Posted by Naples Homes Center on Feb 25, 2010 in Naples Homes Blog | 0 comments
Your real estate agent will undoubtedly prepare flyers (print, online or both) about your property so that prospective home buyers can be informed about the attractive features of your house. These flyers (or similar ones) should also be sent or hand-delivered to all the local real estate offices, too.
Since real estate agents get these flyers every week, they do not always look at them. However, a large percentage of them do. Some Realtors will keep the flyer and bring buyers to your house.
The flyer should be printed professionally and have high quality real estate photos. Ask your real estate agent to show you copies of office flyers they have done in the past.
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Posted by Naples Homes Center on Feb 25, 2010 in Naples Homes Blog | 0 comments
Broker preview or broker open house is very similar to an office preview, except it is open to all the members of the local multiple listing service. It usually occurs within the first week your house is placed on the market, just after the office preview. However, there are lots of new listings to choose from and not all the agents preview all the new listings each week. You may not get as many agents visiting your home as there were on the office preview.
Unless your agent “entices” them to come. This is where you could provide some help, if you are so inclined.
Though it may seem funny, nothing seems to attract a real estate agent like the offer of free food. So if your agent offers “free eats” at a broker preview, you are likely to get more visitors than if nothing is offered. Realize that many agents have been on this weekly circuit for years, so “boring” food does not really accomplish much. In other words, sandwiches supplied from the local grocery chain are not very enticing.
If you want to help your agent sell your home quickly, try and help them be creative and original in the choice of a culinary treat.
Of course, some agents will actually come to look at your house – whether food is offered or not.
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Posted by Naples Homes Center on Feb 25, 2010 in Naples Homes Blog | 0 comments
An real estate office preview is a great way to hit the ground running. Realtors get a chance to preview your home and learn about the home’s best features before bringing by potential buyers. The goal is more showings, and if you’re fortunate, a quick sale of your home.
If your listing agent belongs to a fairly sizable office, an “office preview” will introduce your house to other agents working in the same office. In effect, they get a “head start” on selling your property. Once a week, the office’s agents will get together, share vehicles, and “caravan” to all of the new listings. They generally pull up in front of your house at about the same time (some even use a bus) then file quickly through your home to see all the rooms and best features.
It can be amazing to watch.
Some may go through quickly, while others methodically open each closet. They are usually looking for anything memorable or different and to determine if your house is one that would fit their client’s needs. Then they all pile back into their cars and move on to the next house on the tour.
But some of them come back…with buyers.
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Posted by Naples Homes Center on Feb 25, 2010 in Naples Homes Blog | 0 comments
Your agent should prepare a flyer that displays a photo and provides details about your house. There should also be a phone number so buyers can contact your agent to get additional information. The flyers should be displayed in a prominent location in your home and sometimes in a brochure box attached to the “for sale” sign. There are times when it’s best to leave flyers inside and force buyers to call or come in to receive a flyer.
The brochure box is convenient for those buyers who drive by and just happen to see the “for sale” sign in front of your house. It provides enough information so they can determine if they want to follow up with a phone call or inform their own agent they are interested in your house.
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Posted by Naples Homes Center on Feb 25, 2010 in Naples Homes Blog | 0 comments
It seems fairly obvious that when you put your house up for sale that your agent will put a “for sale” sign in the front yard. The sign will identify the agent’s company, the agent, and have a phone number so prospective buyers can call and get information.
Some communities do not allow signs at all, others have strict rules as to color, size and lettering. They may also have rules about open house signs. Check with your management company or consult your Home Owner’s Association documents. Make sure you and your Realtor abide by the all community rules regarding signage.
Signs are great at generating phone calls, even if very few actually purchase the home they call about. However, you might be one of the lucky ones. For that reason, you should determine what happens when someone calls the number on the sign. The agents cell phone works best.
You want someone to answer the phone while the caller is engaged. When buyers call the number on the sign, the call should go to a live person who can answer questions immediately. Your should be ready to answer questions about square feet, taxes or anything else a potential buyer may ask.
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Posted by Naples Homes Center on Feb 25, 2010 in Naples Homes Blog | 0 comments
The Listing Agent & Marketing Your Home
The “Real” Role of a Listing Agent
When you bought your home, you probably used the services of a real estate agent. You found that agent through a referral from a friend or family member or perhaps online where over 80% of home buyers begin their search for Naples Florida real estate. The agent helped you in many ways and eventually you found the house of your dreams, made an offer, had your closing and moved in.
For whatever reason, now it is time to sell your home and you need the help of local Naples Realtor again. Many home sellers, especially those selling their first home, tend to think all real estate agents are similar to the one that helped them buy their home.
Although real estate agents can and do work with both buyers and sellers, most tend to concentrate more on one than the other. They specialize. When you bought your home, you probably worked with a “buyer’s agent” – an agent that works mostly with buyers. Because of the nature of real estate advertising and marketing, the public’s main image of the real estate profession is that of the buyer’s agent.
As a result, many homeowners expect their listing agent to do the same things that a buyer’s agent does – find someone to buy their home. After all, they do the things you would expect if they were searching for buyers. A sign goes up in the front yard. Ads are placed in the local newspaper and real estate. magazines. Your agent holds an open house on the weekend. Your house is proudly displayed on Internet sites from Realtor.com to many others through Listhub.
