Selling

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000" background="040c8c00dkcfsz.gif"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="167" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 118 WIDTH="161"><div> <A HREF="id85.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Real Estate Home"><U><B><IMG SRC="2fb8d540.gif" border=0 width="141" height="84" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <I>Click here to return to Real Estate Home page</I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 68 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="mailto:executive.services@prodigy.net" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:executive.services@prodigy.net"><U><I><B>Shelly Collins</B></I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:executive.services@prodigy.net" TARGET="_top" 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WIDTH="451" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 99 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id173.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="broker"><U><I><IMG SRC="75c83420.gif" border=0 width="131" height="66" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></I></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id85.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Real Estate Home"><U><I><IMG SRC="2fb8d540.gif" border=0 width="141" height="84" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></I></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <I><B>LOANS & </B></I></div> <div> <I><B>Real Estate</B></I></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></I></div> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="2f6527d0.gif" border=0 width="82" height="125" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></I><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I><B> </B></I></FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I><B>Owner </B></I></FONT></div> <div> <I><B>Who Tries To Control Sale May Lose It</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Head of a thriving furniture store, this middle-aged man was a master at negotiating the sale.  So it seemed natural for him to mastermind the sale of his home.</I></div> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="2f72e2d0.gif" border=0 width="46" height="45" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></I><I>When an offer came in a $2,000 less than his asking price, he dismissed his listing agent's recommendation to accept the deal without quibbling.</I></div> <div> <I>"He was a control freak.  In the beginning, he refused to listen to me or to accept even a dollar under the full price," recalls the Century 21 agent who represented the store owner.</I></div> <div> <I>Who was hurt most by the man's overbearing behavior?  He was.</I></div> <div> <I>After the first bidder walked away without a counteroffer, a second proposal didn't come in for 45 days.  And that, which the humbled homeowner felt compelled to accept, was $20,000 below asking price.</I></div> <div> <I>The owner of a home always retains the ultimate say on pricing, but intervene excessively in this or other elements of home marketing, and risk self-sabotage.  </I></div> <div> <I>There are several ways a home seller may become overly pushy, reducing the odds of the best possible outcome.</I></div> <div> <I>Some sellers try to second-guess their listing agent on when, where and how to advertise a home.  </I></div> <div> <I>Some try to edit agents' comments in the multiple listing service entry on the home.  </I></div> <div> <I>And some force themselves on would-be prospects when the place is shown. </I></div> <div> <I>Some sellers are 'type A' people.  They have to be in charge on every decision </I></div> <div> <I>Executive or management professionals could be especially tempted to exercise undue control over a realtor.  People who boss other people are used to being in charge.  Whatever your personality or rank, you could undermine your chances for the best possible sale by micromanaging your agent.</I></div> <div> <I><IMG SRC="2f9866c0.gif" border=0 width="134" height="108" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></I></div> <div> <I><B>Find an agent you trust, </B></I></div> <div> <I><B>then let that agent do the job.</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>Suggestions For Home Sellers</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>* Don't lurk in the background during an open house.</B></I></div> <div> <I>Some control freaks insist on sticking around during an open house, making everyone involved uncomfortable.</I></div> <div> <I>Knowing it's not customary for owners to be present when a place is open for public viewing, some sellers promise to remain quiet and in the background, yet when buyers come through, overbearing sellers can't resist pointing out features of the house they like best.  </I></div> <div> <I>When the owner is present during a showing, a potential buyer feels he's invading private domain and is too inhibited to explore the house the way he must to picture living there; and may not feel comfortable checking details like the closet space or even the garage.</I></div> <div> <I>Some buyers may attempt a return visit to see a home more thoroughly, most won't bother, taking the path of least resistance.</I></div> <div> <I><B>* Don't open direct discussion with buyers or their agents.</B></I></div> <div> <I>Each time a house is shown to prospects, the owner is entitled to feedback, to adjust his strategy.  For example, the seller needs to know if visitors think his place is too expensive or too cluttered.</I></div> <div> <I>The prudent course is for the seller's agent to get feedback from the buyer's agent and then pass it to the owner.</I></div> <div> <I><B>Real estate deals are very emotional.  It is important to keep every deal at arm's length.</B></I></div> <div> <I>There are at least two hazards when homeowners open direct communication with would-be buyers, or their agents. </I></div> <div> <I>First - it conveys desperation on the seller's part, which usually weakens his bargaining position.</I></div> <div> <I>Second - the owner might inadvertently say too much.</I></div> <div> <I>A seller could lose leverage, for example, if he happens to remark that he's in the middle of a messy divorce, requiring his home be sold by a particular date.  Such information could embolden a potential bidder to be more aggressive in seeking a lower price or better terms.</I></div> <div> <I><B>* Keep yourself from becoming too involved in the petty parts of the deal.</B></I></div> <div> <I>Several prospective home deals come unglued because the owner nit-picked small elements of the deal.</I></div> <div> <I>For example, unduly limiting appliances and window coverings that are part of a transaction may create problems.</I></div> <div> <I>If buyers get the impression that you're difficult to deal with, they may just walk.</I></div> <div> <I><B>* Lighten up for a better, happier outcome.</B></I></div> <div> <I>Unpleasant as it may seem, once the place you've called "home" goes up for sale, it becomes a product to be merchandised like a wedding dress or a once treasured car. No one cares about the happy memories </I><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I>you've experienced in your home.</I></FONT></div> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="2fb8d540.gif" border=0 width="141" height="84" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A successful sale requires you to detach yourself from the habitat and mentally move on to your next residence.</B></I><I>  Doing so helps an overbearing seller to back off and lets a listing agent accomplish the optimum result.</I></div> <div> <I>During the arduous and sometimes inconvenient selling process, reward yourself.  When your home is being shown, go visit a friend you haven't seen in months or take in a movie.  </I></div> <div> <I>Selling your home doesn't have to be torture.  Look upon it as an adventure. </I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Wingdings" ><I>œ</I></FONT></div> <div> <I>Excerpts from LA Times - Ellen James Martin, distributed by Universal Press Syndicate.</I></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>