Real estate agents play a huge role in one of the most important financial decisions of our lives. When it comes to buying, selling, leasing, or renting, they’re the ones who shepherd us through a process that can only be described as overwhelming. In real estate, as in any other industry or professional arena, you have the mediocre masses and the few star performers, the cream of the crop. And usually, the best people aren’t the best because they were born with special abilities or talents. No, they are successful because they work harder, strive to be the best, and go the extra mile. But it’s also because they have discovered certain “secrets’ – highly effective actions and strategies – that the rest don’t know about. So let’s take a look at the 5 selling secrets from Shoreline’s top real estate agents.
1. The Best Pricing Strategy Is Within the “Bands”
First thing’s first. Pricing to sell is often said to be the best marketing tool. It is, but top real estate agents in Shoreline also know that there’s more to it than performing a comparative market analysis and then pricing in line with market value.
Top real estate agents strive to price within the bands. For example,“buyers who want to spend $340,000 on a property may look between $325,000 and $350,000. If that’s the seller’s target market, then pricing a home at $351,000 will result in a lot of potential buyers missing the listing altogether.”
The solution is to price instead at $349,00, which falls within the pricing band between $325,000 and $350,00. And then you’ll get a lot more people seeing your listing, those looking for a home priced about what yours is. {Discover more about effective pricing strategies by talking to a top Shoreline agent at (206) 578-3438.)
2. Staging Should Be Season-Specific
One more thing we have to also have to know is that, it’s no longer a secret that staging is essential – that staged homes sell faster and at better prices. Staging has, however, as Shoreline’s top real estate agents have discovered, progressed far beyond just “creating a cozy conversation area in the living room.”
Effective, appealing staging must now be season-specific. During the summer months, for instance, you’re better off using shorter furniture. Doing so makes a room “feel bigger, longer, and in the potential buyer’s mind, a better fit.”
3. There Are Times NOT to List
It is not always listing the property. Listing at the right time is important, but top real estate agents in Shoreline also know when they absolutely should not list a home. These times are sometimes termed ‘listing black holes’ – times when listings get lost to weekends of sun, family vacations, and nonbusiness topics.”
You should avoid listing at times when many people go out of town, for example, the Fourth of July or Memorial Day. If you do, your listing may get buried by many others before the right eyes land on it. Again, your local agent can be a huge help in avoiding listing at the wrong time.
4. Selling Isn’t the Primary Goal
Top real estate agents also understand that, even though sales is a big part of the job, they shouldn’t always be selling (or hard selling anyway). The old stereotype of the unctuous, pushy real estate agent didn’t come from nowhere. Top agents, though, make it a priority to serve clients’ best interests first and focus on the other important aspects of the job such as being a consultant and problem-solving.
Top real estate agents don’t focus on selling primarily. Rather, they focus on helping clients get a good deal and what they want.“Buying and selling houses can be stressful and it’s important for the agent to make sure that the client is feeling supported and happy.”
5. Listening and Communication Are Important
In whatever industry, these key factors are very important. Similarly, listening and communication are some not-do-secret top-agent “secrets” as well.
Here’s what industry pros say about top real estate agents in this regard: “if you can’t get a word in when communicating with your agent, then you’ve got a problem. As a client or customer, you’re the one who should be doing most of the talking and making sure that your agent understands your special requests and needs.”
In addition to listening, top agents communicate regularly with clients through their preferred medium. Real estate is time-sensitive, so an agent must keep you apprised of what’s going on and in a timely fashion. “You need an agent who constantly keeps you in the loop about your current buying or selling situation. Otherwise, you end up wasting precious time on opportunities that offer a limited chance of success.”
Top agents will stay in contact with clients. “What seems like insignificant information to an agent who’s been in the business for years can be really important to clients who are new to the real estate game.”
Where to Find Top Real Estate Agents in Shoreline
If you’re looking to sell a property in Shoreline, you’ll want an agent who knows about these “secrets” and more. But it can be a long, tedious, time-consuming process interviewing prospective agents and weeding out the not-so-great ones. You can, however, shorten that process drastically by working with a reputable agency known for its top agents. If, then, you want the benefits of working with Shoreline’s top real estate agents, contact us at (206) 578-3438.