Six selling techniques to watch out for when buying a home

In competitive real estate markets, agents work hard to get the best offer from a buyer
for their vendor. While most agents will stick to the rules to do what is in the best
interest of their seller, a few will blur the lines in an attempt to achieve a higher result.

For inexperienced buyers, some of these strategies are less obvious than others and
some may not be allowed under a state or territory’s respective real estate legislation.

Here are some of the tactics to keep an eye out for.

Describing the vendor as ‘motivated’

Many property listings detail the home as being owned by a “motivated vendor” to
encourage buyer interest, particularly in slower markets. The idea being that it may
encourage buyers to think they can get a good deal, or the vendor is more likely to
accept their offer.

Sellers would be required to provide permission for a statement of this nature to go into
an advertisement, Real Estate Institute of NSW president John Cunningham said.

However, he said for buyers “it could be seen as baiting the expectation of a bargain
and therein lies the problem but virtually impossible to prove”.

“These days it is rarely seen and it appears during tougher markets where many
vendors are highly motivated so is very true. However, I feel agents who are silly
enough to go that direction will have faith lost in them by the market when their pitches
continually fall short of the reality,” he said.

Advertising a ‘forthcoming auction’ that hasn’t been booked

Marketing a property as being for a “forthcoming auction” without having an intention to
take the property to auction is one way to get buyers to make offers early and show
their hand, an ex-auctioneer and selling agent told Domain.

Unfortunately, for most buyers it is impossible to tell whether a home is or isn’t actually
intended to go to auction. Some agents will plan an auction day but have every intention
of selling the home prior if the right offer comes through – this is legal and down to
whether the vendor wants to accept an offer made.

Pre-auction offers never used to be popular, but in the hot markets of Sydney and
Melbourne it has become more common for buyers to try to trump the competition
before auction day, the former auctioneer said. Homes in hot markets with strong
clearance rates often sell ahead of going under the hammer.
“The forthcoming auction notice would require the agent to have an auction agency
agreement in place for that to be correct as there is not a requirement to have the
auction date to be predetermined,” Mr Cunningham said.

Reworking an old advertisement
Just Think Real Estate managing partner Edwin Almeida said a common
technique used by agents, including his own agency, is to take down a listing that isn’t
performing. After a week of having the home off the market and bringing the
photographer in, the home is relisted with a fresher look.

“Buyers are smart and recognise when a home has been on the market unsold for a
long time,” Mr Almeida said. This technique allows the home to have a “second chance”
at engaging the market.

Refreshing a old listing is “very common”, Mr Cunningham said. As it still truly

represents the property, there’s nothing wrong with the practice.

Fair Trading NSW confirmed refreshing advertisements is not against the rules for
agents and they are in fact “obliged to act in their client’s best interests and this may
include changing or reassessing marketing campaigns from time to time”.

Buyers should keep a close eye on the addresses of the properties for sale in their area
to see whether a home is being relaunched.

Not disclosing a price

A practice that isn’t illegal but can encourage more inquiry is not providing a price guide.
This is a legitimate sales technique used by many agencies.

“If no price is advertised, prospective buyers are more likely to ask a salesperson for
advice on price,” Consumer Affairs Victoria guidelines indicate.

This can be an opportunity for an agent to engage with prospective buyers and
encourage them to view the property. 

Buyers are advised to undertake their own research, including looking at relevant
comparable sales, to get an understanding of the likely potential purchase price.
Mr Almeida said some agents use it to test the market and the level of interest on a
home, “one could say a sneaky way of driving price up if there is a lot of inquiry”.

Price on application is, however, a legitimate way to market a home to qualify

purchasers beforehand and ensure those who enquire are genuinely interested. This is
common on off the plan homes, Mr Almeida said.
Making backhand promises
A final tactic an agent might use is “agents promising buyers that they will help them
secure the home they want to buy so long as they list their current home for sale with
them”, Mr Cunningham said.

He described it as a “shocking practice” of unscrupulous agents.

“This inducement is highly illegal and is fraught with conflicts of interest, deceit and it
could be argued fraud due to the fact that favouring one buyer over another to secure
the sale of another property [comes] at the expense of the seller they are acting for,” he
said.

Repeatedly stating interest from other buyers

It’s not uncommon to be told by real estate agents that there has been a lot of interest in
a home and it’s expected to sell soon. In fact, if an agent gives the sense that the home
has been languishing on the market there’s every possibility a home buyer may expect
to get it for a steal.

While most agents will be truthful, some may falsely claim offers have been made by
purchasers to encourage you to show your hand and make a formal offer yourself, or to
increase an offer you have already made.

However, a Fair Trading NSW spokesperson warns false claims of offers could be

counted as misleading or deceptive, however “claims of interest in a property would be
difficult to disprove”.

Price advertising should be updated to reflect any “genuine offers on price” that are
rejected by a vendor during a sales campaign, according to Consumer Affairs Victoria’s
guidelines for real estate salespeople.

Buyers should look closely and inquire about any changes in the advertised price if the
agent says they have received other offers.
13 Essential Sales Tips For Real Estate Agents
Expert Panel®Forbes Councils Member

Getting to the top of the real estate market is a goal of every real estate agent looking to make it big in the industry.
Along the way, there are hurdles and challenges that need to be overcome, but most agents have a mentor in their
agency who can guide them along the way. This is just one piece of the total pie that an agent needs to consider to
advance their career and propel their business forward.

Thirteen members of Forbes Real Estate Council shared the one piece of sales advice that they received that has
proven the most useful throughout their career. Here is what they had to say: 

1. Don’t Sell 

When it comes to real estate, in particular, an agent’s job is not to sell. We should facilitate and coach our clients.
When someone feels or finds out they have been “sold,” they are likely to resent the salesperson. Instead, provide
advice, educate, keep clients focused on the goals they described for you. This is putting the needs of the client
ahead of the needs of the agent. - Michelle Ames, HorsePower Team Texas/Independent Realty

2. Create Value 

The best piece of advice I have received in my career has been to create value. When we focus on creating value for
others, we create trust with our audience. This trust has been the single greatest asset in my portfolio. It has led to
great opportunities within our industry and has helped foster some wonderful client relationships. - Christopher
Lazarus, Sellect Realty, LLC

3. Work Hard And Be Honest 

My mother, who founded our company in 1980, told me the key to success is simple: Work hard and be honest.
Don’t pretend to know all the answers when you don’t, because in real estate, your best asset is your reputation.
Ensure your clients that you will get the answer, and take action. Never, ever lie. - Elizabeth Ann Stribling-
Kivlan, stribling.com

4. Offer Multiple Options 

Be a trusted adviser. By presenting multiple options to a potential client, you can guide them to the best option for
them rather than pushing something on them. We often tell people if our solution isn’t the right fit for them, and we
might lose a sale as a result, but the trust we build with people by being honest generates more long-term value than
any individual sale. - Jeremy Brandt, WeBuyHouses.com

5. Be Human 

Most agent training on sales is about getting the “prospect” to do what we need. Sign the contract, get the sale. But
it’s not about that. We are fiduciaries, so our ultimate responsibility is to serve the client. When we go in with our
goals in mind, not theirs, it shows. It degrades trust. When we go in with a mindset of helping them reach their
goals, we build trust. Serve. Success follows. - Stacy Stateham, BloomTree Realty

6. Hit Whatever Is Thrown Your Way 

Develop an “I don’t care” attitude. The advice came from a Little League coach. I was having so much trouble
hitting the pitch because I was trying to decide if it was a strike or a ball. His advice was to develop an attitude of, “I
don’t care what the pitcher throws — I’m hitting it!” The advice applies to sales. Don’t care about the challenges
thrown at you — solve whatever they are. - Lee Kiser, Kiser Group

7. Strive To Create Equity 

Paying rent never creates equity, property ownership does that, and you can borrow against your real estate to grow
any other business. I purchased my first real estate at 19 and used it to grow education, training, real estate and
nonprofit businesses internationally. - Susan Leger Ferraro, Peace, Love, Happiness Real Estate

8. Be Obsessed Or Be Average 

Be obsessed. That’s it, be obsessed with getting your client your product or service. Be obsessed with providing
them with the highest level of service and satisfaction. Be obsessed with solving their problems and growing your
business in the process. Most salespeople simply lack clarity and obsession, and you can’t show me one great
salesperson who’s not obsessed. - Lucas Pinto, Lucas Pinto Real Estate Group, LLC

9. Always Be Willing To Help 

My mindset has always been to help people. If you are willing to help people with knowledge, skills or expertise,
you will be the first in mind when they need professional services or as a referral. Your reputation is built by the
things you do, not by what you say. - Linda Liberatore, Secure Pay One – My Landlord Helper

10. Listen And Learn 

Being a good listener is key to sales success. Listening shows you care, makes it possible to understand what the
prospect’s true needs and wants are — which then helps you frame how you can provide a solution. Sometimes,
prospects simply need to convince themselves. In those cases, you just need to listen and validate what they’re
saying. - Lisa Fettner, ReferralExchange

11. Provide Direct Solutions To Clients’ Challenges 

The greatest barrier to success for a client is a distraction keeping them from achieving their goals. One of the most
challenging barriers includes real estate development. Showing how your services can remove complicated barriers
is essential to close the sale. - Bryan McLaren, Zoned Properties, Inc.

12. Ensure Constant Contact And Communication 

Nobody knows you exist until the consumer sees you. You are the best billboard for your brand. Constant contact,
communication and advertising your name/brand is the only way to let the consumer know you exist. You have to
spend money on advertising to make money. If you keep your name silent, no one will ever know your brand exists
or what your company offers. Advertising dollars equal profits. - Angela Yaun, Day Realty Group

13. Activity Drives Results

The more calls you make, the more networking events you go to, the more follow up you do, the better your sales
results will be. Track your activities and you will clearly see that it boils down to how much you are actually
DOING that generates sales. Meetings and brainstorming sessions are great, but activities directly related to
generating new business will drive sales.
Buyers Beware! Five common tricks real estate agents use

Today I want to talk from the buyer’s perspective and, more specifically, what they need to beware of
when dealing with real estate agents directly.

I’ll be focusing on some of the sneaky tricks that real estate agents employ to get more money out of the
buyer because, ultimately, what we need to understand is that the real estate agent’s job is to get a
premium price for their client, who is the seller.
If we take a step back… When someone is deciding to sell a property, quite often they might get two
or three real estate agents into their living room to decide which one would actually sell the property on
their behalf. So they are all doing a sales pitch, and one of the parts of this pitch is when the agent says,
“Well, I would get you the best price because I can negotiate really well, I can market really well and I can
attract the highest number of buyers to your property. I can achieve that end game.”
It’s important that the buyer understands this because, quite often, they just don’t see that this is actually
what’s happening from the vendor’s perspective. So when the property comes on the market, the buyer is
trying to get the property for the cheapest price possible, but their opposing side is the real estate agent
and, of course, it’s their job to get the highest price. So it makes sense that the real estate agent is going
to employ several tactics to achieve this higher result. But it’s the buyer’s job to be aware of what these
tactics are.
And, without a doubt, the number one tactic — a sneaky trick that real estate agents employ — 
is underquoting.
For example: if you think about Adelaide, they would give you a price range — call it $650,000 to
$690,000 — and chances are, you are going to buy it for $650,000 to $690,000. But in Melbourne or
Sydney, this is simply not the case. Quite often the quoted price can be 10% – 25% below what the actual
property will sell for.

After all, real estate agents have a saying… “Quote it low, watch it go. Quote it high, watch it die.“
Underquoting is an incentive to create competition. Ultimately, if two people are fighting for a property,
agents are more likely to get a premium price, which is what they promised to the vendor in the listing
presentation. So if they quote it nice and low, they can attract more people, ideally from a lower price
bracket, and bring it to auction or even a private sale, and get these people to fight it out in a battle of the
fittest. Whoever has the deepest pockets is who will actually win on the day.

But why is it “a sneaky trick” for the buyer to be aware of?

Buyers can easily be led to believe that if a property was $650,000+, they might reasonably be able to
buy it between $650,000 and $670,000. But ultimately, it’s probably always going to go for $670,000 or
more. The poor old buyer pays for a building inspection, gets the solicitor to check the contract, and
invests a lot of emotional capital into the purchase, but from Day One, they were never in the hunt.So
they’ve wasted their hard-earned money on all of these services AND have also said goodbye to some of
their precious time. So the Number One sneaky trick of a real estate agent is underquoting.
[Recommended podcast: How to Avoid the 7 Common and Costly Settlement Mistakes when Buying
a Property]
 

This leads onto the second sneaky trick that real estate agents do. Just ask them…

“What’s the price?” — they stay very, very vague on the price.

They may say something like, “It’s the first week of the campaign, we haven’t had many buyers through
yet so we are just gauging what the market is willing to pay.” But they know very well where that price
band is because they told the vendor in the lounge room during the listing presentation. So they do know
the answer… but they stay vague for a reason. Again, they want to create maximum competition. So don’t
be surprised if you ask a real estate agent a direct question and you don’t get a direct answer. It’s their
job to try and stay vague in order to create some more competition.

The third sneaky trick that often comes up is the tactical fear of loss.
As soon as they know that you’re slightly interested in the property, it’s amazing how quickly there’s
another buyer. In fact, there’s actually another buyer who has just shown some interest, or it might be as
simple as, “Hey you know what, I know you like this, but I’ve got another buyer coming through this
afternoon for their second look.”

And it creates this Fear of Missing Out (FOMO).

It taps into the emotion, it taps into your fear of loss and, therefore, you may be prepared to pay an
emotional price for the asset. So my advice on that is… don’t necessarily fall for this tactic. Chances are,
there might be another buyer; but equally, it could just be another tool the agent is using. So a way to arm
yourself from this is to make sure you are rock solid on knowing what the value should be.  If you do find
the property that you like, you can act quite quickly so that you can make sure you get it. But don’t
necessarily fall for it each time because the real estate agent is using  this as a sneaky trick to get you to
pay more.
[Recommended article: What is the ONE thing in a negotiation that can get you across the line?]
 

Sneaky trick number four is, as property investor,  you ask the real estate agent…
“How much do you think this property will achieve in rent?”. And, quite often, they’ll  have this
blank look, “Ooh.. about $500 a week.”

And maybe it’s the first time they even thought about this question! bThey may have actually thought it’s
going to be an owner-occupier who will buy the property. Sure, you might be relying on $500 a week,
but the reality might be that the market is only paying $430. Again, the real estate agent is incentivised to
make the property look really great. So you need to do some independent research to make sure you
know exactly what the rental estimates should be. Another part of this is if they offer a rental
guarantee, which means that, “When you settle on this property, we will guarantee that you would get
your $500 a week.” This should be a BIG alarm bell. If you are buying a property that’s in demand by the
locals and is at fair market value, there should be NO need for a rental guarantee.

You’ve got to ask yourself, if they are offering one… why is that?
Straight away, you should unpack this and try to find out what’s really going on behind the veil. What’s
incentivising them to offer a rental guarantee when the market should just be working for you in it’s normal
operation?

And the last one, number five, is… be careful of the pre-auction offer.
If the real estate agent thinks that “the buyers are liars” and most buyers keep their card close to their
chest and won’t tell them how much they are willing to pay, what they are incentivised to do is get you to
make a pre-auction offer. They do this so they can, at very least, know where your interests are, even
though they may have no intention whatsoever on selling prior to auction.

So if you’re going to make a pre-auction offer, you need to understand a lot more information about the
vendor’s motivation. Because even if the vendor is motivated to sell prior to auction, the agent may not
be. Think about it. It’s free advertising for them, it’s street theater to go through the auction process, and
quite often the neighbours would come and watch the auction in place. Therefore, if the agent and the
auctioneer performs well and they get a great result, they may get their next listing from the neighbour.
Yep, the guy down the road or two streets away! So they are highly incentivised to go to auction.
If you are going to make a pre-auction offer, you need to understand the vendor motivation very well.
Understand that it might just be what the real estate agent is using to tease out how much you are
prepared to pay. For example, they might come back to say…

“Actually, the vendor just wants to take this to auction now, but they do know how much you are prepared

to pay.”
 

So there are a few little and sneaky tricks that real estate agents would employ to get more money out of
you. If understand what’s going on, you can be in a better position to make sure you don’t fall for those
tactics.

The best way you can guard yourself against those tactics, as I say it all the time, is know your value. If
you know what your value is, you are not going to be seduced by what the real estate agents are telling
you. If you don’t know your value, then employ a professional. Go get a valuer who can value the property
for you and tell you what it’s worth. Go find a real estate agent who doesn’t have the listing and talk to
them about fair market value. They may have actually missed out on the listing and so they are quite
willing to tell you how much you should be prepared to pay. Or, of course, talk to a buyers agent who
does this every day. They know the tactics the real estate agents are going to employ and they don’t fall
for it.
Hopefully, there are a few tips here for you to “Buyer Beware” and understand the sneaky tricks that real
estate agents employ to get more of your money.
 Types of Questions for Real Estate Pros to Ask Homebuyers

Open questions for homebuyers is the way to go for a real estate agent. For example, how many times

have you shown a buyer a series of houses you thought matched her needs, then ended up writing an

offer for something entirely different? How about buyers who lose interest because you just can't locate

the right property? Both scenarios happen to many agents, but when either is a common occurrence, it's

time to figure out why.

Don't Fall Into a Rut by Asking the Same Old Questions

Real estate agents all seem to ask the standard questions:

How many bedrooms and baths do you need?

What's the minimum square footage you require?

Is a garage or basement necessary?

Are you ready to buy a home now?

Do you have a preapproval letter?

Many questions can be answered with a "yes" or "no," and the responses easily fed to

our MLS databases. Unfortunately, they don't provide much information about a client's desires.

When we ask open-ended questions, we gain better insight into what the client is really looking for. What

is an open-ended question? It's one where the person you are talking with is encouraged to give a more

detailed response, where a person needs to explain in detail to answer.

 Instead of asking what type or size kitchen a buyer is looking for, ask how they use their kitchen

area. Do they entertain a lot, and if they do, is it with large groups that would benefit from open

spaces or small dinner parties that would be more comfortable in a formal dining room?
  Someone who loves to cook would probably be impressed with a chef's kitchen, but the client

who would rather bring home Chinese take-out might prefer to see extra dollars invested on

amenities in other parts of the house.

More Homebuyer Answers = More Questions for the Agent

You'll find that each answer to an open-ended question leads to the opportunity for more questions and

answers. Before long, you'll have a better overall picture of what the buyer's true needs are, and that

gives you the edge when identifying properties. Even though you might not hit the perfect property the

first time, showing buyers things they like right from the start is a great way to keep them from drifting to

other agents.

After receiving an answer from a buyer, it's a good idea to parrot the answer and make sure you

understand. You can do this by saying, "I understand you want a large dining room because you need a

big space to entertain." Receive confirmation that you're on the right track.

You might also ask: "How would you feel if you didn't have a formal dining room but instead found a home

with a large family room?" Try putting trade-offs into the framework of the buyer's qualifying factors to see

if the answers change.

You also might want to probe the question further and find out exactly how important an indoor dining

space might be, for example, as compared to an outdoor dining space. When do the entertainment events

tend to take place? If it's in the winter, and you live in Minnesota, an outdoor dining space will probably be

pretty much impossible, but if you live in Florida, it's a whole 'nother story.

Buyer's Agents Have to Know the Market

When buyers describe their dream home, you have to know where to find it. Set aside time every week to

view new listings. Attend open houses, especially those held specifically for agents like broker tours.

