Charlotte  NC Home Sellers:  Do You Know Who Your Agent is Working For?

With a full schedule these past few weeks, I have been taking buyers out to tour our beautiful city.  Relocation clients moving to town are learning about Charlotte and all that she has to offer newcomers.

One of my favorite things to do is to introduce buyers to neighborhoods that are ‘just what they’re looking for.’  When I’m showing buyers homes, they’re poised to BUY a home.  This is not fire drill or practice run…these are REAL buyers who have been transferred to our area and NEED to buy a home.

The unbelievably biggest obstacle that I have had to overcome in recent weeks is being ignored by listing agents.  I have serious questions to answer for my SERIOUS buyers and they need answers NOW!  This is frustrating any time but, when you have BUYERS who are ready to make a decision as to whether or not to purchase YOUR home, and your agent is not returning phone calls to answer our questions, my buyers move on.

One agent finally phoned me 72 hours after my call to let me know that she couldn’t remember my question (even though she had just listened to my voicemails) but, that she was overloaded (HER word, not mine!) at her full-time job–NOT in real estate!

Have you ever tried to purchase a product or enlist someone to perform a service and had them ignore your questions?  I have and I quickly move on to the next one on the list.  My take on this…If you’re trying to sell something and you won’t return my calls, then what happens when I finally do purchase it from you?  Are you going to be impossible to reach for follow-up, warranty work or other questions?

Sellers, this is the same exact concept my buyers are thinking now.  In fact, from the mouth of one of my buyers, “Hey, if they don’t want to sell, we’d rather buy from someone who DOES want to sell!”    I couldn’t agree more.

Sellers, are YOUR agents returning their calls?

Agents, don’t you want to SELL your listings?  If your full time job is interfering with selling your clients most valuable material possession, I’d say it’s time to refer that seller to someone who actually has the time AND the inclination to properly represent their clients.

Read more: http://www.icharlotterealestate.com/charlotte-home-sellers-who-is-your-agent-working-for/#ixzz1nXNOxcE8

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

Disclosure of material contained within.

What You Need to Know About Charlotte Real Estate Disclosures

When buyers step into Charlotte real estate that is listed for sale, the may notice the seller has applied a fresh coat of paint or installed new carpet.  While most sellers make updates like this to make their home more appealing to buyers, some are also trying to hide faults within their home, such as water damage or cracks.

As a Charlotte home seller, you are obligated to disclose all major property issues.  A Charlotte home buyer should double-check the disclosure statement before signing any sort of Contract to purchase the home.

Read this important information about Charlotte real estate disclosures BEFORE listing your Charlotte home for sale or for buyers, before purchasing a Charlotte home:

• If you know it, disclose it.  Don’t try to hide anything negative about a home you’re selling because it could come back to bite you.  There are standard documents that sellers can fill out but, also know that verbal disclosures can be documented as well.
• Things you should disclose.  Disclose all renovations, whether or not you were required to obtain a permit.  Other normal disclosures include property line disputes, termite problems, chronic neighborhood disruptions (noise, etc.), major mechanical and appliance issues, among others.
• Disclosures and inspections are not the same thing.   Some people get these confused.  A disclosure is something the seller fills out and gives to the buyer.  A Charlotte home inspection is conducted by an independent party and might bring to light issues of which the seller is unaware.
• Improper disclosure can result in a lawsuit.  If buyers quickly discover that their new home has serious undisclosed issues or renovations that were hidden and aren’t up to code, they can ask their real estate agent to confront the seller’s agent and seek a settlement.  If the seller does not cooperate, the buyers have the right to file a lawsuit.

If you’re getting ready to sell your Charlotte real estate and would like help deciding what to include in the disclosure, or if you’d like to buy a home and want to be sure you’re getting all the proper disclosures, I can help.  Give me a call today at (704)491-3310 or email me at Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com.

Read more: http://www.icharlotterealestate.com/charlotte-home-sellers-what-about-the-disclosures/#ixzz1kFFJ2uyP

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

Disclosure of material contained within.

Put Yourself in the Buyers' Shoes

Residing in a home that is for sale can be quite challenging.  You don’t want your home to appear lived in, rather you want it ‘show ready.’  This is very difficult to do for some homeowners but, it’s the absolute best way to sell a home!  Remember, it’s no longer about you, it's about the buyer.  Can you remember how you felt when you toured your home or the model home that is like the one that you built?  What stood out to you when you toured the home?  It certainly wasn’t grandma’s photo or your collection of shot glasses that you have proudly displayed in a shadow box!  It wasn’t the mural that you have painted in your den or the bright Home Depot orange color you have painted in your dining room!

