Get More Listings - Tip #10 - FSBO's Are Your Friends

Expired Listings and For Sale by Owners are your friends - Go meet them!

Expired Listings: Regardless of which MLS you’re in, approximately 5-8% of the active listings go “expired” each month. Between April 1^st - 23^rd, 74 residential properties showed up “expired” in the Fresno MLS. That’s at least 20-25 per week! If you want listings, talk to these “expireds”. They want to hear from you!

Here are the facts:

·        They have announced that they want to sell.

·        They believe in using a Realtor.

·        They will pay a commission!

·        They are likely to be more realistic with their price.

·        They don’t believe enough in their previous agent to extend the listing.

·        Also prospect expireds from 6 months back or longer; our appreciation in values will help them get closer to their asking price.

·        They need help.

·        They need you!

For Sale by Owner

Here are some easy action steps to turn FSBOS into listings:

·        Call to ask if you can preview their home.

·        Get there and make a friend.

·        Find out what their motivation is to sell and find a way to help.

·        Ask if they would be willing to pay a commission if you were to have a buyer for them.

·        Offer to provide them more accurate comparable sales information than the Zillow Zestimate they likely used.

·        Put them on a mailing program for the next several weeks.

Here’s what you can send:

1.      A business card and info on a great escrow officer to help with their sale. (Make sure the escrow officer knows you’re doing this - they’ll sing your praises.)

2.      Send a Royal Charter Mortgage brochure and loan officer card.

o   Encourage them to have their perspective buyer get pre-qualified by a reputable lender. (Illustrate that this is just one of dozens of things that you do on behalf of your sellers to provide a surety of close- flakey buyers with flakey lenders cancel deals!)

3.      Offer a contact for a Home Warranty Company to get  seller coverage now, or to provide the buyer with a policy if asked.

4.      Offer a pest company referral and direct them to the “Home Services” page on the London website for other vendors, especially California Property Data to obtain a mandatory NHD report.

5.      Keep them current on other listing and sales activity in the area. Be their resource!

6.      Send them any of our free London Brochures like: “How To Save On Real Estate Commission” or “Would You Buy A House From You?”

Make a friend, demonstrate your professionalism and offer to help.

Good Luck!

 Patrick