Those showings give you the opportunity to get to know your fellow agents. Your peers are one of the

best sources of information available to you, and working with them always brings rewards.
 10 Techniques for a Successful Real Estate Negotiation

In a negotiation the object is to obtain the Buyers Maximum and Sellers Maximum Price

If you have sold your property or you are currently negotiating a contract would you take the
opportunity to ask the buyer whether or not they would or could pay more?

In our experience when this question is asked there are generally 2 answers.

“Yes, I would have paid more though I wasn’t asked to” or “No, I paid top dollar and wouldn’t have
paid anymore”.

So how do you know the buyer has paid their maximum price and you have not sold for your
minimum price?

Here are a few more questions.

 Have you received the highest possible price for your property?
 How do you know you have received the highest possible price?
 Do you know if your purchaser has paid their maximum?
 How do you know what the buyer’s maximum price is?
 Have you accepted your minimum price for your sale price?
 Have you accepted a price that “you” could have achieved without a real estate agent?

Most real estate agents (and this is based on our experience) do not ask themselves the following
questions on your behalf.

“Will this buyer pay $100 more for my clients’ property”?

If they do not, they are NOT acting in your best interest and unfortunately a lot of agents are like
this. They will ask you to accept your lowest price.

99% of the value of the remuneration you pay real estate agents is for that real estate agent to
negotiate on your behalf.

Anyone can put up a sign and advertise a property for sale, but negotiating the best possible price,
is a skill that separates any agents from great agents.

An expert is required to negotiate and receive the highest possible price for your property.

Ask your real estate agent if they could have received an extra $500 from your buyer just before you
agree to sign. If the answer is ‘yes’, then we implore you to send them back and instruct them to do
what they are supposed to do and negotiate the highest possible price for YOU. This then becomes
Buyers Maximum price and not YOUR Minimum price.
 Willing Buyer + Willing Seller is the definition of a Valuation.

Some agents will tell you a property is valued at, or worth, what a buyer is willing or wants to pay.
We believe a property is worth what we as your agent can persuade the buyer to pay, NOT what
they want to pay.

Here’s what your agent needs to know and execute in your best interests:

1.   Be Polite and be Courteous

The negotiation process should be an enjoyable experience and using the right timing and having
the ability to remain calm and respectful will only assist the process towards achieving a positive
result for all parties.

2.  Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want

Successful negotiators are assertive and challenge everything – they know that everything is
negotiable. Being assertive means asking for what you want and refusing to take NO for an answer.

Aggression is often used to achieve a result. However practicing being assertive will take care of
your interests while maintaining respect for the interests of others. When you manage your own
interests ahead of the others and with a lack of respect then you are negotiating aggressively.

3.   Listen

The most popular word in the English language (or any other language for that matter) is “I”.
Therefore it stands to reason that most people love hearing themselves talk.

Communication is imperative in any negotiation. Negotiators search for that one point that will bring
the two parties together and create a platform for a result. Good negotiators ask probing questions
and then listen.

The other party will tell you everything you need to know – all you have to do is listen.

Follow the 90/10 Rule – listen 90% of the time, talk 10 % of the time.  Ask lots of open-ended
questions sit back and relax and listen and you’ll be amazed at what you hear.

4.   Homework 

Be prepared. So many times we sit at the negotiation table and think “I wish I would have known
that” or “If only I found that out before I left the office.

Keep asking yourself a few simple questions before entering into the negotiation process.

 What are my clients’ needs?

 Are they under any pressure and if so what can I do to alleviate the pressure?
 What options do my clients have?
 What if they struggle to make a decision because of emotional stress?
 What if I’m dealing with a first home buyer who has the family expert offering advice?
Doing your homework is vital to successful negotiation. You can’t make accurate decisions without
understanding both sides of the process. The more information you have about the people with
whom you are negotiating, the stronger you will be.

People who consistently leave money on the table probably fail to do their homework.

5.   Always be willing to walk away

Never negotiate without options. If you rely too much on the positive outcome of a negotiation, you
lose your ability to say NO.

When you say to yourself, “I will walk if I’m unable to secure a negotiation that is satisfactory,” the
other side perceives that you mean business. Your resolve will force them to make concessions. If
you don’t consider the option of walking away, you may be inclined to cave in to the other side’s
demands simply to make a deal.

6.    Take the Time

Being patient is trying for many people. Whoever is flexible about time has the advantage. Your
patience can be challenging to the other party if they are in a hurry as they start to believe that you
are not under pressure to conclude the transaction. So what do they do? They offer concessions as
a means of providing you with an incentive to say YES.

7.   Aim high and expect the best outcome

Successful negotiators are optimists. If they expect more, you’ll get more.  Be sure to show a
confidence level that is honest and caring as either party will be able to pick up on an attitude of
“Ego”.

8.   Show the other party how their needs will be met 

Successful negotiators always view the situation from the other party’s perspective.  Everyone looks
differently at the process so stay ahead of the negotiation by using role reversal techniques.

Ask yourself:  If this was me, what would I be doing and what would I want to achieve. Act on these
thoughts and you will find yourself thinking a differently and producing a better result for your client.

9.   Concessions

Whenever you give something away, receive something in return. It’s the give and take principal or
I’ll do this if you do that.” When you give something away without requiring the other party to
reciprocate, they will feel entitled to your concession, and won’t be satisfied until you give up even
more. If they have to earn your concession, they will derive a greater sense of satisfaction than if
they received it for nothing.

10.  Don’t take the issues or the other person’s behaviour personally. 

Rogue or inexperienced negotiators fail due to taking comments from either party personally. Should
the negotiation start to derail then it is imperative that you try to understand their behaviour as the
behaviour maybe unrelated to the process.

Conclusion
Everyday most of us need to negotiate on something of value, and most of us wish we would have
paid less. Its a natural feeling and we all feel it at some time.

35 Easy & Effective Real Estate Marketing Ideas

The real estate industry has had some interesting ups and down over the past decade - NAR (National
Association of Realtors) membership hit its all-time high back in 2006 with 1,357,000 realtors before
dropping dramatically with the housing financial crisis. However, since its rock bottom in 2012 (with
999,000 members), it has been steadily increasing, and with nearly 1,100,000 members in 2014, the
competition among realtors is heating up.

The competition is fierce, and these days you’ll need expert online and offline marketing skills to set
yourself apart from the pack.

While real estate agents are still key in the home buying process, buyers are increasingly looking to do
more leg work online before involving the experts. A study from the National Association of Realtors
showed that 92% of buyers use the internet to begin their house hunting quest, driving home the vital
need for real estate agents to have an active online presence. If you're not active, engaging,
and networking online, then you're missing out.

Here are our 35 best real estate marketing ideas for those looking to win the real estate marketing game.

1. Set Yourself Up For Social.

Make sure you have social media accounts on all the big networks (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest,
Google+, and even Instagram if you snap a lot of house pics). Interact with users, share good press, and
promote your properties.

2. Add Social Sharing To Property Pages.

Chances are, home shoppers are eager to share their top housing pics with friends and family, so make it
easy for home buyers to email and share various properties online by adding social sharing buttons.

3. Keep An Eye On The Competition.

What are other realtors in your area doing? What do their websites look like? How active are they on
social media? Take note of what competitors are doing – then avoid their mistakes and replicate their
success!

4. Make Yourself Easy to Contact.

Put your contact info on every page of your website. Ideally, make an impressive contact us page that
grabs attention.

5. Create a Killer Business Card.

Get an awesome looking business card and hand them out like pizza flyers on a Friday night.

6. Make Use of Local Images.

In many ways, you’re not just selling a house, you’re selling a whole town or area. Showcase the best that
your area has to offer, with high-quality, beautiful photos of local town landmarks and familiar sites.
7. Create an Irresistible Content Offer to Capture Leads.
Consider producing an ebook like “X number of things new home owners should consider before buying”
or “X most valuable features of a new home.” Offering free ebooks in exchange for an email address (and
zip code, in the case of real estate) is a great way to capture leads.

8. Hire a Photo Pro.

Successful real estate relies heavily on great photography. Bad photos will diminish interest in even the
greatest of properties. It’s absolutely vital that you have gorgeous photos of your properties. Hire a
professional photographer (preferably with experience photographing homes and architecture), or, if you
have sophisticated equipment and are confident in your abilities, have your own hand at it. Just remember
this is one of those scenarios when it pays to bring in the professionals.

There are tons of great resources that provide in-depth detail about real estate photography – this guide
from Digital Photography School is helpful (so long as you have some basic photography experience
under you belt already).

9. Create a Virtual Tour.

Your clients’ time is precious, and they want to understand as much as possible about a property prior to
visiting in person. Virtual tours are a great way to give a comprehensive, accurate preview of the property
for potential buyers.

Here’s one example of a virtual tour (although you’ll find some aspects of this video are quite outdated). If
you make your own, I’d beg you to not use music that resembles the soundtrack of The Sims.

10. Local Sponsorship.

Consider helping sponsor local festivals, sports teams, or school events. Signing up as a local sponsor
often means getting your business a spot on t-shirts, program pamphlets, or flyers.

11. Animated Video.

Consider outsourcing a quality animated video for your real estate businesses. Short, cute, high-quality
cartoon videos can help establish your brand as well as give a touch of personality. You may even want
to consider featuring local landmarks or sites in your animated video to make it ultra-unique and targeted.

Your animated video doesn’t have to be super sophisticated – check out this short and very simple
animated ad from Geico.

12. Pinterest Boards.

Pinterest boards are a great way to provide images and information for specific listings. You can create a
Pinterest board for a single property that, in addition, to property photos, highlights major benefits of the
area.

13. Make Your Site Mobile-Friendly.

Tech-savvy consumers spend tons of time on their mobile devices. In fact, a recent study has shown that
80% of Internet users use their mobile devices for online activity. It’s paramount that your website is
mobile friendly. Even better, consider creating a mobile app that potential buyers can use to review
listings.

14. Create a Newsletter.

Email marketing is one of the best strategies for building client relationships. Collect emails from your
website, local outreach, or any other methods you can think of. Send your email subscribers the stuff
they’re looking for – notices about upcoming open houses, new houses on the market, news about
seminars you’re offering in the area, etc. (Note: if you work in different geographical areas, you’ll want to
segment your newsletter subscribers based on their location, ensuring that they only get relevant emails
and updates from you).  

15. Start an Email Nurture Campaign.

Nurture campaigns are like the breadcrumb paths of Hansel and Gretel, except instead of a gingerbread
house at the end, clients find their dream home (hopefully without a resident evil witch).

Leave your clients a trail of high-end panko breadcrumbs by tailoring your interactions with them based
on previous actions they’ve taken. If they first attended an open house with you, send them an email
detailing other nearby houses on the market. If they attended your first time homebuyer’s seminar, send
them your “10 Things Every New Homebuyer Should Know “ ebook. Deliver content that will help your
clients take the appropriate next step, depending on where they are in their journey.

16. Build Your Google My Business Page.

Google My Business is the latest in Google location-based pages. If you’re feeling confused, don’t worry –
it’s basically the same idea as Google Places for Businesses and Google+ Pages. Setting up a Google
My Business account makes it easy for users to find you in Google Search, Google Maps, and Google+.
Trust me, this one is a no-brainer. 

17. Consider Going Niche.

If you’ve got some real estate marketing competition in your area, you may want to consider making
yourself stand out by going niche. Become the go-to real estate agent for dog owners, families with kids,
divorced individuals, whatever. Making a name for yourself in regards to a specific niche need can make
you memorable, especially in saturated zip codes.

18. Use Emotional Storytelling.

Utilize emotional storytelling with compelling copy and powerful visual elements. Humans respond to
stories – tell a good one and clients will flock to you.

19. Host a Webinar.

If you feel comfortable enough, hosting a webinar can be a great way to garner attention for your
business. Host a “12 Little-Known Things to Look For In A New Home” webinar, providing a Q&A at the
end for questions. Webinars can also be repurposed as YouTube videos, with can serve as valuable
video content that can live permanently on your website! Here are some more tips on putting together a
great webinar.

20. Saddle Up For Social Ads.

Don’t be afraid to dish out dough for paid ads on social media. With organic reach dwindling on many
popular social networks like Facebook, paid Facebook ads are often the most effective way to get in front
of clients. Facebook has tons of great targeting features that ensure you’re only paying to get noticed by
your key target audiences.  

21. Old School Mailers.

The web is where it’s at, but that’s not to say traditional advertising doesn’t have its place, especially
when you have targeted audiences. Consider sending out postcards to qualified leads or potential buyers
in the specific zip codes you are active in.

22. Become a Columnist in Local Magazines.

When it comes to real estate, it’s important that you get laser focused on local. Getting yourself in local
magazines or newspapers is a great way to get the word out about you and your brand. See if you can
write a column or feature for local publications. You don’t want to be blatantly salesy – today’s consumers
don’t like to be pitched to. Instead, try to showcase your knowledge. Write about how rising prices of
houses on the market shows that the town is doing well, or list the reasons why your regional area is
becoming more popular (maybe it’s the revitalized downtown area or improved school system).

23. Host Free Seminars For Home Buyers.

Make yourself and your knowledge available to the community by hosting mini-seminars. Consider
providing a basic 101 seminar about the basics of home buying and mortgages. 

Remember, marketing today is all about inbound, and that doesn’t just apply online. Users want you to
share some of your knowledge for free before investing time and money in you. A home buying seminar is
the local equivalent of a webinar. Yes, it will take time and energy, but attendees will walk away
impressed and will have established a relationship with you. That relationship will be worth its weight in
gold when they’re ready to shop for a home.

24. Get Branding.

Branding is your buddy – that means pens, drink koozies, and all those other freebies people love. Give
out some branded goodies at local festivals and events to spread your brand. 

 From TotallyKoozies.com

  25. Partner With Local Businesses.

Developing relationships with other local businesses will be key for your real estate marketing efforts. See
if you can get local breakfast joints to let you buy them a set of new coffee mugs with your logo on them,
or buy a place on their paper placemat setting. Don’t be afraid to get creative with local partnerships. 

26. Ask for Testimonials From Former Clients.

Testimonials are tremendous trust signals. Showing that real, live people endorse your services means
the world to potential clients. When a homebuyer has had a great experience with you, reach out to them
and ask for a testimonial. If possible, try to get a photo of them as well. Make the most of these
testimonials by placing them strategically on your website and sharing them now and then on social
networks.

27. Create an Awesome Website.

Today’s consumers like to do a lot of legwork themselves online when making major purchases, and that
includes home buying as well. I myself have only rented, but even when renting a property I’ll Google Map
the address, use Street View to get a feel for the area, see which businesses are within walking distance,
look at home photos, and, ideally take a virtual tour of the property.

Make it easy for users to access all this information – make sure all your property pages have great
photos, virtual tours, and easy access to Google Maps and Google Earth. List the hot spots nearby and
their respective walking distances (mention the bus stop that’s just a five minute walk, or the Starbucks at
the end of the block).

28. Make Your Site Easy to Navigate.

All the great property pages in the world won’t mean much if your site is a nightmare to navigate. Your
visitors need to have a good experience on your website, so take the time to brush up on user experience
design skills and information architecture. 
29. Include Local-Oriented Copy.
Make sure you are including some local-oriented keywords in your copy to ensure that your content is
found by buyers Googling online for homes in your area. 

30. Get On Zillow.

Zillow is basically the Yelp of real estate marketing, and you really need to be on there if you want any
chance of being discovered - you can ignore the sun, but it will still burn you! Zillow offers the ability to
advertise as an agent on their website. This can get a bit pricey, but considering the huge role Zillow
plays in home buying, it’s probably your best bet. After all, sites like Zillow account for 48% of all site
traffic for real estate searches on the web.

Zillow also allows users to review real estate agents, so put on a smile and rack up that rating, as a solid
star rating will greatly increase your leads. 

31. Shared Scheduling App.

Use a scheduling sharing app to coordinate times to show a house to buyers. Scheduling apps like
Doodle can cut down on the endless back and forth timeslot swapping.

32. Give a Local Care Package After Closing.

Your relationship with a client doesn’t end right after they close. You want them to remember your name
so that hopefully they’ll share your info with friends, family, and acquaintances who might consider
moving in the future. Send a local care package to clients after they close, with local movie or theater
tickets, restaurant gift cards, etc.

33. Keep In Touch.

Stay in touch (even months and years later) with past buyers in order to build in that good relationship.
Send anniversary cards, holiday cards, etc to stay fresh in their minds. When they have a friend who is
ready to buy, they’ll pass along your info. 

34. Create a Referral System.

Provide incentives for past clients to refer you to future homebuyers.

35. Leverage Call Tracking.

Real estate is one of those industries that absolutely must use call tracking in their paid search
campaigns. Most people use the phone when trying to find a realtor or make an appointment to view an
apartment, condo or house. If those calls come about because someone saw your PPC ad, you want to
be able to track which ads and keywords are driving calls.
10 Tips for Long-Lasting Success as a Real Estate Sales Agent

It’s one thing to be a real estate agent and another thing entirely to be a continuously successful real

estate agent. Here are some key tips to keep in mind for long-lasting success in the real estate industry:

 Know your ‘why’. It’s so important to know why you’re in real estate. What do you want to gain?

What does success mean to you? How will you know when you have achieved your own personal

version of success? If your definition is vague and something along the lines of, ‘I want financial

independence’, ‘I want to earn a million dollars’ or ‘I want to be known as the best agent in my

area’ then this isn’t strong enough.

These definitions aren’t enough to motivate you, to help you through the inevitable rough patches,

nor are they strong enough to give you the resilience you need to keep moving forward until you

reach your goals. Brainstorm now and be very clear on your big ‘why’.

 Set your goals. Your goals must have built-in rewards and they must first be short term:

Covering the next 12 months then for the years after, but never more than 3 to 5 years ahead.

Your life in the real estate industry is bound to change during this time. You may move offices,

change staff, change location. Many things can, and probably will, happen so don’t look too far

ahead.

 Establish KPIs (Key Performance Indicators or Action Steps). You may need the help of your

principal, sales manager or a real estate mentor or coach to help you with this process. The value

of these external people is that they will help you stretch to the next level, keep you accountable,

applaud your efforts when you have a win, and guide you when you go off track. Setting KPIs,

more than anything else, will fast track your success.

 Get clear on your ‘point of uniqueness’. What do you want to be known for? Words like

‘honesty’, ‘integrity’ and ‘loyalty’ are good, but they aren’t enough — they’re used by every real

estate agent and have lost their impetus. What do you think you could do for your clients better

than anyone else? What knowledge or experience could you offer your clients to set you apart?

Knowing the answers to these questions will guide your personal profile and soon you will be

seen as the real estate agent of choice.

 Decide how you’re going to find your clients. Prospecting is simply about building

relationships for current and future business; filling your pipeline with people who will want to use

your services. To achieve this, check in with your principal, your sales manager or your coach for

advice, then settle on your top three prospecting strategies and stick with them.

Spreading yourself too thin by having a go at everything usually ends up in spinning many wheels

for small results. Block out time every single day to prospect, and it will pay huge dividends.

 Get listings. How skilled are you at getting in the door for appraisals? How skilled are you at

converting these to listings? If your answer is ‘not that great’ then you urgently need to up skill.

Attend training, coaching, webinars, seminars, read books, listen to CDs — whatever it takes.

Remember that without listings you have no stock. Without stock you have nothing to sell, and

without anything to sell you have no income!

