice?”“Willthesellersaccept$Xprice?”Howanagentrespondstothosequestionscanmakeahugedifferenceindeterminingthetypeofoffersyoureceive.Hereareacoupleofkeynegotiatingstrategiespre-offer:

First,beingahighlymotivatedsellerisaplus,notanegative,IF(andthisisabig“IF”)youoryouragentknowshowtocommunicatethatyouaremotivatedwithoutcompromisingthevalueofyourproperty.Thesecrethereisthatanextremelymotivatedseller,whenproperlypositioned,canalmostcreateafeedingfrenzymentalitywithbuyers.Thisiswhatyouwant.Somesellersmistakenlybelieveitisbesttoactliketheyarenotreallythatmotivatedatall.Playing“hardtoget”isafineline.Astrongnegotiatorcancommunicatehighmotivationwithoutgivingtheimpressionofdesperation.That’swhatyouwant…motivation,notdesperation.

The one, two, three punch that increases demand for your house:

1. A great property.

2. Amotivatedseller.

3. Anattractiveprice.

When positioned and negotiated correctly these three elements are a powerful combination to attract a feeding frenzy of motivatedbuyersandstrongoffersthatwillresultinthebestpriceandtermsforyouinthesaleofyourproperty.

Yougetthecallfromyourbrokeroragent.Hurray!Wehaveanoffer!Orevenbetter,youhavemultipleoffers!Whathappensnext?Thisiswhereitpaystohaveanagentthatunderstandsnegotiatingstrategy.

Dotheyunderstandhowtorepresentyouandthevalueofyourhomewellwhenapotentialbuyeroranotheragentasks,“Willthesellertakeless?”or“Howmuchflexibilitydoesthesellerhaveontheirprice?”Anagentskilledinnegotiationwillknowhowtoanswerthatquestionsimplyandhonestlyinawaythatdoesnotgiveawayonedimeofyourequity,ANDatthe same time does not make the other party feel like they are being stonewalled.

Thesearenotskillsthattheaveragerealestateagentwillpossess.Oneofthemistakesmanysellersmakeishiringanagentsimplybecausetheyknowthem,ortheyliveintheneighborhood,orbecausetheyarefriendlyandnice(orevenworse,becausethey’recheap).Whileanyofthosereasonsmayhavesomeadvantageforyou,therealkeysaretheirknowledgeandskilltoeffectivelyrepresentyourbestinterestinacomplexandlargetransaction.

It’s important to remember that IF TOP-DOLLAR is your goal, choosing the right agent has to be made as a business decision, not as a personal decision just because you know someone. The key here is simply to keep in mind your ultimate goal of getting top dollar for your house.

Somesellerswonderwhetherhiringanagentjustifiesthecommissionyoupay.Thinkaboutitthisway.Thereisareasonthathighly-paidcelebritiesandprofessionalathletesvirtuallynevernegotiatetheirowncontractsintheirrespectivefields.Justlikeinarealestatetransaction,theyuse“agents,”becausetheyknowandunderstandthevalueandleverageofhavingaskilledthird-partynegotiatorrepresentingthem.

Havingathird-partynegotiatorhasseveralsignificantadvantages.First,theyhaveknowledgeandskillsthatenablethemtonegotiatefromastrongerposition.Second,theyaremoreobjectiveandcankeepemotionsoutoftheequation.Third,theyprovideacommunicationbufferbetweenthepartiesthatallowsyoutorespondmorestrategically.


However,anagentwhodoesnotunderstandtheimportanceofskillednegotiating,canbemoreofaliabilitythananassetwhenitcomestogettingtop-dollar.Infact,intermsofvalue,anagent’snegotiatingskillandunderstandingofhowtoclose a transaction seamlessly is more critical to your bottom line than their “marketing plan.”

CAUTION: Many agents will come into your home and all they talk about is what they are going to do to market your home.

Beware of an agent that thinks their main job is marketing. You need someone to REPRESENT YOU in getting the best RESULT. The marketing is only the front end of an agent’s responsibilities.

