I have never been one that has had much success with open houses or agent "previews" but I have noticed that since most agents now have more time on their hands that they are more available to attend these planned events.  I had one a few days ago and it was a huge success. Many more agents showed up to preview my listing than I thought would ever attend. They had time to fill out comment cards and the best part was that there was plenty of networking going on and everyone had the time to enjoy talking about the current conditions and I picked up on the trend of everyone actually getting a little more business lately.

So if you need to get agents into a listing that you want to promote now may be the best time. Things are slow and they may take the time to come out and preview. Get agents together and you'll always hear about something from one another that could benefit you or hear about their great price reduction etc. Oh, it helps to attract them there with some great food and a good give-a-way drawing too :)   so just plan one at lunchtime ! 

 

With the inventory of  homes for sale so high the amount of expiring listings is staggering. Is this a good time to work this group to relist or do you think the less homes on the market the better???? 

It seems like expired listings may be a wonderful way to increase listing inventory but this group will be expecting more from a new listing agent than their last one.  If you are listing more expireds are you getting sellers to lower prices from the former list price??? Last night on 20/20 they had a great segment about sellers "getting realistic" about why their home is not selling. The expert was telling them that yesterday's prices are gone and if they wanted to sell in todays market they had to "get real"!!!  She also told them other than their price being too high, to "fire" their current real estate agent if all he did was place their home in the MLS.

Are you all working with the expired group of sellers and what are you telling this frustrated group upon listing with you? Are these sellers looking at the new agent with realistic expectations?. I am hoping that working with expired listings that I now have sellers that are willing to do what needs to be done to get their home sold, that means painting  weathered siding, or keeping the yard manicured and lowering the price to compete with their competition.

Just when you think the market is turning back around, prices have leveled out a bit and your calendar is again full of prospective Buyers coming to town in search for their Mountain Getaway cabin or future Mountain Homesite, you hear those same words time and time again...." We still have to sell our Home in Florida before we can buy here".  What to do??? Here goes another tank of gas! Should people not look until they have their home sold so they don't get let down when the perfect home gets sold over and over again? Should we discourage looking until they have a contract on their current home?  It is a hard decision for most Buyers. There is so much fun in looking and dreaming about owning your piece of heaven here in the North GA Mountains!  I enjoy watching people get excited about moving here or finding that perfect dream home. Is the Home Equity home on the Florida Property the answer or perhaps the interest only "Bridge Loan" that gets you the property now but also gives you that Extra Monthly Payment!  These are hard questions that Buyers are facing in this Slow Real Estate Market.These are questions that a Buyer must ask themself, Am I willing to do what it takes to Buy Now and avoid disappointment or should I wait until I know I can "Pull the Trigger" and purchase the home or property of my dreams!? This is happening again and again to myself and agents in my office, what do you do to get Buyers to commit? How do you "weed out" the true Buyers from the Lookers?

I am a new owner of a "neighborhood" and just wondered if anyone has been sucessful because of being an "expert" and would welcome some tips that have worked! Do you offer customers a map of the area or maybe a newcomer package?  Has owning a neighborhood helped you in your business? Thanks for any imput!