 Market property. Before marketing anything, do you take time to identify the target market? Who

might they be and where are they likely to be found? Do you know which marketing and

advertising methods are going to be most suitable for your client? Do you know how to ask the

seller to invest in a marketing program if this is your real estate agency policy? If your answer is

less than positive, there are plenty of opportunities to learn this skill. Just take some time out to

focus on further training.

 Work with buyers. Are you good at identifying the wants and needs of your buyers? Do you

know how to separate the wants from the needs? If not, you could very well waste your time

trying to satisfy wants, while your buyer goes elsewhere to satisfy their needs in a different

location or with a different style property than your initial brief. This can be very disheartening and

your income depends on the sale; there’s no charging for wasted time.

 Negotiate offers. Are you good at eliciting offers from your buyers? Can you negotiate these

offers to ensure the best results for your sellers? How good are you at mediating and confirming

agreements? There are myriad of books on negotiation and many ways to up skill on the topic
 too. To be successful in the long term, pursue every opportunity available to help you become a

top negotiator.

 Keep your business on track. This is where you may need the help of other professionals to

assist with your business plan, financial plan and how you’re going to track your finances. It’s well

worth talking with someone skilled in this area, as the field is littered with real estate agents who

work so very hard but at the end of the day have nothing much to show for it. Don’t be one of

these casualties — put plans in place now!

Success as a Real Estate Agent For Dummies Cheat Sheet (Australian/New Zealand Edition)

To be successful in the real estate market, it helps to have a few key skills in place that specifically cater

for today’s real estate clients. This Cheat Sheet offers some of those tools, including how and when to

make use of online real estate training and coaching sources, and setting in place long-lasting strategies

for current and future success in the real estate industry.

Real Estate Training and Coaching Resources

Sometimes, you may be unable to find a real estate agency that has ongoing training as a primary focus.

For most new real estate sales agents and even for real estate sales agents who have been in the

industry a while, listing and selling can be difficult and challenging at times.

Real estate professionals looking to improve their skills can find a way (even outside of their agency) to

gain the knowledge they’re after, and to harness the personal discipline to implement that knowledge.

In both Australia and New Zealand, cutting-edge and powerful training sources for real estate

professionals are readily available online. Just type in real estate skills training Australia/New

Zealand into the web browser of your choice and you’ll be surprised at what you can find.

For example, one such company with an enviable reputation for taking real estate agents to a high level

of success is Bestagents. This company offers ongoing support and strategies for marketing, prospecting

and selling. They also claim to double and even triple an agent’s income once subscribed to their system.

7 Tips for Building Relationships as a Real Estate Agent

 The success of your real estate business is entirely dependent on the quality of your business

relationships. Lose your clients with mediocre or unethical service and it’s almost impossible to get back

on track. The key to your real estate sales success lies in firstly creating and then working hard to keep

relationships that go beyond the one-time sale or listing and instead stretch far into the future.

Here are some tips for developing enduring client relationships:

1. Over-communicate and over-service.

The biggest complaint heard from real estate clients is that communication is lacking and sometimes non-
existent from their real estate agent. Regular communication is not only best practice; it’s enshrined in
real estate legislation. Your clients rely on you to keep them informed about the real estate sale
campaign. You must promise regular feedback and progress reports and make sure that you honour your
word.

2. Become a trusted advisor and resource.

The more value you offer, the more a client will be loyal to you, trust you and refer their family and friends
to you. Your newsletters or blogs should be creative, full of market information, articles from property
experts, and include content that’s useful and informative. Remember that you want to be recognised for
your property and sales expertise and recognised as the area expert, so don’t annoy them with irrelevant
news or articles.

3. Be honest. It goes a long way.

Your client relationships will be short-lived if you’re dishonest with the information you pass on; clients will
feel they can’t trust you. Clients are informed and they’re smart; they know when they’re being
manipulated. Even telling a ‘little white lie’ about why you failed to do something you had promised will
damage your reputation. Without a reputation of integrity, you’ll never be able to cultivate the kind of long-
term relationships your business depends on.

4. Live up to your guarantee of service — always.

When you say you’re going to do something, your client will believe you and will be disappointed and let
down if you don’t deliver. When you commit to doing something and have a deadline, your client will take
you at your word. When you betray this trust it’s very hard to get it back. If you offer your clients a
relationship based on trust, you will find your clients will stay loyal and won’t waste time looking for
someone else.

5. Think of clients as more than just ‘clients’.

 A client is more than just a means of generating your income. Treat each client as an individual and take
note of their interests and their concerns. The more you can identify with a client as a person, rather than
as a chance to make money, the stronger the bond between you will grow.

6. Reward your loyal clients.

Don’t become complacent with your long-term clients. Sometimes agents can become so focused on
bringing in new clients and forget those they already have had dealings with. Reward these individuals (or
businesses) with exclusive discounts, reward program offers, and the like. Be free with expressions of
gratitude and look for new ways to say, ‘Thank you for your valued business.’

7. Always think long-term.

Work hard to satisfy your client’s needs and you’ll have a client for life. You’ll become their preferred real
estate agent and they will be a valued source of new and repeat business for many years to come.

Generating Leads for Real Estate Buyers and Sellers

Without stock you have nothing to sell. Without leads to convert into buyers and sellers, you may as well

shut up shop! Generating leads is the purpose of every single real estate prospecting activity. The day

you stop prospecting is the day you go out of business.

At the same time, many agents may shudder at the word prospecting as procrastination is then just a

blink away.

But, real estate is the ‘people’ business. It’s about connecting someone who wants to buy a property with

someone who wants to sell a property and meeting the needs of hundreds — even thousands — of

potential buyers and sellers.

Think about prospecting differently. See it as merely a way of forming relationships that could lead to an

immediate result or alternatively lead to a result for the future. There are so many ways to generate leads

that it’s a wonder why agents often find it so hard. What is needed is usually a change in mindset. Once

this happens, the rest is simple — not necessarily easy, but definitely simple.

So, what are the best ways to generate leads?  The answer to this depends a great deal on personal

preference but the top two should work well for agents in any market:

1. Meet prospects at your open house showings.

 People are busy and stressed; the job of finding a house for sale or an agent to list a property can seem
fraught with difficulty. A real estate sales agent’s job is to take the stress away through the way each and
every client is approached.

Meeting them in person in the non-threatening environment of an open home viewing takes the pressure
off. Creating loyalty and ensuring future business with this strategy involves some key things that must be
done consistently and well:

1. Present yourself nicely. Personal presentation must be impeccable (as if you’re turning
up at a job interview, which in fact you are).

2. Smile and welcome each visitor. Be friendly and don’t be pushy. Ensure your brochures
are of the best quality.

3. Follow up! Call each person after the open house (perhaps the next day), build on the
rapport from your first meeting, and reassure them that whatever the need (to buy this or perhaps another
property, or to have an appraisal with a view to listing for sale) you are more than happy to help.

2. Follow up from agency databases.

This especially applies to past buyer inspections and appraisals. These potential clients may not have
been ready to list or buy at that time, and most likely, no-one has ever kept in touch. This can be your job.

Sometimes you’ll find that they have no further need for agent service, but the odds are that you could
resurrect and move forward with each of them again — the timing could be right and you’re there to help.
Add them to your own database and ensure you generate an activity plan to keep in touch until the day
comes when you’re their preferred agent.

Developing A Winning Real Estate Sales Strategy

Have you heard of John McGrath’s brilliant book You, Inc.? John believes that developing a winning

strategy for sales — and for life — is a result of doing whatever it takes to maximise your potential.

For real estate sales agents, this could mean anything from smartening your appearance to refining your

‘tools of trade’, such as your car. Building trust with potential clients takes consistent effort but the results

are well worthwhile.

Here are some tips for developing a winning sales strategy in the real estate industry:
 Think of yourself as your own business. There is no ceiling on your income. Your success (or

your failure) is totally in your hands. Start with a business plan and a financial plan. Determine

your goals, financial and otherwise, and then set definite action steps and a time frame to reach

these goals. Having strong goals that you’re passionate about will ensure you keep doing

whatever it takes to be a winner!

 Build your network. Shop at your local shops, and support your local schools and sporting

clubs. Volunteer your time in the community — become known. Wear your agent’s name badge

and distribute your business cards everywhere. Build strong business and personal networks,

reward all referrals, and soon you will be the ‘go-to’ agent for your marketplace.

 Become the area expert. Choose a farm area  — no more than 1,000 homes — and get to know

the area intimately. Drive the streets at least once a week, noting any activity such as: for sale

and sold signs, moving trucks, skip bins, new landscaping, renovations and extensions.

Regularly be in touch with the owners (or renters) in your ‘patch’. Distribute interesting

newsletters with up-to-date market information, vouchers from local businesses. Anything and

everything that will guarantee your newsletter will be opened.

 Keep training — never stop learning your craft. Workshops, seminars and conferences should

be an integral part of your budget. DVDs, CDs, books, webinars, YouTube videos — all of these

resources are readily available and affordable, so there’s no excuse for a serious agent not to

avail themselves of these opportunities to become more skilled and knowledgeable each day.

 Create activity plans for contacting and keeping in touch with your buyers and sellers

(past, present and future). These contacts are gold nuggets, and it’s up to you to mine this

goldfield.

 Schedule time off. Burn out is common in real estate. Some clients will expect you to be

available 24/7, so you must ensure that this isn’t the case. Diarise your time with friends and
 family to recharge the batteries regularly. You’ll accomplish even more when you’re not tired and

stressed.

 Find a mentor or a coach. What you spend on this will come back a hundred fold. They will help

you set your path, keep you accountable, brainstorm new strategies, warn you when you’re

deviating from your goals and, most importantly, a good coach will walk beside you when

challenges and disappointments come and also celebrate with you on the victories.

Keeping these points in mind will help you avoid the pitfalls of real estate sales and develop winning

attitudes and strategies for your sales success!

4 Tips for Running a Successful Real Estate Business

Whether you’re just starting your real estate career, looking to up skill, or opening your own real estate

agency, there are a few vital things you need to keep in mind:

 Know and be known in your area. It’s so important to make yourself a known identity — and

this doesn’t mean spending big money on billboards or bus-seat advertising. It means driving

around your area, meeting the locals, supporting your local retailers and suppliers, and leaving

business cards everywhere.

Support your local schools or clubs with sponsorship and ads in local newsletters. Remember

you’re on show all the time, so wear your name badge with pride and you may be surprised how

this small gesture can lead to new business.

 Develop client loyalty. This is simply about doing what you say you will. If you promise to

contact a client, do it. Schedule contact activity plans and regularly touch base with your past

clients; referrals and repeat business opportunities are gold.

 Understand that your service guarantee is very important. Many agencies have their own

standard service guarantee, but why not personalise your own? The biggest complaint about

agents is their lack of service and failure to follow up and keep in touch. You can be different.
 The Internet has revolutionised the way people search for property prices and information. They

can even get help to sell their own property privately. However, online tools can’t match your

huge advantage: The ability to offer platinum client service over and above what your clients

expect.

 Learn to prioritise. If you don’t prioritise, you’ll find that your day will be spent concentrating on

non-dollar-productive activities and watching your bank balance decline. Before you go home

each night, set up your next day and be clear about what needs to be done.

Do a mind-dump, write down everything you need to do, then highlight the six most important

things. Write these on a new list and do them first! Work through with the next six, and so on.

You’ll be amazed at the difference this will make to your daily routine.

13 Ways to Negotiate Successfully as a Real Estate Agent

Are you making money or, like many agents, going backwards? Having strong communication skills will

mean success in achieving mutually beneficial outcomes during any negotiation. You can’t leave it to

chance. Often, there will be a level of emotion on both sides when you are negotiating either for your

clients or for yourself.

To be a great negotiator requires preparation and skill. Each negotiation will be different but there are vital

keys to guarantee success. This article provides powerful tips to help you become a top negotiator.

A positive, confident attitude

Your own attitude will determine how successful your negotiations will be. Keep a positive picture in your

mind of your success. See yourself handing the marketing monies to your office administration. Imagine

ringing your buyer to say congratulations when the seller puts the final signature on the contract.

So often in life, you attract the outcome that is in your mind — so make sure that your thoughts are

positive! Expect success and you’re well on the way to achieving it.

Do your research

Before every negotiation, prepare your strategy based on knowledge you’ve gained right from the

beginning of the relationship. Define your ideal outcome and define the steps you will take to move both

parties towards this outcome. Ask these questions:

 What personalities are you dealing with?

 Who do you think is the decision maker?

 What were the non-negotiable points?

 In which areas is it likely that concessions might be possible?

 How are you going to handle any emotional outbursts?

 What could be a win-win situation for both sides?

 What has happened so far?

Know your plan in advance

Having a strategy is paramount. The best negotiators always set their outcome before the event. They

know in advance the result they want and plan the steps to get there.

Good negotiators never ‘wing it’. They plan and sometimes they even rehearse and role-play. They get to

know the personalities and communication styles of their clients and their customers. They think through

possible objections and stumbling blocks and make sure that they know how to handle these. Rehearsal,
 either out loud or in your mind, is crucial to your confidence and your competence, and ultimately to your

success.

Revisit the motivation for both parties

Do this before you begin your negotiations. Be careful not to focus only on what is above the surface.

Often the negotiation will be successful if you can fulfil the underlying motivation, which will be revealed

only in the presence of trust between you and your client.

You should have elicited this early in the client relationship but if not, it is vital that you explore this issue

now. You need to know:

1. Why the seller is selling at this particular point in time.

Is it just for the money or is it more likely to be for what the money will enable them to do? This is the
important thing you must know when planning your strategy. Otherwise the price issue will overshadow
everything and ego and pride can come into play.

2. Why the buyers want to purchase this particular property.

What are their original motivations — what were their needs and their requirements? You must read
between the lines to elicit what is special about this particular property.

Doing this research — that is, really knowing your client’s underlying motivation — is what will make the

difference to how you plan your strategy and is what will move you to the level of a master negotiator.

If you know the other person’s needs and objectives, you are able to offer options that will result in a win-

win. Think through all of the possible options and plan how to achieve the best one.

Be totally present to your client

Instead of stating your personal ‘very persuasive’ arguments, you must begin by asking open-ended,

exploratory questions. Listen attentively to the other person’s concerns and needs, and take note of their
current stance. Watch their body language and carefully paraphrase to ensure you have heard and

respected their position.

Write down any salient points of concern

Even if what your client is saying isn’t clear or even rational, still take the time to demonstrate concern

and respect by taking notes and writing things down. You may be able to refer back to these points at a

later part of the process.

Be open to any emotional energy that is present

Active listening involves observing body language, signs of hostility, defensiveness or a closed-minded

position. At all times, indicate with your words and your own body language your respect and empathy for

your client’s position, especially if it’s not aligned with your own.

No matter what happens, don’t react personally

Remain objective and don’t become defensive. Instead work to understand the underlying problem. You

must avoid inflaming the situation with aggressive responses of your own. This is the time to listen and

stay firm but emotionally steady.

Do not underestimate the power of silence

Silence is a great tool of the skilled negotiator. Sometimes jumping in too soon with a comment or a

suggested solution can undermine the negotiator and lose you the advantage. Be comfortable with

silence — parties may need to ponder the outcome before they give an answer.

Do not come across as judgemental or critical

No matter what your client verbalises, try to put yourself in their position. Allow them to state their point of

view and pause before giving a response. If you don’t agree, these actions will show respect and

understanding and will predispose the other to withdraw somewhat and be more open to communication.

If you sense that the other person is not hearing or not understanding you, it’s your responsibility to

explore other options to get your views across in a non-threatening way.

Pre-empt objections
In advance, prepare your responses to the most common and expected objections. Brainstorm these

objections with your coach or your colleague and practise effective responses.

State common objectives before exploring differences

If, for example, you’re negotiating a contract for sale, initially emphasise any terms or conditions that will

be favourable to both sides rather than honing in on the differences in price expectations.

If you’re negotiating with a potential seller to secure an exclusive listing or perhaps vendor-paid

advertising monies, focus on the benefits for your seller — don’t let your client keep you trapped

defending the specifics.

Prevent your client expressing a rigid attitude

There’s an old saying, ‘everything is negotiable’, which is nowhere truer than in the real estate world. The

best negotiators always ‘leave a little in the pot’. They don’t give away concessions too easily. They never

allow the client to say things like, ‘that’s the price I want, and if I don’t get it, don’t come near me with

stupid offers’ or, ‘that’s my final offer, otherwise I’m walking away!’

Once you let a client verbalise these words, it’s hard for them to lose face and back down in final

negotiations. Always leave room for movement, even a little. Be flexible and realise that there’s always

more than one way to get your result. Try to be in the client’s mind and get to know your client well

enough to anticipate his reactions and behaviours. Remember the ‘win-win’ principle — this leaves both

parties feeling like winners.

 12 Insanely Successful Real Estate Marketing Ideas from Top Agents

As a real estate professional, you want to grow your business, and marketing plays a large role in capturing the
attention of potential clients. A 2018 study by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) found 87% of home
buyers purchase their home through a real estate agent. It’s evident there’s a market for real estate agents. But how
can you reach prospects?

Below, I’ve compiled some real estate marketing ideas top agents use to promote their businesses. Whether you’re
just getting started or are an experienced realtor looking to attract new clients, these marketing tips will help you
create a successful marketing plan.

1. Create a website

2. Build a blog

3. Develop email marketing campaigns

4. Employ virtual staging

5. Try experiential marketing

6. Partner with local businesses

7. Run paid Instagram promotion

8. Use drone photography

9. Create a Zillow profile

10. Ask for referrals

11. Make Your Own Videos

12. Co-Host a Webinar

1. Create a website

Many consumers search the internet to investigate products and services before they buy. Creating a website for
your real estate business will show prospective clients what you have to offer. Include listings on your site and
update them regularly -- this will keep prospects coming to your site as they search for properties.
And add something a little unexpected to set your website apart. Take this mortgage calculator, and easy value add
for visitors.

Image source: NoBedrooms

2. Build a blog

You can also start a blog and create content optimized for SEO. This ensures your posts show up in prospect search
results every time. Tools like Google Analytics and Ahrefs can help you find the search terms and keywords your
target clients are looking for and will inspire you with fresh topic ideas.
Make it easy for them to navigate to your main website and link to your profile pages on other real estate sites so
they can learn more about you and your business.

And don't forget to create interesting images for your posts. This infographic would make a great addition to any
blog post or email marketing campaign.
Image source: Space
 Simply

3. Develop email marketing campaigns

Send a monthly newsletter roundup of your blog content, and reach out to contacts when new property listings are
available. Include images of the properties that link to the full listing, a video walkthrough of the property, or a
virtual staging of the home.

4. Employ virtual staging

How can you pique buyer interest? Give them a sneak preview of what the home looks like by using a virtual
staging website. Online staging saves you the time and money of physically staging the property. And a 2018 study
of 4,200+ homes found 85% of staged homes sold for 6-25% more than unstaged homes.

5. Try experiential marketing

Experiential marketing engages your prospects and "invites an audience to interact with a business in a real-world
situation." Host a tour of the area you’re selling in, hold an event to teach area homebuyers about the process of
buying a home, or arrange an open house and invite buyers to view the home.

6. Partner with local businesses

Use your local connections and partner with clothing boutiques, home decor showrooms, and coffee shops to
promote listings, and invite them to participate in an open house event. For a unique way to encourage prospects to
visit your open house, set up pop-up shops in different rooms of the house.

