Stephanie Jacques

This morning I received an email with a link to send a holiday card to a US soldier overseas.

It was quick and easy and is a nice representation of my feelings towards what another human is doing for their country, for us.

If you would like to Send Thanks Overseas to remember those who are fighting for us, take 2 minutes and pick out a hand drawn card, a message (or write your own), and send the card. It will be printed out and send to a soldier at no cost to you, thanks to Xerox.

Happy Thanksgiving. Have a restful week and take a moment to appreciate your family.

I owe too much.

I need enough to put down on my next house.

What a normal strategy to want to take when needing to sell a home. If I weren't in real estate I'd likely be thinking the same thing. Ever hear of "knowing enough to know you don't know enough?" That's what hit me during my first year of selling real estate 8 years ago. It was then I realized the complications and lack of resources one faces when "trying to sell on my own to save on commission."

• Can you be available to show your home anytime a buyer requests it?
• Can you prequalify a buyer before he or she sucks up so much of your time while you hang on with hope that they'll eventually make an offer?
• Most buyers are shopping online now and where is your home if it's not on as many websites as possible?
• Most buyers work with Realtors who mostly shop the MLS market because they are sure to work with a professional on the other end who adheres to a strict code of ethics.\

Just to name a few thoughts that run through my mind.

But I hear this all the time and can't say I don't blame them for trying. In the end, to achieve their goals most for sale by owners end up hiring an expert who gets the job done. The time, resources for marketing and support offered by a firm only begin to tap into the package a seller gets when enlisting a professional to sell their home.

I recently put under contract a for sale by owner home that became an absolute nightmare. Seller overpriced because they over-remodelled and didn't put money into the home in places that support it's value (i.e.- failed septic, contaminated ancient dug well). These sellers were such do-it-yourselfers that the mickey mouse plumbing, roofing and just about every repair project they did was enough to scare the inspectors. Buyer backs out and I easily sell a listed home that is appropriately priced and that has been vetted out by a knowledgable Realtor for any potential red flags prior to listing it.

Not to say it can't be done! It can... but who will want to pay for an overpriced home just because you owe too much in the first place? The market has not kept up with the prices we all saw 4-5 years ago.

This morning I visited with a for sale by owner. The intention was that I had the listing besides them and needed to know what their home offered in the event my buyer wanted to look at theirs as well. Both homes have unique features so it's beneficial for me to have access to as many available selling properties as possible. What I discovered is, if a buyer wishes to offer on the for sale by owner home, there is a lot of work to be done to make it happen, if it can even happen at all.

Be safe, check with an agent if you begin to feel you are in over your head. Some agents specialize in working with financially distressed sellers so you shouldn't have to worry about "selling on my own to save on paying the commission." I've been down this road with several sellers this past year and it's not fun but it's a job that has to be done if it's in my hands, and I will do it respectfully.

There is no doubt in my mind that I am a consultant to the buyers and sellers I represent. What's funny about it is I'm the only one who approaches it this way. I don't get the sense that the buyer or seller takes on this perspective because if they did, their initial questions may take on a different form.

If I were hiring a consultant, I would have a series of questions to ask which would help me validate that they are the right person for the job. There are several factors involved that could make our relationship for the next 3-6+ months either a good one or one that we'd wished we'd never commited to:

• Expertise in my area
• Communication methods
• Process for tracking and monitoring progress
• Skill of delivery of information
• Strategies for negotiation
• Relations within the community
• Relations with contractors
• Relations with other agents
• Marketing strategies
• Ability to use social media

To me, expertise and skill in these performance areas means that the agent is more well rounded and capable of satisfying my needs beyond just listing my home or finding me property. I've taken a moment to select a few of these above and describe to potential clients how I rate among these characteristics.

To me, it's important to treat initial "interviews" or initial meetings with potential clients as though I were going on a professional interview, because it's my one and only moment to prove my character is right for the job!

11/21/2009

28 Owens Drive, Swanzey 10:00-12:00

37H Windsor Court, Keene 11:30-1:00

131 Swanzey Lake Rd, Swanzey 11:00-12:30

58 Valley Park Drive, Chesterfield 12:00-1:00

31 Base Hill Rd, Keene 11:00-1:00

515 Washington Street, Keene 11:30-1:00

59 Gilsum Rd, Sullivan 1:30-3:00

48 Martin Street, Keene 10:30-12:30 NEW PRICE!

37 Base Hill Rd, Keene 1:00-3:00

39 Base Hill Rd, Keene 1:00-3:00

11/22/2009

28 Owens Drive, Swanzey 11:00-1:00

100 Forestview Drive, Chesterfield 11:00-1:00

9 Dearborn Circle, Walpole 10:30-12:30

11/25/2009

28 Owens Drive, Swanzey 3:00-5:00

I arrived at the office today with a few hours open to "prospect" and "do marketing stuff"... After promoting my propertines on Twitter and sending mailings to just expired listings, I arrived at the making of my web commercial on Fullfilling my Clients Dreams.

Thanks to Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate's marketing tools, this turned out lovely. I can't wait to use it.

Enjoy, and have a great weekend.