I recently wrote about selling your Charlotte home and thinking like a real estate agent.  Encouraging sellers to think like buyers also helps you to properly prepare your Charlotte home for the real estate market.  Times are tougher now than ever before for sellers but, if you're realistic and can put yourself in the buyers' shoes, you'll be a step ahead of the competition.

Your mission:  To elicit in a buyer, those same feelings that you had when you discovered your wonderful home.  Showing suggestions to bear in mind:

• Neutral colors allow buyers to better picture themselves in your home.
• Appeal to your buyers’ olfactory senses by baking fresh cookies before the potential buyers arrive
• Leave those cookies for your visitors to enjoy
• De-clutter the home, packing away as much furniture and memorabilia as possible. You want to create a larger feeling space and remember, you’re going to have to pack it up or give it away anyway!

My recommendation is that you do ALL of this prior to listing your home.  Don’t think that it’s okay to work through all of these projects while you have your home listed.  In fact, the largest number of buyers who will come through your home in any given week will be the very first week that you are listed.  Those very serious buyers will miss the changes, meaning that you could possibly miss out on your buyer as well.

Read More Charlotte Home Seller Tips:

Pricing Your Home for Sale, Myth vs. Reality

Selling Your Charlotte Home – Leave the Emotions Out of the Equation

Pricing is CRITICAL When Selling Your Charlotte Real Estate

Charlotte Home Seller Tips - Redefine Your Market Value

Charlotte Home Seller Tips - Do Your Research

Charlotte Home Seller Tips - Extend Your Selling Season

*Charlotte Home Seller Tips | Put Yourself in the Buyers Shoes © Debe Maxwell, CRS

Charlotte North Carolina Real Estate

Debe Maxwell, CRS, Realtor®/Broker
SAVVY + COMPANY REAL ESTATE
1920 E. 7th Street
Charlotte, NC 28204
Mobile: (704) 491-3310
Fax: (704) 353-7014

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

Disclosure of material contained within.

3 Common Charlotte Home Seller Mistakes | Thoughts from the Buyers’ Perspective

Showing homes this beautiful Charlotte weekend, I had the wonderful opportunity to pick the brains of savvy buyers with regards to home SELLING!  Yes, because both sets of buyers are also sellers, we discussed seller strategies that just didn’t seem to be working for some of the homes that we viewed.

Here are our thoughts on three of the biggest seller mistakes that we saw:

1.  Pricing:  Why do sellers continue to price homes as though they were on sale at WalMart?  Here’s an example of why you don’t want to use ‘999’ –   These particular buyers are searching in the $700 – $800,000 price range.  They’re savvy buyers; they do their own searches and work very little from a pre-set search that I’ve created for them.  I jokingly call them ‘rogue’ buyers but, they still get the job done and some just prefer their own means of searching.  As we were driving past one of the homes that I had sent them, I pointed out that this particular home could be a good fit and that it was priced at $699,000.  At this point, it was too late to schedule a visit and my buyers had already agreed upon another home but, their comment was, “Had they just listed it at $700,000, it would have been at the bottom of our range in which we were searching and we’d have taken a look at it while we were in town!”  BINGO!

Sellers, THOSE are the buyers that you want–those who are searching and find YOUR home at the BOTTOM of their range!  If you’re not SEEN at the bottom of their range, they miss your home!  The internet sites, where the VAST majority of buyers find their new home, do not allow ‘odd number searching’ – the searches are clean, even numbers.  $599,000  $600,000  $699,999 $700,000 $799,990 $800,000

Why would you risk losing your most promising buyer pool?

2.  Condition:  Before you priced your home, did you compare it to others in your community or area?  Just because a home that is the same square foot size, that is also in tip-top condition is priced for $750,000, yours may not compare!  Is your kitchen upgraded?  Are your bathrooms updated?  Have you added hardscaping to your backyard?  Have you finished the basement in your home?  These things ADD value and without them, your home just doesn’t compare.  If you haven’t upgraded, you MUST price your home to reflect the lack of upgrades.

3.  Staging:  Buyers are not searching for homes based solely upon the neighborhood or the design of the home but, they’re also focused on size.  How much space do the main rooms have that they can work with?  Our buyers felt that some of the homes that boasted the square footage and the large room sizes that they needed online, proved to be a disappointment when they viewed them in person.  The homes that were noted as ‘too small for our needs’ were FILLED with large pieces of furniture–some wall-to-wall furniture.  The oversized furniture completely prohibited the visualization of you home, leaving these buyers feeling that your home did not meet their needs.

