When confronted with this tough decision, most agents would rather achieve excellence in customer service. They feel that is the pathway to a growing, sustainable business.

In my many years in real estate sales and real estate training and coaching, I have encountered few agents who reach the upper echelon of real estate sales with the exclusive view of customer service. Before you jump to conclusions of my viewpoint, it is essential to excel at both disciplines of customer creation and customer service in order to become a Champion Agent or Champion Team. While trying to climb the mountain of success, one of these sections will be secondary to the other. Your investment of time and energy will be larger with one than with the other. Your staff will pick up on your signals of which is more important to you and will adopt that prioritization, as well. The decisions you make in this one area will determine how quickly you execute your success plan.

In terms of earnings and income, I have met many agents who earn large sums of money who are world class in client creation and down right poor in customer service. While these agents don’t generate the referrals they should because of their customer service, they have developed viable business because of their top-notch skills in client creation. Again, I want to emphasize this is not the ideal platform for success. It is better than a limited focus exclusively on customer service. In the end, you must achieve a balance between these two areas. While climbing the ladder of success, your focus must be tilted to customer creation, however.

I have wrapped up the real word for customer creation in a fancy wrapper to make it more palatable. It’s like the exterior coating they put on aspirin, so it doesn’t upset our stomachs as much. Let me peel off the coating of customer creation and call it what it really is . . . prospecting.

As the leader on the team, your primary job is to be a Champion’s example; to be the model that all your other administrative and sales staff will follow. You need to set the example of prospecting on a daily basis. Let’s have a real truth moment in our relationship. The truth is you are in sales . . . right? Sales is a profession where we have to find prospects to sell our services to.

Champion Team Rule – Prospecting is the first step in the sales process. You are in sales; you need to prospect.

If you don’t prospect, you won’t find prospects. If you don’t find prospects, you won’t be able to make presentations to prospects to create customers. If you don’t have customers, there won’t be anyone for you to serve. You won’t be able to deliver exceptional service, so you won’t be able to create clients. These clients you don’t have won’t be able to send you referrals, so you can acquire new prospects easier.

We really have an unlimited supply of what we can prospect. Webster defines prospecting as “seeking a potential customer; seeking with a vision of success.” In the definition, it doesn’t say waiting for the phone to ring, sending out post cards, hoping someone calls me. It clearly says that prospecting is a seeking activity. Let me share a guarantee from ancient scripture. “Seek, and you shall find.” The guarantee is if you seek, you will find. I hear all the time from people, “Well, what if it doesn’t work?” You are assured it will work because seekers become finders.

The second segment of this definition is that we need to “seek with a vision of success.” Webster must have worked in a real estate office before. He knows how other agents can try to pull you down or away from prospecting. You could even have brokers who try to belittle you because of your prospecting. Webster was saying, get your mind to positive, expect good results, focus on that, and you will succeed. Don’t let others negatively influence your vision of success.

The quandary isn’t should I or shouldn’t I prospect. It’s what method should I use and how much prospecting do I need to do daily to achieve my goals in sales, income, and net profit? What standard do I need to set for my team? What sources do I need to invest my time in prospecting? What sources are most effective based on my market conditions? What creates the greatest short-term revenue? What source creates the most significant long-term revenue? These are all points to evaluate before you begin the disciplined process of prospecting.

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You need to pay attention to certain aspects of your home if you intend to sell it. The asking price is a factor that most people you advice you about. It is an important part of enticing buyers, but there are other qualities or features that make your home an individual entity. Besides the price you can attract a buyer with the beauty, coziness, functionality etc of your home.

Another thing that you could do to evaluate your home is to think like a buyer. What aspects of your home would attract you? What features of your home would convince you in its favor?

