If selling, ask any listing agent you’re considering to explain exactly how they plan to sell your house fast and for the highest price.

***** Your First Chance is Often Your Best Chance *****

It’s no secret that we’re in a very difficult market. That’s a major reason for sellers to list their property for sale with a broker who can get the job done right the first time.

If the first effort falls short, there are a myriad of problems that come with that failure.

Topping that that list...
     - Less favorable, lower selling price
    - Longer time on the market
    - Potential stigmatization as a hard-to-sell property
    - All of the frustrations and expense that come along with the above issues

***** Ask the Right Questions *****

The first question a seller should ask any listing agent is, “How much business, and sales and marketing experience do you have?”

That’s a key question, because although there are many real estate agents, few have longtime business credentials.

It takes much more that just listing a house for sale to get the job done.

Real estate agents with extensive business experience are much more likely to get the deal to the closing table without it falling apart.

***** Get Specific *****

Ask, specifically, “How are you going to sell my property fast and for the highest price?”

The answer to that question will surely be as varied as the real estate agents themselves, but success lies in the details.

Any successful and experienced real estate listing agent should be ready and willing to show real-life examples of how they’ll accomplish your goal.

***** Minimum Expectations *****
 

DETERMINE THE BEST PRICING STRATEGY

Your prospective agent should be able to show how they will determine and suggest a pricing strategy that positions your property as a better value better than other properties for sale.

Your prospective agent should be able to show how they will extensively market your property online.

Almost 97-percent of home searches begin on the web. By using today’s elaborate eMarketing products, successful listing cam call attention to your property like never before.

The eMarketing strategy, at minimum, should include examples that include…
    - Listing the property in BOTH Rhode Island Massachusetts MLS databases.
    - Designing a single property website. For example: www.123-MyStreet.com, which can have
      up to 50 pictures, and is linked to many popular real estate listing websites.
    - Designing a sign-rider using the latest technology, including QR Codes, Text for info numbers,
      and a Web address that provides prospective buyers with immediate info. 
    - Write great advertising copy that SELLS.
    - Pushing the listing to ALL of the great real estate websites on the internet.
    - Sending a direct, sophisticated mass email campaign to every realtor in Rhode Island and
      Massachusetts that might have a prospective buyer client.
    - Personally contact all of the top buyer’s agents in the marketplace, increasing the likelihood 
      that the most interested and qualified buyers know your for sale house is a great value!

Past the eMarketing effort, your prospective agent should...
    - Advise you how to best prepare your home for sale. How to get ready to show buyers. What
      needs to be done, and what does not.
- Host Broker’s Tours, and agent and public Open Houses


ON-GOING COMMUNICATION

With the property listed for sale, and the marketing rolled out, your prospective agent should keep you informed. 

That includes periodic and detailed “Status Reports” with detail that reviews time on market, and what’s occurred during that period, for example…
    - How many people inquired about, and visited the property– and what they had to offer as
      feedback.
    - A detailed explanation of where the property has been marketed and advertised – online and
      print.
    - Website analytics showing hits and traffic.
    - What a MLS Broker’s Sheet looks like, and what it means to you.
    - Extensive real-time market data links, including SOLDS, pending sales, and competition
      positioning.
- What the current “Absorption Rate” is, and what it means to you, specificity.
- Next steps.



THE OFFER IS IN! - TIME TO ZERO IN, AND NEGOTIATE

Now that an offer is on the table, it's important to understand it's real value - or lack thereof.

There are many things to consider, for example...
  - If the offer came in fast, maybe the price was too low. Or maybe not.
  - Is the buyer offering so much because they are worried that they will have challenges secure
    financing?  
  - Why we can, and might want to counteroffer, even if the offer is at asking price.
  - If we counteroffer, will we lose the buyer?
  - Can we counteroffer verbally?
  - If we have more than one offer, can we accept the one we want without counteroffering?
  - If there is a deadline attached to the offer, what does that really mean?
  - Can the buyer REALLY get a mortgage?
  - Is the escrow deposit significant enough?
  - Is the buyer represented by a qualified realtor with reputation for bringing a deal to conclusion?
  - Is the buyer strategizing to get money off the price because of something they believe
    inspections will find?
  - And much, much more...
    

KEEP THE DEAL TOGETHER AFTER ACCEPTED OFFER

Many any deals fall apart after an offer is accepted. Everything should be done to make sure yours is not one of them.

Often, experince, and attention to detail makes all of the difference.

Here are some...
    - Qualifying the buyer’s financing credentials
    - The Home Inspection and what "Deficient Condition" really means.
    - Make sure the bank appraisal does not ruin the deal.
    - The attorneys,a nd the importance of coordination.
    - Managing the details,a nd the sometimes massive flow of documents
    - Keeping you informed.