With all of the talk today about slumping real estate sales, declining home values and an economy in recession, it’s no wonder that home sellers experience anxiety when it comes to selling their home. Because of this fact, they are looking for Agents who know the local market, know the business, and know how to sell their home—fast!

There are many articles floating around about how Agents can sell a home quickly in a “buyer’s market”, but I’ve taken what I think are the best ideas and listed them here for your reference. It is my desire that you will not only find them valuable, but that they will help you with your ultimate goal of closing more deals. Here’s to your listing success!

Tip #1: Price the Home to Sell

You’ve heard it again and again and we all know what the number one tip is by now—pricing a home correctly. But how do Agents get a buyer to see the “true” value of a home where they saw their children take their first steps and watched little Susie grow up? First, you need to stress their need for objectivity. Sellers need to be shown that buyers are looking at their house for the very first time and comparing it to other homes in the same price range and making a decision based on comparison. Then, back it up with comparative data on homes that are listed or have recently sold that are similar to theirs. Be prepared to personally show them some active listings in the price range they “think” they should be in so they can see the differences between their house and the competition for themselves. Don’t forget to point out any extra incentives the sellers of those homes may be using to attract buyers.

Tip #2: Have a Home that is Modern and Updated

Explain to sellers the value of having a home that is sparkling clean (at all times for those last-minute, drop-in lookers), completely de-cluttered, staged, free from smells (including pets and their associated smells), and updated. By updated, we mean having everything repaired, carpets and floors in tip-top condition, fresh neutral wall colors, and modern appliances, kitchens and bathrooms. We have all heard that kitchens and bathrooms sell a home and it is true. If you could see these rooms of a client’s home on the cover of House Beautiful magazine, the battle is all but over. What happens if a home does not have such fine features? After showing buyers interior photos of similar homes, compare their home’s features to the competition’s and use that as a negotiation point when determining the listing price. With so many homes to choose from, why would a buyer choose something that is less than appealing or something that is in need of updating? The answer: because it is a good deal (i.e. the price is much lower than the competition’s). Also point out to sellers the importance of de-cluttering and staging a home. A staged home will sell five times faster than an un-staged home that is full of clutter, and a cluttered home will always sell for a lower price. A simple phrase that will drive this point home: “clutter eats equity”.

Tip #3: Don’t Ignore Curb Appeal

Ignoring the appearance of a home from the outside is considered unforgivable in a buyer’s market. We all know the rule in personal relations that we have seven seconds to create a first impression, but do your sellers realize that the same holds true for a house as well? Mr. and Mrs. Smith need to be able to picture themselves driving up to your seller’s home after a long day at work, feeling tired and worn out, only to be pleasantly greeted by the beautiful flowers, perfectly trimmed shrubs, and manicured lawn that scream “Welcome Home”! And since a person’s home is an expression of themselves, sellers should want buyers to know that they put the time and effort into the home’s appearance to make a positive statement about them—the future home owners!

Tip #4: Consider Financing (at Least a Portion of) the Home

With increased down payment requirements and tightened lending standards, buyers can use, if sellers can offer, help with financing the home. If the seller is in a position to assist, perhaps they can hold a portion, if not all, of the mortgage. Other alternatives include lease-purchases or a rent with an option-to-buy scenario. While details about how to sell a home using any of these methods is beyond the scope of this article, suffice it to say that having these options available will make the home attractive to a larger pool of buyers.

Tip #5: Offer Creative Incentives

While not every seller may want to consider this alternative, the sellers that “have” to sell their homes should consider all options, including this one. Offering incentives to sell a home can sometimes work, especially if you already have the first four tips mentioned above already in place. Your seller’s incentive could be the icing on the cake that cinches the deal and gets the house sold. Does your seller own a business that could give something of value to the buyer? Free maid service for a year, a $2,000 gas card, plasma tv, property taxes pre-paid the first year, closing cost assistance, a free car, or season tickets to the local professional team’s games? Be creative and brainstorm with your sellers. You may find something that will send the buyers skipping to the closing table and your sellers singing all the way to the bank. (Not to mention the fact that you will receive the seller’s “Agent of the Year” vote for getting their home sold so quickly!)

Tip #6: Create a “This-IS-the-Offer” Mindset

Once your sellers have mastered the first five tips listed here and received an offer on their home, reinforce a concept that you should have taught them on Day One of the listing presentation: the offer that now sits before them IS the offer. This is not the time to nit-pick over details and try to save grandma’s chandelier from falling into the deal (after all, you warned them upfront to take it down and replace it before it went on the market if it would not be conveying with the home). Along the same line, this is not the time to haggle over a few thousand dollars in the price or closing cost assistance, or deny the buyer’s request to have the driveway resurfaced or the living room carpet replaced. Any counter offers could kill the deal and send the buyers packing—in preparation to move into a different home. Make it clear to sellers from the beginning that holding out for a better offer is the biggest mistake they can make if they are really serious about selling their home. After all, as much as you may enjoy the business, closing the deal is what it’s all about.