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For Sellers A Conversation with Scott + Jim
If you are contemplating the sale of a home in Southern California’s Coachella Valley you have some important decisions to make. Of course you will have to decide on an asking price and whether you’re going to make any improvements to your home before you sell. But perhaps more important, especially in today’s market, is finding a real estate team to provide you with the tools and resources you need to get your home sold as quickly as possible for top dollar.
Scott + Jim want to be that team. Let them explain how and why:
Scott: “We have more than 18 years of experience in the Southern California marketplace and this is certainly one of the most challenging markets we’ve ever seen.
Unfortunately, these odd conditions sometimes lead sellers to make unwise decisions.”
Jim: “Rumors are rampant. A seller will hear that a house up the block sold for some fantastic price and decide they won’t accept a realistic offer on their own home. Then it turns out that the house up the block didn’t sell; it was just listed, overpriced, by a desperate agent.”
Scott: “Or a seller might decide that they can’t spend another nickel on their home, when a few hundred dollars in paint and carpet-cleaning could mean thousands of dollars at the negotiating table.”
Jim: “Sellers need smart advice. Unfortunately, with the Internet and all the other media, sometimes there’s a little too much information to go around. It’s just plain confusing to sellers.”
Scott: “Our job is to help the sellers get the information they need in order to make profitable decisions. We have a proven strategy and that’s part of the reason that we have so many repeat and referral clients. In fact our business is 85 percent referrals!”
Jim: “And why other agents rely on us when they need advice on mid-range and luxury estate properties in the Coachella Valley.”
Scott: “We start by meeting the client for a walk-through of their property. In addition to knowing what’s on the market today, we’ve seen literally thousands of homes, so we’re able to pinpoint condition, features and style very quickly.”
Jim: “Then we do the comps—the comparable market analysis—that puts the property in context with similar homes in the area that are on the market, have sold and, very importantly, have not sold.”
Scott: “At our next meeting, we interview the sellers and they interview us. We explain our marketing strategy. We ask a lot of questions and encourage them to do the same. It’s really, really important to us that we are working as part of a team with the seller—that we have similar goals, expectations and communication styles. We want to know why they’re selling and whether they’re realistic about their pricing and timing. If we don’t think we’re the right team to represent them, we’re always happy to refer them to an agent who might be a better fit.”
Jim: “There are certain things that are very basic to our work with sellers. We are fanatical about confidentiality. There are a lot of high-profile people in Southern California and we respect their privacy in every phase of the transaction—from before the listing is signed until after the escrow is closed. We’re also big on communication. We keep the sellers informed every step of the way and encourage them to contact us with questions and concerns. We’re very direct with our information and opinions, even if it means we disagree with the seller; we don’t think overpriced listings do anyone any good.”
Scott: “We work closely with the sellers to help them make the most of their property—to make it as attractive as possible to both agents and potential buyers. A little landscaping, a little maintenance, a little staging and even a tired bungalow can look like a starlet.”
Jim: “Of course, we’re very committed to full disclosure, so if there are flaws in the property it’s absolutely essential to make that clear to potential buyers.”
Scott: “We’re also very aggressive marketers. We direct-market our sellers’ property both within the Coachella Valley and to our enormous network of clients, vendors, agents, brokers, and broker-managers in Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Los Feliz, San Fernando Valley, San Diego, La Jolla, Orange County, Santa Barbara, Montecito, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto and New York City.”
Jim: “Depending on the property, we also use traditional media and cutting edge technologies to get maximum exposure for our sellers. That includes things like the highest quality digital photography, expert staging services, and high quality color brochures with enticing descriptive text. We use video blogging for virtual property tours that are uploaded to 140 sites, including YouTube, ScottandJimHomes.com and WindermereCoachellaValley.com for massive online exposure.”
Scott: “We also use a social media viral marketing campaign on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and You Tube.”
Jim: “When we list a property for sale, we get the word out in every way we can to reach the most likely buyers and get the best offers for our sellers.”
Scott: “The marketing is ongoing, but it’s just the beginning. We represent the seller in negotiations and handle every aspect of the paperwork so that the transaction is accurate and solid. We have extensive experience in handling objections and difficult situations, as well as resolving serious buyer and seller issues in a transaction, which can save our clients thousands of dollars in potential legal fees.”
Jim: “We also provide a whole range of support services to help our sellers streamline their move, including referrals to reputable vendors.”
Scott: “We’re known as THE real estate service team in the Coachella Valley, but what’s even more gratifying to us is how many of our sellers end up as our friends.”
To continue the conversation with Scott + Jim and find out how they can help you sell your home or other property, call them today at 760.567.1550.
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760.567.1550
