Real estate agents are having no trouble getting listings right now. If I need to sell my house during this buyers' market (when there are lots of houses and properties on sale and a limited number of buyers) there are some things I can do to make my house more interesting to the agents and to the buyers.
1. Nothing motivates like the smell of money. I often offer a cash bonus to the agent that can sell my house by a certain date. I will have a clause in the listing agreement that the sale must be closed by a certain time and the price must to my liking, but the bonus has motivated many agents to show my home to more buyers.
2. Get more bodies through the house. I work with my agent to have as many open houses as I can. The more people that see my home, the more likely I am to sell my house. When signing a listing agreement, I usually include the number of open houses (or the frequency of the open houses) that I want to see.
3. If you don’t know what is going on, then you can’t help with a solution. I stay in touch with my agent and work with him to sell my house. If he says to pack up some of the clutter then I rent a storage unit and pack it away. If he says to paint the bathroom then I take a weekend and get it done. Cooperation will sell my house quicker than anything else.
4. People like to think they are getting something for free. I make sure that the listing agreement says that the appliances and the window treatments are including when I sell my house. I am also flexible about furniture. If the potential buyer just LOVES the patio furniture, I may through it in as an incentive – for free, of course.
The competition in today’s real estate market is vast and intense. In order to sell my house, I must find ways to make it stand out in the crowd. Offering bonuses or incentives and working hand in hand with my real estate agent will ensure a quicker sale than others may face.
Kathryn is a freelance journalist covering the UK housing marketplace, and has written guides such as how to "
sell my house" and also writes up on property issues on her
homes blog.