Here are some tips that can prove to be useful:

- Get familiar with the prevailing home prices in your area and price your house reasonably
- You can add a premium to your house if it is in a good residential area
- Strategize your marketing options and work out a good plan to promote and advertise your home. You could take professional help or even prepare an ad yourself for the local classifieds or for a property website on the net.
- You could arrange for a home showing in person or prepare a home tour with a visual media.
- A good presentation can make good first impressions and that could make a lot of difference.
- No home can be perfect. So don’t gloss over the drawbacks of your home, be upfront and clear about things.
- You can add to the first impression by cleaning up the mess and clutter from your home, and making some minor repairs.
- Create a buying mood by turning on the heater or a/c, create coziness, light up the fire place, open the windows or even by making spaces. Do not follow this rhetorically. Do, what will enhance your home.
- Choose a buyer with care, so that the whole process moves on smoothly
- Consult a house tax advisor regarding your house tax
- Get the basics about the legal transactions involved, be clear about legal terms like contract
- Garner a few tips about negotiation
- Get to know the difference between an agent and a realtor before you decide to choose one of them to sell your home. Ask about the various processes, fees and commissions involved.
- Choose a reputable agent or realtor.
- Put up a board on your front yard stating the above
- Trust your realtor and let him/her guide you through the whole process. Follow his tips to achieve good results.

Selling your home on your own

By no measure is it an easy task to sell your home yourself. It is not just a missing agent, but whole lot of other factors that make it difficult. It is not easy to cut off from a home which is full of memories. You will want some one who will love it the same way as you have done all these years. It is not easy to see strangers walking through your home evaluating every aspect of it. Are you really up to it?

- If you are planning to sell your house on your own, then you will need to put up a sign saying ” home for sale by owner”
- It is advisable to hire a good attorney to cover all the legal aspects of selling a home.
- The attorney can also guide during the making of the contract form. You will need it to protect yourself and the buyer if you are not going through an agent. Things like buyer deposit and local estate laws need to be settled.
- Pick out the best photo that have you have of your home, if you don’t have a flattering picture then get the house professionally clicked so that you can start with your best foot put forward. Many people ignore this, but it is the first thing that a buyer will see about your home.
- When you put up your house for sale by owner, you will have a lot of potential buyers walking in, in the hope of closing an easy deal that is flexible. Be very careful and investigate each potential buyer.

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1. You’ve Got the Price Wrong
Unrealistic expectations are a seller’s biggest enemy, which is why over-priced property is the most common reason why a property doesn’t sell. Make sure you price is in-line with similar properties on the market.

2. Your Location is Not Right
We all know how important location is when you buy property. Unfortunately, as a seller, there is little that you can do to rectify this. Rather focus on getting the price right and a buyer might just see past the doubtful location.

3. Your Agent is Failing You
Finding the right estate agent is very important, as an incompetent agent might be the reason why your property is not selling. Make sure you choose an agent with a good reputation and a proven track record.

4. You Property Doesn’t Show Well
Ideally you should try to make small amendments in your house, even if it is just screwing in a light bulb. Present your property as an empty canvas and buyers will be able to see your home become theirs. Remember that buyers will turn away if they find out you are trying to hide problem areas, so ensure that your house is in a good condition when potential buyers step through your door.

5. Your Timing is Out
There are certain times when property sales drops. These periods include winter months and school holidays. Try to wait a while before you through in the towel.

6. Your Competition is Too Much
Be prepared to battle with competition especially when market condition favor buyers. This will mean that there will be more sellers than buyers and excess supply will result in lower prices. In times like these you will experience a lot of competition.

7. Your Marketing is Insufficient
Selling a home does not include sitting around and waiting for buyers to walk through your door. Your agent needs to advertise your property and On Show dates in newspapers, via brochure distribution, on the Internet etc. Ensure that you use good quality photographs in all your ads.

8. The Economy Is Not In Your Favor
Tough economical conditions are a major cause of the collapses of property markets around the world. In these times people normally hold on to their money because times are very uncertain.

9. Strict Lending Criteria Gets in Your Way
Banks may enforce strict lending criteria, meaning declined home loans will increase. This will certainly hamper property sales.

10. You Are the Problem
As the seller, you have to be able to take constructive criticism from you agent as well as buyers and you need to be flexible in negotiating a price.

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Professional Home Appraisal – When buying a home you will most likely have to get a professional property appraiser to appraise your home’s value. This is not to protect the buyer, but instead it is to protect the bank that is lending you money. The appraisals normally cost between $250 to $500 dollars depending on where you live and the size of the home. This type of appraisal is fairly accurate. The appraiser will come to the home for a couple of hours, take pictures and then provide a report in a day or two.