With the Internet and technology, marketing your home has actually become one of the simplest things an agent does for you.Thinkaboutit,areyouhiringanagentjusttomarketyourhome…ortohelpyougettopdollar?Youwanttheresult,right?

Anotherwordofcaution.Whenyouputyourhomeonthemarket,youaresellingoneofyourmostvaluableassets,right?Don’tgocheap.Therearetimeswhenit’sOKtocutcorners,andtherearetimeswhenitpaystoinvestinquality,competentprofessionalrepresentation.We’veallheardthesaying,“Yougetwhatyoupayfor.”Whenitcomestohiringskill,yougetwhatyoupayfor.Everyagenthasthesamestate-issuedlicense,buttheymostdefinitelydonothavethesameskillleveltogetYOUthebestresult.

One agent only cares about getting a commission check as fast as possible, and they will always follow the path of least resistance to get there. “Get the deal done,” is their modus operandi. This is not only true of many newer agents. It can bejustastrueofagentswhohaveyearsofexperiencebuthaveneverinvestedthetimeandresourcestobecometrulyskilled at negotiating.

Anunskilledagentoronejustwantingacommissioncancostyoutensofthousandsofdollarsofyourvaluableequitybynot knowing how to position your property to get the best offers or how to negotiate in a way that protects your hard-earnedequity.Andtheworstpartofitisthatyouwillneverknowhowmuchhiringthatagentreallycostyou.

Sohowdoyouidentifyaskillednegotiator?Itisreallyverysimple.Askthemtwoorthreequestionsregardinghowtheywillhandleacoupleofpossiblescenarioswehavejustdiscussed.

QUESTION #1: “How will you respond when a buyer or agent asks you if we’ll take less than full price for our property?”

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:Acomfortable,honestresponsefromtheagent,thatdoesnotgiveawayanyofthevalueofyourproperty,andatthesametimedoesnotrepelthebuyerorthebuyer’sbroker/agent.Askilledanswerwillsoundsomethinglikethis,“That’sagreatquestion.Thesellersareverycomfortablewiththeirprice,andifyou’veseentherecent,comparablesales,thenI’msureyou’realreadyawarethatthehouseispricedverywell…Haveyou(yourbuyers)seenthepropertyyet?”Noticetheresponsedoestwothings.First,itanswersthequestionsinaneffectiveway.Second,itturnstheconversationtowardsthebuyers’situation.Theskilledagentwillnowleveragethisconversationtogatherinformationaboutthebuyersandtheirqualificationsandmotivation.Watchforaresponsethatindicatestheagentusesthese interactions as opportunities to gather information, not to posture in a way that pits buyer against seller. That only creates resistance.

QUESTION #2:“Ifwereceivemultipleoffers,howdoyoutypicallyrecommendthatwerespondtoeachoftheoffers?Doyourecommendwecounteralltheoffers,orjustnegotiatethebestonesfirst?

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:Anagentwhohasaclearresponsestrategythathonestlyleveragesthefactthatyouhavemultipleoffers.Theagentshouldunderstandthatmultipleoffershaveashortlifespan.Buyersandtheiragentsbecomedisinterestedandfrustratedveryquicklyiftheyfeeltheyarebeingstalledortheirofferisbeingshopped.Everyofferisagoodoffer,evenifitisaridiculouslylowoffer,becauseitgivesyouaddednegotiatingleveragewithanyotheroffers.

The best response is one that gets all buyers to submit their highest and best offer AND that simultaneously keeps all buyers interested and at the table while all the offers come in. As a seller, it is critical to make sure you do not get greedy atthispoint.Thetimespanisveryshortbeforebuyersgetfrustratedorgiveupandwalkawayfromthenegotiatingtable.Andthefirstroundofoffersisalmostcertainlygoingtobethebestroundbecauseyourpropertyisnewtothemarketandthat’s when it has the most excitement.