This encourages potential buyers to explore each room, and you can work with the local businesses to determine
discounts on goods that can be offered to the home buyers.

7. Run paid Instagram promotion

Instagram is another tool to get in touch with home buyers, promote your listings, and grow your brand. And your
most beautiful images can reach even more people with a paid promotion.
Instagram ads allow you to pick a target audience, budget, post type (e.g. image, video, carousel), and length of
your promotion. And you can use targeted hashtags to ensure posts are presented to the people you’d like to reach.

8. Use drone photography

Take sweeping shots of the home’s exterior and surrounding landscape using drone photography. Purchase a
drone or use a drone service, like HouseLens or Sold by Air, to capture the perfect shot.
Use the photos to add an excitement factor to your listings. Video can be used to supplement your virtual tours or
walkthroughs and show exterior features like patios and pools.

Don't have the drone photography chops you need to show your clients' homes in their best light? Services
like Drone Base have thousands of experienced photographers around the globe and specialize in both residential
and commercial real estate.

Image source: Drone Base

9. Create a Zillow profile

With over 188 million monthly viewers, Zillow provides the opportunity to get your business in front of thousands
of new prospects. This resource from Zillow lists the steps to set up your own profile. Your profile allows you to
share your listings with a large audience and connect with potential clients, increasing the likelihood of gaining a
new buyer.

10. Ask for Referrals

Did you know 39% of sellers using a real estate agent found that agent through a referral from friends or family? If
you're not asking for referrals, you should be. 

Follow up with buyers a few months after they've settled into their new home to ask how they're doing, and include
a referral request in your email.

Does it feel like home yet?

Hello [Buyer's name],

I hope you're settling into your beautiful home! You picked a great neighborhood to buy it, and I'm so happy to have
been able to help you through the process.
I so enjoyed with working with you. If you have any friends or family looking to buy or sell in the area, I'd love the
opportunity to work with them. I'm hosting a happy hour next week to talk with people about the current market.

Feel free to share this event link with anyone you think might be interested: [Insert link to event page]

Regards,
[Your name]

Some realtors will offer to plan a housewarming party for their new homeowners and use the party/guest list to meet
with potential buyers. 

11. Make Your Own Videos

It's no secret that video can be a powerful tool for realtors. And it doesn't have to cost thousands. Whether you go
for a highly produced video like the one below featuring client testimonials, or use video software to record a
message from your laptop pitching your services to a potential client, video can be a way to set yourself apart from
the crowd. 

12. Co-Host a Webinar

Want to make it easy for potential buyers or sellers in your area to understand the current market? Partner with a
local lender, title company, or even your favorite staging service and host a webinar on a topic that will interest
those thinking of making a real estate move.

For example, you might team up with a local home improvement service to conduct a webinar on the top five most
valuable improvements sellers can make to their home to boost sales price. These changes and tastes can differ per
state, so this can be valuable information sellers can't find online.

Real Estate Marketing Plan

Now that you have some marketing ideas, the next question is, "What’s the plan?" Without clear goals for your real
estate business and marketing strategy, it’s difficult to measure success. Consider the following points when
developing your marketing plan.

1. Create a vision statement

What do you want to accomplish in the short- and long-term? Develop a vision statement to identify the goals
you’d like to reach. This makes it easier to lay out steps for reaching your business’ vision.
 2. Identify your target customer

Who are you marketing to? Will you be marketing to sellers, renters, first-time home buyers, etc.? Identifying the
personas you’re selling to paints a clearer picture of who to target with your marketing efforts.

3. Develop goals

Set goals for your overall marketing initiatives, and summarize which strategies you’ll use to accomplish these
goals. What are the business goals you’d like to reach? And what criteria will you use to decide if these goals have
been met?

4. Determine your unique selling proposition

Think about what differentiates you from your competition. Here are some questions you can ask yourself
when developing your proposition:

 What can you offer that others can’t?

 How does your unique approach or personality create value for prospects?

 What are the latest pricing, selling, and buying trends in your market?

 How can you discuss these trends (including the numbers) with prospects?

5. Determine tools and budget for each strategy

Pick the top marketing ideas that will work for your business, selling proposition, and ideal target market. From
there, calculate how much of your budget to allocate to each strategy.

6. Measure performance

Once you’ve identified the tools you’ll be using to market your business, write down key metrics to measure their
success. Determine the timeframe for the strategy or campaign and set a goal. Let’s use a paid Instagram ad as an
example:

Campaign: Instagram post promotion

Length of promotion: 3 weeks
Goal: The post should gain 1,000 impressions and have a click-through rate of 1%
With these marketing ideas, you’re sure to wow your potential customers and attract them to your services. Creating
a marketing plan will help you set goals for your marketing campaigns and develop the steps to reach these goals. If
you’re looking for more ways to promote your real estate business, check out the best real estate websites for
selling a home next.

What do great sales campaigns have in common?

Selling a house might seem easy, but without time, research and consideration it can turn into tricky business
and potentially disappointing results.
With millions more buyers on realestate.com.au compared to last year, now is a great time to be thinking about
selling your home. But before you break out the champagne it pays to know exactly what the process is when going
to market.

The average length of a sales campaign is roughly 21 to 30 days in Australia, with the highest level of interest seen
in the first 10 to 14 days.

So it pays to have a strong strategy in place well before you hit the market.

We’ve spoken to Jarrad Boffo, managing director of LJ Hooker branches in Walkerville and Modbury in Adelaide,
to get the inside scoop on how to come up with a great strategy selling your home.

1. Selecting the method of sale

While some might be afraid of going to auction, it might be the norm for the neighbourhood. In other suburbs, a
private treaty is more the way things are done. Coming up with the right method for your area should be done after
careful discussion and comparing similar homes in your area.

“The agent should clearly and precisely explain all the options available to the seller. It should be a collaborative
process,” Boffo says.

The majority of sellers see the benefit in going to auction, Boffo says, as it doesn’t limit the sale price. The
unconditional nature of auctions also appeals, Boffo says.

2. Marketing

It’s hard to overstate the importance of marketing in a sales campaign. After all, a house on the market is no good
unless the right people know it’s for sale.

A marketing campaign typically includes professional photography, a comprehensive media campaign covering
online, print and social media and staging a home to show off its potential.

“Marketing is absolutely vital. Sellers and their agents should leave no stone unturned,” Boffo says.

“If you’re going to auction, it may mean one extra buyer on auction day and that can increase the sale price by
$5,000-$10,000 or more. If you compare the level of investment for that return, it’s pretty impressive.”

3. Property presentation

The way a property is presented is critical when prospective buyers come to inspect. Making sure you show off
everything that’s great about the home is key, as is removing any elements personal to the vendor – such as family
photos and pet paraphernalia. It’s all about creating a blank canvas for the buyers to imagine their lives there.

It’s also important for vendors to consider the kinds of buyers that the property will appeal to, and tailor the look to
suit them
4. Pricing strategy

While it might seem obvious, there’s actually quite a bit of science goes into deciding on the advertised price for a
property. Is it a first-home buyers’ property? It pays to know what the government-set limits are for them to receive
their discounts. If you’re appealing to families then research their expectations when it comes to size and number of
bedrooms in your area.

“The pricing strategy needs to strike a fine balance between being ambitious in line with the vendors’ price
expectations, while still being somewhat consistent with market values,” Boffo says.

“Many potential buyers determine if they’re going to look at a property based purely on the advertised price, so it’s
important to recognise the pricing strategy has a direct impact on that. It’s vitally important of course to get the
highest possible price when you sell your home.”

8 expert qualities that make a good real estate agent

To outsiders, real estate agents might seem like they have a straightforward job. In reality, each day can be as
diverse as the people they represent.
A good agent knows that a property is more than just bricks and mortar, it’s about people. They’ll understand that
while the sales process can be complex and trying at times, it’s their job to act as a support, an impartial expert and
always be trying to get towards a great outcome for all parties.

The top performers are comfortable talking to people from all walks of life, possess a deep understanding of the area
in which they operate, and have a strong sales history to back up their claims.

With that in mind, here are eight qualities to look out for when searching for the perfect agent.

1. They communicate well and regularly with their clients

As a seller or buyer, it can be stressful dealing with an agent who’s not a great communicator. The real estate market
is time-sensitive, so you need an agent who constantly keeps you in the loop about your current buying or selling
situation.

Otherwise, you end up wasting precious time on opportunities that offer a limited chance of success.

In fact, Jean Gordon from Estate Agent Stars says that poor communication from agents is one of the biggest
frustrations for buyers and sellers.

“It’s so important that agents stay in constant contact with their clients and customers. What seems like insignificant
information to an agent who’s been in the business for years can be really important to clients who are new to the
real estate game,” she says.

2. They’re proactive with the sales process

Ben Hatch from Harcourts Real Estate in WA says a good agent should be proactively calling potential buyers,
communicating with existing customers and constantly chasing new leads. The key element of being proactive is
keeping the client well informed.

“If your clients keep calling you, you’re not giving them enough information,” says Hatch.

3. They listen

Most good agents will tell you to be wary of an agent who talks too much.

Hatch says that, if you can’t get a word in when communicating with your agent, then you’ve got a problem.

“As a client or customer, you’re the one who should be doing most of the talking and making sure that your agent
understands your special requests and needs. A good agent should be asking all the questions, not the other way
around,” says Hatch.

An agent must also be able to ‘read’ their client, and adapt their approach accordingly, according to Lucy White
from David Murphy Real Estate in Mosman.

“Some clients like to communicate via email, some prefer a quick text message, and others like to receive a phone
call so that they can have a chat about what’s happening with their sale,” she says.
“It’s the responsibility of a good agent to suss out the clients preferred method of communication, so that they don’t
feel ignored by silence, nor pressured by too much communication.”

4. They’re client-motivated

Put simply, if the customer gets a good deal, the agent gets a good deal. Which is why it’s so important to choose an
agent who puts their vendors first.

White says a good agent will always have their clients needs as their top priority.

“Buying and selling houses can be stressful and it’s important for the agent to make sure that the client is feeling
supported and happy.”

5. They know the local area

Real estate agents are selling more than a home; they’re selling the life that comes with it, which requires a deep
understanding of the local area.

So, make sure that you ask your prospective agents a handful of curly questions before deciding which one’s right
for you. (Think train and bus routes, nearby activities for kids, and local planning regulations.) That way, you’ll be
able to distinguish between those who can sell the local lifestyle and those who can’t.

6. They know their clients time frame

Jean Gordon says that understanding urgency is essential to a good client-agent relationship.

“You need to know if the client is in a hurry to sell. If they need to settle soon, the agent should know this, and
should be working to a tighter time frame. If the client isn’t in a rush, the agent can shop around and advise the
client to wait for a better market so they get a decent price on their house,” says Gordon.

7. They know their customer’s motivation for selling

Ben Hatch says a good agent always knows why their clients are selling, and will ask themselves the following
questions:

 Is my customer selling to buy?

 Are they looking for an investment property?
 Are they going to live in this home and later knock it down?

“These are all things that good agents need to think about,” he says.

“It also helps to know if there’s a sentimental attachment to a home. A client who’s selling one of five investment
properties will have very different needs to a client who’s selling their family home. A good agent will know the
difference and will adapt accordingly.”
8. They aren’t afraid to give you their last 20 clients as references

Jean Gordon says the easiest way to find a good agent is to use their past clients as references.

“If you’ve lined up a new agent and you want to make sure that they’re the best fit for you, ask them for testimonials
or statements from their last 20 clients,” she says.

“Not selected clients, literally the last 20. A good agent should be able to give you a positive reference from any of
their past clients.”

9 things that will turn off buyers

There’s no right way to sell a house, but there are certainly a lot of wrong ways.
Every agent has their own method, and every buyer will respond differently to their sales pitch. But that variety doesn’t give you
carte blanche to do as you please.

As diverse as your prospective buyers may be, they still operate within the dictates of human nature. Which means that there’s
still a rulebook of sorts when it comes to selling your home.

Buyers will never tolerate dirt, bad smells, or clutter. And you’ll need to make it easy for them to imagine themselves living in
your property.

With that in mind, here are the nine things most likely to scare off prospective buyers. Ignore them at your peril.

1. Clingy sellers

It can be extremely difficult to let go of a property – especially if it’s somewhere you’ve made a home and stitched together
memories. But once you decide to sell, you need to commit to that process.

Give your agent room to do their job, and allow potential buyers the space they need to get hooked. Sellers that linger during an
open inspection, or regale prospective buyers with family tales, typically push buyers away, rather than draw them in.

Even if your stories are actually quite charming, you need to remember that selling a property is a business transaction. You need
to stay as dispassionate and objective as possible, and allow the buyer to visualise what their life would look like if they moved
into your home.

2. Dirt

Walking into a property that’s not well presented is often the death knell for a sale. Buyers will walk away if they’re inundated
with dust, dirt or other muck. So make an effort, and hire a professional cleaner, home stager, or both.

Thoroughly clean the entire property – including those areas typically hidden from view – and pay special attention to living
areas, backyards, bathrooms and toilets. (You’d be surprised how many people use the bathroom at an open for inspection.) It’s
hard to clean too much when you’re trying to sell your home, so really go for broke.

While you’re at it, make sure you address any signs of wear and tear, too. Minor maintenance issues might not seem like a big
deal, but prospective buyers might view them as evidence of much larger, underlying problems.

3. Smells

Opinion is mixed on which smells help to sell a home, but most property gurus agree that the simplest way to a buyer’s heart is a
dependable supply of fresh air.

That’s partly because every buyer likes different scents, and partly because many people assume sellers are trying to mask a bad
smell when they go heavy on the air freshener.

And so, rather than trying to find the perfect incense, focus on eliminating bad odours instead. Open plenty of windows in the
hours leading up to an open for inspection, and refrain from cooking lunch, too.

Read more: Smells that sell property

4. Clutter

There’s no excuse for a cluttered house at an open for inspection, and so you’ll need to do a little more than a quick spruce up
when you list your home for sale.

Declutter strategically and systematically, starting with those areas in which buyers will spend most of their time. You may be
able to explain away a cluttered garage, but you’d struggle to defend a cluttered living room.

Engaging a professional organiser is often a good idea if you’re feeling overwhelmed. A pro will look at your clutter objectively,
take quick, decisive actions to remove the excess, and store the rest out of sight.

Read more: 5 things you can do to organise your home

5. Temperature

Call it the Goldilocks effect: If a property is too hot or too cold, your buyers will bristle.

It mightn’t be a deal breaker, but buyers get turned off when they can’t experience your home at its optimal comfort levels, and
will feel the need to ask pointy questions about the heating and cooling systems, too. So, be prepared to splash out on a bit of
aircon and heating when required.

Ideally, you want to keep your property between 22°C and 26°C. Doing so may result in a tiny spike in your monthly energy
bills, but the amount you spend chasing the ideal atmosphere will pale in comparison to the amount you make on the sale of your
property. 

6. No price

Your listing is usually the first time prospective buyers see your home, and so it needs to provide as many relevant details as
possible to grab their attention.

Firstly, it needs to list the asking price. If that’s not there, many buyers will immediately rule out your property, and scroll to the
next one that meets their criteria.

Budget is all important for a buyer. It’s not always possible to pin down a finite dollar figure, but if your property advertising
doesn’t at least have a range listed, it will likely turn away buyers, who might assume they’re in for a nasty shock (even if the
home is reasonably priced).

7. No photos

Would you buy a product sight unseen?

Photos are the single most powerful tool to inspire a potential buyer to enquire about or inspect a property. People either need to
imagine their lives in your property, or they need to get an authentic impression of how it will stand up as an investment.

Work with your agent to create a series of photos that show your home in its best possible light. Fail to do so and you’ll shrink
your target market dramatically.
8. Personal photographs

Always remember that you’re not the person buying your home.

What works for you won’t necessarily work for your buyer, and so you should strive to create a blank canvas for interested
parties to imagine what their lives would be like in your home. That means taking down provocative pieces of artwork, painting
your home in neutral tones, and removing any personal photographs.

In fact, any evidence of and you and your family’s occupation should be hidden from view.

The property should still be made to feel like a home, but any notes, certificates or documents that reveal your identity should be
placed out of sight, as they often interfere with a buyer’s attempt to forge an emotional connection with your property.

9. Your agent

A good agent can make or break a sale, with few things turning off buyers quite as much as rude or unhelpful interaction.

It’s important that you choose an agent with proven experience selling similar properties to yours, and that requires you to do
some research.

Compare the sales histories of agents on realestate.com.au and find one with a deep understanding of the local market. Ask them
lots of questions about their experience and how they’d approach selling your property, and then take them for a test drive,
by heading to one of their open for inspections to see how they interact with buyers.

You need an agent who can recommend good schools and reliable transport links to buyers, and one who has the social skills to
transform a promising lead into an agreed upon sale.

8 expert qualities that make a good real estate agent

25 Feb 2019

To outsiders, real estate agents might seem like they have a straightforward job. In reality, each day can be as
diverse as the people they represent.

A good agent knows that a property is more than just bricks and mortar, it’s about people. They’ll understand that
while the sales process can be complex and trying at times, it’s their job to act as a support, an impartial expert and
always be trying to get towards a great outcome for all parties.
The top performers are comfortable talking to people from all walks of life, possess a deep understanding of the area
in which they operate, and have a strong sales history to back up their claims.

With that in mind, here are eight qualities to look out for when searching for the perfect agent.

1. They communicate well and regularly with their clients

As a seller or buyer, it can be stressful dealing with an agent who’s not a great communicator. The real estate market
is time-sensitive, so you need an agent who constantly keeps you in the loop about your current buying or selling
situation.

Otherwise, you end up wasting precious time on opportunities that offer a limited chance of success.

In fact, Jean Gordon from Estate Agent Stars says that poor communication from agents is one of the biggest
frustrations for buyers and sellers.

“It’s so important that agents stay in constant contact with their clients and customers. What seems like insignificant
information to an agent who’s been in the business for years can be really important to clients who are new to the
real estate game,” she says.

2. They’re proactive with the sales process

Ben Hatch from Harcourts Real Estate in WA says a good agent should be proactively calling potential buyers,
communicating with existing customers and constantly chasing new leads. The key element of being proactive is
keeping the client well informed.

“If your clients keep calling you, you’re not giving them enough information,” says Hatch.

3. They listen

Most good agents will tell you to be wary of an agent who talks too much.

Hatch says that, if you can’t get a word in when communicating with your agent, then you’ve got a problem.

“As a client or customer, you’re the one who should be doing most of the talking and making sure that your agent
understands your special requests and needs. A good agent should be asking all the questions, not the other way
around,” says Hatch.

An agent must also be able to ‘read’ their client, and adapt their approach accordingly, according to Lucy White
from David Murphy Real Estate in Mosman.

“Some clients like to communicate via email, some prefer a quick text message, and others like to receive a phone
call so that they can have a chat about what’s happening with their sale,” she says.

“It’s the responsibility of a good agent to suss out the clients preferred method of communication, so that they don’t
feel ignored by silence, nor pressured by too much communication.”
4. They’re client-motivated

Put simply, if the customer gets a good deal, the agent gets a good deal. Which is why it’s so important to choose an
agent who puts their vendors first.

White says a good agent will always have their clients needs as their top priority.

“Buying and selling houses can be stressful and it’s important for the agent to make sure that the client is feeling
supported and happy.”

