1646 West Chester Pike
West Chester, PA
610.497.2000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
West Chester, PA – Top Chester County, PA realtor Don Dowd has been in the real estate business for a while now, and he knows a thing or two about what not to do when you go about selling a home. Dowd says that while the market is improving right now for sellers, there are still some common mistakes they need to avoid to ensure a timely sale and a good price.
"Selling your home in Delaware County, Montgomery County, Chester County, or wherever you happen to be requires avoiding some costly mistakes," Dowd says. "I like to refer to them as the 7 deadly sins of home selling. If you can avoid these major sins, you have a pretty good chance of getting close to the price you want in this market."
"No matter what kind of market you are in, to get top dollar for your home, it cannot be labeled a fixer upper. Most end-user buyers want a home that is move-in ready, unless they are looking for a bargain investment property they can turn into a quick profit. So when most buyers see stuff – even small stuff – that needs repairing, they tend to shy away, because people don't want a home repair project when they move into their new house."
"The first thing people look at when they pull up to your home is the outside. If your lawn is overgrown and your trees and bushes are not trimmed, this will turn people off. First impressions are critical, so make sure to give your home curb appeal."
"The housing market is definitely improving, but because some people are still underwater with their homes, they tend to try and swing for the fences with the listing price. This can be a big mistake for two reasons. Number one – the first 2-4 weeks of listing a home are critical in driving mass interest to the property. During these early weeks, it often becomes an auction mentality, where you have multiple offers and the potential to receive a price that is above what you are asking. Number two – the longer a house stays on the market with no buyer, the more people start to believe there is something wrong with it – even when there is nothing at all to be concerned about. For these two reasons, statistics show that homes priced properly from the beginning yield a higher return than those that are overpriced and eventually necessitate a price reduction."
"A common seller mistake is trying to sell their home without a realtor. Most people choose this option because of the perceived savings it will bring. But the reality is that this can be quite costly in the long run, because if you sell on your own, you wont have the marketing resources of a professional realtor backing you up. In sales, it's all about how much traffic you can bring through your doors before you find the perfect buyer. A top realtor will be able to leverage the vast marketing infrastructure they already have in place to attract more potential buyers. This is would be nearly impossible to duplicate selling on your own."
"Sellers need to know what marketing methods their realtor is going to use, otherwise they may find out that their home has been put on the back burner with little effort being put into selling it. Always ask for a detailed description of what the agent intends to do to get your home sold. The reason is that there is a big difference between what a leading realtor does, and what a typical realtor may do. Top realtors use a wide range of marketing techniques (both online and offline) to find that ideal buyer in the shortest time possible."
"Many homeowners believe that all realtors are the same. Not true. There are buyer's agents and there are listing agents. A buyer's agent works primarily with people wanting to purchase a home. Because they do not have many (if any) of their own listings, they are generally only aware of the buyers they are working with. In addition, buyer's agents do not specialize in marketing homes, so they are not likely to have a plan in place to reach targeted prospects through online marketing, direct mail, and other methods."
"By contrast, a listing agent is one that lives and breathes home selling. Because they have multiple listings in an area, they are familiar with who is looking for homes and where to find prospective buyers. As a listing agent myself, I personally have an email list of over 10,000 area realtors that I have compiled over the years I've been in business. So when a seller lists with me, they gain instant exposure to virtually every agent in the area that has buyers looking for a home like theirs. Bottom line -- to ensure maximum visibility and a faster sale, home sellers need to be sure to deal only with listing agents."
"Sellers often fail to check references and online rankings before choosing a real estate agent. By not checking out your realtor, you may end up with someone that is not an effective home seller. Always do your due diligence and make sure the agent you choose is a full-time agent and not some part-time ‘weekend warrior' that has another job but does real estate ‘on the side.' Along these same lines, ask the realtor their commission split with the brokerage. This will tell you a lot about his/her negotiating skills, as well as the resources they have available to properly market your home."
Don Dowd is a RE/MAX Main Line real estate agent and member of the prestigious National Association of Realtors. Don has been in sales for almost his entire adult life and he began his career in real estate at age 22. From 2010 through 2012, Don consistently ranked in the top 5 in sales out of 3204 RE/MAX agents in the Philadelphia and Delaware area. He is on pace to surpass those figures for 2013. What sets Don apart from most realtors is his ability and willingness to invest the resources necessary to properly market the homes of his clients. He is able to do this because he retains 99% of the commissions he earns, as opposed to most real estate agents that keep 50%. His superior resources and exceptional negotiating skills make Don Dowd one of the top realtors in the region.
Don Dowd
1646 West Chester Pike, Suite 2
West Chester, Pa 19382
Mobile: 610.497.2000
Office: 610.692.2228
DonDowd72@yahoo.com
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