Listing The Property

Features of a saleable listing

In real estate business, every marketable listing or catalog is related to specific characteristics and features. These features are applicable for matters related to the property as well as the specialized talents of the sales person or marketing agency. Some of these features are discussed in brief below.

Exclusive

In the instance of an exclusive listing it is understood that the sales person representing the brokerage has acquired some degree of assurance from the seller (property owner) and to a certain extent has also reached an understanding or agreement with the seller regarding the marketing of the property and the assistance he or she has to provide to the real estate owner in selling the property. On the other hand, the seller has also made rational promises of commission to the brokerage as well as the sales person following the sale of the property.

It may be mentioned here that an MLS (Multiple Listing Services) listing is also an exclusive listing with new and special aspects. But in the instance of an MLS listing the seller or the property owner enjoys an additional benefit of being able to avail the services of other brokerages too. In plain terms, the basic of a marketable listing means that it is in black and white, signed and legal.

Realistic time period

Another aspect that plays a vital role in marketing a real estate property is that all listed property need sufficient time for promotion in the market. However, the time for which the listed property should be adequately exposed in the market varies depending on the situations prevailing in the market at the particular time when the property is being promoted for sale. The prevailing market conditions may be usually obtained from the reports published by the real estate boards from time to time. In fact, many real estate boards also have the least amount of time frame for putting a listed property on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS).

Precise information

It is important to note that all listings are basically agreements and hence it is essential that all data related to the property are not only absolute, but precise too. The practitioners are advised to request the property owner/ seller to show all relevant certificates relating to the real estate that has been listed and corroborate each and every data provided by the seller regarding his or her property. This also includes authentication of the mortgage with the help of a mortgage verification form. It must be remembered that any incorrect or partial information regarding a listed property may eventually lead to devastating results.

Price

Collect all the requisite date to set up a listing price of the property. Here, it is important for the sellers to recognize that what is important in the sale of a property is what an enthusiastic and knowledgeable purchaser will possibly pay for the real estate asset and not the amount they desire to receive. In fact, veteran and practiced sales persons are familiar with the fact that establishing a very high listing price compared to the prevailing market value of a property will only drive away authentic prospective buyers. Had the listing price been reasonable, the same prospects would have made practical or sensible bids to buy the same property. It has generally been seen that if there is a huge difference between the listing price and the market value of a property, the chances of the asset being sold within a practical time frame becomes dim.

Confidence

A marketable listing of a property also demands that the sales person is accountable for building up trust in the association with the property owner/ seller. This can be best achieved when the sales person makes it a point to exhibit familiarity, aptitude, capability and an optimistic approach. Thus, it is essential for the sales person to thrash out all the promotional plans with the property owner/ seller right at the beginning of their association and build a bond with him or her.

Acquaintance with the property

In order to enhance the marketability of a listing, it is important that the sales person has a functional knowledge of the real estate property. If the sales person makes a little effort to know about the processes of opening the cabinet doors, ensure the precise position of the switches of the lights in the dwelling, learn about the neighbors and find out the reason that had led the seller to buy the home initially will always help him or her while showing the property to the prospects. These small efforts on the part of the sales person definitely go a long way in enhancing the saleability of a property.

Advising the seller

It has been often noticed that during the course of servicing and promoting listed properties acknowledged and flourishing marketing people always design their modus operandi cautiously. In fact, a frank and sincere dialogue during the listing period will enable the seller or the real estate property owner to have increased perception of the issues involved and the real methods of displaying as well as offering a presentation of the property to a prospective buyer. In effect, a seller is also able to largely assist in the marketing procedure if he or she adopts the following measures:

  • Keep the property organized for showing it to prospective clients, undertake necessary repairs, cleaning and also discuss and agree with the sales person if any decoration is required to make the home attractive to prospects.
  • Adopt suppleness for agreeing to meet the prospects and show them the property. The sales person needs to give surety to the owners saying that sufficient time would be given to them before arranging a showing. In addition, it is also necessary to convince the owners that they should be prepared for showings at short notices as this would eventually be in their (seller's) benefit.
  • Try and avoid the owner's participation during the showing course. Majority of the marketing agents do not want the owners to be present at the showings, as the absence of the owner/ seller facilitates an open conversation between the sales person and the prospects. However, if the owner insists on being present during the showings, they should remain in the background and only give their views when asked by the marketing agent.
  • Ensuring an open house is important during the showing process. Thus, the marketing representatives should talk about this choice honestly with the seller. The seller should be openly told about his or her duties, the brokerage, the processes and the advantages of inviting prospects to look over the property through an open house.
  • The seller should always refer all direct contacts from the prospective buyers to the listing representative. There may be occasions when the prospective buyers or the sales agent will try to evade the courteousness of carrying out business via the listing agent and straight away get in touch with the sellers/ owners. Hence, it is important to advise the sellers that in such situations they need to right away give a call to the listing agent. It is advisable that the listing marketing agent keeps an adequate stock of his or her visiting cards with the seller to enable them to make a call to them.
  • Handle bid presentations carefully. It is important for the sales person to openly specify the numerous situations in which bids may be presented and also give details of the listing marketing agent's function or responsibility in the offer presentation. The different situations in which offers may be presented include functioning with cooperating brokerages as sub-agents and buyer brokerages and the repercussions of working with double agencies in special instances.