Real Estate Agents – You can sometimes get an agent to give you an estimate of your homes value. The agent will hope to get your business and will be willing to provide a free estimate. I recommend finding an experienced real estate agent who is familiar with your neighborhood. I would also recommend that you get two or three agents to give you estimates.

Online Home Appraisals – There are companies on the internet that will provide home appraisals based on historical data. These estimates range in price from free to around $99. Try using some of the free sites first to get an idea of the value of your home or the one you plan on buying. Most of these websites will ask for general information about your home and give you an estimate within seconds.

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Investing in income property can be a stressful experience, but remember, your real estate agent is there to help you every step of the way. As a Buyer, your agent will be compensated by the Seller at the close of escrow. What this means is that while she works for you, she’ll be paid by the Seller for her services. Fees typically average 2-2.5% of the purchase price, so on a $500,000 purchase, your agent will earn between $10,000-$12,500. Some of this money will go to her brokerage firm and to cover costs, but remember that your agent is being well paid for her job. So take advantage of her services to the fullest to ensure the smoothest and most enjoyable experience.

So, what should you expect from your agent? First, once your agent has your search parameters, she will set you up to receive daily updates from your local MLS or other services. This will allow you to see all the new listings that come on the market in your price and criteria range. Most clients like to drive properties on their own, and only bring their agent with them once they’ve identified a property they’re interested in. However, don’t be afraid to ask your agent to spend more time with you at first to help you figure out what works and doesn’t work for you. And, if you’re unsure of the exact geographic location you’d like to settle in, ask your agent to drive you around to show you more about the local neighborhoods, schools, and amenities. This is a great way for you to familiarize yourself with the area and available options.

Once you’ve found a property, your agent will be the one preparing the contracts and negotiating them on your behalf. Ask her to explain everything to you and make sure you understand what you’re signing. She’ll also walk you through the property inspection and all disclosures you’ll have to sign as well as help you with the loan process. If you don’t already have a mortgage broker, ask your agent for a couple of referrals she’s successfully worked with in the past.

Buying an income property can be a long process, taking 45-60 days or more, depending on how quickly your search goes. Once you’ve found the property, be prepared for an intensive 2-3 week process while you do your property inspection and work with your lender. If at any point during the process you feel uncomfortable, take a step back. Remember, making an investment can be challenging, but it should also be fun and as exciting as you’re on your way to securing your financial future.

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In order to do that, you should avoid 10 top mistakes that home sellers make when they are trying to sell their home:

1. Make sure that you have a real estate agent that can properly represent you – There’s nothing worse than having an agent that doesn’t know what they’re doing. When you are looking for an agent, look for one that is seasoned and is educated on selling a home. They should be willing to show you what they’ve done in terms of selling homes.

2. Pricing the home out of your range – One of the mistakes that home sellers make is pricing their home higher than what it needs to be. This is a big turn off and you probably won’t get any takers. In order to price you home in a reasonable range, study the housing market. Find homes that are comparable to yours. Look at their selling price and how long they lasted on the market.

3. Provide incentives to prospective buyers – You must do more than lower the price of your home for prospective buyers to be interested. Another mistake that home sellers make is failing to include additional incentives that would attract buyers to at least come and view the home.

4. Negotiate a reasonable offer – Even if a buyer presents an offer that you think is too low, don’t turn away. You may be able to negotiate with them on the price of your home. Discuss your counter offer with the buyer and try to work with them.

5. The buyer should be pre-approved – In order to prevent an embarrassing situation, the buyer should already be approved to purchase the home. This is one of the top 10 mistakes that home sellers make by not checking the credentials of the buyer thoroughly. It ends up delaying the buying process.

6. Deceptive advertising – Refrain from making false statements about the condition of your home. Whether it’s you or your agent who provides the description, it must be truthful and accurate.

7. Make some photos available – More people are using the internet to conduct research, and that includes looking at homes for sale. The mistake that home sellers make in not having enough photos or any photos at all can pose a problem for prospective buyers. They want to know what their potential investment looks like.

