Tips to sell a vacant home

Vacant homes are tough. Without furnishings, a home’s blemishes are so much more glaring. May I add that ALL homes have a blemish of some sort. Yes, it’s true! Although I believe in staging a home whenever possible, sometimes its just not possible. Maybe you’re moving out of state. Maybe there simply isn’t the money in the budget to afford staging….Whatever the reason may be.

Whenever I can, I’ve been known to stage a home or two with “goodies” from my own house. I have quite the “prop” closet at my house. It has come in very handy and has helped me secure many, many customers.

What do I do when I have run out of goodies? What about the vacant home?? I have a few tricks up my sleeve that I use when I have an unoccupied home.

1) Have the windows professionally cleaned. What a difference!

2) If necessary, have the house detailed. A clean home is a must.

3) Baby oil the stainless sinks. Makes them shine like new.

4) Fabric softener sheets on the furnace filters. Not over powering, pleasant.

5) Run the dishwashers ONCE with powdered lemonade mix. Great for old dishwashers. It smells nice and makes the dishwasher sparkle like new.

6) Put lights on timers. Homes show better with the lights on.

7) Put Polident (yes denture cleaner) tablets in all the toilets. No more yellow ring.

Obviously, these things wont necessary sell a home. However, these things will make a home shine.

 

Walking on a Tightrope

As with most things in life, I think that the saying “everything in moderation” applies. There are always consequences for our actions. Too much playing means not enough working. Too much working means not enough playing and possibly… BURNOUT.

Well, I’m guilty of falling prey to this trap. At times, I spend so much of my time reading, learning and thinking about internet marketing, I fail to get “my basics” done. “My basics” are uniquely my own and have consistently garnered me business. These are the things that come naturally to me…. For instance, networking. I have recently passed on social events in an effort to read, work and research. Not good, not good at all.

I understand the importance of having a web presence. I have a limited knowledge of how I can make the Internet work for me. I now have a personal website and a personal blog. Both are a step in the right direction. Both are miles away from where I was a few months ago. But both are very challenging to me. These things are foreign to me and push me FAR out of my comfort zone.

However, socialization is my comfy place. Because I’m social, I sell homes, lots of homes!

I strive to give each customer a satisfying and rewarding transaction. I take great pride in the things I can offer a customer. These things include an unmatched marketing plan, consistent communication and service that will exceed high expectations. Tall order, yes, but I’m up for it!

My goal is to have a web presence AND continue to do what I do best. Finding a balance that works is tricky.

So I will kindly acknowledge that my new website and blog will never be as good as some other agent sites. I may never fully understand how to make the most of my online presence. However, I will try. I will try as long as I can keep my balance.

There is no agent out there that is capable of having it all. Everyone walks on his or her own tightrope. Those agents who can master the online experience may need some work on other skill sets. Recognizing that fact gives me comfort. Some of the best selling agents in my market have no idea what SEO even means, and they’re perfectly happy with that.

At the end of the day, there is enough business for us all. We just have to remember to stay on that tightrope and don’t look down!

 

Enter a New Era….

Recently I heard the saying: Perfectionism leads to procrastination.

Think about that for a second. Take a minute if necessary.

For me the instant I heard that saying it was like the hot knife in the butter. Those words pierced my being. It was MY TRUTH. I think they call that the “A-ha” moment in therapy. You know what I’m talking about. The second that you hear something that sums up everything you’ve been unable to pinpoint for a long time. Ahh, now I can relax. I’ve correctly identified a driving factor in my personality. I can finally relax because the hard work is done!

Now that I’m armed with the knowledge that I procrastinate because I want things to be “just right” I have no excuse not to get going with some of my “scary goals”. That’s when it dawned on me… My work is just beginning.

Scary thing #1) Adventures in online marketing of my business. My business as a Realtor in the Birmingham Michigan area.

So without any further ado, I present you with my very first post on my very first blog.

I’m not nearly qualified to have a professional blog, because frankly, I’m a horrible writer. BUT, I know that my pursuit for perfection can no longer hold me back from my need to get out there and make myself seen and heard on the web. Be kind to me, I’m new at this.

I look forward to challenging myself with this endeavor. I may not be a good writer, but I’m a great Realtor, and I know my market very well. Did I mention that I’m also extremely humble? So I plan to write about what I know. I’ll do my best to bring you content and some humor.

Come along on this journey with me. At the very least, it may be worth the laugh.