Why List

Many property owners feel they can sell their homes themselves when the market is as active as it is.   The rationale behind selling “By Owner” generally is to maximize your profit by not paying commission to a professional.  However, there are many pitfalls to doing that.   In fact, the National Association of Realtors has conducted studies that show that homeowners who list their homes with a Realtor sell more quickly AND FOR A HIGHER NET PROFIT than those who don’t.  WHY?

PRICING IS KEY!
Experienced real estate professionals have access to significantly more information on market pricing and trends than the lay person does.  Although public sites like Zillow and others profess to give you market value for a particular property, we have frequently found these to be inaccurate for the local market, often significantly so. 

DO YOUR HOMEWORK…

• Invite several different Realtors from different companies to meet with you and provide you with a CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) on your property. What are the results like?
• Do they “shoot from the hip” and give you a pricing opinion on the first visit, or do they research the value and provide you with a professional presentation with facts to substantiate their pricing opinion?
• How far apart are the suggested list prices from agent to agent, company to company? Historically, the price ranges suggested by Premier Properties are consistently higher than many other companies.  Pricing in an active market is changing frequently – you need highly experienced agents such as those with Premier Properties to help you hit the “sweet spot” and avoid leaving money on the table.

What is the average book of business each agent/company carries? 
How close is that to the potential list price of your home?  The majority of the buyers contacting any particular agent or firm are those focused around their average book of business, because those are the listings they’re advertising.  So, if your goal is to sell a $400,000 property, then you want to select a company that specializes in that price range rather than one that primarily sells homes in the $100,000 to $150,000 range.  Premier Properties has consistently prided themselves in representing the premium properties in every price range, with our specialty being a higher average book of business than any of our local competitors.

What is the marketing program offered?
Premier Properties offers a comprehensive marketing program which includes exposure in all facets of media, including specialty media custom tailored to your particular property.  Premier Properties utilizes a number of marketing venues not used by other companies in southeastern Indiana.  Our new Adwerx program will provide extensive and highly effective exposure for our listings, with “following capability” online like Amazon uses, as well as ads streaming on highly popular sites such as Hulu, SlingTV and DirectVnow during live sports and during your favorite shows from channels like NBC, CNN, ESPN, Food Network, HGTV and more.

SELLING BY OWNER LEAVES YOU WITHOUT REPRESENTATION.
There are many laws and practices involved in today’s real estate transactions, which professionals are aware of and the general population might not be.  These laws and practices vary from one state to another, in terms of what is customary as Buyer’s vs Seller’s expenses.  If you negotiate a contract yourself, you could end up paying for a number of expenses that you wouldn’t have if you had had professional representation.  You could also leave yourself at risk if you’re unaware of required disclosures, etc.  Frequently, Owners selling on their own will be approached by Realtors who have interested Buyers, and asked to pay a co-op commission if the Realtor writes an acceptable offer.  Whether the Owner agrees to pay the co-op commission or not, the Owner is NOT represented by a knowledgeable professional, but the Buyer IS.  This puts the Owner at a disadvantage in negotiations, and could cost them more than having professional representation in the first place.

COMMISSION IS NOT FIXED…IT IS AN AMOUNT NEGOTIATED SPECIFICALLY BETWEEN PREMIER PROPERTIES AND THE PROPERTY OWNER.
We can discuss commission with you, and have the ability to come to a mutually agreeable percentage that meets everyone’s goals. When you list your property with us, there are a host of services provided to achieve your specific goals.  A thorough Comparative Market Analysis will provide you with both a suggested list range and probable sale range for your property.  Again, our in-depth knowledge and track record in the local market (particularly lakefront and luxury properties) will bring you maximum return, in comparison to selling by Owner or selecting an agent with significantly less experience.  Professional photography & video, MLS exposure in both Indiana & Cincinnati MLS systems, extensive marketing in areas targeted to waterfront and high-end properties and much more are all included.

SELLING BY OWNER LEAVES MANY RESPONSIBILITIES IN YOUR HANDS.
If you list your home, we take care of researching potential pricing and helping with the pricing decision.  We review and discuss potential changes or improvements which should be made to your property prior to putting it on the market.  We arrange for professional photography and develop marketing materials for the home.  These include detailed showing packets for buyers coming to view the property, as well as exposure in a broad range of venues targeted to waterfront buyers.  Through the Premier Properties  office, we set up showings and provide a mechanism for feedback.  Once an offer is made, your agent will summarize the pertinent details of each offer and provide guidance on terms requiring a response (along with reasons why).  If an offer is accepted, we work with the other professionals involved to ensure the details between contract and closing are handled properly and on schedule.  We review the closing paperwork with you, after ensuring it is correct.  Selling on your own puts all those responsibilities in your hands, as well as having to deal directly with potential buyers you know nothing about.