If you’re planning a move, you’re going to have to pack your belongings away anyway--so, why not go ahead and show off the space that you have by eliminating larger pieces of furniture that make your rooms look smaller than they truly are.

I can tell that the master suite is 20‘ X 23’ but, I am not the one who is buying your home.  With the enormous furniture, doggie crates and baby equipment in the room, my buyers felt that the master was just too small for them!  No amount of explaining and attempts to visually place THEIR furniture convinced them.  These buyers immediately fell in love with a well-staged, sparsely furnished home with a SMALLER master suite based upon the square footage!

Pricing, condition and staging your Charlotte home are top contenders for buyer critique during the home shopping process.  To be the one that the buyers fall in love with, you must pay special attention to all three!

If you’re thinking of selling your Charlotte home, give me a call at (704) 491-3310 or email me at Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com!  I’m happy to walk you through the process and discuss getting your home SOLD!

Read more: http://www.icharlotterealestate.com/3-common-charlotte-home-seller-mistakes-thoughts-from-the-buyers%e2%80%99-perspective/#ixzz1fA4QOKtW

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

Disclosure of material contained within.

Charlotte Home Seller Checklist

Read more: http://www.icharlotterealestate.com/for-sellers/sellers-checklist/#ixzz1ZmVqzkNu

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

Disclosure of material contained within.

Don’t Be So Emotional!  4 Mistakes Charlotte Real Estate Sellers Make

More than likely, you’ve cooked dinners, you’ve played games and you’ve made thousands of memories within the personally decorated walls of your home — and now you think you’re ready to move on. No matter the reason for selling your Charlotte real estate, getting emotional is normal. However, you need to keep those emotions in check, because they could be detrimental to closing the deal.

Emotional calls constantly get sellers in troubling situations that make them regret their split decisions. A snide remark, too-low offer or fixer-up request from the buyer can push your buttons, but you need to set your feelings aside in order to do what’s best for your financial future. Below are emotional mistakes that can stop negotiations and put you in housing hot water!

• Overpricing faux pas – Just because your sweat is worth a lot to you doesn’t mean that your property’s value will reflect the years of hard work, cleaning, upgrades and love you’ve put into it. Do your research. If there are comparable houses in your neighborhood at lower price points, reduce your listing price so that you’ll be a contender for buyers.
• Negative negotiating – Even though you may not want to entertain low offers, listen to your Charlotte real estate agent. He or she has been through hundreds of negotiations and is your best bet for closing the deal at a fair price.
• Personal injuries – Don’t let buyer biases get to your personal ego and cause you to reject a potential purchaser. Remember, you are selling this house and moving on; they’ll be able to do whatever they want once they own it anyway.
• Mourning the sale – The memories go with you, so don’t have any second thoughts. Concentrate on making new happy moments in your future home.

Don’t let sentimental seller’s syndrome cause you to blow a fuse, have seller’s remorse, or worst of all, lose a sale. Eliminate emotions from the sale process in order to draw in buyers, get your money’s worth and sell quickly.

If you need help selling your Charlotte real estate, call me or email me for more information.
 

Read more: http://www.icharlotterealestate.com/charlotte-home-seller-tips-leave-the-emotions-out-of-the-equation/#ixzz1XYx6Wace

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

Disclosure of material contained within.

It is beautiful here in Pullman Washington, but the night time temperatures are beginning to drop a bit.  I know last night we dipped into the 40's and I believe last week into the 30's.  Most of my listings this year have SOLD, or we have temporary month to month tenants in them. But it is important to keep in mind the cooler weather is just around the corner.

This is the time to have your furnace checked to make sure it is running in tip top order.  A well maintained furnace will last longer and run more efficiently, thus saving you money.  And don't forget to have plenty of filters on hand.  They do need to be changed regularly.  In fact, for those listings of mine that have tenants, I often encourage them to provide them for their tenant and send reminders to change them monthly when they send a receipt for their monthly rent received.  It is a low cost way to ensure those filters are indeed being changed.  And much more cost effective than a service call for a dirty furnace.  

It is also a good idea to remind your tenant that if they should leave for an extended period of time, not to shut OFF the furnace.  But instead keep it at a minimum 52 degrees to avoid freezing pipes.

