| Q: Why should we list our home for
sale with you? You should hire us for the same reason
that thousands of sellers have used us over and over again for
more than 25 years. They know that they can depend on us to
get them the most money, in the shortest amount of time, with
the fewest hassles.
Our No Hassle Listing Home Marketing system offers benefits
that the ordinary agent does not. Our program offers flexible
commissions to put more money in your pocket, a client reward
program when both buying and selling that actually rebates
cash back to you, a cancel anytime policy, and the right to
sell your home yourself and pay us nothing. Additionally,
our average time to sell a home is over 2.5 times as fast
as an ordinary agent.
Every year we help well over 400 people buy and sell. The
average agent handles around eight sales a year. When hiring
anyone to perform a job for you, experience should weigh heavily
in that decision. Who really wants to be the surgeon's first
patient?
Let's examine one of our program benefits; we allow you to
cancel the listing at anytime. Most agents will not give the
consumer this right. You might ask yourself why agents need
to "lock you up" for four to six months. Why would
they be afraid to give you the right to cancel? Our philosophy
is that we would rather strive to earn your business every
day. We are confident that we can provide a superior level
of service and care. If we don't, we don't deserve your business.
It is that simple.
Q I heard that there are limited service agents who
charge less. Why shouldn’t I hire the cheapest agent?
Sellers don’t need an agent just to sell their house.
They need an agent to sell their house for more! If your property
would sell for the same price no matter who sells it –
it probably would be in your best interest to sell the home
yourself. In that case, why pay any agent?
The fact of the matter is we can sell your home for more.
We have the track record we do because we are experts at pricing
the property (using a specific supply-demand analysis prior
to even looking for “comps”) and experts at creating
the greatest amount of exposure of your property.
Even at contract presentation, we do not follow the pack.
We do not permit other agents to pressure you into a rash
decision. The contract will be presented to you by us alone.
This specific action (especially when there are multiple offers)
gets significantly more dollars for our sellers. It is very
difficult for a seller not to transmit emotions and reactions
to another agent. That can cost a seller money.
Sadly, there are many agents who need the deal (sometimes
more than you do). The weakest negotiator in any transaction
is the one who has to have the deal. We are in the
fortunate position of having enough clients that any one deal
won’t make us or break us. Therefore the negotiations
are really about getting you the most money for your home.
Period. If the offer doesn’t make sense, you can count
on us to tell you so.
In addition to these points above, with our sliding scale
commission (6% - 4% - 1% - 0%) and our Client Reward Program,
our fees in many cases are even less than the limited service
broker.
Q: Why do you sell so many homes? Due to
our extensive radio and TV campaigns, more buyers and sellers
are more familiar with us than any other agent in the valley.
Additionally, experience, product knowledge, doing the little
things right, effective marketing programs, and our skilled
team all add up to positive results. Every field has people
who, through their drive and passion, manage to excel.
Q: Why do your homes sell so fast? Do you
price them too low? Absolutely not. Most of our listings sell
at full price. We make it our business to know the market,
so we can ensure we get the highest possible price for our
sellers. Our homes typically sell two and a half times faster
than the average agent because of the effective marketing
we do. We accomplish this by first doing a supply/demand analysis
in the immediate area for any home we consider marketing.
All agents have access to the same market information. It
is the evaluation of what that information means to the marketing
of a home that matters. X-rays mean nothing until they are
evaluated by a competent doctor. Similarly, knowing what the
market is doing in any area affects both the marketing time
and value. Factors like area, demand, condition, pricing,
accessibility, and agent choice all affect a home's time on
market.
Q: Tell me about your marketing plan. The
exposure your home gets while listed with us is second to
none. No other agent in the valley advertises their website
via radio & TV (the most effective type of advertising)
as much as we do. We currently advertise on four TV stations
and four radio stations. These prominent ads create a high
volume of contact both from buyers and sellers. Additionally,
our signs throughout the valley connect us with buyers in
all price ranges and areas. Our ads and signs also reference
our website, resulting in additional contact. Here buyers
can view our "featured homes" in addition to shopping
the broader market. Our presence on Realtor.com insures maximum
property exposure to buyers throughout the country. Even small
details, such as multiple digital photos of homes, increase
the attention we attract to our homes. Additionally, we do
mailings in excess of 57,000 per year to past and potential
clients. Another important link is our marketing to the agent
community. Remember there are over 26,000 agents that we want
to think of us first when preparing to show properties to
their buyers.
Q: If we list with you, will my home be on the internet?
Absolutely! All of our yard signs, as well as our TV and radio
ads prominently feature our website address. No other local
agent offers that benefit. Our media promotion drives thousands
of buyers to view homes on our website. Your home will also
be prominently featured on Realtor.com, the number one real
estate website in the world, as well as AOL.com and MSN.com.
To increase buyer interest in our properties we’ve secured
a featured homes position. Per Realtor.com our listings are
viewed twenty times as often as a regular listing on Realtor.com.
According to the National Association of Realtors Profile
of Home Buyers and Sellers, over 70% of home buyers used the
internet when starting their home search process.
Q: If we list with you, will we be on the Multiple
Listing Service (MLS)? Again, absolutely! Any agent
who does not place your home on MLS is doing you a huge disservice.
With over 26,000 agents in the valley, it is important to
tap in to that agent base of buyers. Also, if you are not
on MLS you cannot appear on Realtor.com, the number one real
estate site on the internet.
Q: Why should I use a team vs. a single agent? Because
times have changed. No one agent can be everywhere at the
same time. Let's suppose an agent has a relocation buyer in
town. For three or four days they have to be with just that
one buyer, a dream scenario for the agent, but not so for
you. They are unavailable to show your home, they are unavailable
to get feedback on showings, they are unavailable to negotiate
contracts or inspection reports, and so on. Also, most agents
are either great at people skills or great at paperwork. Rarely
will they excel at both. Unfortunately, today's real estate
marketplace demands that the agent possess all of these skills.
