A client implied a few days ago that I have other sources of income primarily because I am a real estate broker. It occurred to me how little the public knows about the real estate profession. They talk to friends who feed them misinformation. Being a real estate broker means I am held to a higher standard of knowledge, which can result in a higher level of personal liability, actually. But it doesn't equate to a higher commission check. I still work for Lyon Real Estate, which has its own broker.
Moreover, sometimes sellers think that we real estate agents have a magic wand for selling their home. That we are going to do something special, out-of-the-ordinary or spectacular like fly the Goodyear blimp over their home and drop ch-ch-ch-cherry bombs or give away a free BMW. They figure we know just what to say to make that buyer whip out the checkbook and write an earnest money deposit.
The truth is buyers do whatever the heck they want to do. And I'm seeing a lot of them pause and reflect before writing an offer, which is excellent news. Impulsive purchases can lead to buyer's remorse and cold feet.
A few months ago, I'd receive offers from buyers before I even noticed their agent had shown them the home. I try to check MLS every night to follow up on my listings. Now, I see offers coming in a few days after a showing. So, either buyers are looking at more homes before making an offer or they are taking their time to consider which home they want to buy.
When I put a home on the market, I would like to kid myself that it's my carefully crafted description of the home that is motivating a buyer to go see it. However, we all know it's the photos. Because you can't sell a home online. The only thing a listing agent is doing by putting a listing on the online is motivating a buyer to want to see that home. You can't sell a home if you can't get a buyer inside of it. Photos entice a buyer. Photos tell a story. Photos speak a 1000 words. Photos deliver a message.
One of the things I've been focusing on lately is showing buyers the view from inside out. What can you see outside of the window? What is the view like? If you were standing on the front steps of that home, what do you see? Sometimes it's a picture I want to include in my listings, and sometimes it is not. We've all been there with that buyer who doesn't want to get out of the car when we pull up. Bbbbut that house is brown, and I don't like brown houses . . . whine.
I just listed an unusual condo in the Astoria condominiums in Natomas. It's a 4-story with the master suite located on the top level. It also sits at the back of the development with a view of the greenbelt. It's this location that makes the condo worth its asking price of $130,000. 2580 West El Camino Avenue, #10101, Sacramento, CA 95835 is offered exclusively by Lyon Real Estate as a short sale. For more information, call your Sacramento short sale agent, Elizabeth Weintraub, at 916 233 6759. For a private showing, call Linda Swanson at 916 607 0111.
Photo: Elizabeth Weintraub
