Why Use a REALTOR® When Selling?

A real estate agent helps you understand everything you need to know about selling
By Ron Schmeadick



The selling process generally begins with a determination of a reasonable asking price. Your real estate agent or REALTOR® can give you up-to-date information on what is happening in the marketplace and the price, financing, terms and condition of competing properties. These are key factors in getting your property sold at the best price, quickly and with minimum hassle.


Marketing


The next step is a marketing plan. Often, your agent can recommend repairs or cosmetic work that will significantly enhance the salability of the property. Marketing includes the exposure of your property to other real estate agents and the public. In many markets across the country, more than 50 percent of real estate sales are cooperative sales; that is, a real estate agent other than yours brings in the buyer.

Your agent acts as the marketing coordinator, disbursing information about your property to other real estate agents through a Multiple Listing Service or other cooperative marketing networks, open houses for agents, etc. The REALTOR® Code of Ethics requires REALTORS® to utilize these cooperative relationships when they benefit their clients.

Advertising is part of marketing. The choice of media and frequency of advertising depends a lot on the property and specific market. For example, in some areas, newspaper advertising generates phone calls to the real estate office but statistically has minimum effectiveness in selling a specific property. Overexposure of a property in any media may give a buyer the impression the property is distressed or the seller is desperate. Your real estate agent will know when, where and how to advertise your property. There is a misconception that advertising sells real estate. The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® studies show that 82 percent of real estate sales are the result of agent contacts through previous clients, referrals, friends, family and personal contacts.

Security

When a property is marketed with an agent's help, you do not have to allow strangers into your home. Agents will generally pre-screen and accompany qualified prospects through your property.

Negotiating

The negotiation process deals with much the same issues for both buyers and sellers, as noted above under the buying process. Your agent can help you objectively evaluate every buyer's proposal without compromising your marketing position. This initial agreement is only the beginning of a process of appraisals, inspections and financing -- a lot of possible pitfalls. Your agent can help you write a legally binding, win-win agreement that will be more likely to make it through the process.

Monitoring, renegotiating and closing

Between the initial sales agreement and closing (or settlement), questions may arise. For example, unexpected repairs are required to obtain financing or a cloud in the title is discovered. The required paperwork alone is overwhelming for most sellers. Your agent is the best person to objectively help you resolve these issues and move the transaction to closing (or settlement).

Why use a REALTOR®?

All real estate licensees are not the same. Only real estate licensees who are members of the National Association of REALTORS® are propertly called REALTORS®. They proudly display the REALTOR® logo on the business card or other marketing and sales literature. REALTORS® are committed to treat all parties to a transaction honestly. REALTORS® subscribe to a strict code of ethics and are expected to maintain a higher level of knowledge of the process of buying and selling real estate. An independent survey reports that almost 85 percent of home buyers would use the same REALTOR® again.

You be the judge

Real estate transactions involve one of the biggest financial investments most people experience in their lifetime. Transactions today usually exceed $100,000. If you had a $100,000 income tax problem, would you attempt to deal with it without the help of a CPA? If you had a $100,000 legal question, would you deal with it without the help of an attorney? Considering the small upside cost and the large downside risk, it would be foolish to consider a deal in real estate without the professional assistance of a REALTOR®.


Copyright © by Move, Inc.

What Do Buyers Want? Sprinkles or Filling?

Most folks used to be content with a nice slice of yellow cake on a special occasion. Now people want elaborately flavored and decorated cupcakes every day of the week.

Some home buyers have also seen one too many cupcake shows on HGTV and think more about the sprinkles than is good for them. But even these buyers may not be willing to pay for for everything they say they want.

An over-improved house -- if over-priced to match -- can be harder to sell than the more modest home. Very few buyers will pay for extravagant personal choices that the previous owner made.

So what do buyers really want when they are choosing a home?

1) Buyers want a deal: only a few buyers say "steal" a house but they do want to know that they are getting the most value for the money.

2) Buyers want a clean house. Not just a tidied-up house, but a house with clean baseboards, windows, siding, refrigerator and cabinets. Clean carpets are essential, no one needs to know you got a new puppy last year.

3) Buyers want a house with a neutral palette to make it easy for to imagine their unique decorating plans.

4) Buyers want current light fixtures and hardware. Light fixtures are essential to showing how nice a room can look -- or not. Buyers prefer brushed nickle, stainless or bronze finish hardware.

5) Buyers want updated kitchens and baths. You may not be able to completely remodel your kitchen, but some freshening up can make a big difference.

6) Buyers want a garage that looks big enough for their cars. A 2 car garage needs to look large enough to hold 2 cars, not 1 car and piles of stuff. Rent a storage locker for excess.

7) Buyers want rooms that look like their intended purpose. A dining room needs to look like it's for eating and entertaining, not a sports locker or data center.

