What’s old is what’s new?
It’s no secret that I like technology. What you may not know is that I am also quite a bit nostalgic in many ways. For example, when it comes to cooking, in my mind, there “ain’t nothing like the real thing”, meaning that I will gladly take the long way to make a dish instead of using a pre-made ingredient. Now while this is true for cooking, it’s not always true in real estate.
When it comes to selling a home, many agents fall into the same practices that the agents before them have used. This is an inherent flaw in the education system, or lack of in the overall business practices for a licensee. The courses we take to get licensed, do very little to educate the future agent on how to actually sell homes. Much of that is learned experientially on the fly and/or taught by other agents. Unless the agent gets a forward thinking teacher, many times they will end up learning the ways of the past and not the newer ways to work. I struggle with this all the time.
Please understand that some things remain the same in this business, but others need to be put to rest. Take the idea of feedback calls. Many agents highlight this as part of their marketing plan. It does have its merit to an extent, but what you don’t know is that some agents hound the buyers’ agent so much, that they alienate themselves. Some even penalize agents who don’t give feedback. Truth be told, no buyer has ever not made an offer because the seller agent refused to ask for feedback. If a buyer likes a home, they will make an offer. That is the best feedback you ever need! Agents who think that feedback is the be all and end all of marketing, should re-think their plan.
Working efficiently is a good thing, but sometimes it can cause you to totally miss other opportunities. For example, the “team” approach. Efficient, yes. Problem is that most fail to build the proper relationship with the agent they hired and the return business is lower. Open houses are another. They do serve a purpose, but it’s not what a seller might think. Maybe 1% of homes are sold by open house. The benefit is to the agent in most cases. They meet new clients. In reality, with information readily available online, the need to hold an open house is minimal. Why leave the house when you can view in the comfort of your home? This leads to the actual solution which is having a strong online presence. The photos are what truly sell a home. If you have ever looked at homes online, you have seen some bad photos that caused you to quickly skip the home and go to the next.
Sadly, many sellers lose buyers before they even get to the door due to bad marketing. The fix? Hire someone who will put actual effort into your listing and spend the funds to make it shine online. The rest will fall into place if you put out a true representation of your home for sale.
So, listen to the past and don’t ignore it, but be willing to look at what is new with an open mind. Somewhere in the middle is a great way to list and sell your home!