Farming

For those engaged in real estate transaction 'farming' is a familiar term. In real estate prospecting purposes, the expression 'farming' denotes the collection of a particular geographic region, while it may perhaps exist as a societal or financial area of control. It may be mentioned here that 'farming' is the most effective prospecting tool for cultivating and discovering new potential leads that are likely to generate sales and income for our business. In fact, the term "farming" is a parallel for the prospecting seeds planted in a successful marketing campaign to a targeted audience. A number of fundamental principles may help in profitably utilizing this approach. Some of them are mentioned below.

  • Begin with a foundation of only some 200 or 300 homes or real estate properties.
  • It is advisable to choose a familiar locality where you will take pleasure in working.
  • Be well-versed with the region's societal, political, physical and financial aspects.
  • Create a sound strategy and follow it in order to develop into a familiar sales agent in that particular locality.
  • Keep in touch with the inhabitants of the area regularly by means of personal contacts, mails and newsletters.
  • Build up exact mailing records and client contact cards. Make an effort to become a meticulous record keeper regarding all communications with the residents of the locality.
  • Nurture a routine program of communication with all landlords in the locality.
  • Sustain a constant publicity program directed to all the property owners in that region.

Listing interview preparation

Real estate practitioners are advised to undertake a number of consequent measures prior to their meeting with prospective property sellers. These include:

  • Collecting support data from all accessible sources such as the MLS documentations and the office files.
  • Ensuring that all the listing stuff such as presentation guidebook, forms, listing book, brochures and other handouts, are complete.
  • Getting ready to set up the most competitive or viable listing price for the home owner/ seller. This includes creating a relative market scrutiny describing in detail all existing inventories, listed properties that have already been sold as well as the terminated listings in the specific locality that are analogous to the seller's real estate asset.
  • Being able to hold a complete dialogue with the seller/ home owner vis-à-vis the comparative market analysis.
  • Creating a general plan to set up a listing or asking price and selling the property.
  • Having a variety of proposals regarding what will enable the seller to obtain the best price for the property.
  • Being ready to address all apprehensions of the seller and display all the marketing assistance provided by the brokerage.
  • Getting all supporting records such as information regarding the market trends, other listed properties and associated analysis as these would be helpful during discussions with the seller.

It may be mentioned here that a comparative market analysis that is frequently mentioned as a Residential Market Comparison Guide is highly helpful for common discussion objectives since neither party uses an evaluation modification process. Whenever necessary, the property owners/ sellers are at liberty to take a decision regarding the utmost listing price with the help of the sales person. In this case, it is the responsibility of the sales person to make certain that the sellers avail all requisite data to make a knowledgeable conclusion.

Listing sources

Most real estate sales agents are of the view that fruitful listing applications are the answer to a gainful career in real estate business. In fact, all real estate brokerages or sales representatives employ some specific promotional techniques to attract the property owners who would like to sell their real estate assets. Majority of the real estate practitioners exploit a range of accessible techniques to acquire listings. While there are several sources of residential listings, the reasons why home owners want to sell their properties too are many. Most frequently, the creation of listing methods is a subject of identifying these causes and preparing a system of being in touch with the home owners who are mulling over a selling their property and need the assistance of real estate brokerages. Some of the fundamental causes for deciding to sell properties consist of family issues, employment, economic standing, locality and often reputation requisites of the owners.

Veteran real estate marketing agents talk about an assortment of well-known and accepted listing sources such as:

  • Ex- real estate purchasers.
  • 'For Sale' notices and advertisements by the property owners.
  • Advertisements of particular real estate assets.
  • Advertisements for furniture sales.
  • Neighbors in the locality of the listings.
  • Terminated listings that did not sell.
  • Telephone calls (also known as 'cold calling')
  • Direct mailings to primary localities.
  • Custom home builders.
  • Notices regarding business transfers.
  • Clubs and social acquaintances.
  • News items related to business transfers.
  • News items regarding marriages.
  • Legal notices in newspaper columns.
  • Lawyers, estates and foreclosures.
  • Insurance firms, mortgage companies and pawn brokers.
  • Personnel officials in important businesses.

It must be mentioned here that the list mentioned above is not absolute in any manner. On the contrary, it is advisable that marketing people should build up their personal preferred varieties of prospecting for obtaining listing leads as well as referrals.

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