10 Tips for Selling Your Home in the Sluggish Winter Months

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In sluggish markets where there is little activity, it may be a good idea to raise the real estate fee to increase interest and activity from realtors instead of or in addition to a price adjustment. Realtors work on a commission basis..it is not an hourly wage or salary. They do not get benefits unless it comes out of their own pocket/commission along with adevertising and marketing expenses. They have families to take care of just like other people and work very, very hard. So the next time you write an article ..let's negotiate your salary and benefits!! And yes.
I am a realtor..for 25 years.

Richard of CA 1:02PM April 11, 2010

I think some of these ideas are terrific for any time of the year and not only for the winter months. In a buyer's market, a property owner needs to do everything they can possibly do to differentiate themselves from their "competition." Being flexible and being realistic are essential. So, too, is being creative and imaginative. While we all fret about those among us who are "underwater" with their home equity, there are still, perhaps 25% of all home-owners who own their properties out-right, and another 50% that have some positive equity in their homes. If they are motivated to sell their properties in this buyer's market, they have to exhibit utmost flexibility and start to think "outside the box".
Back in the early 1980's when interest rates rocketed to 20% and mortgages peaked at 18%, sellers and buyers had to be creative to get deals done. Today's not really any different because now upwards of 50% of home buyers who three years ago could qualify for conventional financing are being locked out of the market. Sure, some of them don't deserve a mortgage, but certainly some portion of them do, but stricter credit standards by banks have frozen even them out. And the jumbo mortgage market - forget it. So, now flexibility also includes considering creating your own mortgage financing, and replacing the conventional lender with your own loan.
Seller finance, which for years had been relegated to sub-prime properties and sub-prime borrowers is making an enormous resurgence as even million+ homeowners are considering if this is an option for them to attract more buyers through their homes. Buyers that are considered the "near-miss" kind that got turned down by their bank because of a blip in their credit history, which under "normal" underwriting standards would have been acceptable, are terrific candidates as buyers if you know how to screen them properly. And if a seller is in a position to consider offering their own financing, they can ill-afford to leave the process to chance and attempt to structure, document,and service their own note without some professional assistance, which happily is out there if you know where to look for it. Unfortunately, most realtors and even most attorneys haven't sufficient experience in seller finance to be able to differentiate between a quality note and a sub-standard, homegrown note.
So, flexibility is all about moving past your preconceptions about value and structure and financing and thinking about "how am I going to get my property sold in this market"? Emotional detachment, as the article suggests, is so difficult but so essential. Thinking outside the box and considering if seller finance is even an option, is a question every homeowner and realtor should be asking. It may not be an option, but then again, it may be. And if it is, then seek out some assistance from professional seller finance specialists who can walk you through the process and help maximize the value of your note.

Kenneth E. Moll of CA 12:57PM March 24, 2010

Amazing that Now they implore to negotiate a realtor's commission. The ones remaining are the ones who are working hard...people paying over 6% in the "good days" was outrageous, especially when you didn't have quality realtors.
I have a better idea, we do so much work for free, what if we do a draw against commission? $60/hour for what work/research/marketing, etc....when the house sells, deduct that amount from the commission. the commission is only earned when house sells, going through more legal paperwork, etc. any way. if the house doesn't sell, we retain the $60/hour pay for the work we did. ---- we get paid for work we did. yes, what a concept! We go through a lot of training. I've seen realtors make deals Just Because they knew someone, didn't mean they knew real estate though! Look at the experience and qualifications of a Realtor.
signed by a CCIM -- Certified Commercial Investment Manager, Licensed in 2 states and Green designated by NAR

jacci of AR 10:24AM March 23, 2010

What are these people smoking? My house has been on the market for over 1 year! We have had our home listed 3 times for 6 months each and there has been no glimmer of an offer even though we lowered the price twice!
Up here in the worthwest the prices may be lower but still people do not buy!!

Johnnyt of OR 12:12PM February 28, 2010

When we bought our first home, we couldn't afford a big or new house. We bought what we could afford, and learned the skills necessary to upgrade it to what we needed. This meant living with some dust, and frustration. Realtors always push the buyer to the maximum price, not leaving anything in your budget for fix-up, repairs or financial reverses. They make no commission on your sweat equity, and you would be surprised at what you can do. And your children learn along with you.

claudia of NE 8:23PM February 21, 2010

Don't even discuss it! It may affect the advertising budget to promote my house! Ever thought of that???

Foodyholic of NY 4:32PM February 20, 2010

Big Mama - Spell check is a GREAT idea, but it doesn't catch ALL errors. Spell check will not catch the difference between to, too, and two. It will not catch the difference between their, there, and they're. In your own posting, for example, it failed to catch the word "your" which was a contraction for you are and should have been spelled "you're". We still need to proofread what we write if we want to be 100% correct in our postings.

Little Mama of TN 10:19AM February 20, 2010

only comment worth my time was from jean of nc.

mike of OH 5:08PM January 21, 2010

This has nothing to do with the Buyer, and not a bad idea for the seller.
Knowing what I do about REALTORS, every time things get worse, We have a new crop of realtors
The new crop is ruining the Real Estate Business.
They actually talk like they know something and know nothing.
We have a Beautiful Country Home with out Buildings and all.
These new Realtors are taught about selling a House on a Cultisac, Not a Farm Property.
Quite clear they make most people that has sold Houses before with a good Realtor, MAD to no--- well you can guess.
We have to many experts in every Business that know nothing in Utah.
My Motor Home is like Brand New and believe it ot not a Buyer???????????? Says he thought it was Dated.
Where did he get that from, RE shows on TV.
They are killing the Market

Larry McKinley of UT 1:02PM January 21, 2010

Write what your going to say. Copy and paste it into word or some other program. Then recopy it and put it here... I did it to write this and had 3 words corrected..

Big Mamma of CO 11:53AM January 21, 2010