Astrong,experiencednegotiatorwillhaveastrategicresponseforallthebuyersthatwilllooksomethinglikethis:

“The seller is currently in possession of multiple offers. The Seller respectfully requests that all interested Buyers submit their best and highest offer by 5:00 PM, _________.” (a date two or three days later)

Ofcourse,thereismorethataskilledagentwilldo.Thekeythingisthatastrongnegotiatorunderstandsthereisvalueinhavingmoreoffers(themorethebetter),even“bad”offersaregoodbecausetheygiveyouleverage.Thistypeofresponsekeepsallbuyersfeelingtheyarebeingtreatedfairlyandtheyhaveashotattheproperty,sotheywillallstayinthegameand come with their best offer to the table.

Theworstresponseisanyresponsethatcancauseanyofferstoberemovedfromthetable,orthatcouldmakebuyersfrustratedorstressed.Givingnoresponseatallisanevenfasterwaytoloseabuyer.Promptandrespectfulcommunication keeps buyers interested. Slow response or no response leads to irritation often in only a matter of hours. Negativeemotionscausebuyerstoloseinterestveryquickly.Agoodnegotiatorkeepstheballmovinganddoesnotleavethe buyers and their agent in the dark.

QUESTION #3: How will you recommend we respond to a ridiculous, low-ball offer?

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:Anyofferisastartingpointtoaconversation.AskilledagentwilltellyoutorespondtoEVERYofferasifitisalegitimateofferthatcouldresultinsatisfactoryterms.See,therealityisthatyouhavenoideahowmuchsomeone is willing to pay for a property based on their initial offer. They may be a cheap-skate who is unrealistic and dreaming.Ortheymaybewillingtopaywhatevertheyhaveto,buttheywanttoknowhowlowthesellerwillgo,sotheystartverylowtoseehowyouwillrespond.Itisalmostneverabuyer’sintenttooffendyou,theSeller,sodon’ttakeanyoffer personally. A skilled negotiator will suggest a strong counter that forces the buyer to get more realistic without muddying the waters and make the buyer walk from the negotiating table.

These three questions will tell you a lot about an agent’s skill and preparedness in dealing with different negotiating scenarios.Thekeythingtolookforistheirconfidenceandcertaintyinthewaytheyrespondtoyourquestions.Iftheyappearuncertainorreluctanttocommunicatetoyouapro-activenegotiatingstrategy,letthatbearedflag.Andiftheycomeacrossasadversarialorasiftheyarereadytogotobattleagainstthebuyerandthebuyers’agent,thatcanbeevenmoreineffectiveatsecuringthebestresultforyou.

Askillednegotiatormakeseverythingsoundeasyandcommunicatesconfidencewithoutcomingacrossascockyortryingtoplaythehero.Youdon’twantahero,justaskilled,competentprofessionalwhoknowshowtodeliverresults.Andwhenyoufindthatperson,notonlywilltheyprotectyourequityandmaximizeyourcash,theywillmaketheprocessmuchless stressful for you.


REFERENCES FOR PAST SELLERS AND BUYERSERIC & DREN JAMES 11050KenyonAve ................................................................................................................................... 909-851-5203

Diana&JohnBorngraver 1475 W. 24th St & 1694 Shamrock .......................................................................................................... 909-210-5699

Joyce Green 10559DeerfieldAve ............................................................................................................................... 909-816-9394

Lisa Perez 17720FairviewSt .....................................................................................................................................213-748-4758

Daryl and Julie DeArman 11996 Rue Way ........................................................................................................................................ 909-945-9212

Christopher Schenken 661 S. Armel St & 3997 White Ash ...........................................................................................................909-678-5280

Melinda Kempson 845 Lewis St ........................................................................................................................................... 909-455-4991

Phil & Karen LeGrand 7633 Coral Court ......................................................................................................................................909-223-6137

Robinson Perez 1112 Stratford St ....................................................................................................................................... 213-458-0162

John Recendez 439 W. Kenoak Dr ...................................................................................................................................626-290-0566

