Aaron Jones

"You can't sell the house if you don't have the listing," says one of my co-workers. True. But how far do we go? There's 2 different ways to "buy" a listing--a seller's price and our price. Either way, neither really works in the end.

When we buy a listing based upon the sellers price and beat them up down the road, we take a chance of losing the listing anyway because it's overpriced. In this market--not a good idea. In any market, it streams dollars away from your pocket because the longer you advertise, the more you lose.

When we buy a listing based on our price, our motivation with the listing is in question. Not only that, but we also short-change the other sellers who are paying "full-price" just because they have the money to do so. In the interest of full disclosure, I have negotiated my commission farther than I wanted and every time (even when the house sells) it leaves a bad taste. I understand that sticking to your guns doesn't necessarily feed the family, but by short-changing yourself you may be doing even more damage to your self-confidence and future sales in the long run.

I just came out of a listing appointment where the seller wanted to sell at $15,000 above market value, and cut my commission by a percent. Given the fact it was also in a relatively unfavorable location, it wasn't as hard to walk away, but it still stings. Yet walking away is not the worst thing. Chances are, another Realtor may take a crack at it, lose, and they'll remember you when you call them after it's expired anyway.

So here's to holding the line--you have value! Make sure others know it as well!

Fall's upon us, and maybe you're in that place a lot of sellers are. The For Sale sign is still out in the yard, the sign-in sheet doesn't have many signatures, and you're tired of picking up for an open house so the only person who can enjoy it is the Realtor waiting for someone, anyone to come through. Is it time to pull the sign and wait 'till spring? Nope.

Here's why:

• That's exactly what the competition's doing! Do you stay in the same line and wait forever or take advantage of the fact that some houses are finally selling, freeing up buyers to finally take action on your house? Your call.
• Going back to "Day 1" doesn't really reset the clock. Your neighbors know your house has been for sale. People watching online know your house has been for sale. Knowledgable Realtors doing their research will know exactly what your home was priced at last year, how many days on market, and that there were no offers. There is no magic formula for newness, so why not keep plugging away?
• If you do get the offer sooner rather than later (even in the cold & snow in some areas like mine in Rochester, Stewartville, etc.) the small inconvenience of moving then will be made up for in the joy that comes in heading to that new location.
• Freeing yourself up by adjusting price now will allow you to be more liquid in favorable buying conditions--creating more equity for you in 5, 10, 30 years down the road.

Don't sign that cancellation agreement just yet! In fact, this is the time to gear up and make a go of it. Yes, there's hesitation right now locally, nationally, and globally. But guess what? People are still moving. The question is, what are you doing to place yourself in that select group?

So I've put a couple in my car and out we go to look at houses. At house #1 the wife spends most of her time looking at the master suite, kitchen, and bathrooms while the husband investigates the garage & the shed out back. Stereotypical, I know. But what are the things we learn from gender needs and preferences in the purchase of a home? Here's a few:

• Don't overgeneralize right away. Just because he's a guy doesn't mean he needs or wants the garagemahal. Interview the clients thoroughly to discover their lifestyle first, and what kind of home they're looking to purchase.
• Ask questions when looking. You can go general ("What are your impressions?") or specific ("What's your thoughts on the kitchen layout as it matches what we discussed?"). Either way, the more feedback you receive, the better.
• Find out who's the dominant buyer. If you're working w/ someone who's single--may be not much of a problem:) However, in family structures, sometimes even a grandmother or eldest child may be the one who casts the swing vote. It'll save a lot of time & effort cutting to the chase & better servicing your clients.
• Sometimes a spade is a spade. Women are indeed concerned with the "feel" of a home while guys want to know when the furnace was last serviced. Women like large closets and cozy fireplaces, and guys appreciate a well-built shop. There's nothing wrong with "man land" and the "girlee zone". Each individual needs to feel like their personal space is accomodated effectively.

Certainly, you have others. The challenge though, is to bring clarity to the situation. The ultimate goal is a place that feels like home. With all of the choices out there, it's imperative that Realtors are as efficient and attentive as possible.

Listing homes is an art when it's done well. It can also be disastrous when key components are ignored. Some of the masters of the business recommend a certain amount of research and interaction before taking on any listing. What are the things we need to consider before forging ahead and getting signatures?

• Always, always, always--price, condition, & location are key elements!
• If the sellers were to rate their motivation to move on a scale of 1 to 10, where are they?
• If previously listed, what's the feedback been like?
• How does the home stack up to comparables?
• How soon do the owners need the home sold? Tomorrow? Well then, pricing is key (along w/ condition)!
• Do I want another overpriced listing? When will price reductions take place?
• How much do they owe against the house?
• Short-sale, foreclosure, sherriff's sale?
• Are all parties on title willing sellers?
• Are the sellers willing to make improvements necessary to place the home in a saleable condition?
• Are showing times flexible enough to allow buyers in at reasonable times?
• How familiar are the sellers w/ your marketing plan? Have them state it back to make sure you're on the same page & get off on the right path.
• Do I have key information to reach all parties when an offer arrives?
• Have the sellers seen an estimate of proceeds sheet?

I know, tip of the iceberg, maybe even basic. However, none of it really can be overlooked for a successful sale. Some of this can be done in a pre-list packet, some in a one-step meeting. Yet don't rush to take photos & do date entry until you have something worth selling. Remember, your name is attached to it!

For 4 years now our family has hosted players for the Minnesota Ice Hawks, a Tier 3 Junior A hockey team affiliated with the Minnesota Junior Hockey League. We've loved every minute of it as we've had some great guys live with us that have become a part of the family. Some of them have gone onto great success in other Division 1 programs. Coach Nick Fatis has done an excellent job getting the boys ready to play, and Michael Fatis (General Manager) always seems to find the right talent that gels together.

Doing real estate is sometimes like hockey. Yes, people sometimes feel like they've been checked into the boards in a changing market. Occasionally a goal is scored. And a much of the time it takes a solid team effort to be successful. I've realized over the years that personalities may change, but the end goal remains--a winning product with continued development. That's what I strive to do each day as I help people meet their needs for various stages of life.

It's hard to believe hockey season is here with such a gorgeous day, but it does allow me to think about the things I need to do to improve myself in life. Here's to your aspirations for a winning year whatever your goals may be!