Real estate is cyclical by nature. And in our current market, conditions are rapidly changing both in my market and across the nation.

When showing homes in this current market, I often acknowledge to myself that something is really wrong with the picture. Have you ever gotten the feeing that the home you are showing will not sell in your lifetime? Perhaps pricing, appearance, and marketing are missing from the big picture? It's as though the home was listed without a marketing plan. Someone just placed a sign in the ground!

The home could sell, but my experience tells me that the home has little or no chance of ever selling as it is currently marketed. Why is this? Inexperience or indifference comes to mind.

You cannot help but wonder is anyone advising the seller on the homes' appearance, pricing, or any other negatives impeding the sale of the home. But these are all issues that can be corrected!

Working Real Estate Full Time: Real estate cannot be worked part-time. The nature of brokerage is that you are dealing with other people's costly possessions! It is an issue of trust. So if you aren't giving real estate 100 percent attention, you need to move on.

The co-oping agent has to pull double duty to get the deal closed. If you work another job, you better disclose it up front! The only person you are deceiving is yourself. Return calls in a timely fashion -- the same day, and update listing status changes in real time.

Pricing a Home to Market: A real estate professional does not list a home at any price the seller chooses. We've gotten used to listing the home at the seller's price. We did not have to qualify the price. Some agents were just buying the listing!

Telling the seller the home is worth way more than the market value just to get the listing. The only problem is that now the homes are not selling! We are in buyer markets in many areas of the nation. If you are so sure the home will sell at the agreed upon listing price … then place in the listing agreement a clause that states, "At no time during the term of the listing agreement will you request a price reduction!"

Identify the Competition: Take off the rose colored glasses, and inform the seller of real current conditions for his home. Competition in price range: from new homes, current market inventory, market absorption rates, offered builder incentives, bonuses, upgrades, improvements, increased commissions and other incentives.

Determine the Negatives and Objections and Correct: Walk the entire property, and take notes! Notes are very important! Date the notepad, and have the seller initial it. If the home needs interior or exterior paint, carpeting, a new roof, or furnaces -- be sure that it is done. This is why they call the current market a buyer's market. There are more goods available for buyers to pick and choose what they want to buy and they can be negotiated on the buyer's terms.

Clean and Immaculate Homes Sell: Cleanliness helps homes sell more quickly -- and at a higher price.

Smelly Homes are Offensive: Vacant homes should be aired out frequently. Odors should never be masked with heavy scented perfumes etc.

Neutralize Those Colors: Neutral colors appeal to more people, so they have a greater chance of selling. Darker colors tend to be more spatial and confining.

Maintain the Exterior: Nothing is worse to drive into a great neighborhood that the buyer really likes and pulling up to the house -- overgrown lawn and all. Homes offered for sale where the lawn is not trimmed appear as "foreclosure bait!" The buyer will say, "Next!"

Don't Posture: When another offer comes in, work it! Don't say I have another offer coming in when you don't! If you do the buyer will step back and wait. Several weeks later when the listing is still showing as, "ACTIVE" the buyer may come back at an even lower price. Selling is not based upon manipulation, or "Liar's Poker!" It is employing time tested strategies, and negotiation skills that allow us to earn a very good living.

Make Available Your Current Contact Information: Voice mails and recording machines need to forward, or provide alternative numbers where you can be reached immediately. If you are going out of town, or plan to go on vacation, have someone cover for you. Return all calls the same day. Do not have other agents show their listings for you without notifying the client first. That is abusive. If you're going to work real estate, then be willing to do what it takes! Remember, others are depending upon you!

Published: July 4, 2006

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Jim Crawford, ABR, e-PRO 500 is currently licensed as a Broker Associate with RE/MAX Paramount Properties in Atlanta Georgia, and as a Broker Associate with Prudential PenFed Realty Fairfax Virginia. Jim and his wife Ellen work as a husband and wife team in the northern Atlanta suburbs, and have recently expanded their web business to Northern Virginia and Maryland. As the team's rainmaker, Jim is a self-taught webmaster and designer, and he relies exclusively on the Internet for marketing. He is considered an expert on marketing, nationwide relocation, cutting edge technology, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for real estate, and Internet marketing. Jim's seminars, online contributions, and technology ideas assist real estate agents to maximize their business results, and raise the industry's professional service level skills. His common sense marketing ideas have been published and quoted regularly in trade publications. He has also consulted and advised NAR offices regarding Internet issues, and Internet ethics for Realtors. In between sales, Jim is a popular speaker at national and regional real estate seminars, REBAR Camps, Blogging seminars and retreats. Jim is a major proponent and advocate of online ethics and the development of social media policies. He is also an online real estate coach, with a self-tutorial coaching site for real estate professionals for webs and Blogging. Jim was a featured speaker at the November 2004 National Association of REALTORS® convention in Orlando, and has spoken at the several REALTORS® conventions both in the United States and Canada. Visit his website at RealEstateTechCoach.com, or e-mail him at .