8. Make sure the home is presentable. If you have repairs that need to be done, do it before you put your home on the market. The buyer will feel deceived if you have sold them the house and mask other things that need to be done.

9. Be available and accessible – When buyers are coming to see your home, the home seller should make it accessible to them and their agent. Have a key available so that they can get in your home and look around. This is one of the worst mistakes home sellers can make and it can ruin a potential sale.

10. Waiting for a recovering market (don’t do it) – Homes can be sold in a down economic period as well as an upward period. If you wait until the market is ripe again, you may lose money. You don’t know exactly when the upward period will be. So, it’s best to put your home on the market sooner. You could get a better deal.

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Why do people choose to sell a home on their own? People have a lot of reasons for choosing to either sell the home on their own or for choosing to list their home with an Agency. Some people feel that they do not want to have to pay a real estate agent a lot of money to do the selling. This can save a lot of money, but if the seller is not knowledgeable about the market or what is needed when selling a home, it can end up being costly. It is important to be aware of all the details involved with the selling of your home. It is not only a matter of putting up a for sale sign and waiting for people to see your home. It also entails a lot of paperwork, legal fees and other document filing fees that can be complicated.

Still, a lot of people would rather tackle all of those challenges on their own and keep the profit from selling the home, instead of working with an Agency and paying them a large fee. A lot of people are turning to selling their homes themselves to avoid this fee. But if that is what you decide to do, you have to get your listing out there and advertised so that people can see it. One of the best ways to get your listing as much as attention as you can is to do a flat fee MLS listing.

Keep in mind that no matter which way you decide to get your home listed and on the market, listing it with MLS is one of the best decisions you could make. Without being on MLS, it can be hard for home buyers to find your home and it may be exactly what someone is looking for, but if it is not listed, it is not likely to be seen.

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Taking this option means that you would find a company online and then answer a few questions relating to your home such as the type, the area you live in and the average price of homes in your area. You will then get a rough idea as to how much you would be able to sell your home for to the company. Of course this amount would generally be below what you might be able to sell for yourself however you would need to take into account that you would be guaranteed a quick sale, often in just a couple of weeks. You would also not have fees to pay to an estate agent or solicitor which can add up to a huge amount.

There could be many reasons why you might want to sell a home quick and an ethical company would buy your home for any reason. A quick home sale could be needed if you and your partner are going through a divorce and neither of you wishes to remain in the home. As divorce can be stressful enough without having to put your home up for sale and see would be buyers walk around it, if you got any, you could sell within just a couple of weeks and begin your new life with cash in the bank which you can split 50/50.

You could need to sell your home fast if you are relocating. Rather than have your home sit on the market for many months, even assuming you made a sale, you could sell quickly and have no loose ends to worry about or to have to come back for. You would be able to use the money from the sale in your new life and not have any fees to payout to an estate agent or solicitor. You might also choose to use this option if you need to get your hands on a large sum of money quickly. You could use the equity in your home and have cash in just s couple of weeks from the sale. In this situation you would be able to rent back the property with the option of buying back in the future.

Another reason where a quick sale of this nature could come in handy is if you have been left inheritance property. You would be able sell without hassle and without the costly fees associated with selling and split the proceeds if needed with siblings.

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You see, there are ways though unconventional, to beat the crunch and guarantee the sale of your property whenever you decide.

The first and most difficult concept to understand is the price to sell at! This is always a sticking point for most. I have literally seen people who go bankrupt, miss that once in a lifetime opportunity, allow themselves to be repossessed by the greedy banks and even fall ill over the thought of not getting the price they imagined they would get for their property!

The easiest way to quantify the price you should sell at is by first understanding that your property is not the home that you have loved and taken care off it is not a family member ‘that deserves better’ you must dehumanise it and make it a commodity. It is a commodity that will provide you with a means to an end whether that is a long-term, short-term or even immediate end.

I will explain. When I invest in the stock market I have no emotional attachment to the stocks I buy. I simply assess the speed of which I can sell (get out) to achieve my goals and balance this with the reasons I have for my decision.

