David Johnston is a Realtor for Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene in the Bay Area/Clearlake.
Every week, we ask a real estate professional for their Short List, a collection of tips and recommendations on an essential topic in real estate. This week, we talked with David Johnston, Realtor with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene in the Bay Area.
It seems that if I ask five agents what “they do” on a listing presentation, I might hear five different stories. What I’ve learned from these conversations is “one size does not fit all” when it comes to this topic. My tips below on listing strategy have proven to be beneficial to me.
4. Dress The Part: This is a job interview, an important job interview. Let’s not look like we are headed for a golf outing, or worse! Beyond making a great first impression, clients want to see you are professional and ready for business. Dressing for success won’t ensure winning the listing, but looking anything less than will always leave you wondering “what if” if you don’t win.
3. Be Prepared: No, I don’t mean make sure your iPad is fully charged to do some comparable work at the kitchen table. Being prepared is having a solid listing presentation that explains who your company is, what you are going to do and why it is beneficial to the client. In addition, a professional CMA that shows you have fully researched the clients home ,as well as what the specific differences are between their home and the comparables, which validate the target range indicated.
2. Engage The Customer: As you deliver the presentation, make it a two way conversation. What we don’t want is “show up and throw up!”. Ask the customer questions, like “What’s the most important part of your home being seen on 900 websites?” They should answer, “Pictures!” to which we respond “Exactly, that’s why I use a professional photographer to position your home to its highest potential.”
1. Demonstrate your Knowledge: Walk the interior and exterior of the home with the client. Point out staging techniques or why it is important to remove family photos and clutter. Talk about issues that will be reported during the buyers home inspection and prepare the seller for what will be asked of them. Your seller will know that your are not there just for the listing but also ready to help them for the entire home sale process.
David Johnston specializes in buying/selling properties in Clear Lake, Seabrook, Kemah, Friendswood, and League City. He is known as a trusted resource in the Houston real estate industry, and offers his expertise of neighborhood features, along with innovative marketing strategies.