5. They know the local area

Real estate agents are selling more than a home; they’re selling the life that comes with it, which requires a deep
understanding of the local area.

So, make sure that you ask your prospective agents a handful of curly questions before deciding which one’s right
for you. (Think train and bus routes, nearby activities for kids, and local planning regulations.) That way, you’ll be
able to distinguish between those who can sell the local lifestyle and those who can’t.

6. They know their clients time frame

Jean Gordon says that understanding urgency is essential to a good client-agent relationship.

“You need to know if the client is in a hurry to sell. If they need to settle soon, the agent should know this, and
should be working to a tighter time frame. If the client isn’t in a rush, the agent can shop around and advise the
client to wait for a better market so they get a decent price on their house,” says Gordon.

motivation for selling

Ben Hatch says a good agent always knows why their clients are selling, and will ask themselves the following
questions:

 Is my customer selling to buy?

 Are they looking for an investment property?
 Are they going to live in this home and later knock it down?

“These are all things that good agents need to think about,” he says.

“It also helps to know if there’s a sentimental attachment to a home. A client who’s selling one of five investment
properties will have very different needs to a client who’s selling their family home. A good agent will know the
difference and will adapt accordingly.”

8. They aren’t afraid to give you their last 20 clients as references

Jean Gordon says the easiest way to find a good agent is to use their past clients as references.
“If you’ve lined up a new agent and you want to make sure that they’re the best fit for you, ask them for testimonials
or statements from their last 20 clients,” she says.

“Not selected clients, literally the last 20. A good agent should be able to give you a positive reference from any of
their past clients.”

Selling tips to showing your home in the

best light
It’s a buyer’s market out there at the moment, so showing your home in the best possible light has never been
more important.

You’d be amazed how often vendors neglect to take care of some basic housekeeping tasks that ensure a home is at
its optimum as potential purchasers arrive to inspect it.

Here are some seller’s tips to ensure your home is presented in a way that gives you the best chance of luring more
buyers, and encouraging them to
Declutter, declutter, declutter

When it comes to showing your home to prospective buyers, less is most definitely more.

Decluttering the property and removing anything that isn’t absolutely necessary allows the property to speak for
itself, and gives buyers the chance to picture themselves and their future life inside it.

Mooney Real Estate principal Peggy Wilcox says clearing out personal effects and unnecessary clutter is the easiest
and cheapest way to give your home a major shot in the arm.

“You want to depersonalise the property, so take down any photos that might be on the walls that might be too
personal, because buyers like to be able to visualise themselves in the property,” Wilcox says.

“It’s probably one of those (unwritten) rules: when you think you’re finished decluttering, just take a little bit more
away and then you’re finished.”

Notes and magnets on the fridge, ornaments on your TV cabinet or mantle and other items that are being stored in
plain sight and serve no useful purpose in the display of the property should all be removed. It all adds to the sense
of space.

Expert tips: How to think like a buyer when selling

The little touches

Once you’ve decluttered, Wilcox says it’s often worth replacing old or tired accessories with new ones, to brighten
the décor and give an older property a little more zing as buyers first enter a room.

And they don’t have to cost you the earth.

“For the sake of going and getting an $8 pillow from Kmart, it just makes that bedroom or living space feel so much
fresher,” Wilcox says.

In the same way, a dirty oven or stained benchtop will stick out like a sore thumb, and in a buyer’s market it could
be enough to turn someone away. Take the time to scrub everything spotless, or have it done professionally if need
be.

Boost the street appeal

First impressions last, and some buyers won’t even walk in the front door if they drive past and don’t like what they
see at the front of the property.

A fresh coat of paint for your fence, as well as mending any broken pickets or bricks, trimming trees and bushes,
mowing the lawn and throwing some fresh tanbark or stones on any barren areas are all easy ways to ensure your
home catches the eye and draws people inside.

Common mistakes: What not to do when selling

Paint the interior

In terms of bang for your buck, a fresh coat of paint is just about the best ‘renovation’ you can do.

Choose light, neutral colours, and a quick coat will give the entire property a lift, making it brighter, more spacious
and almost certainly adding value.

What to do before listing your home

Deciding to sell your home is no small thing; once the decision’s made, it can be tempting to try and get the whole process
over and done with as soon as humanly possible.

But first impressions count, which is why your home needs to look its best before it hits the market.

Here are six things to do before listing your home.

Do your paperwork

The expensive nature of property means there’s always lots of red tape to cut through. It can be frustrating at times, but it’s also
there for good reason, protecting both sellers and buyers.
Ric Serrao, director or Raine & Horne Double Bay, advises sellers to dot their Is and cross their Ts before listing their home, “so
that any issues can be rectified before the home hits the market, preventing sales from falling through at the last minute”.

He suggests carrying out a professional building inspection to identify any major structural issues, and urges pool owners to
apply for a pool compliance certificate, as regulations are likely to have changed since the pool was installed, or last inspected.

For example, many pools are surrounded by non-compliant “climbable” trees, or lack adequate fencing. If left unaddressed, these
issues could lead to changes down the track that compromise a sale, Serrao says.

“We had a property recently in North Bondi, which the buyers loved. They loved the pool and the landscaped gardens, but when
they did the pool compliance certificate, all the shrubbery had to be removed,” he says.

“Getting rid of it all changed the buyers’ perspective on the property.”

Ask yourself: Is now the right time to put my home on the market?

Carry out minor repairs

Presentation matters in real estate, and there’s really no excuse not to spend some time attending to any signs of wear and tear.

What’s more, adds Serrao, “when buyers see minor maintenance issues, they start to think that they may be a sign of much
bigger, underlying problems.”

Re-varnish the floors, fill in any cracks, and give the walls a fresh lick of paint. And pay extra attention to the front facade, as this
will greatly influence a buyer’s first impression.
Common mistakes: What not to do when selling your home

Update interiors

Once you’ve given your property a once over, you should start to think about the interiors more broadly.

Think about who might be interested in buying your property and try to imagine what they would say about its current layout and
decor.

There are, of course, some general rules of thumb but every house is different. Which is why Georgi Bates, director of residential
sales at Cunninghams Property Balgowlah, believes it pays to engage both a real estate agent and a stylist before jumping head
first into any ambitious makeovers.

Armed with a clearer understanding of who the buyer might be, an agent will ensure you only embark on changes that are likely
to add to your eventual sale price, and a stylist will help make these changes as aesthetically pleasing as possible.

“Sometimes a stylist will come in and completely turn a property around,” says Bates. “They might make one room into a
completely different room, which could change a three-bedroom into a four-bedroom.

“Having the interiors and layout finalised before listing is helpful, as the agent will know exactly what they’re selling.”

How to: Think like a buyer

Refresh the garden

Amid all the excitement, it can be easy for sellers to neglect areas outside the home. But they’d do well to remember that buyers
rarely make the same mistake – especially during summer.
After all, fixing up your garden has a similar effect to adding an extra room to your home – and Serrao says it needn’t break the
bank.

“In some cases, it can be as simple as going to the hardware store and picking up a few flowers,” he says.

Time to sell: What to ask your real estate agent 

Be upfront

Disclosing any issues prior to listing means you’ll only get offers from buyers who are happy to take the property in its current
state.

This will save you time, and reduce the chance of problems arising during settlement.

Don’t rush

To present your property in the best light possible, you need to think about everything from your marketing strategy, to your
initial sale price.

It’s far from a simple process, and trying to rush it could lead to mistakes that knock thousands off your sale price.

Invest time into making repairs, find a great agent, and – remembering there’s no ‘perfect time’ to sell – list when you’re ready.

5 ways to position your house for big

selling success
question on any seller’s lips when they decide to put their home on the market: How much is my property worth?

And it’s a loaded question, of course, because there are dozens of factors that can affect your home’s price.

But there are things you can do to your property in order to give it the best chance of achieving a sensational sales result.

Here are five ways to position your house for selling success.

1. Start from the front

While the majority of potential buyers will first encounter your property online, a good proportion of them may follow up with a
drive down your street to check it out for themselves.

RE/MAX Northern Realty sales associate Chris Della says it’s critical that their first impression is a good one.
“Cleaning up the front of the house and the yard is actually going to increase your chances of people wanting to walk through the
house. It’s street appeal,” Della says.

“Painting and fixing the fence is an easy and quick way to get attention. It’s easy to get some paint and paint the inside and the
outside of the fence. It makes the yard look bigger and more presentable.”

2. A little paint goes a long way

Arguably the cheapest way to add big dollars to the price of your home is to invest in a few tins of paint and give the inside a
fresh coat.

Della says using light, neutral colours instantly enhance the sense of space within a property, which will stick in buyers’ minds.

“Paint isn’t always necessary but it always helps to give the property a fresh lick, just to make everything feel brighter and
bigger.”

“Always go with neutral colours – whites in particular – just to make the room feel bigger. It also forces you to declutter as well,
because you don’t want to get paint on pieces of furniture that you really want to keep for your next place.”

3. Carefully consider renovations

Della says too many vendors overcapitalise with how much they spend on their renovations.

He says kitchens and bathrooms usually give you the best bang for your buck when trying to add value to your home, however he
urges caution.

“I do say to people that they can renovate their kitchen and bathroom, especially if it’s really needed, but if someone approached
me and said, ‘Chris we’re thinking of selling in the next few months’, in general I actually tell them not to spend too much money
on renovations.”

“In certain markets, often buyers want to do their own kitchens and bathrooms anyway, so don’t go too crazy.”

4. Brighten those benches

Rather than spend thousands on an entire kitchen renovation, Della says you can give your kitchen an instant boost in appeal by
simply painting old bench tops and cupboards.

“There’s a product called White Knight and you use it to paint the bench tops,” he says.

“For example, we had a bench top that was green, and we painted it grey to make it look a lot fresher and also much better in the
photos.”

5. Do away with clutter

This one will barely cost you a cent.

Della’s top tip for maximising your home’s selling potential is to simply remove as many of your possessions as possible for the
duration of the campaign.
“I always tell my clients the main thing is to declutter, to make your spaces feel bigger.”

“You’re going to be moving out anyway, so if there are things you can move out then that’s going to help us with selling.”

How to tell if a buyer is genuine

Have you been to an open for inspection recently?

In the current superheated market and with interest in real estate at an all-time high, a 30-minute open for inspection can see
hundreds of potential homebuyers wander through a property.

So how do you know which of those people are genuinely interested in purchasing?

Here are some of the major telltale signs.

They’ve got finance

Former agent and now managing director of Parley Property Advisory, Luke Assigal, says you can sort the wheat from the chaff
straight away by determining which buyers have organised their finance and are ready to purchase.

Those who haven’t been approved for finance might be weeks or months away from being in a position to buy, or may never be
approved for a loan at all.

“One major danger is if clients don’t have finance,” Assigal says. “There’s experiences where they (buyers) waste our time
showing them through numerous properties and then we realise they don’t have finance.”
They ask more questions

Assigal says truly interested buyers will ask specific and targeted questions that casual sticky beakers wouldn’t bother with.

“The buyer will normally ask more questions around the terms of the contract, if the vendor will sell prior and more detail about
condition of the property,” he says.

Displaying over-the-top disinterest

It’s the oldest negotiation trick in the book: pretend you hate something you really love.

Assigal says buyers who go out of their way to point out the property’s flaws are usually the most interested in it.

“Funnily enough, when they seem to hate the property and tell you how bad it is, sometimes, depending on the questioning, it just
shows that they like it.”

“Twenty-four hours later they’d put an offer in.”

“It’s a kind of negotiating tactic. You need to have bargaining power when you negotiate.”

Timing is everything

It doesn’t take an expert to work out that a buyer isn’t likely to emerge from the large group of people who view the property for
the first time at the final inspection on the day of the auction.

But Assigal says the timing of their first inspection can be a key indicator of their intentions.

“Generally interested parties, especially in an auction campaign, they’ll come through in the first week to two weeks,” he says.

“It’s an interesting fact – we were monitoring it when we were selling, and 90% of buyers that come through in the first two
weeks were the ones that actually bought it at auction.”

“It just shows that when you’re in the market and you’re looking, you’ve got your finger on the pulse, so you generally come
through in the first week and then come (again) in the second week, and then prepare yourself for auction.”

“In any campaign the first two weeks are imperative.”

Assigal says truly interested buyers will also spend a lot of time at the property and will almost always come to more than one
open for inspection.

Disregard contract requests

While requesting a contract of sale was once a major pointer to someone’s intention to buy, Assigal says that’s no longer the
case.

“That’s 10 years ago,” he says.

“These days you’ll find on campaigns you’ll have 20 people ask for a contract of sale and only have two offers. Back in the day
that used to show interest, but not anymore. Everyone just wants to have a sticky beak.”
7 rookie errors to avoid when selling your
home
Selling a property isn’t easy.

Unless you’re a real estate agent, it’s probably not something you do very often which makes it difficult to hone your skills and
get good at the real estate game.

The industry is constantly changing, which can make the whole process even more overwhelming. Ray White Surfers Paradise
CEO Andrew Bell shares what the most common mistakes vendors make are and how to avoid them.

1. Not letting enough people know your property is for sale

Bell says one of the biggest mistakes home sellers make is not shouting it from the rooftops.

“In order to achieve maximum sale price it is essential to attract as many buyers as possible. This requires a multi-pronged
marketing strategy.

“So many properties have been under-sold from a figure they could have achieved by the property not being presented to all areas
of buyer enquiry.”

2. Not allowing the agent to weed out time wasters

“For most buyers the purchase of real estate is the largest financial transaction they do in their lifetime.
“They only do it two to four times in that lifetime, so they are often are extremely nervous and cautious.

“The harder a seller comes across the more difficult it becomes to negotiate better outcomes for the seller.”

Andrew recommends trusting your agent and letting them do the work for you – that is their job after all.

3. Being in a rush

Selling your home takes time and it’s unrealistic to go into the market expecting a full-price offer on the first weekend it’s for
sale. It’s important to remember that some properties take a long time to sell and that, ultimately, you can’t sell a house that no
one wants to buy.

It’s unrealistic to expect a full-price offer on the first weekend.

“Much preparation needs to be initiated waiting for the right weather conditions to engage photography and video,” Bell says.

“Advertisements need to be well written and there is a sequence of events that should occur in order to have a marketing
campaign unfold in the most effective way.”

4. Asking for too much money

When people are in the market for buyer a house they become experts and they will know immediately if you’ve over-priced
your house, Bell says.

“For the two or three months that buyers may be in the marketplace they become the best valuers there are for that period of time.

“Generally speaking they know every property that is on the market for sale, they inspect a great number of properties, they know
what every property has sold for and know when a property is overpriced or fairly priced. Asking beyond a reasonable price will
cause many potential buyers to not even call to inspect a property and so potential buyers are lost because the asking price is a
turn off.”

5. Not tidying up

Not only do you need to give your house a thorough clean, you should also remove any personal items that make the house look
like it belongs to someone else.

A potential buyer needs to imagine your home as their home.

This means family photos should be removed from the walls, shopping lists should be taken down from the fridge and any
personal items should be stored away neatly in the cupboards.

It’s obviously not practical to totally empty your home but a potential buyer needs to be able to imagine your home as their home
and they won’t be able to do that if the walls are covered with pictures of people they don’t know. It’s a very powerful
psychological trick that’s definitely worth the trouble.

6. Spending too much money on pre-sale renovations

Bell says another major rookie error is spending far too much money on sale specific renovations. While it is certainly good
practice to patch any holes in the walls and make minor fixes to the property, it’s not always a good idea to spend thousands of
dollars on a major renovation that you may never get a return on.
“There is usually practical and somewhat inexpensive work that can be done to add to the overall presentation of a home when
presenting it to a market. A coat of paint or re-carpeting can make a big difference but be wary of extensive upgrades,” he says.

7. Not thinking outside the box with marketing

Traditional marketing is still essential but Bell suggests digital marketing including social media sharing, submitting your home
to any relevant websites and even creating a digital tour of your home for potential interstate and international buyers.

“There are active buyers who are constantly looking in the market for properties to buy and a normal marketing campaign can
easily find these buyers,” Bell says.

“However these buyers are often the most informed and knowledgeable buyers and can be the most difficult to negotiate with.

“There is however another type of buyer and that is the passive buyer or the inactive buyer. They’re not even looking to buy and
therefore it is the job of a good marketing agent to know where to go to find these buyers.”

Key steps to selling a property

There’s more to selling a house than finding an agent and tidying up for open for inspections.

Stewart Bunn, from First National Real Estate and Jason Gill, director of Hodges in Brighton, explain the steps to selling, from
the initial decision through to settlement day.

Here’s our guide to the step by step process of selling your property to help you get ready to list your home.

1. Be prepared

After making the decision to sell, but before contacting an agent, Bunn recommends vendors “de-clutter, tidy up the garden and
get the property as close to “open home ready” as possible.

“Think about when you want to sell, how you want to sell and anything you’ll be looking for in an agent.”

2. Choose an agent

To help choose an agent, attend open for inspections and observe, Bunn says.
“Ask agents questions about price, levels of interest and how they believe the market is tracking. Provide your details, but don’t
admit you’re thinking of selling. See which agents call you back. These are the harder working, more successful agents,” he says.
Gill agrees research and rapport are key.

“Research which agents are getting results locally; look at their track record,” he says.

Also, pretend to be a buyer.

“Email a few queries and see how they respond.”

Vendors should choose an agent they’d want to buy through, Gill says.
“It’s a personal relationship, so go with an agent you like, you can trust and believe has the skills to get the best result for you.”

Find out more about choosing an agent here.

3. Pick a sale method

Next you’ll decide how you want to sell.

“Think about what you feel comfortable with, but be prepared to listen to what your agent recommends,” Bunn says.

“Auction is frequently the method of sale that achieves the best result in the minimal time, but the market dynamics must be
suitable and you must be prepared to invest in comprehensive marketing.”

He says private treaty “doesn’t give the vendor an advantage and takes longer, statistically-speaking”.

4. Set a selling price

You and your agent will work out a plan for listing, showing and selling your property.

Bunn says it’s important to price correctly, “as the market can be extremely unforgiving with overpriced listings.”

To set a price, vendors should do their research on local sales.

“That’s easy, with so many websites offering recent sale prices. Combining your knowledge with that of your agent’s current
market analysis,will lead you to an accurate, realistic expectation.”

Gill says vendors need to take emotion out of the equation.

“The purchaser hasn’t yet experienced the benefits of living in your home, so you can’t assume they feel the same way about it as
you do. The best way is to look at comparable properties in and around streets near your home, within a similar distance to
amenities.”

When it comes to what is included in a sale, the standards are fixed floor coverings, light fittings and general fixtures, like
window coverings.

5. Review the agreement with agent

Read the agency agreement being offered by the agent and be prepared to ask questions, Bunn says.

“If you want to amend a clause, ask before signing. Typically, the main points of discussion are around if the agreement is
exclusive or non-exclusive, the length of the agreement, how the agreement will be terminated, the selling fee and any other fees,
such as marketing or administration,” he says.

The agreement also specifies the agent’s estimated selling price.

6. Prepare vendor’s statement

Now you must prepare the Vendor’s Statement (section 32) for your property.

A vendor’s statement – also known as a section 32 – explains to buyers the crucial things they should know before buying the
property. They are prepared by a legal practitioner or conveyancer.
The statement covers things like whether a mortgage is held over the property, any covenants which would restrict what you can
do with it, any easements to which the land is subject (drainage, rights of way, or power lines for example), council zoning and
associated declarations.

