![Unparalleled trust necessary before listing your house]()
by Michael Olear | Jun 11, 2016 | real estate broker, Sellers, Uncategorized
You and your family have decided to sell your house. It is now time to choose a real estate professional to help with the process. One of the major attributes this agent must possess is trustworthiness. To what degree do you need to trust them?
You must have enough trust in them that you feel comfortable they will accomplish all four things below:
1. Sell possibly the largest asset your family owns
In many cases, a home is the largest asset a family has. Studies have shown that the equity many families have in their home is the largest percentage of that family’s overall wealth.
2. Set the correct market value on that asset
Pricing is crucial even in the best of markets. You want to get the best price for your home without putting your house at a value that buyers will have little interest in.
3. Set the time schedule for the liquidation of that asset
Your family probably has a certain timetable for the sale of your house and the move into your next home. Coordinating the home selling process to meet certain schedules can be tricky.
4. Set a fair fee for the services required to liquidate that asset
You will need to pay a commission to an agent for selling the home and coordinating all elements of the selling transaction, including possible future negotiations (ex. with a home inspector or appraiser).
That’s a lot of trust. Make sure you pick a true professional — such as the members of The Olear Team — to help with the sale of your home!
![Play Chess…not Checkers]()
by Michael Olear | May 4, 2016 | Buyers, House Hunters, real estate broker, sell my house, Sellers
Checkers is a simple game with a simple objective; eliminate the other player’s pieces. Even the process of doing so is simple, jump the other player’s pieces and start a collection. There is very little thought as to a defensive strategy and it is often more reactive than strategic.
Even though the objective of Chess is simply laid out — obtain the other player’s King — the process in which to obtain this goal is much more strategic. Chess requires a greater understanding of the ability of each of the nine different pieces on the board and a risk assessment that takes longer than a simple scan of the board.
“It’s a game in which the winning strategy is dynamic and requires complex thought across many turns, both for the player and their opponent’s turns. Chess requires a player to understand the context behind the moves on the board rather than just the risks offered by each individual turn.” – Play Chess Not Checkers by Zach West
You may have heard the saying, “Play Chess, Not Checkers” before, but how does this apply to real estate?
Plan past your next move
So you want to sell your house. You can just put a sign in your front yard and call it a day, right? Wrong! The process of listing your home for sale and what happens next is much more complex than that.
According to the Orlando Regional Realtor Association, there are over 230 possible actions that need to take place during every successful real estate transaction. Don’t you want someone who has been there before, and who knows what these actions are to make sure that you acquire your dream?
One example, as we’ve reported before, is the fact that 92% of buyers search online for a home. That is in comparison to only 28% looking at print newspaper ads. Most real estate agents have an extensive internet strategy to promote the sale of your home. Do you?
Identify Risks & Defend Against Them
An experienced real estate professional knows the obstacles associated with buying or selling a home and works closely with other professionals to ensure the process is a smooth one.
Practice Makes Perfect
Just like with any skill, practice and experience bring a sense of confidence and expertise. Before you decide to take on the challenges of selling your house on your own, sit with a real estate professional in your marketplace and see what they have to offer.
Bottom Line
With an experienced real estate professional on your side, even the complex process of buying your next home or selling your house can be strategically navigated. For more information, please contact The Olear Team today!
![How do you know if you’ve found your perfect match? [Infographic]]()
by Michael Olear | Apr 30, 2016 | Best Ideas Ever, real estate broker
Some Highlights:
- Every agent brings a different set of skills & specialties to their clients.
- It is important to find an agent who you can trust to guide you through the entire process step-by-step.
- Having a conversation about your goals & expectations will not only save you unneeded frustration, but will also make the transaction as smooth as possible.
For more information, please contact The Olear Team today!
![Why you should hire a professional when buying a home]()
by Michael Olear | Nov 28, 2015 | Buyers, real estate broker
Many people wonder whether they should hire a real estate professional to assist them in buying their dream home or if they should first try to go it on their own. In today’s market: you need an experienced professional!
You Need an Expert Guide if you are Traveling a Dangerous Path
The field of real estate is loaded with land mines. You need a true expert to guide you through the dangerous pitfalls that currently exist. Finding a home that is priced appropriately and ready for you to move in to can be tricky. An agent listens to your wants and needs, and can sift out the homes that do not fit within the parameters of your “dream home.”
A great agent will also have relationships with mortgage professionals and other experts that you will need in securing your dream home.
