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Sellers Who Undermine Their Agents

Written by Posted On Wednesday, 23 October 2013 11:33

One of the hardest things for some sellers to do is to put their future in a real estate professional's hands. They'll list their home for sale, and then sabotage their agent and themselves by refusing to follow their advice.

While it's scary to give up control over something as important as a home, these sellers don't realize that they'll have much more control over what happens by working with and not against their agent.

Your agent knows the market, how to negotiate, how to do all the steps of the transaction, understands contracts and disclosures, and how to solve problems that invariably show up in all transactions. Yet, some sellers just can't bring themselves to turn things over to their agent, especially if they think they can do a better job themselves.

Are you undermining your agent? If you do any of the following or go against your agent's advice - you might ruin your chances of selling your home quickly and for the best price:

  • Insist on a short listing period in an attempt to make the agent "work faster"
  • Insist your home is worth more than market comparables
  • Price your home according to your own financial needs, not what the home is actually worth
  • Refuse to make repairs or updates that would make the home easier to sell
  • Disclose some but not all of your home's flaws to buyers
  • Decline inconvenient showings because the home isn't show-ready
  • Stay home for showings so you can size up the buyers
  • Show your home to unrepresented buyers
  • Get huffy when others find flaws in your home's condition or pricing
  • Stall negotiations over relatively minor points hoping the buyer will blink first

Just as your agent hasn't been trained to do your job, you may not understand the nuances of your agent's job - which is to sell your home quickly and safely, and for the highest price possible.

Your agent's advice is based on hard-earned knowledge of human nature, typical housing problems, buyers' preferences, market conditions, and which strategies work best in which situations.

The best way to control your home's sale is to listen to your agent.

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Blanche Evans

"Blanche Evans is a true rainmaker who brings prosperity to everything she touches.” Jan Tardy, Tardy & Associates

I have extensive and award-winning experience in marketing, communications, journalism and art fields. I’m a self-starter who works well with others as well as independently, and I take great pride in my networking and teamwork skills.

Blanche founded evansEmedia.com in 2008 as a copywriting/marketing support firm using Adobe Creative Suite products. Clients include Petey Parker and Associates, Whispering Pines RV and Cabin Resort, Greater Greenville Association of REALTORS®, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, Prudential California Realty, MLS Listings of Northern California, Tardy & Associates, among others. See: www.evansemagazine.com, www.ggarmarketclick.com and www.peteyparkerenterprises.com.

Contact Blanche at: [email protected]

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