When they called to inquire about marketing their home in Grand Rapids, Michigan, they were understandably concerned.  They had heard the stories about how houses were not selling and were well aware of the large number of homes for sale around them.  They had very different approaches to the process.  He was more methodical and had laid back charm about him.  She was practical and realistic; she wanted to focus on getting things done quickly.

They had been referred to us by their friends who had successfully sold their home with Audu Real Estate. Before I booked the appointment, I clearly spelled out what would be involved in a listing appointment.  My marketing plan is very thorough and the listing presentation would involve a detailed review of their home to Stage it correctly.  They needed to anticipate a 2-3 hour time frame.  They were a little surprised but checked their schedules and we agreed to a date on the calendar.

Today, less than 65 days after that first meeting, their smiles of joy lit up the room during their Closing.  Their home was sold in less than 30 days!   I think in retrospect that 2-3 hours spent at the beginning was worth it's weight in gold....or at least dollars.  

Marketing a home and creating a strategy to Sell and Stage a home is not an easy task. Prior to our presentation, our client specialist Ed Vogt and I spent several hours in painstaking research to determine the best possible pricing strategy for their area. 

After  the listing presentation, we re-toured the house with the home owners to show them how to "put the show on the road" from a Staging Perspective. Our final act before we left, was to ask them if we could ask for the Grace of a Blessing on their home.  We explained that our best efforts could not yield the results that God's blessing would.  We all joined in a simple request for grace.

The home was placed on the market and an Open House scheduled.  The Open House yielded one Mortgage Broker who intercepted a potential buyer and apparently sent her fleeing.  This is a trend that we are seeing more of in Grand Rapids...Mortgage lenders arriving unannounced at Open Houses to solicit real estate agents.  We weren't really pleased by the prospecting tactics of this one.

Thankfully we explain to all our clients that you don't need 100 people to walk though your house to sell it.  You only need one person...the right buyer!  In this case this was especially true.  After one canceled showing...the right buyer showed up and wrote an intelligent offer.  And today, our seller's had solid cash in their hands from the Sale of their home!

After the papers were signed, we gave each Important Participant a box of Godiva Chocolates.  This tradition is our way of saying Thanks for Making it Possible for Us to Succeed in Our Job!  The other Realtor was shocked.  She said that in decades of doing transactions, NO ONE had ever thanked her with a gift!  She immediately began to think of how she could incorporate this into her business. 

Sitting at that table I was struck by how far a little kindness can go.  Simply being polite during a transaction and following through on your word can make a world of difference.  Simply Telling the truth about what it will take to sell a home can save a lot of heartache.  Simply Being willing to go the extra mile in preparing a home owner can make the difference between a sale or no sale.  Simply Responding to professional counsel can determine success or failure.  It's these vital, yet Simple things that make a big difference.  And then again perhaps they are not Simple things at all!

Copyright 2007 Audu Real Estate  All Rights Reserved

 Click Here to Read More about Grand Rapids, Michigan

If Life Throws You a Lemon...Squeeze Out the Lemonade!

Earlier this year, Grand Rapids, Mi was in the national spotlight.  A native son, the former President of the United States, Gerald Ford came home to rest.  The harsh cold wintry conditions were no deterrent for thousands who waited patiently in line for up to 8 hours to pay their respects.  The next morning, the crowds had thinned out & our real estate team headed downtown.  The line for the viewing extended out the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum,across the bridge over the Grand River & snaked through the DeVos Hall several times before exiting at the door.  When we arrived at 10:30, a secret service agent informed us that the viewing was concluding at 11:15 a.m. and the line was now a 2 hour wait.  He suggested we simply sign the guest book & make our departure.  I decided that we would stay in line. 

As the line inched forward & then began to move a little more rapidly, we anxiously looked at our watches...11:15 was rapidly approaching.  Although all seemed lost, I kept on repeating to my team..."We are on the viewing line!  I don't know what those who are turning around came to do, but we came for a Viewing & we will remain on the Viewing Line." 

11:15 came & went.  We remained in line, crossing the bridge & finally had clear sites of the museum door.  Although no more people were joining the line, those who were in line were allowed to continue to move forward.  When we reached the door, to our surprise, we were greeted by the children of President Ford.  Steven Ford shook my hand & when I told him that I was praying for him, he said, "You don't know how much that means to us."

We payed our respects that day in tremendous gratitude for the life of a great leader & Our President.  We later heard that the line had remained OPEN at the Special Request of the Ford Family.  This experience really showed me the power of perservering & not giving up!   We also learned another important lesson that has stuck with our team to this day.  Whenever anyone repeats dire statistics about the real estate market in Grand Rapids, Michigan, we recall the lesson we learned from being on the Viewing Line. We've decided that we are on the Selling Team.  We've decided that the houses we represent will be in the Homes Sold Statistics.  Yes, this is our choice & it's a Quality Decision.  Regardless of how long the line looks or how slim the chance, we know that all things are possible to those who believe & work hard.  So if you're a home owner who has determined to SELL your home, call us...We're the Selling Team.  In preparation for your impending success, here are a few tips to Get You Started.