7. Market your property

“You can’t sell a secret,” Gill says. “If you want to ensure you’re getting the best result, you must advertise in a number of areas
– the number one is through the internet. You need the best photos, great copy-writing and great presentation.”

Bunn says a good campaign should consider a property’s target audience.

“This may be strictly local, national, or even international, depending on the type of property. Consequently, your marketing
should aim to reach all possible interested parties within a reasonable timeframe and embody traditional and digital elements,
plus good old-fashioned agent’s skills,” he says.

“When showing your property, it should be presented as a showroom. Talk to your agent about presentation for recommendations
about how to showcase your home to ensure your target market falls helplessly in love.”

8. Go to market

Once on the market, some vendors move out, Gill says.

“It’s up to the individual, but if you’ve got small children, it can be difficult to keep a house presented well for a three to four
week marketing period, so some vendors move out completely. Not everyone has that luxury though.”

A good agent will give vendors a detailed schedule of events for the campaign, so they know in advance what is happening
when Gill says.

9. Sell! Sell! Sell!

When it comes to actually selling and negotiating price, vendors should trust their agent, Gill says.

“It comes back to choosing the best agent, who has the right skills. If you have the right agent, you should have complete faith in
them to get the best result for you.”

10. Under contract

At auction, if the reserve price is met, the highest bidder is the buyer of the property, unconditionally.

With a private sale, the buyer has a three-day cooling off period.

You should also prepare the contract of sale through your solicitor or conveyancer.

11. Settle

“Settlement” is the final stage of the sale, when the buyer completes the payment of the contract price to the vendor and takes
legal possession of the property.
Ultimate property sellers' checklist
 Selling a house can be a complex task.

Here is a look at what vendors need to think about when selling.

1. Find the right agent

Finding a real estate agent is the first order of business for vendors. The role of an agent is to sell
a home for the best price possible, as quickly as possible.
According to the Real Estate Institute of Australia, agents deliver a range of crucial services
including:
– advising how much vendors can expect for their property and whether to sell by private treaty
or at auction;
– marketing the property;
– showing the house to potential buyers, through booked appointments or open for inspections;
– negotiating the selling price; and
–  facilitating the sale of the property and the final exchange of contracts.

When choosing an agent, vendors should check if they are a member of their local real estate
institute, the REIA says. Real estate institute members have a “commitment to service and
professional standards and are bound by strict codes of conduct.”

Vendors should also interview several potential agents before signing on the dotted line, and
even act as a buyer to test an agent’s performance.

2. Set a price
Campbell Cooney, director and auctioneer at Hodges, says there are two basic choices when it
comes to setting a sale price.

Vendors can work with a reputable agent to set a price or pay an independent valuer.
“The agent’s job is to do their research and understand the local market, and also understand the
vendors’ expectations, to reach a price that is reasonable, with a willing seller and willing
buyer,” he says.

For just a few hundred dollars, vendors can also get a sworn valuation from a qualified valuer.

3. Map out a marketing plan

Vendors have to cover the cost of marketing their property, Cooney says.

“The agent will recommend a campaign, which might include a board out the front of the house,
listing on realestate.com.au, photography for the listing, the creation of a floor plan, copy-writing
and press advertising,” he says.

Each listing is unique, Cooney says, and depending on budget, campaigns are adjusted.

4. Decide on method of sale

Vendors work with their agent to decide which approach is best for the property – private treaty
or auction. Both methods have advantages and disadvantages and the decision is influenced by
many factors, including current market and area trends.

5. Prepare your house for sale

Greville Pabst, the executive chairman of WBP Property Group, says buyers drive by to check
out a property as soon it goes on the market.

He says vendors should take a “long, hard look” inside and outside of their property to work out
how to make it as appealing as possible.

He recommends considering the following to prepare a house for sale:

Outside:
– High-pressure washing.
– Painting.
– Cleaning and tidying driveways and paths.
– General garden tidy-up.
– New plants to freshen up garden beds.
– Trimming trees.
– Fixing fencing.
– General maintenance.
– Installing LEDs to show off the property at night.
Inside:
– Steam cleaning carpets.
– General tidy-up, including inside wardrobes.
– Hiring furniture and artwork.
– Decluttering mess, like taking magnets off the fridge.
– Painting in neutral tones.
– Removing personal items, like photos.
For open for inspections:
– Burn candles.
– Open windows.
– Put out vases of fresh flowers.
– Open curtains to show space.
– Play classical music.

6. Get paperwork in order

Conveyancing is the process of transferring legal ownership of a property from one person to
another and is required in every real estate purchase. It can be done by licensed conveyancers
and solicitors.

The conveyancer or solicitor prepares a contract of sale for the property, which includes details
of the owners, title, settlement dates, all conditions, what’s included in it, as well as the zoning
certificate and sewer diagrams.
The exchange of contracts is the formal legal process that creates a binding contract for the sale
on agreed terms, the REIA says. The vendor and buyer each sign a copy of the sale contract and
exchange these documents, making the contract legally binding. Cooling off periods can apply.
Settlement is the final stage of the sale, when the buyer completes the payment of the contract
price to the vendor and takes legal possession of the property.

7. Moving on
Once the settlement is completed, the buyer owns the property. All keys should be left with the
selling real estate agent for the buyer to collect.

The property should be left in accordance with the contract of sale, ie: leaving behind what was
included in the sale.

Before leaving, vendors should disconnect the electricity, water, gas, phone, internet and any
other connections, re-direct mail, and cancel any deliveries.
How to understand property marketing
Choosing the best agent to sell your property can be a difficult decision, but it’s a crucial one and a little insider knowledge can
make all the difference.

To help you out, we’ve compiled some tips on what to ask before engaging the right agent to market what is probably your
biggest asset.

You should also learn about the services and resources they can offer you.

What type of marketing package do they recommend?

These days, the race for buyers’ hearts and minds is being won by sophisticated marketing campaigns featuring  a mix of
daytime, dusk, elevated or aerial photography, coupled with marketing tools such as floor plans, virtual tours, virtual furniture,
online property tours or professional copywriting.

The types of photography or marketing tools required depends on the marketing your agent recommends for your property’s
target audience – whether it be newspaper ads, signboards, letterbox drops, online listings, window displays etc.

While standard daytime photography is the cornerstone of the vast majority of campaigns, it’s important to understand the
benefits of the other types of photography and marketing tools on offer. Let’s take a closer look at each of them in turn.

Elevated & aerial photography

Elevated photography, taken from up to 20 metres, and aerial photography shot from a plane or helicopter, are great for
highlighting a larger home’s selling points such as size, location, pool, landscaping and surrounding topography, none of which
are captured by regular photography.

Dusk photography

With its blending of natural and artificial light, and resulting atmospheric  photos, dusk photography gives a campaign the ‘wow’
factor, bringing properties to life and helping buyers imagine returning to a welcoming home.
Floor plans

There’s more to choose from than just black and white floor plans these days.

 Black and white floorplans remain a popular marketing tool

 Coloured floor plans could make your listing stand out from the crowd

 Textured
plans can help illustrate a home’s finishes, such as tiles or decking
 Furniture can also be added to plans to give buyers an idea of potential furniture placements.
 Site plans show off larger homes effectively covering extensive grounds and gardens well
 3D artist impressions are perfect for bringing yet-to-be-built residential or commercial properties to life in a highly
realistic fashion.
Good floor plans should help buyers navigate through a home and plan their lives there

You can also combine your photographs and floor plan in an online interactive floor plan, which helps buyers navigate through a
home by clicking on each photo, giving a great feel for its layout.

Whichever works best for you, floor plans can be essential in conveying information to the buyer that they need to know before
taking the next step.
360-degree virtual tours

Another powerful marketing tool is a virtual tour, where multiple images are seamlessly blended to form an uninterrupted 360
degree rotating tour, allowing buyers to virtually inspect a property online.

Virtual furniture

While property staging or hiring furniture can be prohibitively expensive, a more affordable option is to virtually furnish rooms.
This cutting-edge technique involves inserting images of furniture into a picture, giving a highly realistic finish.

Online property tours & videos

Online property tours offer an affordable ‘video’ of a property, using an image slideshow set to background music and/or voice-
over and including written descriptions. The final tour is provided as an internet link for use in your online listing.

Other types of property videos range from professional ‘films’ of an agent walking and talking viewers through a property, to
more modest productions featuring an image slideshow with moving lifestyle or local area footage.

Great copy writing should tell the story of your property

Professional copy writing

It’s important that the wording used in advertisements, brochures and everywhere else to sell your property is professionally
written to captivate buyers.

Writing needs to take into account its target market, avoid jargon and read professionally (spelling errors don’t inspire
confidence).

Check whether your agent does the copy writing in-house or outsources it to a professional copywriter. If you don’t like their in-
house style ask about engaging a professional for your campaign. Great copy writing should tell the story of your property, and
help buyers see themselves living there.

Finally…

As well as understanding what’s available in terms of photography and property marketing tools, you also need access to quality
suppliers.

Agents have usually tried and tested various suppliers, and will be able to recommend those they think are best. But don’t be
afraid to ask to see examples of the supplier’s work beforehand – after all they’ll be playing a key part in marketing one of your
most valuable assets.

Visit sellingguide.realestate.com.au for more information and check out our How To guides on all aspects of the selling process.

Simple strategies for selling your home

Getting the strategy right for selling your home can make the difference between achieving a good sale or just
selling for an average price.

A perennial question asked by potential vendors to agents, other than what price will they get, is: ‘what is the most
effective way to market my property’?

A property will still sell in a down market and, if your agent does their work, optimal returns can still be made.
Marketing your property
The essential elements of a successful property marketing campaign include the price you’re willing to accept, the
presentation effort you put into offering your property to potential buyers and the marketing effort recommended by
your agent.

The soul purpose of all real estate marketing campaigns, is to sell. This is usually done by connecting  emotionally
with the buyer  – you must establish and maintain a connection between your property and the potential new owner.

Photos are key

Vicki Gardiner, Director of Gardiner McInnes Estate Agents, Warrandyte, (VIC) says one of the keys to a great
marketing campaign is fantastic photographs.

“Put yourself in the position of potential buyers scanning hundreds of online and print property advertisements –
don’t make them work too hard to see the best features of your home.”

It’s a good idea to check with your agent about the quality of the photographs in some of their past marketing
campaigns – you are entitled to ask your agent for samples of their photographer’s work and make sure you’re
happy with the quality.

Home staging
Other methods Ms Gardiner suggests to maximise returns include staging living areas to spark buyers’ imaginations.
A simple example of home staging is to rearrange your furniture or rent furniture to maximise the space of your
property. Clear your clutter away and beware of home staging cliches such as lighting too many candles. Potential
purchasers should be able to easily picture themselves in your house, but it shouldn’t have too much of ‘you’ in it.

Attention to detail is what matters when staging your property’s presentation.

“It’s the little things that count. Take care of any outstanding maintenance items; buyers can make decisions on how
sound your home is based on the small details that are easily visible,” says Vicki.

Further advice includes playing to your strengths; “…if your property is strongly connected to a particular period,
select a complementary interior design.”

Be open minded

Your tastes may not be matched to a home stylist, or even your agent’s, but using a professional means learning
from their experience. Don’t be offended if you need to hide your wedding pictures, your cat, your baby photos and
that family heirloom vase – keep focused on the goal, the best price for your property.

A 70s inspired example

As a practical example of optimising returns, Gardiner McInnes marketed a property in Warrandyte which was a
fantastic 1970s home in entirely original condition. The decor was amazing and would have been the height of
fashion in its day, complete with shag pile carpet and large geometric print wallpaper.

Rather than alter the design, or remove any elements, the agents worked with the vendors to embrace it in the
marketing campaign. The home stylist used the existing furniture and added complementary soft furnishings.
During open homes 1970s disco classics were played and a celebratory atmosphere for potential purchasers was
created. The home sold in fewer than two weeks for a price the vendors were thrilled with, plus the purchasers loved
the decor so much they kept it as was.

Selling tips: 7 things to do if your property

doesn't sell
Your house has been dwindling on the market for months, even years, yet nobody wants to bite. What’s
going wrong – and more importantly – how can you turn it around?

If your property has been on the market for a long time and you’re just not able to move it, here’s seven things
you can do to get out of the rut and get that sold sticker.

1. Refresh your advertising

Most buyers are looking at properties well in advance of purchase. Some research for years. If your listing and
promotional details remain unchanged for months on end, your potential buyers will notice – and not notice
you as a result.

Shake up your advertising if it’s not working for you as it is.

Photos are one of the most important ways buyers connect with and spark interest in your house. Rotate them
around and hero a different shot for people to come across first.

If you had a picture of the inside, try a shot of the facade from the street. Refresh them several times and test
the impact on different people, including some you know and trust to give you an honest opinion.

Consider taking new shots if you others aren’t doing the job. If you had an evening shot, try a day time shot.
Get help from professionals who know how to accentuate the positive.

Update your property description and try new ways to sell your place to the uninitiated. Work with your agent
and be creative in content and approach.

Think carefully about your target market (if you don’t have one, that’s your first problem to solve…)

Try another of our realestate.com.au advertising options. Ask your agent to upgrade you to a featured or
premiere listing, or send out a digital brochure.

Premiere properties receive 15 times more views and 8 times more enquiries than a standard ad. You’ll be
throwing hard earned money away if you keep paying for an advertising plan that isn’t delivering.

Vary your tactics and when you see results, press your advantage.

2. Change your price

You’ll pay the price if you end up stubbornly attached to one.

The three most important factors in selling a property are location, presentation, and price.

Price points are psychological triggers. One to five thousands dollars in the right direction can spark interest
and make a buyer feel a purchase is possible.

In a stagnant or depressed market, price is incredibly sensitive, and can stop an interested buyer from clicking
on your listing or lodging that enquiry.

If you’ve had your property listed for some time, the market will have shifted around it. Your price might have
started in the ballpark, but now it’s not tenable. Reassess based on comparable properties in todays market
terms and re-advertise at a price buyers can confidently respond to.

Put yourself in the shoes of your buyers and be honest about a reasonable cost. Work with your agent and
lower that price as much as you need to.

There’s no point clinging to a price dream if your property sits on the market for another year. If you want, or
need to sell, then price to sell in the current market (not the market you originally bought in).

3. Take a break from the market

Three things tend to happen if you keep your property on the market for a long time without a break.
Buyers will make a mental note to avoid it, fearing something is wrong because it’s been hanging around so
long.

Buyers will use it’s time on market as a negotiating tool, trying to leverage your desperation and arguing that
you should be glad for any offer you get.

Or buyers will tune out your property altogether, skimming past it in listings because they’ve seen it so often
they’re blind to it.

Three months is often a turning point, when buyers slip comfortably into one of the above scenarios, and you
start to get worried.

Though some buyers are on the hunt for a while, each day they’re joined by even more.

If you can afford it, giving your property a rest for a few months means you’ll have a whole new crop of
buyers ferreting out their perfect place. They’ll never have met yours, so you’re in with a fresh chance!

4. Give your property a makeover

Get the lowdown from your agent and, if they’re cooperative, buyers who’ve passed on your place. Ask them
what turned them off and ask them to be brutally honest. Determine if a refresh is in order.

Ideally you’ll get some specifics that will help you focus any improvements you need to make. It could be the
colour of the walls. The lack of decent curb appeal. A garden that feels too high maintenance. A small
kitchen. The impression that too much renovation will be needed, or just that the place seemed too messy
whenever it was being inspected.
If you haven’t invested in home staging, try it. The professional eye of a stager or stylist can set you up to
appeal to your target market, and it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg.

Look at low cost, quick facelifts, like a new coat of paint, a better clean up inside, or some attractive plants in
the garden.

It might be that a more substantial renovation is needed, and if it will increase your odds of sale and a good
price, it’s probably a better alternative than sitting on the market indefinitely.

Weigh up how much you could invest in big improvements and talk to experts about the changes most likely
improve your chances of sale. Be careful not to overcapitalise (there are no guarantees), and remember that
even a small effort could yield the return you’re looking for.

5. Go comparison shopping

You may have done a ton of homework on selling your house, but forgot to scope out the competition.

 Work with your agent to get a handle on how your place measures up against similar properties in
the area; in architecture and style, price, size, bedroom and bathroom numbers, land and yard area,
proximity to amenities, quality of interiors, style of presentation, and everything in between.
 Attend open inspections and auctions. Talk to other buyers at those homes and gather insights.
 Don’t just compare the property itself. Have a snoop at how those homes are bring presented, how
their open inspections are being run, whether they’re being sold at auction or by private treaty, and
anything else that jumps out at you. See what’s popular and what people are talking about.
 Comparing doesn’t mean making your property conform to everyone else’s. It’s about getting in
touch with the reality of the market in your area and price bracket. It’s staying abreast of trends or
contexts that might impact your sale.
 And it’s being able to ask a price you can justify. When you can compare apples with apples, you’re
ready to set up shop.

6. Be open to advice

If your property has been languishing on the market for some time, you’ve probably already asked for help.
You’ve checked with your agent, or asked family or friends about why they think your place isn’t hooking a
new owner.

But you might not be listening, especially if they’re telling you things you might not want to hear.

Ask for advice (if you haven’t yet, now’s the time), and truly be open to it; from your agent, from property
experts, from potential buyers and those you trust.

You might not be listening, especially if they’re telling you things you might not want to hear.

Steel yourself for a reality check and commit to taking on constructive suggestions.

7. Don’t lay blame (especially on yourself)

It’s easy to point fingers if your property isn’t living up to expectations. Selling can be highly stressful, and if
you’re in a tricky financial spot (e.g. you’ve already purchased another property and are feeling the pressure to
sell in a hurry), the tension can be crippling.

Like any stressful situation, getting upset or angry won’t help.

Even if you decide you need to move to a new real estate agent, don’t leave with a grudge or you won’t be
fully focused on the new chance to sell your home. An agent and vendor relationship is a two way street and
you two may just not have worked as a partnership.

Refocus, take a breath, then re-arm with any new tools or support you need to get back out there.

Taking a break from the market helps get you back on track and stop blame in its tracks.

Stay positive and you’re half way there. Maybe you honestly weren’t ready to sell.

Refocus, take a breath, then re-arm with any new tools or support you need to get back out there. There might
only be some small changes to your home and your strategy standing in the way of you and the finish line.
10 common home presentation mistakes
Though your house may look and feel good to you, it won’t necessarily to others, regardless of what your friends tell you.
Here’s 10 of the most common blunders people make when presenting their home for the market.

Sometimes it’s the details that let you down, other times, it’s so obvious you simply can’t see it yourself.

Remember it’s essential to appeal to the widest possible cross-section of your target market, and don’t fall into these simple, very
common traps.

1. No house number

This seems like such a minor detail, but it’s essential!

Not only should you make sure you have a house number, it should be easily visible, in good repair and in keeping with the feel
of the home.

The last thing you want is a buyer’s experience of your property starting in frustration because they were unable to locate it.

If you want your friends to find the place come housewarming time, you’ll need a prominent house number.

2. Polarising linen
In a bedroom, the bed is generally the largest piece of furniture and the focal point of the space. Hence the linen and the dressing
of the bed can have a huge impact on the way people feel about that room.

Make sure that your linen is neutral and mainstream.

Classic white bed linen is always a winner.

3. Too much furniture

It is essential to remember that when a home is open for inspection, in many case there are multiple parties viewing the property
at any one time.

