Month: May 2019

As a part of the Global Networking Event for Sotheby’s International Realty in Vancouver, Canada earlier this month, my networking opportunities and benefits of being involved with Sotheby’s International Real Estate climbed to a higher level. Meeting and talking with so many top agents from all over the globe, one of my takeaways is that the market correction we are experiencing right now is global, not local. Many areas are being affected by a pull-back of investment from Asian countries like China. Some cities like Vancouver have passed a heavy tax on those investors who purchase property, but leave it vacant. Locally, sellers in Marin are becoming more reasonable in their pricing. My inbox is filled with at least 30 emails per day on price reductions in Marin, San Francisco and Sonoma County.

When you sell, it’s important to price your home right, present it with style and class, and of course, benefit from the Sotheby’s brand identification! As conference speaker Gwyneth Paltrow said in a discussion of branding, “When I see a Sotheby’s sign outside of a home, my impression is that it must be a really nice house.”

I have contacts for friendly, knowledgeable, hard-working agents all over the country, and all over the globe. If you or someone you know needs a couple of recommendations in another market, allow me to send you agents I have already vetted and pre-interviewed.

If you’re thinking of selling your home, you may want to visit open houses listed by any of the agents you are interviewing. Look for red flags that indicate you will not get the kind of service that will bring in the highest price possible:

• Does the agent host the broker open tour or is there an assistant, or worse, a family member who knows nothing about the property there?
• Is there a high quality glossy brochure or did the agent print out pages from the MLS?
• Are the photographs and website produced in a way that presents the home in a way that invites buyers to imagine living there?   See www.139Belvedere.com as an example.
• Is the open presented in a warm and friendly manner, with beverages, bites, and pleasant music?
• Does the agent host both a Saturday and Sunday open house during that all-important first week on the market?
• Does the agent present the home with professionalism and enthusiasm, rather than barely looking up from a laptop?
• Has the agent taken the time to gather all the disclosures and information on the property by the time it hits MLS, so interested buyers are not kept waiting, and therefore, second-guessing?
• Will the agent be available on an agreed-upon date that buyers know offers are due so offers are responded to on that date?

It’s true that some of the top agents simply don’t have time for paving the way for multiple offers and high prices for their clients.  It’s important to talk to former clients, and walk in to an open house as if you are a buyer to see if the environment and information are at a standard that you would like your property presented.