You Need a Skilled Negotiator
In today’s market, hiring a talented negotiator could save you thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of dollars. Each step of the way – from the original offer, to the possible renegotiation of that offer after a home inspection, to the possible cancellation of the deal based on a troubled appraisal – you need someone who can keep the deal together until it closes.
Realize that when an agent is negotiating their commission with you, they are negotiating their own salary – the salary that keeps a roof over their family’s head, the salary that puts food on their family’s table. If they are quick to take less when negotiating for themselves and their families, what makes you think they will not act the same way when negotiating for you and your family?
If they were Clark Kent when negotiating with you, they will not turn into Superman when negotiating with the buyer or seller in your deal.
Bottom Line
Famous sayings become famous because they are true. You get what you pay for. Just like a good accountant or a good attorney, a good agent will save you money … not cost you money. For more information, please contact The Olear Team today!
![What you do not need to hear from your listing agent]()
by Michael Olear | Sep 5, 2015 | real estate broker, sell my house
You’ve decided to sell your house. You begin to interview potential real estate agents to help you through the process. You need someone you trust enough to:
- Set the market value on possibly the largest asset your family owns (your home)
- Set the time schedule for the successful liquidation of that asset
- Set the fee for the services required to liquidate that asset
An agent must be concerned first and foremost about you and your family in order to garner that degree of trust. Make sure this is the case.
Be careful if the agent you are interviewing begins the interview by:
- Bragging about their success
- Bragging about their company’s success
An agent’s success and the success of their company can be important considerations when deciding on the right real estate professional to represent you in the sale of the house. However, you first need to know they care about what you need and what you expect from the sale. If the agent is not interested in first establishing your needs, how successful they may seem is much less important.
Look for someone with the “heart of a teacher” who comes in prepared well enough to explain the current real estate market and patient enough to take the time to show how it may impact the sale of your home. Not someone only interested in trying to sell you on how great they are.
You have many agents from which to choose, so pick someone who truly cares. For more information, please contact The Olear Team!
by Michael Olear | Aug 12, 2015 | Buyers, General, real estate broker, Sellers
Buying or selling a home can be a complicated process. No matter how much experience you have buying/selling homes; there are several aspects of the transaction that are simply best left to the professionals. Below are the top 5 reasons for why it is in your best interest to hire a real estate agent.
From Keeping Current Matters:
1. What do you do with all this paperwork?
Each state has different regulations regarding the contracts required for a successful sale, and these regulations are constantly changing. A true Real Estate Professional is an expert in their market and can guide you through the stacks of paperwork necessary to make your dream a reality.
2. Ok, so you found your dream house, now what?
According to the Orlando Regional REALTOR Association, there are over 230 possible actions that need to take place during every successful real estate transaction. Don’t you want someone who has been there before, who knows what these actions are to make sure that you acquire your dream.
3. Are you a good negotiator?
So maybe you’re not convinced that you need an agent to sell your home. However, after looking at the list of parties that you need to be prepared to negotiate with, you’ll realize the value in selecting a Real Estate Professional. From the buyer (who wants the best deal possible), to the home inspection companies, to the appraiser, there are at least 11 different people that you will have to be knowledgeable with and answer to, during the process.
4. What is the home you’re buying/selling really worth?
It is important for your home to be priced correctly from the start to attract the right buyers and shorten the time that it’s on the market. You need someone who is not emotionally connected to your home to give you the truth as to your home’s value. According to the National Association of REALTORS, “the typical FSBO home sold for $208,700 compared to $235,000 among agent-assisted home sales.”
Get the most out of your transaction by hiring a professional.
5. Do you know what’s really going on in the market?
There is so much information out there on the news and the internet about home sales, prices, mortgage rates; how do you know what’s going on specifically in your area? Who do you turn to in order to competitively price your home correctly at the beginning of the selling process? How do you know what to offer on your dream home without paying too much, or offending the seller with a low-ball offer?
Dave Ramsey, the financial guru advises:
“When getting help with money, whether it’s insurance, real estate or investments, you should always look for someone with the heart of a teacher, not the heart of a salesman.”
Hiring an agent who has their finger on the pulse of the market will make your buying/selling experience an educated one. You need someone who is going to tell you the truth, not just what they think you want to hear.
You and your family have decided to sell your house. It is now time to choose a real estate professional to help with the process. One of the major attributes this agent must possess is trustworthiness. To what degree do you need to trust them?