Too much furniture will make a room feel smaller than it is. Space furniture out, and remove it temporarily if you have to.

Allow for lots of foot traffic, good flow through the house for potential buyers, and walk common paths to check for obstacles.

4. Pet smells

Research tells us that one of the biggest factors that impact negatively on a potential buyer are pet smells and mess.

Many property owners do work very hard on removing all smells and evidence of furry friends, however it is difficult to
completely eradicate when you are accustomed to the smell on a daily basis.

Ideally you need to get a friend who does not own pets to inspect your property and be brutally honest with you!

5. Heavy window coverings

Heavy window coverage can turn buyers off. Leaving heavy window coverings in place can make a room feel dark and cluttered.

I often see older homes with multiple heavy drapes that contribute directly to making the room feel small, dark and cold. In these
cases they have to go, if the window condition and outlook permits.

Getting the balance right between privacy, style, mood and light is important.

6. Cleanliness

Another huge mistake by sellers is assuming that the buyers can look past an unswept floor or dirty bathroom.

When the mess and dirt is not their own, many buyers find it to be an extreme turn-off.

Remember you’re used to the way your property looks, but others will be seeing it for the very first time. You may have long
since stopped seeing how much dirt is around. Get someone other than yourself to give it a once over.

7. Selling a house empty

Empty rooms appear smaller and are uninviting to the potential buyer.
The only thing you want to leave for the buyer to imagine is themselves in the home. Take control over how your property is
viewed and perceived and add thought starters to help buyers see themselves there, living the life they want.

8. Over-decluttering

There is a fine line between a well staged home and a home that has been decluttered to the point of being vast and empty.

Once the line has been crossed, the space is no longer inviting and appealing, instead it is cold and sterile.

We’re all working so hard to declutter, that sometimes we can take it too far. Again, get a hand from someone who can cast an
objective eye.

You want your property to portray an ideal lifestyle that a buyer aspires to, and that includes a bit of heart and soul.

9. Setting the table

Setting the table with a full dinner setting passes over that fine line of styled and goes into the overstaged look.

It runs the risk of turning the buyer off and the table setting being the most memorable aspect of the property; certainly not what a
successfully staged home wants!

There are so many more subtle ways to create a welcoming and “lived in” feel. Potential buyers shouldn’t feel pressure to take
their seats.

10. Roadside collections and rubbish runs

Roadside collections are a wonderful service and really come in handy when you are cleaning up and preparing your property for
sale, however it is essential that the roadside collection period does not overlap in any way with the property going on the market.

The last thing potential buyers should have to see or navigate is mountains of rubbish on your footpath or near to your property.

Organise it well clear of inspections and manage rubbish disposal so the smell or sight never hits a newcomer.

3 sins that will stop your home from

selling
Here are three sins of home sales that can negatively impact on the ease of the sale and the size of the cheque you end up
receiving.

Selling your home can be a demanding process, and too often sellers focus on one area of improvement, rather than a broad-
based approach. The informed seller needs to talk to the experts, and take charge of the strategy – from marketing tactics, to
home improvements, presentation and sale price.
The price isn’t right

Putting a dollar value on your house can be a difficult prospect – particularly when your home contains so many happy
memories. Sellers can also fall into the trap of expecting what the price ‘should’ be – that is, providing a significant return on the
original purchase price.

While property prices in Australia and New Zealand have remained relatively stable in recent times compared to markets
overseas, you need to keep a realistic eye on what the market is prepared to offer.

The market is aggressively competitive and pricing your home appropriately will result in a quick and satisfactory sale. If you
choose to hold out for more, it is worth spending a bit of time calculating the increased costs associated with this – such as
advertising, agent fees, cost of your mortgage and the inconvenience of cleaning up every Saturday morning for inspection.

Your photos suck

Utilising good photography to promote your home is a key part of the sales process, with time-poor buyers often researching
online before putting in the legwork to attend an open for inspection.

Make sure the photographs taken of your home are top-notch – nothing destroys the romantic fairytale like photos with cutting
boards and dishcloths on the kitchen bench, reflections in mirrors and flash glare from the windows.

Spend that bit extra to attract buyers, and you will drive up competition for your sale.

Presentation matters

Unless your buyer is a builder or a seasoned investor, they are unlikely to be able to walk into a home with cracked ceilings and
damaged floorboards, and have any idea how much repairs would cost. Make it easy for your buyers – present your house as
“ready to move in”, to take away the guesswork and reduce the likelihood of buyers walking away.

Investing in repairs, maintenance and even inspection reports may cost you money in the short-term, but it means you won’t
make it to the eleventh hour of negotiations and then lose a buyer you’ve spent valuable time courting.

15 presentation mistakes that turn buyers

off
If you’re planning to list your property for sale make sure you aren’t making the following presentation mistakes; rather than
engaging your buyers, you could be turning them off.

Top presentation mistakes that turn off your buyers

1. Poor exterior paint choice

You don’t want to be referred to as ‘the orange and blue house’ by potential buyers.

Consider re-painting your property using more neutral colour scheme to appeal to a wider audience. Look for a good exterior
paint which is natural, earthy and popular, this should work well on most styles of Australian property. If re-painting is not an
option get a quote for the work so buyers know the cost.
2. Overgrown (or ‘under grown’) yard

An overgrown yard suggests that your whole property is badly maintained and could make a bad first impression.

Try to cut back bushes, tidy your lawn, plant some hardy plants and re-mulch for a fresh clean look. Buyers are busy, most want a
yard that is maintenance free. The same goes with an ‘under grown’ yard, your buyer may think there’s a lack of attention to the
property if your garden is too sparse and dry.

3. Clutter

Buyers want to see and buy your house and not your things. Even houses that are decorated well can have too much clutter when
it’s time to sell. Space sells so box-up your ‘stuff’ and store before listing. Don’t just store it in the garage, you’re selling your
garage too.

Don’t just store your clutter in the garage, you’re selling your garage too.
4. Time warp decor

I know that retro is ‘on trend’ again but not in its original 1970’s form. Swirly carpets, flouncy curtains, peach tinted walls and
gold bathware all communicate dated.

If you can, fit new carpets, take down curtains and replace with simple blinds, re-paint walls in modern neutrals and swap out any
gold for silver. They’re small changes that can make a huge difference to how your house is perceived and can give a great return
on investment.

5. Family photos

Buyers want to imagine themselves living in your house. This is difficult when the current owners, their pets, medals, diplomas
and signed footy shirts are staring down at them.

Pack them all away.

6. “Brave” colours

We call these brave colours because that’s what they are!

Most people prefer neutrals when buying so they can move straight in and not worry that their green sofa is going to clash with
the purple feature wall.

Coloured kitchen cabinets are a particularly difficult sell and there are several options when it comes to freshening them up.
Consider getting cabinets re sprayed in a neural colour, in most cases this is a great solution which gets a return on investment.
Different cabinets may require different methods and it’s worth exploring your local DIY store to find a solution that’s right for
you.

7. Wallpaper & borders

Wallpaper is becoming more popular again but it’s personal and polarising when selling unless it’s a neutral paper. Sorry, but it’s
got to come down. While you may love the wallpapaer and borders, when you’re selling a house, neutral tastes appeal to the
widest audience.

8. Collections

These are personal to you and often you only. Unfortunately to the potential buyer they add to the clutter and therefore should be
packed away when selling. Not everyone shares your love of frogs.
Not everyone shares your love of frogs.
9. Dated kitchens & bathrooms

Buyers want new and shiny. They know that kitchens and bathrooms are expensive to upgrade. Make effective lower cost
upgrades that deliver a return on your investment before you list for example new counter top, swapping out tapware and laying
cost effective flooring.

10. Your to-do list

The reason it’s a ‘to-do’ list is because you intend ‘to-do’ it but don’t. Your buyers want to buy your property not your ‘to-do’
list. They will over estimate the cost of putting everything right then put in a low offer, or just walk away.

11. Themed or over the top decorating schemes

Examples are: a beach or Asian theme or Dr Seuss kid room theme. Not everyone likes the same style as you so these need to be
toned right down. Less is more when selling. Let the style and location of your house and your most likely buyer guide you.

Read more: Decluttering tips to help you sell

12. Distracting window treatments

Flouncy or highly patterned window treatments or vertical venetians are similar to wallpaper in that they are too personal or date
a room. Replace with simple roller blinds, ready to hang curtains in neutral tones or take them down completely. This will let
more light into the room and buyers like light filled houses.

13. Questionable art

Nudes, guns, religion, even sporting teams don’t have a part to play when selling your house. Try a landscape or abstract instead.

Read more: How to emotionally detach before you sell

14. Lack of storage

Buyers look for plenty of storage so overstuffed wardrobes and cupboards show that there isn’t enough.

Aim for about 40% full so they can see there is plenty of space, and only store things in a cupboard that relate to the room, so no
golf clubs or DVDs in the bedroom wardrobe or printers in the kitchen pantry.

15. Dirty & smelly

I’ve saved the most important to last. Your house needs to be cleaner than it’s ever been when selling. Everything needs to be
cleaned. Clean and fresh is the best smell when selling. Avoid candles and plug ins as not everyone can tolerate the smell.

Your house needs to be cleaner than it’s ever been when selling.

Avoiding the above presentation mistakes ensures your home will be easier on the eye of prospective buyers and have them
making you an offer in no time.

How to maximise your sale price when

selling
Most vendors have a rough idea about how to maximise the sale price. But what
many don’t realise is real estate experts have a few ‘selling one percenters’ which
help secure sales. 

One of the best-known names in real estate, Greville Pabst – executive chairman of WBP
Property Group – knows just how to impress potential buyers.

Pabst says the basics of maximising a sale price are now widely accepted. Outside, that means a
general tidy-up, maybe fixing a fence, trimming a tree and a lick of paint. Inside, it’s also about
tidying up, decluttering and possibly painting in neutral tones.

But what sellers don’t know about are the small, seemingly simple ‘one percenters’ that can
make all the difference.

“With a median house price of $750,000, an extra one to five per cent can get a vendor $10,000,
$20,000, $30,000 extra,” he says.

Love thy neighbour

It’s standard practice for vendors to take a long, hard look at their property from the street, to
ensure the façade is as appealing as possible, but they sometimes forget about next door, Pabst
says.

“We’ve all heard ‘first impressions matter’ a thousand times, but it’s especially true when it
comes to selling,” he says.

“And while it makes sense to do landscaping, add fresh mulch, repair windows, trim trees and
things like that, the whole streetscape is important.

“So, if you’re mowing the lawn at the front of your place ahead of an open, why not ask your
next-door neighbour if they’d mind you mowing theirs at the same time? They’re not going to
say no, and it will make the whole street look nicer.”

Light the way

Buyers are just like the rest of us – busy and time-poor – so they often drive by potential
properties and do inspections at night.

“Some people can only do inspections after hours, so you want to ensure the property is looking
great, even if it’s dark,” Pabst says.
The solution? Small, cheap solar lights to illuminate the front of the property and highlight some
key architectural features. Simple and affordable.

The power of music

Pabst recommends playing music during open for inspections.

“You obviously don’t want a TV blaring during inspections, but some background music can be
a nice touch. It works really well in creating a calm, welcoming environment,” he says. Go
classic, not techno, though.

Just add water

A bit of water can make a big difference.

Ever noticed in real estate listings that outdoor areas always look fresh and appealing? The secret
is water.

“Good agents know the trick of wetting down timber decks, bluestone paving and other outdoor
surfaces before photography for a listing, because it makes it look really good, fresh,” Pabst says.

And with so much emphasis on outdoor areas, Pabst suggests taking the same approach before
opens.

6 things to do before you list a property

When you decide it’s time to sell, it can become a mad rush to get your home out
into the market. But you should catch your breath first.

Here are six things to check off before you list your property:
1. Research & plan

Before you consider selling, research the market, focusing on properties in your area. Is it a good
time to sell? Where do you intend to move next? What’s your budget, including moving? You
don’t need all the answers, but you should develop a clear set of goals and have a realistic view
of your finances before you invest time and money into preparing for sale.

Research house prices in your area

2. Secure & maintain

If your property needs major repairs, ensure these are taken care of before you look to tempt
prospective buyers. Make sure your home can pass inspections with flying colours. Don’t neglect
smaller items, like replacing fixtures, patching holes, locks on windows or leaky taps. It’s the
details that often make or break a home.

3. Spit & polish

If you’ve been putting off that big clean up, now’s the time. You’ll need a thorough, head to toe
scrub to get an accurate assessment of what your property is worth, and have the best chance of
enticing a buyer. Wash, buff, wax, freshen up with paint and remove unsightly wear and tear.
Remember the importance of curb appeal. Spruce up the garden for optimal first impressions.

4. Make the emotional break

Arguably the most important step before selling your property is being able to bid it farewell and
no longer see it as a home. Focus on your future rather than the past, and make peace with your
property as a product to be marketed and sold. How will you channel your insights into a
targeted campaign for a new owner?

5. Find a great agent

A great agent makes all the difference to your listing, and ultimately, your sale. Ask around and
find a reputable agent you’re comfortable with, who understands the market nuances of your
area. Flattery is lovely, but you want an agent who’s committed to frank, realistic dialogue about
the market and your needs.

6. Dress for success

Presentation, presentation, presentation! Get rid of clutter and overly personal items so buyers
can picture themselves in your property. Invite as much light as possible, and remove unpleasant
smells (like traces of pets). Get a second opinion to make sure you haven’t missed anything.
Your agent and a professional home stager can offer an objective review before your home hits
the limelight.

Smells that sell property

If you’re selling your home, you’ll have a bunch of people (wisely) advising you
to make sure it smells nice for inspections and viewings to help your chances of
landing the sale.

Eric Spangenberg from Washington State University conducted a study out of Switzerland back
in 2010 to determine the most “commercially inspiring odors” – that is, what smells make a
person feel compelled to make a transaction (or at the least, feel more comfortable about it).

They tested a bevy of smells with Swiss shoppers and found that simple rules.

Sales went up and people were more in the mood to buy when a single, uncomplicated odor was
in the air, versus multiple or complex whiffs.

Spangenberg says this is because the more complicated the scent, the more our brains focus on
processing it, rather than processing what’s around us (including stuff to buy or explore).

In a series of separate experiments, the researchers had students solve word problems in
competing scent conditions. The students solved more problems in less time when the simple
scent was in the air, than with the complicated one or no scent at all.

“Most people are processing it at an unconscious level, but it is impacting them,” says
Spangenberg.

“The important thing from the retailer’s perspective and the marketer’s perspective is that a
pleasant scent isn’t necessarily an effective scent.”

So smells can help sell your house, but don’t go nuts with the incense, or it might backfire.

Home stager and realestae.com.au contributor Imogen Brown threw in these additional smell
tips from her blog:

The best smell when selling is clean, fresh air. In other words no overt smell. I always advise
against the following:

 Artificial smells such as sprays or plug ins as they smell as though they are masking
something (they probably are)
 Scented candles, incense or pot pourri. Scent is such a personal thing. You might think
the incense sticks you bought back from Bali or the expensive candle you received for
Christmas are helping the sale of your property but others might not share your taste or worse
might have an allergic reaction to it.
 Baking or brewing coffee.  Staging has moved on. Most people have heard the trick of
cookie dough or coffee but I think it’s trying too hard. Most buyers are wise to these tricks
and might see it as just that – a trick.
Do you agree? What smells do you think ‘sell’ the best?

5 top tips for photographing your property

Taking photos of your house is not as easy as you may think. Door frames get in the way, mirrors reflect you – and
light, and some rooms are tricky to capture at their best.

But we love to photograph our homes, places we’re proud of and that we spend time getting just right.

Whether you’re snapping shots for social media, documenting condition reports for a new rental, or to help advertise
the property’s sale or lease, these tips will help you take good looking, usable photos, even with your humble
smartphone.

5 tips for getting home photography right

1. Get low – interior photos look better shot from below eye height
Read more: Twilight magic: do dusk photos sell a home? 
2. Stay out of the mirror

Turn off your flash, as it kills the ambient light, and shoot into the corners as it makes the room look bigger.

3. Stand back – Get back as far as you can, shoot through a doorway (without showing the door frame)

Read more: Real estate photography the top tool say agents 

4. Make sure your horizon is straight
5. Photograph less – show a small amount of room in the frame rather than all

Twilight magic: Do dusk photos sell a

home?
Have you noticed that more and more photographs of houses for sale have that twinkling twilight look – like the
photographer arrived at sunset and suddenly got all romantic?

Dusk, twilight, night or lowlight property shoots are very cool right now and, done well, can ooze wow factor.

The long exposures and slick lighting create emotion and build property dreams, making you think that life could be an eternal
sunset drink on the deck, or a warm cup of tea by the fire.

Picture yourself arriving home to that warm, fuzzy glow.

We spoke to some professional property photographers about the rise of the twilight phenomenon.

What’s with the twilight obsession?

No, we don’t mean Twilight the vampire romance series (though, on reflection, maybe that does have something to do with it).
What we want to know is why twilight photography is so hot right now in property photos?

These kinds of photos encourage buyers to imagine returning to a warm and welcoming home each night – really tugging on
those heart strings and making an emotional appeal. But there’s more.

Greg Scott from Sydney’s www.photographmyhouse.com.au says dusk pictures are popular because the light effects create a
unique mood for the property, and means the photos can attract more hits online than daylight photos.

“I think both agents and sellers realise this effect now and both are making it more popular,” he told us.

It’s also about glamour and standing out from the crowd. As Greg says, “it adds a touch of style to a property to have dusk shots,
very vogue.”

Agi Magyar, a photographer with Top Snap in Sydney, believes it gives the impression of a property “being more prestige” and
therefore attracts more buyer interest.

“Dusk photography shows any property in a more intimate light, giving it a more elegant, classy look”, she says.

Too much wow?

Night photography is notoriously tricky, but since the advent of digital cameras it’s become easier for photographers to build a
good understanding of its technicalities and complexities.

Perhaps digital photography in the internet age also has something to do with dusk photography’s rise to fame in property
photos?

Andy Romano, founder of Perth based www.propertydigital.com.au is a photographer with a real estate background, who says he
constantly tests out clever techniques to keep one step ahead of the competition.

Professional photos are not just click and shoot – there’s a tonne of tricks and post production Photoshop techniques like adding
in dramatic skies on grey cloudy nights, highlighting features, lightening shadows, adjusting colour balance and toning, and
cropping.

But there’s a fine line between enhancing the property’s assets and creating photos that are surreal, overdone, or even misleading.

“I think it’s best to try and leave the photo as natural as possible, and not introduce too many elements,” Andy says.

“You don’t want a false expectation. We will not take out power lines, for instance. We don’t go over the top with Photoshop.
We do not use high dynamic range (HDR) techniques.”

 Not for every home

While most photographers charge extra for these dusk shots Greg Scott says he doesn’t: “It’s easy to shoot these photos, but you
can only do one per day.”

Top Snap sees the dusk shoot as an ‘extra’.. Agi Magyar says it requires more attention and experience as there is only a very
short amount of time to execute the job and get it right.
Most properties can be shot at dusk, but Top Snap says the trend is best used sparingly for waterfront homes, properties with
down lights, outdoor entertaining areas and lit pools, all of which really shine at twilight.

Andy Romano agrees that lowlight photography is not for every home, and says it lends itself to properties with certain attributes,
for example, caesarstone kitchen benches and halogen lighting.

“We introduce lighting to paint light in, not a lot of people in Australia do it” he says. “It’s a matter of getting an artistic approach
to it.”

