Real Estate Reality – How Real Estate should work in your best interest

       

      Many people believe the job of a Realtor is to list, sell and market homes.  While this is true, a Realtor is hired to work for YOU.  If you are a homeowner looking to list your home, more than likely you are looking to sell for the highest price that the market can bare.  The Agent that you choose to hire has to tackle the job of marketing your home, but more importantly they are hired to represent you, and it is their job to see to it that their fiduciary responsibility to you is first and foremost.

      If your Realtor requests that your home listing remain exclusive with their firm, what does this mean?  Well, for starters, if you are looking to have less traffic in your home, and keep it rather quiet and private, this may be the way you want to go.  However, if you are looking to get the best price for your home, this alternative is more than likely not the best choice.

      The Multiple Listing Service has approximately 17,000 realtors, which enables us to share our listings with one another, allow for showings and hopefully offers.  Having your home exposed to this many Agents means each Agent can tap into their individual data base of buyers and share your home with them.  Chances are, one of them may be the perfect match for your home.  If you are not able to reach these buyers, how can you be sure that you are getting the right price for your home?

      Some agents like the comfort of dealing with one agent, and if that is the case, ask that agent to accompany showings, but don’t exclusively limit yourself to one agency when the best chance of getting the best price is to open it to all others.  If you were looking for a job, would you interview with only one firm, or would you send your resume’ out to many to increase your chances that the best opportunity would present itself?

      Selling your home is no different.  In being completely honest, the only person that is benefiting by your exclusive listing is the agency you hired.  The chances of their firm gaining the full commission compensation rather than having to share it is in their best interest…but is it in yours?

      To truly understand the difference in listing your home as an Exclusive or as a Multiple Listing Property – stop in and speak with one of our associates. Let us explain the difference! 631-647-7013. 
Visit our New Website www.MegSmithandAssociates.com.  Like Us on Facebook www.Facebook.com/MegSmithAndAssociatesRealEstate.

Why Selling in the Winter is a Wonderful Idea!

So often we hear that homeowners want to wait until the spring to sell their homes.  After all, in the spring  the grass is greener, the flowers are blooming, the curb appeal is prettier and the weather is the most comfortable for home shopping, so surely this is the best time to sell, right? Well, while this is all true, it is also true is that so many others are thinking just like you.

  What sellers don't realize when they want to wait until the spring is that their neighbor is contemplating the same strategy.  In the spring the market becomes saturated, and a saturated market often becomes a buyers market.  The more competition you have, the more likely you are to have to negotiate more aggressively to beat the competition, often resulting in a lower sales price.  The more homes on the market, the less traffic there is coming to view yours.

  The spring is often not enough lead time for those that wish to be out by summer.  It takes several weeks or months to find the right buyer.  This coupled with the process of the mortgage application, new funding guidelines, title searches and all of the necessary items needed to close the transaction, summer may very well have passed you by.

The goal of many to move in the summer is due in part to the fact that those with children would like to be settled into new school districts, which starts early September.  It is also a great time for teachers and others whose careers allow them more flexibility in the summer months to make this move.

According to successful Realtors, the advice is to give yourself enough lead time to make this transaction as comfortable as possible.  List your home in the winter, when others are waiting until spring.  The most serious of shoppers will come out when the weather is at its worst, and after all, isn't it the serious shoppers we want?  Listing this winter will give you the extra needed time to market, find the right buyer and prepare to move in the summer months ahead.