But this is only “surface” marketing. More important activity occurs behind the scenes. After the “for sale” sign goes up and flyers are printed, your agent’s main job is to market your home to other agents as well as homebuyers.
At White Sands Realty, we do this in a select listing program we call, “Maximum Exposure.” Maximum Exposure involves several marketing avenues that work synergisticly together to give your home the most exposure possible to the buying public. Some features of the Maximum Exposure program are:
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- Priority placement on major real estate portals such as: Realtor.com, Trulia.com and Zillow.com.
- Up to 24 pictures on the Internet (dependent on website allowances).
- International exposure to Europe, Canada and others.
- Private showings with personal attention to point out features buyers/Realtors may miss.
- Unique print advertisements in local papers and luxury magazines designed to stand-out-in-the-crowd.
- Broker open houses to show off your home to local agents.
- Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn promotions of your home.
- YouTube video of your home for details beyond pictures and static imagery.
- The latest in text ads to feature your home with the latest technology.
- Old fashion word-of-mouth promotion. We answer our phones personally 90% of the time.
- World class photography and professionally designed brochures to present your home in the best light.
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Posted by admin on Feb 25, 2010 in Naples Homes Blog | 3 comments
Listing Commissions and Techniques that Can Backfire
During a “hot market” or seller’s market there is a certain marketing technique which, though very effective, could cause trouble because of the way the contract is written. This is the practice of “under-pricing” the home. In a hot market, a home that is under-priced gets a lot of attention from other Realtors, and they all start showing your home to their clients. Often, you get into a situation where multiple offers are presented and the price starts going up because of the frenzy. You end up selling the house above your asking price and perhaps above what you could have received if you had priced it traditionally.
However, the technique does have the potential to backfire, so you should build safeguards to prevent having to pay a commission “just in case.”
You see, the listing contract usually states that if an offer is received that meets the terms presented in the contract (including price), the real estate agent has earned his or her commission – even if you decide not to sell. A reputable agent would never attempt to collect a commission if they were using the “under-pricing” technique and it backfired, even if they are technically entitled to one. For that reason, in the “additional terms” space on the listing contract, you should specify your true target price – when the real estate agent has really earned the commission.
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Posted by Naples Homes Center on Feb 25, 2010 in Naples Homes Blog | 0 comments
Your listing contract specifies a listing price. Your Realtors job is to bring a “ready, willing and able” buyer to present an offer. If you reach agreement with the buyer, then the agent has done his job and earned the commission. Once the sale has closed, the real estate broker gets paid from the proceeds of the sale.
If the buyer proves unable or unwilling to conclude the sale, the house is placed back on the market and the agent has to begin earning his or her commission all over again.
However, if the seller backs out after a contract is executed without valid cause (perhaps he simply changed his mind and decided not to sell or that he wants more for his home), the listing broker has still earned the commission. In this case the real estate agent and/or his broker may want to be paid. Even though you did not actually sell your home, you are liable for the commission. Therefore, it is very important to carefully consider every detail when signing and accepting an offer to buy your property.
If you have any questions regarding the legal issues related to your listing agreement or a contract to purchase your home, you should always consult a certified real estate attorney. Real estate agents are forbidden from practicing law and cannot advise you on your legal rights.
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Posted by admin on Feb 25, 2010 in Naples Homes Blog | 3 comments
First and foremost, there can be no set listing commission in a certain area of the country otherwise it could be considered price fixing.
Each brokerage firm sets it’s own listing commissions based on the services they offer, their business plan and what the market will bear. Therefore, listing commission are different at different real estate firms.
Most firms will negotiate a little on the total commission, but many larger firms have a set rate for exclusive listings and they will not allow their real estate agents to reduce their listing commission even if they want to.
Other real estate firms or discount brokerages will charge a set fee for certain services. They may even list your home under a limited service agreement that may specify you must handle the showings yourself.
Smaller boutique real estate firms tend to be more negotiable when it comes to the total listing commission. They have less overhead and less restrictions from upper management.
Make sure you understand all the terms of your listing agreement before you sign it. All commissions should be spelled out for the listing broker and any real estate agent who brings a buyer into the equation. If you are unclear about anything in your listing agreement, ask for clarification or consult a real estate attorney.
Mark C. Weber is a Naples Realtor, Broker & Owner of White Sands Realty in Naples, Florida. He is a 30+ year resident of Naples and specializes in finding people Naples homes on or near the beach and waterfront. If you are interested in Naples real estate or have a question about this article please contact him through
Email or by calling 239-417-1115.
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Posted by admin on Feb 25, 2010 in Naples Homes Blog | 0 comments
There are times when you and your real estate agent have a disagreement that you cannot resolve by yourselves. Maybe the Realtor did a poor job in your opinion or misrepresented something. Maybe your real estate agent was really doing their job correctly, but you did not understand. Perhaps the Realtor has a dispute with you.
The listing contract specifies what methods will be used to settle such disputes. You can choose to mediate or arbitrate, which is usually cheaper than hiring a lawyer and going to court. Usually, matters that can be dealt with in a small claims court are excluded from having binding arbitration.
Consult a real estate attorney for advise on this legal matter.
Mark C. Weber is a Naples Realtor, Broker & Owner of White Sands Realty in Naples, Florida. He is a 30+ year resident of Naples and specializes in finding people Naples homes on or near the beach and waterfront. If you are interested in Naples real estate or have a question about this article please contact him through
Email or by calling 239-417-1115.
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