Embrace the Minority!
Now, before every real estate agent in Ocean County gets up in my face, by “we” I mean the “true professionals” not just Coldwell Banker Flanagan Realty. Yes, there are professional real estate agents in every brokerage in Ocean County but “we” are still the minority.
If you remember from a previous post, the reason some sellers price their house too high is because of the agent they select. Determining the current market value of most houses in Ocean County is not rocket science. We all go to the same well for the same water (the Multiple Listing Service).
So, why are so many houses still “over-priced”?
Because over 80% (in my opinion) of the real estate agents in Ocean County don’t know how to say, “no”.
The professional real estate agent knows how and when to say, “no”.
When a home-seller says, “my house is worth $_______”, a professional says, “no, it’s not. As we can see, the market says your house is worth $_______ today”.
When a home-seller says, “let’s try this price” or “can’t we try this price”, a professional says, “no, let’s not” or “no, we can’t in this market”.
When a home-seller says, “I gotta get this much for my house”, a professional says, “not going to happen in this market”.
For the majority of real estate agents in Ocean County, “no” is difficult to say.
Why?
There are many reasons but let me give you my Top 3:
- The majority of agents in Ocean County do NOT “prospect” or look for home-sellers to work with so when one “finds” them, they won’t say, “no”.
- The agent is friends with or has some kind of relationship with the home-seller and can’t say, “no”.
- The agent does NOT have a “marketing plan” and hopes the home-seller eventually comes to their senses, or the market changes over night, or a miracle happens, so they don’t say, “no”.
If you want to sell your house for the highest possible price, in the least amount of time, with the least amount of inconvenience, you want to work with the “minority”; the true real estate professionals in Ocean County.
How do you know “who” they are?
- Ask them for their “Pre-Listing Presentation“
- Ask them for their “Marketing Plan of Action“
- Ask them for their “Sales Price-to-List Price Ratio”
If they “can’t” or “won’t” supply you with it, just say, “no” and find a professional who will. Otherwise, you may run the risk of becoming an “expired” or as the professionals would say, “failed to sell” in Ocean County.
