Agetns end up wearing many hats. The first hat we wear is that of an analyst. While some agents use the PFA method (plucked from the air) for pricing a home, it is definitely not my style. When someone brings raw data to the table (CMA printouts from the MLS or prints of recent solds) I just consider that raw data. While pictures paint a thousand words, it's impossible to know, just by looking at a picture, how big a house is or how many bedrooms or baths are inside, or the finish quality of the interior or how old the HVAC system is and a myriad of other details.
In order to price a home correctly, we must analyze the size of the subject home (the home to be sold) as well as all the details including age, condition, size, lot size, location, etc. Once we know these things, then we can compare the subject home to other, recently sold homes. It used to be that we could compare your home to home sales that were up to 6 months old, but now, with recent changes in appraisal practice (HVCC rules), we can only go back 3 months. Years ago, we did not use foreclosed homes in our analysis, today, if they are there, we must use them. Anyway - there's a lot more to this and I don't want to bore you. Suffice it to say, this is my analytical phase and consequently I were my analytical hat.
Once the homeowner agrees to list their home with me and my company, I put on my marketing hat. This is when I design flyers, internet marketing campaigns of all sorts, begin the process of raising awareness about your home, audit the listing in all the places where I can manipulate and expand the descriptionn, add photos, etc.
Oh, and did I mention my staging hat (OK, sometimes we don't actually stage, but we sure give constructive criticism - why? - so you can sell your home!)
Oh, did I mention photos, well then I need to wear my photography hat. Make sure I take good photos, right exposure, toilet seat down, clutter hidden, good resolution. (Our MLS used to do drive by shootings. If the garbage can was out, there were two cars on the grass, no matter - they'd take the picture anyway! - now we're very careful to put your home in the best possible light!)
Experimenting with photos at dusk (There's a reason for this - ask me!)
Oh, and I forgot to mention my writing hat (someone has to come up with all the descriptions, ensure spelling is right, etc.)
Now, I put on a reporter's hat - "What?", you say. Yes, I actually arrange for you to receive reports so that you can see whether our marketing is working and how many "hits" you've had.
Well, finally I get some interest on your property so out comes my salesman's hat! Gotta convince them it's not too far to the interstate, shopping, that the schools are great, etc.
Good news! Someone wants to write an offer - now I have to put on my negotiating hat! Whew! are we done?
No, now that we've negotiated the contract, wearing my negotiator's hat; I find myself hand-holding all parties and coordinating the inspection(s), any required repairs, the scheduleing of the closing, follow up with the lender - yep another hat!
Then, we go to closing - finally after months and months and countless hours of work with no pay, I bring one hat to closing hopinig that someone will drop something in my hat to not only cover all my unpaid expenses and bring some money to my broker, but also make some money to put food on my table... and purchase another hat.
I don't know of any other professional, licensed business where we don't get paid ANYTHING until the end! And, everything, our continuing education, our car, our gasoline, everything like that is just overhead, that, you guessed it, gets paid by us.
But, it's OK - Once we get your family moved and into another home and I know we did our best to ensure no surprises, I know we did our job well and we earned every penny!
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