When it comes to hiring a Realtor, there are so many things you should consider. Track record, client reviews, previous listing quality (basically the Realtor's past work portfolio). These are all things you can verify if you just ask the Realtor to provide them.
Since my personal philosophy is all about continuous improvement, I am always looking for the next feature or process to add to my business to increase the value of what we do for our clients and this past couple months I've had a pretty big realization.
I've realized that of the dozens of processes and functions we follow here at Apex, there is NOTHING that is more important than the Pre Listing Walkthrough.
This is the meeting I set with my listing clients where I come out to the house anywhere from 30 days up to a year before they actually plan to list the house.
I walk the house with my seller and I have a checklist we work through where we go through the home and we look at every room together and talk about what we can do to maximize the home's value.
Keep in mind this is generally just minor stuff the seller can correct for minimal expense. We're not talking full scale remodeling here, mostly just cosmetic polishing. Just watching my sales track record, I have come to believe the return on this investment is somewhere in the neighborhood of 300-400% of the investment the seller makes.
My goal for this meeting is to help my future client prepare their home so that when it goes on the market, there is a much higher chance that the buyers will buy the home for the most money possible, and in a reasonable time frame.
I am so convinced this step is critical because the evidence is stacking up as the years go by. I have helped more than 200 sellers get their homes ready in the last 6 years and typically we're seeing those homes go under contract in less than half days on market of the competition, and generally for at least a full percentage point above the rest of the market's values.
I have also had multiple instances where some sellers have elected to not do the things I suggest, and then they get the negative feedback from showing agents and it's almost always about the exact things I recommended we handle. Then they correct those things, and we go under contract a week later... Interesting.
So of course we have high standards when it comes to transaction processes, photography, video, and proactively promoting our listings to the public, but still I am absolutely convinced that the most valuable thing I do for you happens way before I list the house on HAR and get to work selling it.
If I can help you get your house ready for sale, please reach out to me anytime. I love looking at homes and I love helping people maximize their investments.
