Email ElizabethHow You Say It Matters More Than What You Say
How you say, it matters more than what you say in real estate. A short sale bank negotiator a few years ago demanded that I change the marketing comments because the negotiator took offense to the way I elected to describe a home for sale. The negotiator has no control over how a Sacramento REALTOR and her seller choose to market the home. And this particular negotiator had no sense of humor, but buyer’s agents seemed to really appreciate this listing.
I don’t recall offhand exactly what I wrote, but there was a rotting pumpkin dissolving into the living room floor, and I pretty much described it that way. I also told buyer’s agents not to poke their noses into the stinky fish tank if they didn’t want to gag. The home was a fixer and trashed. These things were the truth about the property, evident in the photographs, and a buyer would notice it walking through. The thing is, though, most agents tend to bend the truth in a marketing description because agents want the listing to appeal to the largest pool of home buyers possible. That’s why they use the word cozy instead of tiny and say “open sky feeling” when the roof is missing.
This particular listing with the rotting pumpkin did not and would not appeal to a large pool of buyers. It would appeal to the flipper or contractor who knew precisely what they were getting into, and sure enough, that’s who bought it and closed escrow. I didn’t alter the comments, btw. The seller and I liked the verbiage the way it appeared.
You can read more about our thoughts in another timeless blog about It’s How a Sacramento REALTOR Says It to Describe a Home For Sale.
For professional representation in listing or buying a home, please call Weintraub & Wallace Realtors, with RE/MAX Gold Real Estate at 916.233.6759.
Is It Worth Fixing to Sell a Home in Sacramento?
When I list a home in Sacramento, in addition to preparing my visual inspection and trying to work up fabulous marketing verbiage to sell the home, I look for the drawbacks, the things a buyer might object to. If it’s within the reality of affordability to improve and it could change how a home buyer might view the home, I will strongly suggest the seller take action.
The problem is sometimes sellers don’t want to do it. They want to sell strictly AS IS and they don’t understand how a small thing can make such a huge difference. A seller told me this morning that she figures a buyer with “energy and vision” will buy her home. Yes, they probably will, but that person with “energy and vision” is also likely to offer less than list price. She’d be better off selling to a buyer who doesn’t need the “energy and vision” to buy it. In her case, it’s a small thing, moving a refrigerator partly into the garage by cutting a hole in the wall for it. It overpowers the kitchen and buyers have turned down buying this home during the previous listing with another agent because of it; I’m fairly certain.
She might not appreciate the information, because it’s probably not what she wants to hear, but I deliver the message anyway. It’s my job.
You can read more in another timeless blog about The Mindset of Home Buyers in Sacramento Today.
For professional representation in listing or buying a home, please call Weintraub & Wallace Realtors at 916.233.6759.
Is the Buyer Entitled to Know Why Her Offer Was Rejected?
When I think about why a buyer and the buyer’s agent might want a Sacramento listing agent to answer why the buyer’s offer was rejected, it reminds me a little bit of the reasons a listing agent might wonder why a particular seller didn’t list with her. I’m not immune from such a thing, and it has happened to me, although not very often, thank goodness. I’ll do an incredible job for a client, and when it comes time to sell again, they might call some other agent to list, even though they gave me a glowing review at the time their escrow closed.
It’s not because I don’t stay in touch because I do. I try to touch my clients at least a couple of times a year, and they see my name everywhere. But every once in a blue moon a former client will not call me when it’s time to list a home. And it’s OK, actually. I don’t need to ask the reason because the reason has nothing to do with me. Some agents think they own people, and we don’t own anybody. People’s lives change and they run into agents wherever they go. Their reason for choosing an agent generally has nothing to do with the former agent they did not list with, because it’s other reasons. The world doesn’t revolve around us listing agents.
I prefer to have 100% referral reciprocation but every so often a person will choose somebody else, and generally for a very innocent reason. I see some agents get angry when it happens to them, and it’s such self defeatist behavior.
Then, we come to why a buyer’s offer was rejected. Does the buyer have a right to know the reason? You can read more in one of my timeless blogs today about Why Did the Seller Reject an Offer For the Home?
For professional representation, please call Weintraub & Wallace Realtors at RE/MAX at 916.233.6759.
The Seller Demand to Close Escrow
For a fact, I know that I am not the only listing agent in Sacramento to
expect buyers and their agents to conform to the purchase contract, but
the reaction I sometimes receive astounds me. It’s as though the agents
cannot believe that we would ask the buyer to perform in accordance with
the contract and they don’t understand why we don’t just lay off the
requests for documents such as the Contingency Release.
It’s not like we enjoy asking for documents. We have a fiduciary
relationship to our sellers to do what is best for our sellers, and what is best
for our sellers is for all parties to adhere to the terms of the purchase
contract. Were not trying to be ogres or make unreasonable demands, but
you wouldn’t know it by the way some agents react.
Fortunately, we have a form by the California Association of Realtors for
agent use through ZipForms that allows a release of deposit, signed
unilaterally by the seller. You can read more in my timeless blog today
about The Seller Demand to Release Deposit Can Shake Up California
Escrows.
Call Weintraub & Wallace Realtors if you are looking for professional representation.
We can be reached at 916-233-6759 with RE/MAX Gold.
Sacramento Realtor JaCi Wallace celebrates a milestone birthday in Elk Grove
Sacramento Realtor JaCi Wallace celebrates a milestone birthday in Elk Grove at the Sheldon Inn. Celebrating a birthday with family felt so very special as with Covid-19; our get-togethers have been rare for the last 18 months. No one had Covid19 thus far. We were so blessed. Also, celebrating my job as a Realtor and licensed 27 years. What a journey. The is photo shows my handsome very tall son J.T. Bradley of Bradley Builders construction, my niece Candace in the Hawaiian dress, my baby sister Lisa in the blue top, and my sister Cathy with the pixie hair cut.
My niece, Candace, asked me many thought-provoking questions at the Inn; it’s a birthday game. So what have I learned in real estate about myself? The list is endless. I’ve learned how to tactfully interact with tough and complicated people and keep my cool. In my history as a Police Officer, if someone didn’t do what you told them, it sometimes required physical force if necessary to gain compliance. I can’t physically restrain people in real estate as it’s a game of using your mind and your heart to guide you. Sometimes, I’ve learned the hard way; it’s best to let go of toxic people and fire a client nicely by saying, ” I’m not the right fit for you.” Problem-solving is what Realtors do most, day to day, hour to hour, some days it’s minute to minute.
When selling Sacramento real estate, I often see it brings out the best and the worst in people, including buyers, sellers, Realtors, lenders, home inspectors, pest inspectors, roof inspectors, sewer inspectors, well inspectors, septic inspectors, escrow officers, contractors, and appraisers, only to name a few of the vendors involved when we sell a property. Fortunately, our vendors are on top of everything 95% of the time. But, of course, no one is perfect, and having a few bad days now and then or a health issue is part of the human experience.
Sacramento Realtor JaCi Wallace celebrates a milestone birthday in Elk Grove, It was a fun blog to write, and I hope you enjoyed it too. Call Weintraub & Wallace Realtors with RE/MAX Gold real estate if you want to sell or buy a home. Our team collectively has over 92 years of real estate experience. You can reach us 24/7 at 916-233-6759.
JaCi Wallace
Sacramento Realtor Weintraub & Wallace
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