“The lowlight shoot is more expensive but its high demand, a premium product,” he adds.

Can photos sell a house?

The photographers we spoke to unanimously agreed that while photos alone don’t generally sell a home, the quality of the
photography can absolutely determine how many buyers turn up to an inspection.

“Attraction image marketing, we call it,” says Andy Romano. “It’s important I see the home through the eyes of the buyer so I
can put that into a photo.”

Greg Scott argues that good photos arouse interest: “Photos are the initial way that someone becomes interested in purchasing a
property.”

Because of this Greg believes most people who invest in a professional photographer do get their money back.

Agi Magyar told us that professional photography leads to fewer days on the market and “helps agents achieve a higher price as
the buyers see more through the images before they walk through the door.”

What’s hot and what’s not?

So twilight photos are fashionable right now, but what else is hot – or not?

Greg Scott says the biggest trend in property photography now is video and that virtual tours are naff.

“Personally, I think virtual tours are really dated,” he says. “They also have a distortion effect, and don’t show anything that stills
can’t.”

Andy Romano believes that HD video has taken off, and says propertydigital.com.au has pioneered a drone cam to do aerials,
useful for selling the closeness of a property to the water for instance. He cites agents taking their own photos (rather than
employing a professional photographer) as something that’s become really dated.

Agi Magyar says she sees a new trend in rental properties being photographed professionally. She also notices that virtual
furniture is increasingly being used to dress up empty properties for sale or lease.

Fashion is fickle so what will we think of all these twilight photos a few years down the track? How quickly will they date? Only
time will tell…

Floor plans - your best shot at a sale?

One of the most effective property marketing tools, which are much sought after by buyers, is a floor plan of your home. But not
all floor plans are equal.

Pre-inspection, a professionally drawn floor plan helps buyers understand a property’s flow, and visualise how its spaces will
work for them. Post-inspection, a plan is a great reminder of layout, allowing serious buyers to imagine living in the home by
mapping out their own furniture placements.

Plans are also great for out-of-town buyers or those who miss the inspection, helping to bring an unseen property to life while
maintaining their interest. Likewise, including a plan on a signboard can generate interest locally, driving inspection numbers and
in turn competition.

How are floor plans created?

Most property photographers will also offer floor plans, taking accurate laser-measurements of a home before creating a clear
plan featuring room dimensions and total property size. They can also include extra detail at you or your agent’s request such as
an agency logo or other info.

Which plan to choose?

With so many different types of floor plans available, it’s important to choose the one that will best highlight your home’s unique
features.

The most basic plans are simply drawn in black and white. For something more eye-catching try a coloured plan, while a textured
plan is great for showing off a home’s internal and external finishes, such as tiles or decking.

Furniture can also be added to any plan to give buyers an idea of potential furniture placements.

For larger properties, site plans feature a home’s floor plan relative to its gardens or grounds, including prominent external
features and outbuildings. These plans are perfect for showcasing large blocks, sub-division potential or multiple dwellings.
 

The most sophisticated plans, 3D artist impressions, are generated from detailed building plans by special 3D software, and used
for bringing yet-to-be-built properties to life in a highly realistic fashion.

An effective way to combine your photographs and floor plans is through an online interactive floor plan. Symbols on the plan
indicate the angle a photo was taken from, allowing buyers to easily navigate through a home by clicking on each photo, giving
them a great feel for its flow and layout.

 Floor plans can bring an unseen property to life

Don’t forget that if you already have a building or council plan, these are often too detailed and hard for buyers to follow. In this
case ask if your floor plan supplier can redraw this plan to be more user-friendly.

Whichever floor plan you opt for, it goes without saying that a professionally drafted, accurately measured plan will give you the
best shot at securing the right buyer for your home.
How to use Highlight advertising
With 86% of Australian property buyers heading online to find their dream
home, “going digital” is a no-brainer for sellers – but knowing how to stand out
from the crowd isn’t so easy.

How do sellers get their properties towards the top of the search results on realestate.com.au?
How do they reach the maximum number of potential buyers with their ad?

According to Damien Brooks, State Sales Manager for Victoria at REA Group, many of them
choose a Highlight property listing – which has larger photos and sparks more enquiries than a
Feature property.
A Highlight property listing feature prominently in search results. Picture: realestate.com.au

“A Highlight property ad will showcase your property prominently towards the front of search
results, above Feature and standard ads, to prompt buyer inquiry,” he explains.

Realestate.com.au – which has six million visitors per month – offers a range of upgrade options
designed to ensure vendors reach the right house hunters, but not all ads are created equal.

“Seen towards the front of search results, a Highlight listing stands out thanks to its large size, a
big coloured headline, pictures that are double the size of those in a Standard listing and an
image carousel, which showcases multiple images,” Brooks explains.

Interested buyers do share Highlight ads on social media. Picture: realestate.com.au

Importantly, Highlight ads are also more likely to be shared across social network sites like
Facebook and Twitter – where they’re seen by even more potential buyers.
Highlight listings are visible on all sorts of devices, from Android phones to iPads and
everything else in between.

“Highlight properties are especially prominent on smaller screens.”

“Stand out from the crowd, with elevated search rankings and large photos. A Highlight property
listing can drive more inquiries to your agent, which could help you sell your property faster and
get a better price,” Brooks says.

Make your property stand out with a

Premiere listing
At the supermarket, it’s eye-level products which grab shoppers’ attention and
on realestate.com.au, it’s Premiere property listings which potential buyers can’t
ignore.

With 86% of Australian property seekers using the internet to find their dream home,
realestate.com.au – which has six million visitors per month – is the logical place to list a
residential property for sale. Upgrading to a Premiere listing statistically boosts the chances of a
quick sale.
The larger images used in Premiere property listings help these ads stand out. Picture:
realestate.com.au

Damien Brooks, State Sales Manager for Victoria at REA Group, explains.

“Premiere listings appear at the top of all search results, above Highlight, Feature and Standard
ads and they rotate back to the top every 15 days. This prime position at the top of the search
results demands maximum buyer attention, especially when you consider 53% of consumers
don’t look beyond the first page of search results,” Brooks says.

Data analysis shows being positioned “front and centre” and having the largest images of any
listing translates to inquiries and fast sales for sellers, he says.

Looking for the right agent? Try our agent finder tool.

“Premiere listings receive 5.5 times more email inquiries and sell 49% quicker than Standard
listings. This makes Premiere the ultimate option for attracting more of the right property
seekers,” he says.
“It makes sense to maximise every opportunity with the largest, most prominent ads and photos,”
Brooks says.

Another crucial part of any marketing campaign is being visible across all devices.

“You have that benefit with Premiere, with the listing visible on our iPad, iPhone and Android
apps, as well as desktop website, 24/7. The large ad and photo sizes stand out on smaller screens,
in particular,” he says.

“If your property deserves to be showcased in our ultimate advertising option, upgrading your
listing is certainly worthwhile.”

What time of year should you sell your

house?
It’s a question contemplated by thousands of Australian home owners each year;
when is the definitive ‘right’ time to sell?

According to one property expert, Amanda Jones from Hodges Sandringham in Melbourne, the
answer is more complicated than defaulting to the conventional idea that “spring is best.”

Jones says the right time to sell is when the vendor and property is ready. “And this is very
individual, based on each vendors’ circumstance,” she says.

The perfect time to sell is when both the seller and the property are ready.

Many factors influence the best potential timing for a sale, Jones says, such as meeting other
property settlements, moving dates or other unpredictable events.

“The perfect time is therefore really when the seller and the property are ready,” she says.

Jones says spring can bring a lot of competition after a quiet winter, when there is less stock on
the market.

“So, unless there’s a compelling reason to sell during that time, like if the garden is a focal point
of the property for example, other times of the year might be more advantageous, especially
early or later in the year,” Jones says.
With so many properties on the market, sellers must compete for buyers’ attention in spring, she
adds.

While traditionally, fewer vendors sell during the second half of December and early part of
January – when many people are away from home – it can still be lucrative, Jones says.

“Some of the best sales last year were made in December, as buyers know there will be little
stock on the market during the festive season until end of January or early February,” she says.

“Although many people are away on holidays during this time of the year, there are still buyers
around. Off-market or private sale activity over this period can yield prices, as stock levels are so
low.”

Entering a high market is not always the ultimate goal, Jones explains.

“A high market is great if you are selling and not buying back in. If you are both buying and
selling in the same market, you might get more for your old home, but then also have to pay
more for your new one,” she says.

Supply and demand also plays a role. “If you have the ability to be flexible, it’s definitely worth
speaking to your local real estate agent, who can advise you on the best time to hit the market for
your particular home and area,” Jones says.

When planning a sales campaign, keep key dates in mind, she says.

“One public holiday in a four-week campaign isn’t an issue, but if possible, avoid peak holiday
periods, such as Easter and school holidays. Also, never have an auction on a long weekend,”
Jones says.

A glimpse of real estate agents of the

future
What will the real estate agent of the future look like?

It goes without saying they will be dashingly handsome.

But those who are most successful will also regularly chat online to their clientele, expand their services
beyond selling houses and never lose sight of their trump card – their humanness.

Communication still vital

“I don’t know what we’re going to ‘look’ like – hopefully I’ll look much more youthful – but that face-to-
face customer service we already offer is going to be so critical to us retaining our value,” says Telly
Karadimos, Director of Barry Plant Parkwood on the Gold Coast.

“Exceptional communication is, and will always be, the most important thing an agent can offer.”

Exceptional communication is, and will always be, the most important thing an agent can offer.

Karadimos believes the onslaught of technology will make communication even more important than it is
today.

“Hopefully it (agent’s worth) never dies and we see agents offering high levels of service to clients,
counter to society’s move towards self-service,” he says.

“Online databases are important but if you are always focused on your iPad then that is where you should
be, not in real estate, which is all about people.”

Adam Woods runs Professionals Mudgee with his sister Chandelle.

Read more: Smart developers using technology to stand out

Social media matters

The country NSW agent is a big fan of social media, which he uses to grow his profile.

Wood’s agency’s Facebook page has 5500+ likes and he blogs regularly, adding rich content on local
events, issues and real estate.

He sees his online contributions as something future agents will need to do to connect with their markets
and stay valuable.

Online contributions are something future agents will need to do to connect with their markets.

In the US, 84% of property agents use social media to speak to their markets, according to
RealEstateAgentU.com. Facebook is the most used, followed by Twitter then LinkedIn.

“Having travelled over there (the US) a few times, I can see they certainly embrace technology a lot more
(than us),” Woods says.

“You do have to be in touch with your local market and we now keep in touch with most of our market
via Facebook.

“I know a business in Melbourne with 16,000 followers on Instagram. It is a great way to influence
people.”
Woods doesn’t think Aussie agents will look too different 50 years from now: “It is always going to
be a people business.”

What will change is, how much business is managed online, enabling agents to work remotely as mobile
workforces operating under a bigger agency brand name.

“We will see more agents trading without bricks and mortar agencies because mainstream shop frontages
and the expense of leases may just not be necessary nor expected by your market.

“Already virtual agents are popping up as real-time communication makes you as accessible to your
market lying on the sofa with your laptop as you are today in a bricks and mortar shop.”

Melbourne-based Nigel O’Neil, CEO of the Hocking Stuart agency group, sees the agent of the future as
a “one-stop-shop” for vendors, buyers, landlords and tenants.

Buying, selling and leasing will remain agents’ “bread and butter” but O’Neil sees big potential for
redefinition of what it means to be “a real estate professional”.

“We can expect to see real estate becoming a one-stop-shop … as services that were once delivered by
multiple providers are now increasingly coming under the same umbrella brand,” O’Neil says.

“From assisting clients to staging or renovating their property for sale, to finding a new home, leasing,
booking removalists and establishing utility connections, real estate professionals will engage with clients
earlier in their property journey and remain there for long.”

9 questions to ask prospective real estate

agents
It’s no secret that finding the right real estate agent is crucial to securing a high sale price for your
property. But knowing what to do isn’t the same as understanding how to do it. 

To choose the right agent, you’ll need to look much further than skin-deep online reviews.

Search for agents in your local area, put together a shortlist and then swing by a few of their open for
inspections to see how they interact with buyers.
Observing how they handle face-to-face interactions should help you whittle down your shortlist to a
handful of agents.

Once you’ve made it this far, arrange face-to-face interviews and ask them the following questions to
determine whether they’re the right agent for you.

1. What experience do you have?

Experience is important in any industry, but in real estate, it’s essential.

The likelihood of an agent securing a high sale price for your property is largely dependent on their
ability to build a rapport with potential buyers – and there’s nothing quite like learning on the job.

Which is why Georgi Bates, director of residential sales at Cunninghams Property Balgowlah, believes
interrogating a prospective agent’s resume should be high up your list of priorities.

“Ask them how long they’ve been working in the industry, and whether they have a licence, as opposed
to a real estate certificate that only took six weeks to get,” says Bates.

“It’s similar to the difference between having a university degree or just finishing school.”

Common mistakes: What not to do when selling your home

2. Which local properties have you sold recently?

Asking this question will shine a light on the agent’s selling ability, while providing an opportunity to
sound out their suggested listing price.

“It will give you confidence that the price they’re delivering to you is based on several factual results, and
not just them winging it,” says Ashley Weston, principal and director of Ray White Frankston.

It’s also worth asking for the contact details of past vendors, so that you can fact-check the agent’s
claims.

3. How much do you know about the local area?

The importance of local knowledge cannot be overstated when it comes to selling real estate.

As soon as a buyer steps foot into your property during an open for inspection, they begin painting a
mental picture of what their life would look like if they moved in – and it’s the job of your agent to fill in
any gaps on the canvas.

The more your agent knows about the local area, the easier it will be for them to answer a potential
buyer’s questions about the quickest morning commute, or where they could send their children to school.
“There could be a really good dance school nearby, for example. Things like that can really resonate with
families,” says Bates.

A deep understanding of the local area should also be complemented by an understanding of local
planning regulations, Bates adds.

“This will mean an agent can explain to buyers what renovations they can and can’t make – be it an
extension on top of a three-bedroom house, or the addition of car parking space to a small semi.”

4. How active are you in the community?

Even in our digital age, word of mouth is a powerful marketing tool that should never be overlooked.

“Knowing local cashiers and hairdressers is really important because they all talk about property,” says
Bates.

“Ask your prospective agents how big their network is, because networks help each other out – they’re all
connected.”

5. What do you know about the local competition?

Ask your potential agents whether they’ve recently visited many open homes in the local area.

Checking out the competition will enhance their understanding of which features and type of interiors are
likely to strike a chord with buyers on the lookout for properties in the area.

6. Who do you think will be interested in my property?

This one’s simple: before you can reach an audience, you need to know who that audience is.

If your agent doesn’t know who the potential buyers for your property could be, then your marketing
campaign has little chance of success.

7. How will you market and sell my property?

Closer to a full-length conversation than a single question, this line of inquiry goes straight to the heart of
the matter.

You should discuss everything from which selling method your prospective agent recommends for your
property, to how they plan to make its ‘wow features’ stand out.

Weston also suggests asking your prospective agent to showcase the buyers they are currently
representing, and where they expect other buyers to come from, as knowing this “will help you develop a
marketing plan that captures more of those specific buyers”.
“Also make sure to ask the agent to demonstrate how they’d handle the negotiation with the buyer, as that
will give you some good insight into what’s probably the most important part of the selling process,” he
says. 

Bates shares a similar view, and also suggests asking the agent how many other listings they will
simultaneously be managing, to ensure your property gets the attention it deserves.

“You should also ask who will manage your open for inspection,” Bates adds. “A lot of agents will put
juniors at the open who aren’t able to answer questions or sound out the concerns of potential buyers.”

8. What are your fees?

While price shouldn’t be your main consideration when signing an agent, it’s important that both parties
understand what’s expected from them before they sign any contracts.

This reduces the chance of disagreements down the track.

9. Why are you the best person for the job?

It may sound a little gimmicky, but asking this question will shine a light on what your agent believes to
be the most important thing when it comes to selling property, and offer a glimpse into how they think on
their feet.

If you’re struggling to pick between a few agents with comparable sales performance histories, then this
might be just the ticket.

How to have a good relationship with your

agent
Have you found ‘the one’? The perfect agent – well-dressed, punctual,
knowledgeable – to sell your property?

Once you appoint said agent, the honeymoon period begins.

But what can you do to keep your new business relationship super sweet?

As listing agents are integral to a good home sale (or buy) experience, what keeps your agent
hook-up working right up to that final settlement payment?

8 ways to build a successful relationship with your agent

We spoke to three agents around Australia to get their tips and tricks on making your
agent/vendor relationship work.
Here are their 8 tips to make sure you stay sweet with your agent.

1. Never break trust

It’s easy to fixate on agents’ trustworthiness and forget trust runs both ways.

Gold Coast agent Michael Levonis of Elliott Michaels Realtor says trust must exist at the start of
every agent/client relationship and remain rock solid throughout.

2. Show some respect

Craig Williamson of Buxton Bentleigh in Melbourne stresses mutual respect goes a long way to
creating “win/win” relationships.

Clients usually do best when buying and selling if they view their agent as “a trusted advisor”, he
says.

“They keep us on side with an attitude of mutual respect, referring us business and running with
our advice on selling strategy,” Williamson says.

“It stands to reason that we would favour our loyal advocates.”

3. Stop being a control freak

“A good agent is open to suggestions and happy to incorporate the seller’s ideas into the
marketing strategy, but please allow the agent to do what he/she does best,” Levonis says.

He cites a recent client who insisted on absolute control of advertising copy and photographs.

“The resultant advertising didn’t reflect the true condition of the property and oversold the
benefits,” he reports.

“When after 14 days there was no positive feedback from prospective buyers, the seller became
upset and blamed the agent.”

4. Pick up the phone

Justin O’Brien, manager of Elders Alice Springs, loves it when a client rings him, particularly
when the campaign hits tough times.

“We live in an age of emailing and that is usually fine for simple matters but they (emails) can
easily be taken the wrong way as you can’t hear tone,” O’Brien says.
“Face-to-face or a call are far more effective in some circumstances.”

5. Don’t be a scrooge
If you insist on agents discounting their commissions, don’t be surprised if your agent loses
interest and/or feels unloved.

Less commission can result in rushing sales and more pressure on sellers to take unacceptable
offers, instead of working on a seller’s behalf, Levonis says.

“Until the property is sold, your agent is working for you for free.

“So if the agent is professional and does a good job marketing and selling your property, he/she
deserves to be paid and not have to discount commission.”

6. Be punctual
It is a common courtesy to be on time at all appointments with your busy agent and if you can’t
be there, never pull a no-show. Not cool.

7. Don’t cover your ears

Relationships can be tested and that’s when really good listening skills can save the day.

“Listen to what the agent is saying,” suggests O’Brien.

“When an agent tells you, ‘we are getting feedback that the price is too high’ don’t automatically
shut down or get defensive because that is very counter to what your agent, hopefully chosen
based on trust, is trying to achieve – hear them out.”

8. Be honest
If you are looking to buy, Levonis says give sales agents “all your parameters” so he/she can
assist without wasting time.

“There is a tendency for buyers not to tell the truth about how much they want to spend or the
area they wish to buy in,” Levonis says.

“The agent then takes time to find a property in the price range only to find out the buyer has
bought elsewhere in a higher price bracket and a different area.”

If you are guilty of this one, don’t expect a second date with ‘the one’.