Sincere advice to house sellers.

[kwalk65]

Originally Posted by Silverfall

Yes the market is out of sellers control, so control what you can: price and condition.

Totally agree! These are the ONLY parts I can control.

[WhoFanMe]

Originally Posted by crazyma

po ta to
po tah to

You may think so, but too many sellers focus on the commission and not enough on the marketing plan. There are differences and the consumer has many choices.

[HDL]

Yes, this is the REAL ESTATE forum and posters have a right to discuss their issues as long as they follow the TOS of City Data, which this poster has done . Realtors have their own section where they can (and do) bash clients / customers. It's called RE Professionals !

Originally Posted by tamitrail

Hmmmm, interesting that you came of nowhere to bash realtors on a REAL ESTATE board. Doesn't sound very loving to me.

[DMenscha]

Originally Posted by LillieB

So please, do your own research before taking what realtors tell you about what houses are selling for granted. Not that they are lying. But they will not share anything that would discourage you from listing, listing NOW, and listing with THEM. They will come to your interview armed -- you need to do the same.


- LillieB.

I totally agree with you. I'd much rather work with a seller that has done a bit of homework. There are agents out there that buy listings (thank goodness just a few in our area). I encourage my agents to go see those homes while they are in the overpriced status because when the 90 or 120 days roll by and nothing has happened, we are ready to help them sell at the price it should have been in the first place.

[FLBob]

About 5 years ago my wife received a call from an elderly woman who wanted to sell her home. Johanne always looks at a property before pulling comps from the MLS and the county. The woman had a neat as a pin 2-1 carport home on navigable water. Armed with detailed information on market trends, recent sales both Realtor and fsbo in the area, she told the woman that her home should sell between $100k and $125K.
The woman was amazed. She just couldn't believe that her home was worth that much money. She thanked Johanne for her time and said she needed to think about what she should do.
She talked with a neighbor who was a very public realtor basher. Who told her her property was worth nowhere near that much money. They offered her $45K. She took it. One month later the new owner, the one that publicly uses the word realtor as a dirty word. Flipped the house (without the use of a realtor) for $95.
The point I'm trying to make is that selling a house is business. Working with an honest professional usually is a good business decision. It's smart to do your own research. It's smart to question the source and the methodology behind any market analysis.
One more Johanne story-
Johanne went on a listing appointment, after years in a market area she had a good idea of home values in the neighborhood. After looking over the property she asked the owner what he thought the property should sell for. He told her. Normally Johanne has a good poker face, she broke out laughing. She recovered and gave the owner a more realistic selling value for the house. She didn't get the listing. I know, amazing, the house did sell 9 months later, for the price Johanne had suggested.

[Silverfall]

Originally Posted by crazyma

I don't know..I think a house could be free, and you couldn't even give it away if it was not 'the' house, for that one particular person

I would agree with this sentiment if all of the homes the buyer considered were well maintained and updated. I mean someone who buys a 1900's home probably won't be considering a Frank Lloyd Wright home. So yes personality of the home matters.