Mary Ramirez 7513LockhavenAve ...................................................................................................562-290-0566(after5pmplease)

HERE IS A GREAT TIP — GO TO WWW.HEARTESTIMONIALS.COM


REVIEWS“Everyone did a great job working to get our home sold. When Paul discussed the comparables we suggested a particular price and he recommended a price significantly higher. We were skeptical but low and behold they got the job done and in less than two weeks we had the home under contract and the escrow went smoothly with the help of the entire team. We plan on hiring the Paul Vyhnalek Real Estate Experts to sell our rental duplex next year once the lease expires.“

Phil and Karen Le Grand Rancho Cucamonga, CA

“It’s been a challenging few years. When my parents passed away we decided to upgrade their house and rent it out. We made some improvements in the home and worked with Paul and his team to lease it and manage it for us. He had some amazing ideas that saved us a ton of money. Then my wife’s father passed away and left us with another home. This time we wanted to sell it so again Paul and his team really helped out. He has worked with many probate situations over the years and made the process that seemed daunting actually go smooth. We got a great price and our family got to keep all of the money.”

John and Diana Borngraver Upland, CA

“I found myself in a uncomfortable situation and needed qualified help. I contacted Paul from a letter he sent me. Once we discussed my options were and how a loan modification hadn’t worked, we created a plan of action. Paul and his team did exactly what they said they’d do. Listed my home, negotiated the short sale with my lenders, coordinated all the transaction details and helped find a home for me and my girls. I’d recommend anyone who needs to sell their home, especially a short sale to work with Paul and give him a chance to help you.”

Jenny Claypoole Covina, CA

VISIT WWW.SOLDBYPAULVYHNALEK.COM/SELLING TO LEARN MORE.


“Paul and his team of experts really pulled us out of a jam with my late father’s house. I was feeling so frustrated with the complexity of a foreclosure and a 12 year old city “Notice of Certification as Dangerous Building” lien against the property. My family and I didn’t know what to do but Paul discussed the situation with us and laid out a step by step plan he’d take to handle every aspect of it. He brought us multiple great offers (better than others we’d received from investors soliciting us directly), talked it all through with patience and in the end we ended up with more profit than we expected. We’re very grateful to Paul and his team.”

Wayne and Marcia McKone

“Paul made the process painless and easy. Communication is always great with him and he was part of my team in getting my house sold. Every worry, he was on top of it and had solutions on hand. Paul always keeps in touch and checks in to see how we’re doing. He’s very friendly and kind. I would definitely recommend him to family and friends!”

Christopher Schenken

“After living in our home for 27 years, we decided it was time to find a larger home. We chose Paul Vyhnalek’s team to help us sell our home and find a new one. Paul and his team were quite efficient throughout the purchasing process! Their strategies and assistance were effective in marketing our home. We received multiple offers and accepted one within 24 hours. Our new home turned out to be everything we wanted and more. We would definitely recommend the Paul Vyhnalek Real Estate Expert Team to our friends and family!”

Daryl and Julie DeArman

“We had the unusual task of selling our home in Southern California from Texas. Having been referred to Paul and his team we contacted him. He immediately went to work, met with our tenants and coordinated everything including the work that needed to be done to get the property in selling and showing condition. His advice was spot on and really paid off. After completing the work and Paul’s 7 Day Blitz - coming soon campaign, we had multiple offers and under contract in less than a week of actually being on the market. It sold for top dollar and he and his team managed the escrow smoothly and on time. When Paul comes out to Texas, well buy him a steak. We can’t imagine having worked with a more though-row, kind and hard working Real Estate Professional.”

Eric and Dren James

WWW.SOLDBYPAULVYHNALEK.COM TO LEARN MORE.

909-319-8338or visit

SoldByPaulVyhnalek.com

Documents

The 10 Proven Strategies to Make Your House Sell Faster ... Dol… · to Make Your House Sell Faster and For More Money by Paul Vyhnalek. 2 ... A good professional stager makes good