I also highly recommend contacting the local utility company, in our case here in Pullman Washington, Avista Utilities and let them know you want to be notified if the service is disconnected due to non-payment. Freezing pipes often lead to a bursting pipe that can a lot of damage and expense.  

May I also suggest enlisting a neighbor's help.  Find a neighbor that you can leave a key with in case of emergency.  I find this especially important in the case where you are away from your home and there is a power outage.  A neighbor will be alerted to the fact that power has gone off as they live in the neighborhood. Then once it is restored can go and check to be sure everything is up working again, especially the furnace.

For more information about Lori see her profiles at: Lori Cofer's Businessweek profile; Lori Cofer's Google profile; Lori Cofer's Lookup Page and Lori Cofer's Naymz profile.  Feel free to read her helpful articles on New Construction in Pullman WA; Info about Pullman WA; More Helpful Info about Pullman WA; Info About the Pullman WA schools Info About the Pullman-Moscow Bill Chipman Trail; Ten Easy Ways to Improve Your Curb Appeal For Sellers; Five Tips on Buying Your New Pullman Home; More Tips for Buyers; and Tips on Building Your New Custom Pullman WA Home.

If you enjoyed my post, why not connect with me elsewhere?

 

About Lori Cofer Find my Pullman dream home What is my home worth? Help me relocate! Contact Lori Cofer

 

 

Are You Thinking of Listing Your Charlotte Home?  Remember, Pricing Is Critical

So you're going to list your Charlotte home for sale?  Why not increase your chances of selling your home in this competitive Charlotte real estate market, maximizing your net, on one of your largest investments.

The single most important decision you will make in selling your Charlotte home is pricing it correctly.  No amount of marketing, advertising, open houses, cleaning or staging will sell an overpriced house, period.  Because we are inundated with online stats and have access to SO much information, today's savvy buyers are definitely informed and have a thorough understanding of your competition and recent sales in your area.  And because the buyer pool is smaller than it was when you purchased your home, you WILL miss your buyer, have to endure the market longer and more importantly, sell your house for less money.

Oftentimes when a Realtor® presents a market absorption trend and a comparative market analysis (CMA) to determine a seller's home value, many sellers respond, "Oh no!  I'm not just going to give my house away--especially not after all that we've done to the place!"

The fact is, we work with and in the local market stats each and every day of the week and are confident in our market assessments.  We tour other homes in your community that are also on the market to compare--as well, you should do the same.  Our goal is to get the BEST possible price for your home that we possibly can.  Realtors® who work in your local market are far more 'in-tune' with the particulars that lend themselves to your home's value, whether negatively or positively.

When a seller prices their home ABOVE the market value, your showings will reflect that as well.  Few or no showings = no Offer on the home.  If a buyer does fall in love with an overpriced home and the Contract price is too high, the home will not appraise.  This MUST be taken into consideration when listing your Charlotte home. 

Also, bear in mind that if you do overprice your Charlotte home for sale, you could be helping your neighbors sell their home which is priced at market value.  The longer your home sits on the market, the more buyers (and their agents) will wonder what is wrong with your property.

In summary, over-pricing can...

• Increase your market time
• Reduce the number of showings on your home
  
• DECREASE your net
• Sell your neighbor's home
• Cause your deal to 'fall apart' with an appraisal that is less than your Contract price.
  

Are you seriously ready to list your Charlotte Home, to sell it now and avoid the pitfalls of overpricing?  We can help!  Give us a call today or visit our website for a wealth of information to help you sell your Charlotte home.

Originally posted at www.iCharlotteRealEstate.com

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

Disclosure of material contained within.

Buyers Market and Charlotte Home Sellers -

Bringing the Two Together for the Sale

In today’s real estate market, you can experience a difficult time selling your Charlotte home.  However, the fact remains that homes are still being bought and sold each and every day. Buyers are out there; your mission, as a seller is to attract them to your home.

Here are a few tips for getting Charlotte homes SOLD in any real estate market:

Prepararation – Your home needs to stand out from the rest, including sparkle and shine:

•    Make minor repairs: Patch holes, fix faucets and replace cracked tiles.
•    Clean thoroughly inside and out: Including cobwebs, dirty carpets, worn rugs and getting rid of any smelly odors.
•    Check your curb appeal: Mow the lawn, plant flowers, trim bushes, etc.
•    Remove clutter and de-personalize: If it isn’t essential, pack it up or get rid of it, keeping in mind that eventually, when your home sells, you’re going to have to pack it up anyway!
•    Straighten out your cabinets and closets: Buyers will open them; make sure they’re nice and neat.

