Many think selling a home is a matter of putting a signboard up and waiting for the buyer. There is, believe it or not, quite the process to sell a property well. From a time perspective, the two contact points mentioned in the blog below are a very small part of the overall undertaking. But from an importance perspective, they rank very high in the order. They are:
1 – The first meeting at the property with the potential purchaser (often the open home). This can include the first phone call or email.
2 – The first follow up call post the first viewing
Why are these important?
During both connections, information will be garnered from both parties. Often, there is one main piece of information the purchaser is trying to get a gauge on. This being what the property might sell for, what it was appraised for, what the owner wants? This question is phrased in a multitude of ways. Two other common questions (among many) are, wanting to know why the property is being sold and if there are any disclosures.
This initial interaction is where the agent will hope to find out basics. There are many things an agent may ask a purchaser. It could be as simple as how long the purchaser has been looking and if they have offered on anything recently? If they have offered, on what? This assists in finding out what their financial constraints and limits may be and how far through the purchasing process they are. The agent will also be reading both body and verbal language to gauge any interest they may have in the property in question.
If not talked about at the home, no doubt questions will be asked from both sides during follow up interaction. As you can imagine, these initial conversations can have a huge bearing on a) whether a purchaser will even offer or bid or not and b) if they do offer or bid, where their offer or bid is pitched.
Why would this matter to me if I am selling my home?
Although there are many ways in which a secondary/junior agent can assist. As a property owner you want to ensure that the person who is fronting the open homes/appointments and following up on the phone is the person you have put your trust in at the listing appointment. The person running the campaign. You wouldn’t want this passed off onto anybody else.
Initially, some serious time is invested talking to the owner and understanding why they purchased the property. This includes improvements that have been made and positives for both the home and location. During this time the agent is carefully considering the best way to market and present the property. An owner will often choose an agent based on how well they personally interact and on how well they feel they understand and can sell their property.
What can you do to ensure this part of the process is handled well?
Great questions for you to ask the agent at the appraisal are: who will be selling my home? Who will be running the open homes? Who will be following up on enquiries? If it is not the person undertaking the appraisal, it would pay to meet with whoever it is that will be the face and first port of call in your campaign.
Also, quiz the agent. Ask what their response will be when confronted with questions around what the owner wants etc. Selling your home is a momentous occasion and you want to make sure you are comfortable with all aspects.
