Email Elizabeth
Elizabeth Weintraub
Sellers Paying To Sell A Home
This article about sellers paying to sell a home was written by Elizabeth previously. This was written was during a different market, of course, when sellers often owed more than a property was worth. This can still happen if a seller tries to sell too soon after a purchase with little to no equity. It is a great piece on when sellers use their home as a piggy bank. — JaCi
I’m seeing more sales lately in which sellers are bringing in money to close. They are paying to sell. This might seem backwards to you because sellers are supposed to make money when they sell, but in down real estate markets, the seller might not have enough equity in the home to pay costs of sale and put money into the seller’s pocket.
Some sellers have taken out home equity loans to support other obligations or pay for home improvements. Or they have refinanced the property, draining what little precious equity remained. Although they don’t realize it, these sellers have already removed their equity. So, when they decided to sell, equity isn’t going to magically appear out of the abyss when there isn’t any equity left. To sell, they typically need to bring money to the closing table. Ouch.
Call Weintraub & Wallace Reators with RE/MAX Gold if you are interested in buying or selling a home. Call us at 916-233-6759.
Elizabeth Weintraub
Read more about Paying to Sell a Home.
How Networking Sells Homes Outside of MLS
How networking sells homes outside of MLS. This is an article written by Elizabeth for another website. It is an important topic. There are many marketing actions that sell homes besides just putting a listing into mls. Enjoy as it is a good read.
— JaCi Wallace
When I analyze my last year’s sales — in particular my listings — in about 80% of the cases, I can say the homes were pursued because I networked with the selling agent. I talk about my listings to every agent I meet. After showings, I call the agents to find out what their buyers thought, and I give them suggestions, overcome negatives and encourage them to write an offer.
Agents like to work other agents who are polite, professional and fun to work with. I believe in selling benefits over merely pointing out features. Agents who are excited about a home for their clients pass on that excitement to their clients. Networking is what makes this business work. No agent is an island working all alone. Real estate is truly a people business, and agents who like each other will do favors, push that envelope a bit harder and make deals happen.
I’d venture to guess that more than half of the sales in my office are sold within the company, if not within the office. That’s because we pitch homes at our office meeting and support each other. But I also believe in supporting my competition, especially those who work in the neighborhoods where I specialize.
If my listing isn’t a fit for a competitor’s client, I might suggest that agent take her buyer to see another listing that she might not have thought about. There is nothing wrong with asking an agent to talk about her buyers and their needs to figure out if a listing might fit those buyers. Even if it’s not my listing.
Read more about how Networking Sells Homes. If you want to sell or buy real estate call Weintraub & Wallace Realtors with Remax Gold. We can be reached at 916-233-6759.
Elizabeth Weintraub
Making Repairs that Payoff When Selling
Here is another interesting article written by Elizabeth Weintraub for another website, which I hope you will enjoy:
A seller who is putting his home on the market next week needed to get his home in shape to sell, but he had a few marks on his kitchen wall that required repair. He had tried to match the wall color in the kitchen, but could not find a good match. As a result, he ended up with two big splotches of brownish shades on his brown wall. He wanted to leave it that way. He was tired of making repairs and spending money to fix up his home before selling it.
Even though I explained to him that a buyer who is handing over more than a half-million dollars for his home will want it turnkey and ready to move into, the seller was adamant that he was not going to repaint the kitchen.
As a compromise, he is painting one wall a darker shade of brown. Because in a buyer’s market, if a buyer can easily spot defects in a home, the buyer is likely to pass it by in favor of a home that needs no work. Buyers are looking for reasons to eliminate homes from their home buying lists.
Read more about Repairs Before Selling.
For guidance on repairs that pay off, you can call us to give you guidance. Call Weintraub & Wallace Realtors with RE/MAX Gold. We can be reached at 916-233-6759.
— Elizabeth Weintraub
Getting Ready For An Open House
Getting ready for an open house is very important to how successful it would be. This blog was written by Elizabeth Weintraub for another publication. This is as relevant today as it was when written.
–Enjoy, JaCi Wallace
When I take a new listing, I try to give sellers a week or two to get ready for an open house. This article outlines steps a seller can take at least a week in advance, then 72 hours before and, finally, the night before an open house. I want everything to be picture perfect.
Nobody gets a sneak preview, either. No agents, brokers or anxious buyers. That’s because even professionals such as real estate agents form immediate opinions and often find it difficult to see past negatives.
I don’t want any negatives. I expect the home to be white-glove clean, decluttered and staged, pet-free and odor-free, and ready for a buyer to move into.
Read more about Getting Ready for an Open House .
If you would like your listings prepared from well-orchestrated plans, call Weintraub & Wallace Realtors with RE/MAX Gold. You can call us at 916-233-6759.
After Your Listing Expires
After your Listing expires, is a great article previously written by Elizabeth for another website. This situation described below happens all the time to agents when they expire out or cancel a listing to obtain a new MLS #. Why pull a new MLS #? By design to freshen up a listing with a price reduction, it sells homes. Enjoy, as it is a good read.
— JaCi Wallace
When a listing expires, all of a sudden, sellers start to hear from real estate agents. They will receive letters in the mail, telephone calls and a few aggressive agents may even show up on the doorstep, ringing the bell. All this activity might make a seller think, “Hey, my property is really hot!” But you might be better off looking in the mirror to find the reason your listing expired.
Because the first question a good real estate agent is going to ask is why are you selling? They want to find out your motivation. It’s not idle curiosity that makes an agent ask. Agents want to know your reasons to sell to determine whether you are truly a seller or a pretend “wannabe” seller. Since agents are paid on commissions, it doesn’t make much sense to work with a seller who doesn’t really want to sell.
If your motivation is in check, then there are six other factors to consider after your listing expires. We can explain and help.
Call Weintraub and Wallace with RE/MAX Gold, if your listing has expired and you want to relist. If you need real estate assistance, we are always here to help. Call Weintraub & Wallace Realtors at 916-233-6759.
Elizabeth Weintraub
Weintraub & Wallace