Staging -  Hire a professional home stager or if money is tight, read informational home staging articles on doing it yourself. Here are a few quick tips: •    Carefullychoose your window coverings, or eliminate them.
•    Tie new bathroom towels with ribbons or cording for a polished bathroom look.
• Use colors to bring out the appeal in the room.
• Don’t forget the plants. A simple, yet highly effective way to make a difference with a showing–fresh, live plants just brighten the room and the buyer gets the feeling that there is ‘great light’ in the home as well.

Good Marketing Techniques - A strong marketing campaign strategy is an absolute MUST.  A few
techniques you want to be sure you or your agent includes in your marketing campaign are:

•    Take photographs with good lighting that show off the positive aspects of your home. If you or your agent aren’t ‘into’ photography, hire a professional–well worth the money you will spend to showcase your home online.
•    Create a virtual tour that showcases both the inside and outside of your home.
•    Display the photos and virtual tour on as many real estate websites as possible.

Selling Charlotte homes isn’t a quick or easy endeavor, especially now. Aggressive marketers are the winners.  Taking the time to clean and stage your home, as well as create a far-reaching marketing campaign, can get that for SOLD sign displayed much quicker.

If you’d like to sell your home, let me create a strong, far-reaching marketing campaign to get your home SOLD.   Give me a call email me today.

Read more: http://www.icharlotterealestate.com/buyers-market-and-charlotte-home-sellers-bringing-the-two-together-for-the-sale/#ixzz1QM6N7R58

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

Disclosure of material contained within.

We MUST Go To Extremes to Protect Our Sellers' Best Interests

Do we go to the same extremes to protect our sellers that we do our buyers?   We dig and dig and do more digging to be 100% sure that the property that our buyers are purchasing property with no hidden defects, no hidden freeways proposed to run through their backyard and even no hidden bugs!

But, are agents protecting their Sellers?  I enjoy keeping my hands on both sides of the real estate transaction, representing both buyers AND sellers.  THE most frustrating thing that I encounter in my business is dealing with listings that are represented by, let's call them 'ABSENT Listing Agents.'  

These absent agents are not just the ones who charge a small fee to list the seller's home in MLS but, FULL time agents who charge FULL price to represent their Sellers.  Some of the MOST frustrating things that we all encounter are:

[] Slow or NO return phone calls--especially when I'm holding gold in my hands (A BUYER FOR THEIR SELLER'S HOME)!

[] Poor coaching/teaching of properly staging or presenting their homes for SELLING

[] Lack of proper (COMMISSION-REQUIRED) documents available for the Buyer

[] Not presenting Offers to the Sellers in a timely manner (or not at ALL!)

[] Not having Supra lockboxes on homes and having combo locks that DON'T work!

Yes, those things do affect both my buyers and me!  We've all hashed these over and over again but, what about consideration for the SELLER. Here's my beef--

While searching for a home for a buyer, I pulled all of the homes available in a particular area--specifically ONE neighborhood. What I found would be horribly distressing to any seller:

• Several were grossly misrepresented and some had very basic, bland, non-enthusiastic descriptions. 
  
  
• One had the MAIN photo taken from the driver's seat of the car!  The agent was so lazy that not only did he/she not bother to step out of the car but, they didn't even CROP the photo to get the car rear view mirror out of the picture!

• There's more...one home has been on the market for over 500 days and is priced at OVER twice the next-highest-priced home in the neighborhood! Now, if disclosure is important to this agent, there is no notation that the seller is an agent.  Which brings me to the question--What are these Sellers drinking? They've been on the market for over a year with the SAME agent who has priced their home as though they would be happy to sell 20 years from now...not NOW!   I know that some of you are going to think that probably the Seller just won't lower the price and it's not the agent's fault but, if you saw the lack of marketing on this home...

• I also received a referral who wants us to sell her home after over one year on the market with no showings in over TWO months!  As it turns out,  their agent has decided to leave the business and has obviously been contemplating this for some time as evidenced by the poor manner in which this home has been marketed and shown over the past few months.  

WHO is protecting these poor Sellers?  Both of these homes should have LONG since been sold.  They are both great homes and  they both should have been sold a year ago. Unfortunately we have no recourse for these Sellers as we are not allowed to contact them directly to let them know how poorly they're represented.  

Doesn't this just make you want to shout it out to the world--SELLER BEWARE?!

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

Disclosure of material contained within.