Kye Grace

Ever avoided calling a phone number because you had no interest in speaking to a sales person? I use a solution that allows the buyer and seller to be accommodated without anyone having to speak to the Realtor until they know the property is truly of interest. The alternative, if they don't call the sign, we hope they follow up on MLS.ca when they get home. Why take the chance?

I apologize for the audio, I am using a new camera and it may take me a bit to get the audio sorted. I felt it was better to get something up rather than nothing at all today. I vow to solve this quickly.

Act Fast? I doubt it...your listing has been on the market for a 120 days.

What is with Realtors who cannot, will not or just plain do not update the property descriptions in their MLS listings. I love coming across a listing that says 'Act Fast', 'Better Hurry', 'Seller Motivated' and the property has been on the market for more than 30 days and often into the 100s of days on the market.

To me it says two things about the Realtor, one their evaluation of the price or desirability of the property was innaccurate or they are simply throwing a weak sales pitch at consumers. An attempt at fear, if you don't move quick you won't get this property. Oh no the consumer may have to buy one of the other properties that make up the record number of listings available. I consider these two areas of these Realtor's work needing swift improvement. The importance of communicating the market value and condition of a property to the Seller is near the top of 'the hills to die' on in Real Estate. Without the ability to do so, or walk away from the listing is shortcut to a long drawn out likely to die on the vine listing. How does that serve the clients? That and I believe firmly the charlatan days of Real Estate are gone. After the housing meltdown in the US, buyers and sellers are leery; cheesy sales gimmicks trigger an emotional response associated with the meltdown and turn them off.

In my city sellers are paying around 12 to 25 thousand dollars in commissions to have their property marketed and sold. Reality is prices are sliding monthly in most areas so the longer it takes the more it costing them on top of the commission. Hook the clients up and keep the marketing current.

Better yet make it effective from day one.

In case there is any wonder what marketing I use follow this LINK (to avoid sounding like a hypocrite). There are a few more items to come in the next few months relating to full color features sheets directly to mobile phones, individual websites for each property and professional copywriting.

You know what isn't coming...print ads, not now...not ever.

That and the term 'Act Fast'.

If you have young children and are looking to purchase a condo or townhouse one amenity you may want to consider looking for is a playground in a secure courtyard. As you see in this vlog we can pop outside for fifteen or twenty minutes of outside play time without having to leave the property. We get down to the large playground at False Creek Elementary when we can but time does not always allow that to happen. It is a great feature that you might not think much of until you start to take advantage of.

I spent some time at my Grandmother's helping get her house ready for sale. What an amazing amount of work it is prepping an older home for sale. The two 'easier' actions you can take are painting the interior and pressure washing the exterior areas. These are two tasks that will drastically improve the impression your home makes on buyers and will cost very little compared to the return they will bring.

Selling your home privately comes with challenges that you may not be ready for.

In this vlog I discuss the difficulty of negotiating as a private seller directly with the buyer and how that may be difficult. People become very attached to certain things in their life and no doubt money and their home are two of them. If you don't think you can be told your is not worth that you think it is or as nice as you think it is and remain constructive then perhaps dealing directly with the buyer is not for you. Odds are you think your house is nicer or worth more than you think it is, and better odds are the buyer will think the opposite.