Remember LESS is Sometimes MORE

Obtain a well researched Market Analysis (10-15 pages) from Audu Real Estate.  This invaluable guide to pricing your home is an Excellent Starting Point.  We will advise you on strategically positioning your home to create optimum interest & generate showings.  Over-pricing NEVER works in this type of market.  Rather, let us tell you  about a tactic has brought many sellers multiple offers THIS year.  One happy seller went to the bank with $14,000 ABOVE asking price & paid NO Concessions.  Contact us to learn about our comprehensive strategy for marketing your home.

Set the Stage for Success!

Get your house ready & then Stay in Ready Mode!  Audu Real Estate offers FREE staging consultations to our clients to make your home look & show it's best.  Most of the items we'll use...you already own.  We also provide a written list of all our recommendations.  Our website & our Blogs generate thousands of hits every month & multiple pictures of your home will highlight it's best features. Selling your home demands that you give yourself every advantage.  Audu Real Estate specializes in Selling homes & Presenting them well. Several homes in our inventory have recently closed or received offers.  We're ready to help you be the Next Home to Sell in Grand Rapids, Michigan!

Promote Profusely!

Times have changed, you've got to mix it up!  Today's buyer is looking in places on-line that you may not have considered.  Most of them start looking 6-12 months before they buy.  Real estate blogging has become on of the most important new promotional tools in the emerging marketplace.  I say emerging because we frankly cannot accurately determine the enormity of the impact of Web 2.0...but we know that some of these developments are going to change business as we know it forever. 

Along with blogs have come a number of important New sites to be aware of when promoting your home.  You may want to consider utilizing these to enhance a traditional MLS listing.  At Audu Real Estate, we have experienced results & leads through our Blogs and can also discuss the pros & cons of supplementing your listing with other listing portals like trulia.com or Craigslist.  You don't have to be the expert when you can simply call one!  Call Audu Real Estate...We're the Selling Team!

So we say, Down Market...No Problem,  Lots of Houses for Sale...No Problem,  Home Expired...No Problem,  Home Needing a Short Sale...No Problem.  We believe that when Life throws you a Lemon, the very best thing you can do is Determine to Squeeze Out the  Lemonade!

How Will You Know When You're Ready to Seriously Consider Making A Move?

 Driving home from work, you notice that your next door neighbors did it last night.  You're sure it wasn't there when you left for work early this morning, but now it...the For Sale sign...is boldly strutting it's stuff on their front lawn daring you to pull over & surreptitiously swipe a flyer from the over-stuffed information box.  They've  put their home on the market!  You find the urge irresistible...Your must know what price they are asking for their home!

You may have been mulling over the idea of putting your house on the market for some time. Or, perhaps, it's a sudden turn of events like a job transition or change in life circumstances which propels this topic front & center.  Maybe, it's the unrelenting curiosity of wondering just how much money can currently be drawn off the piggy bank of home equity by a sale this spring.  All these reasons still beg an answer to the question...Am I ready to seriously consider making a Move?

Here are Some Simple Questions to ask Yourself to Determine if Now is the Time & if You are in a Position to Make A Move.

1.  Can I Afford to Move?

• This question has increasingly become the cornerstone of the decision for many home owners.  Property values in many locations have dropped within the last couple of years eroding the home equity in many homes.  An accurate appraisal of the value of your home is a necessity. You may want to consider ordering a professional appraisal and obtaining a Comparative Market Analysis from a real estate broker to assist you in determine the market price of your home & the costs associated with selling.

2.  Do I Have the Motivation to Move?

• Wanting a nicer, more expensive house is a desire...a wish.  Being unable to navigate a 2 story residence where all the bedrooms are in the upper level is more of a need...unless you are OK with sleeping in make-shift bedroom quarters in the living room.  Write down your motivations to move.  Then really look at them.  Are they wants, wishes or needs.  Then re-consider Question #1.

3.  Do I Have the Time to Move?

• This may seem at first glance to be a ridiculous question.  But this is a very serious question as getting a house ready for sale and going through the process of showings & Open Houses and then finally moving and packing is very time consuming.  A decision like this is best made with the input of all family members.  Children or spouses who fail to buy into the effort to keep a home in showing condition can seriously compromise the successful sale of a home.

4.  Do I have the Money to Move?

• Moving is costly.  Assuming that you will have a profit on the sale of your home, count the costs before you place your home on the market.  Will you need money towards a down-payment for your next home?  Are there bills that should be paid off so that you do not experience undue financial stress if your house payment increases?  Will you want to purchase new furnishings or appliances? 

Considering these simple questions prior to placing your home on the market will bring focus and a higher likelihood of success. These questions are not all inclusive of all the criteria which should be considered when making a determination of if the time is right for you to move.  They are more like the boundaries of a fence which provide a framework of issues to resolve or work on.   If you would like a detailed analysis of the value of your home in the current market and additional tips to ensure your home is properly prepared for sale, please contact Audu Real Estate or call 616-791-0511

Staging Your Home for Memorable Showings!

E-Neighborhood Reports Offer Valuable, Well Researched Data For Homeowners

Worrying, Wanting & Waiting...Overcoming Emotional Hurdles During a Home Sale.

How to Loose 2 Million Dollars in On-Line Home Equity!

Spring Time Open House Search for West Michigan.

This series was inspired by an blog post by the realestatetomato.