Jeff's Key Ingredients to a Successful Sale

1. The Initial Consultation: This is one of my favorite ingredients. The reason for this is because meeting potential new clients, getting to know them, their pride in the property, plans for the future, their concerns about the selling process is always interesting.

A. Inspecting the property for sale from top to bottom and taking extensive notes on pluses to be accentuated in the marketing plan and minuses to be discussed and minimized to have the least impact on the sale.

B. Discussing current sales activity and trends in the area or nearby areas that would have a possible effect on this property.

C. Discussing potential problems such as difficult tenants, certificate of occupancy, compliance, suggestions on inexpensive improvements to make the property show better etc...

D. Discussing the price range that the property should realistically sell within.

E. Discussing the sales commission.

F. Mapping out an individualized marketing plan and showing schedule for the property to fit the specific needs of the seller.

2. The Marketing Plan: The bottom line here is creating interest and consistent activity on the property.

A. Writing great newspaper ads and remarks that attract the attention of buyers and other brokers with buyers.

B. Taking expert digital photos of the property to make a great visual presentation to be emailed to potential buyers.

C. Composing an outstanding highlights presentation explaining the best features of the property, i.e., income, expenses to run the property, layout, asking price, contact information and when applicable a location map to be distributed to potential buyers.

D. Creating a Virtual Tour for the convenience of potential buyers.

E. Creating a broad and deep exposure to my clients properties which includes the following:

1. 3 multiple listing services – with hundreds of participating brokers who have existing inventories of qualified customers. 2. Networking between 350 + Fillmore Real Estate Agents with an existing inventory of qualified customers. 3. Internet exposure on our company web site: Fillmore.com 4. Emailing to our own pre-qualified customers. 5. Extensive weekly newspaper advertising campaign. 6. Monthly local magazine ads. 7. Catered lunch for brokers attending open houses each Wednesday. 8. Customer open houses weeknites and every weekend on Saturday or Sunday.

3. Measuring and Screening the Response to the Marketing Plan: This ingredient is crucial to a successful sale for several reasons.

A. Any marketing plan is only as good as how much interest and activity it creates on the property. By measuring the response this tells me to what extent I'm on target.

B. Screening the response to the marketing plan insures that, firstly, only financially qualified buyers view the property, secondly that time is not wasted if the properties' amenities don't match the buyers needs and last but not least the sellers and brokers time is not wasted on buyers that are not a potential fit for the property.

C. Frequent and open communication with the seller on the progress of the marketing plan, responding to any question or problems that may arise and providing feedback after showing.

4. Presenting Offers: The seller by law must be made aware of every written bonified offer made on the property, whether low or high. If an offer is accepted by the seller, the seller either signs an informal binder indicating acceptance of the offer and signs a commission agreement or they consult their attorney and request that a formal contract of sale be drawn up.

5. Make the Seller's and Buyer's Attorney Job as Easy as Possible: The whole idea here is to pave the way for a smooth contract signing. This ingredient is one of my strengths because it usually requires good broker communication and fairness between seller and buyer. It's very important to clarify and resolve any issues or potential problems before a contract is drawn up by the seller's attorney. One example of this would be having an engineers inspection of the property immediately and resolving any issues that may come from the inspection right away. Once any issues, obstacles or problems are dealt with and resolved fairly, both attorneys can proceed toward a smooth contract signing for their clients.

6. A Pleasant Closing Experience: Once the buyer has received a mortgage commitment from the bank and clear title to the property has been established and the bank, sellers and buyers attorneys agree on a day, place and time the closing is set. Occasionally between the time of the contract signing and the closing date, issues and problems do arise. There is no substitute for an experienced broker to keep the closing on track and to resolve those issues and problems before the closing date. It is extremely important to me that my client, the seller, should have a pleasant and rewarding closing experience.