Showing Suite Real Estate Blog

Are your listings readily available when buyers call to schedule showing appointments?

It would be a shame for you to put forth all of the effort to sit-down with sellers, get the home priced right to compete with neighboring listings, and market the home to generate a buzzing interest …only to leave interested buyers struggling to get through the front door.

As crazy as it all sounds… the idea of buyers not being able to see the homes they’re interested in is not that far-fetched. Infact, many buyers come across at least one or two properties that suffer from this problem while house-hunting.

While you’re doing everything you can as the listing agent to get the home the most exposure – you may be forgetting about the hoops buyers may need to jump through in order to book a showing appointment and see the property.

What are some steps you can take in order to keep it easy on buyers to schedule showing appointments on your listings?

1. Keep the Home Available to Show
   If your seller tells you they will only allow showings on the weekend from 1-3pm then you should ask how badly they want to sell their home.  If it’s a hassle for buyers to book showing appointments then they’ll just move on to the next house.  Make sure there’s a large window for buyers to book their showing appointment, after all, they have schedules they’re working around too.

    

2. Be Flexible with Showing Appointments
   It’s bound to happen – you get notice that a buyer wants to book a showing appointment 30 minutes from now and they’re on their way to the property. Better yet, they’re standing out front and want to pop inside. While this may be frustrating (especially if you’re one to prep the house before each showing), keep in mind that every “no” could be a missed sale. You never know when the right buyer is going to show up.

    

3. Respond to ALL Showing Appointment Requests ASAP
   Many buyers come across a listing they like only to find it’s by appointment only and yet their phone calls, voicemails, and emails all go unanswered. Be sure that you are returning ALL showing appointment requests within a reasonable time-frame, even if it’s to schedule the showing appointment at a different time than requested.

In short, buyers should be able to easily schedule showing appointments on all of your properties. The easier it is for buyers to see a house, the easier it will be to sell. Be sure to explain to your sellers that homes that are readily available will have the best chances of selling.

” Is my house overpriced? “

It’s a question that crosses every seller’s mind at some point if they’re attempting to sell their property. Properly pricing a home to sell can be tricky, especially if a seller is trying to sell in a slow market or if their home value has depreciated since they purchased it.

Still, it’s crucial that the listing hits the market with an attractive, and reasonable, price tag. Despite knowing this, some sellers will attempt to list a property above market value with the old “start high, come down later” routine, but this poor practice can leave a home stale on the market with little hope of selling.

So if you’re sitting around wondering, “Is my house overpriced?” then ask yourself these 4 questions first:

1. Is your home priced to compete with neighboring listings?
   Before putting your home on the market, your agent should have presented a comparative market analysis – or CMA – to determine what the ideal listing price is for your home. Review all of the recent activity in your area to weigh the likelihood of your home selling at the price in mind. If your house is listed far above what any home in the area has recently sold for, then the answer to the question “Is my house overpriced” is a resounding YES!

2. Has there been little or no interest in your home since it hit the market?
   Houses fresh on the market generally experience a large amount of showings within the first few weeks of being listed. If your house has had little traffic (and isn’t in shambles) then you may need to reduce the listing price. Don’t get stuck in “we’ll just see what happens” mode – a home sitting on the market for too long makes buyers wonder if there’s something wrong, which will only add to the issue.

3. Have there been showings, but no offers?
   This scenario is where sellers may find themselves asking “Is my home overpriced?” on a near-daily basis. If you’re at this point and your home is priced well above comparable homes also for sale in the area, it may be time to reduce the listing price. If you’ve done your homework and priced your home according to the CMA from the start, then it may just be the right buyer hasn’t come along yet.

4. Did you interview multiple agents and pick the one that suggested the highest listing price?
   A good real estate agent will present the most comprehensive data in order to build a solid case for the suggested listing price. If you speak to multiple agents, all suggesting listing prices in the same ballpark, then you’re being pointed in the right direction. If you come across an agent that strays from the pack – run. These agents may not be experienced in your area or have your best interest at heart.

Once you’ve answered the questions above, answering your original question of “Is my house overpriced” should be a cinch and your next course of action should be a given.

If your house is overpriced, have a sit-down with your listing agent to determine what the listing price should be reduced to. If it’s not, call a meeting with your agent to see how you can get more exposure for your listing and draw in more buyers.

Do you know what buyers think of your home?

Feedback is essential while selling your house. Make sure your agent is giving you fast, accurate feedback from buyer’s agents.