You see the amount you make doesn’t really matter it’s the goals you are trying to achieve that do! If you simply look at your decisions from a monetary angle and the “coulda, woulda shoulda’s” you would never achieve your immediate goals.

Now in regards to property these goals could be anything from; avoiding repossession so your family can remain living in their home. Clearing mounting Debt that is causing you constant stress an affecting your well being or liquidating assets to stop the heartache of drawn out dealings with a spouse. Or possibly simply owning that dream property that has just come on the market at a fantastic price!

Once you have understood this concept of using your property to achieve your immediate goals all that is left to do is sell and if you have access to the expert techniques used by professional property investors of how to find buyers who can guarantee to buy your property no matter where is or what the condition and more importantly, no matter what’s happening in the market, you can achieve your goals of selling your property whenever you decide within days!

You see in the last 6 months in the so called property slump when, if you believe the media, no property is being bought I have sold over 30 individual properties from my own portfolio with absolutely no hassle and no stress to people who can buy! I sell to people who guarantee to complete allowing me to reinvest my cash elsewhere or simply move on with my life with ease.

Did I mention that I also Pay Absolutely No Fees which are normally associated with selling property. That means I pay for No Home Improvement Packs, No Estate Agent fees and absolutely No Legal Fees, and it normally takes just 1 phone call or a few click of my mouse…It’s that simple!

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These days it is tempting to cut corners, usually with the idea of saving money. However, a home inspection is a worthwhile investment. If you are planning to sell a home, an inspection can identify problems in the making and suggest preventive measures that might help avoid costly future repairs. A home inspection gives you the opportunity to make any necessary repairs now that will put the house in better selling condition. In the real estate market today, having your home pre-inspected can be a great selling point.

Plus, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you are doing the right thing for the people who will be buying the home. It means a lot for them to know they can count on their new home to be a place they are proud to live in with few hassles. It also protects you from possible problems.

Keep in mind that the home you are selling must signal to prospective buyers that there is nothing to fear by checking out this home. They need assurance the home is in good condition, or even better than that. If your home is listed online, make sure there is a link to click so the buyer can view the inspection for himself.

Put yourself in the shoes of a real estate agent for a minute. You are looking for a suitable home for a client. What would you look for? Would you want to see a home that stands out from the hundreds of others out there? Would you want that buyer to know they can investigate and buy that home with confidence? A home inspection helps give that assurance. It will be easier to sell the home to your client if one of the most difficult steps is already out of the way. Barring unforeseen problems, such as with financing, your job of finding a home for your client is that much easier.

As the home seller, you need to take control of the situation proactively. When a buyer comes along with a home inspector, they may be looking to cut costs. If they are not happy with the condition of the house, they may ask for repairs at an inflated price or terminate the contract altogether. The bottom line – they decide not to buy the house. You may not get a second chance with that buyer. You are left with the house still on the market and with the task of making things right before you can sell to the next prospective buyer. That person will not want any surprise defects to contend with either.

It can be disappointing for you if an inspection finds serious problems. However, dealing with things right away means less chance of alarm or regret on the part of the buyer as well as less chance of a deal going sour. You will make the home even easier to sell by having it inspected again after repairs have been done. Then make the revised report available with the listing. This should make the deal go smoothly.

Here is another helpful tip to seal a deal. Have the inspector print out several copies of the inspection report for you so prospective buyers can take one when they tour the home. Allowing buyers to take a copy of the report keeps your home in their minds that much longer. Your inspector shouldn’t mind printing copies of his report because his name and report is being carried around for the other buyers who did not purchase your home but may call him for their own inspections.

To summarize, many sellers are having a home inspection done at the time of their listing in order to repair or determine the condition of their home. If you do this, you can use the inspection as a sales tool. A seller’s inspection will virtually eliminate all the hassles and blown deals that inspections might cause when the buyer brings in their inspector. It gives leverage back to you, the seller. Most importantly, a seller’s home inspection is the ultimate gesture of full disclosure and will help protect you.

You’ve carefully selected the home you’re buying. Make sure you’re as careful when selecting your home inspector. Don’t get stuck paying for repairs missed by a quick home inspection.

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