8) Buyers want a house with reasonable energy costs. While most buyers in our area won't pay substantially more for "green" and "energy efficient" improvements, they do want to know what it will cost to heat and cool the house.

9) Buyers want a house that fits their stage of life and activities. Don't be discouraged if your house isn't a perfect fit for all buyers but you should market aggressively to your target.

10) Buyers want a place to make their own. Make your home into a house that the next owner can easily envision himself living in.


Compliments of Leslie Ebersole

Government Expansion of Foreclosure Prevention

Government Expansion of Foreclosure Prevention:


Second Liens and Hope for Homeowners Modified
The President said this past week that government is expanding its foreclosure prevention program to cover second mortgages and to direct more troubled borrowers to the Hope for Homeowners program. Much like the rest of the program recently announced however, we will withhold judgment until results start being achieved.
The president's current $75 billion program has gotten off to a slow start. Loan servicers only recently started taking applications and many delinquent borrowers have complained about not being able to qualify for the program.
The administration is now seeking to address some of the concerns by changing the original modification plan, which calls for adjusting eligible borrowers' loans so monthly payments are no more than 31% of pre-tax income.
The main issue with the current program for many borrowers is that up to half of at-risk borrowers have second liens, according to recent government reports.
Under the administration's new program, the interest rate on second mortgages will be reduced to 1% on loans where payments cover interest and principal and to 2% for interest-only loans. The government will subsidize the rate reduction, with the money going to the mortgage investor.
The servicers will be paid $500 for each modification and an additional $250 annually for three years if the borrower stays current. Borrowers can receive up to $250 per year for five years to pay down their first mortgage.
In addition, investors can also receive a payment in exchange for extinguishing the second lien. They would receive 3 cents on the dollar for loans more than 180 days delinquent and between 4 cents and 12 cents for less delinquent loans, depending on the borrowers' debt levels.
Servicers who join the new program must modify second loans when a borrower's first mortgage is adjusted. It will likely take a month to implement is the information being presented.
In addition, the administration said it is now requiring servicers to offer troubled borrowers access to Hope for Homeowners as a modification option if they qualify.
Expanding Hope for Homeowners would address one of the major holes in the original Obama foreclosure prevention plan. It helps homeowners whose homes are now worth far less than their mortgages.
Servicers would now have to reduce the principal to 93% of the home's value. The change would also reduce the program's high fees, which turned off many troubled borrowers.
As an incentive to participate, servicers will be paid $2,500 for each refinancing, while lenders who originate the new loans will receive up to $1,000 a year for three years, as long as the loan remains current.
These plans are all steps in the right direction to try and help additional borrowers who have not had results with the current initiatives. How effective they will be is still yet to be determined.
Second Liens and Hope for Homeowners Modified
The President said this past week that government is expanding its foreclosure prevention program to cover second mortgages and to direct more troubled borrowers to the Hope for Homeowners program. Much like the rest of the program recently announced however, we will withhold judgment until results start being achieved.
The president's current $75 billion program has gotten off to a slow start. Loan servicers only recently started taking applications and many delinquent borrowers have complained about not being able to qualify for the program.
The administration is now seeking to address some of the concerns by changing the original modification plan, which calls for adjusting eligible borrowers' loans so monthly payments are no more than 31% of pre-tax income.
The main issue with the current program for many borrowers is that up to half of at-risk borrowers have second liens, according to recent government reports.
Under the administration's new program, the interest rate on second mortgages will be reduced to 1% on loans where payments cover interest and principal and to 2% for interest-only loans. The government will subsidize the rate reduction, with the money going to the mortgage investor.
The servicers will be paid $500 for each modification and an additional $250 annually for three years if the borrower stays current. Borrowers can receive up to $250 per year for five years to pay down their first mortgage.
In addition, investors can also receive a payment in exchange for extinguishing the second lien. They would receive 3 cents on the dollar for loans more than 180 days delinquent and between 4 cents and 12 cents for less delinquent loans, depending on the borrowers' debt levels.
Servicers who join the new program must modify second loans when a borrower's first mortgage is adjusted. It will likely take a month to implement is the information being presented.
In addition, the administration said it is now requiring servicers to offer troubled borrowers access to Hope for Homeowners as a modification option if they qualify.
Expanding Hope for Homeowners would address one of the major holes in the original Obama foreclosure prevention plan. It helps homeowners whose homes are now worth far less than their mortgages.
Servicers would now have to reduce the principal to 93% of the home's value. The change would also reduce the program's high fees, which turned off many troubled borrowers.
As an incentive to participate, servicers will be paid $2,500 for each refinancing, while lenders who originate the new loans will receive up to $1,000 a year for three years, as long as the loan remains current.
These plans are all steps in the right direction to try and help additional borrowers who have not had results with the current initiatives. How effective they will be is still yet to be determined.