Under a team scenario such as ours, we have specialists.
We have three Buyer Agents who only show property. We have
a full-time Listings Manager whose main job is to keep you
informed of activity and feedback on showings. We have a full-time
Contracts Manager whose main function is negotiating contracts.
Additionally, we have a full-time Office Administrator along
with two full time Transaction Managers to handle all the
details of the transaction. Each is an expert at that specific
job. Simply, we can and do provide a higher level of service
to our clients than most agents can even conceive of providing.
Imagine that you're a quarterback of a football team. Would
you rather have 1 player on your team or the power of 12 that
you have with our team?
Q: Are all John Hall agents part of the Russell Shaw
Group or the No Hassle Listing? No! John Hall and
Associates is the brokerage firm we work for. Approximately,
800 agents work for John Hall. To receive the benefits of
our experience and program, you need to contact the Russell
Shaw Group directly at 602-957-7777.
Q: Shouldn’t I pick an “area specialist”
to sell my home? There are agents who focus primarily
in one geographic area or neighborhood. But buyers come from
all over the valley and country, not just from that small
neighborhood. So an area specialist usually really means "listing
agent" in the area. Many years ago the real estate business
was successfully composed of lots of small "boutique"
offices - where companies did specialize in a certain area
or part of town. But computers, the Internet, and cell phones
have changed that aspect of the real estate business. Now
the important points in selecting an agent are experience,
track record, and marketing skills.
Q: Once I have reviewed your No Hassle Listing package,
then what?
Contact our office by email or phone, and we will set up an
appointment to have one of our listing specialists meet with
you. We will tour the home, go over recent market activity
in your area to educate you on values, and make recommendations
for maximizing your profit and increasing your speed of sale.
Q: How long does it take to get my home on the market?
Once we have a signed listing agreement and a spare key, we
can have your home on the market within 24 hours. However,
it usually takes a day or two for the sign company to professionally
install the sign.
Q: Can I save more money if I buy and sell through
you? Absolutely! If you are selling more than one
house or plan to both sell and buy (new or resale) ask for
a copy of our Client Rewards Program. We will mail or email
it to you immediately!
Q: Do I need an appraisal? In most cases,
it is not necessary to get an appraisal prior to sale. There
are three different types of appraisals: FHA, VA, and conventional.
Currently, the most common appraisal is the conventional appraisal.
Once your home is under contract, the lender for the buyer
will determine what appraiser they will allow to do the appraisal.
A current appraisal can be unusable by the buyer's lender
- even if it is the right "type" of appraisal -
because the appraiser is not approved by the lender. Or if
the seller orders a conventional appraisal, and the buyer
is getting an FHA loan, here again the conventional appraisal
is unusable. So ordering an appraisal prior to sale can end
up being an unnecessary seller expense.
However, when a property is so unique that pricing can be
difficult, an appraisal can guide sellers towards proper pricing.
We say "guide" towards proper pricing, since we
have seen many homes sell above as well below appraisal price.
If you have a question on whether you should obtain an appraisal
on your home, please feel free to contact us for counsel.
Q: How do you set the price for my home?
We will meet with you to review a complete market analysis
of your home, evaluate supply and demand for the area, and
examine property condition. At that point, we can guide you
to the correct range of pricing.
Q: There are a couple of people who are interested
in buying my home. If they buy it, do I have to pay you a
commission?Absolutely not. There is no commission
due for any buyer you find, before or while you have your
home listed with us, as long as that buyer is not an Agent
or working with an Agent. With most agents, if you have your
home listed with them and find your own buyer, you owe them
the full commission. How would you feel if this happened?
With us, unless you want our assistance, there is no commission
due.
Q: I'm out of town. Can you handle the transaction
for me or will I need to come back to town? We can
take care of all the details from start to finish without
you needing to come to town. We have handled sales with clients
living as far away as Italy and Kuwait. We simply need a key
and your fax number to get started.
Q: I need to sell my home right away. Will you buy
it? We offer, in addition to our traditional home
selling service, a guarantee buyout program. If your property
qualifies, we can purchase it and close it in less than 10
days. However, it is rarely in your best interest financially
to select that path. We typically can obtain up to 20% more
value for your home if we put it on the open market. So the
guarantee buyout is really for people for whom time is more
important than money. Just contact us and we will show you
the best path for your particular circumstances.
Q: My home needs some repairs. Do you know any service
people that can help? We have a number of service
people whom we have used in the past and are happy to recommend
to you. To see our current list, click here HOME
IMPROVEMENT LINKS.
Q: I don't have any money to fix up my home. Can
you still sell it in its current condition? Absolutely!
Just like any home, we will simply evaluate the condition
issues, supply/demand in the neighborhood, and pricing relative
to those factors.
Q: How long is your listing agreement for?
For ease of paperwork, we typically use a four month period.
But remember, unlike most agents, you are free to cancel anytime.
Q: I am currently listed with another agent and want
to cancel. Can you get me out of my listing agreement with
them? Unfortunately, if you signed a listing agreement
with another agent, you are bound by that agreement. You certainly
can approach the broker or agent to address your unresolved
issues. Our "cancel anytime" policy towards listings
does not give us the authority to cancel other agents listings.
Q: What if my plans change and I don't need to sell
my house? You may cancel your listing at anytime.
There is no charge and no hard feelings.
Q: Will you be representing me or the buyer?
We always represent the seller on any home we have listed
for sale. The real question is whether we will be representing
the buyer as well. In the event that we have a buyer for your
home or another John Hall agent does, it would fall in the
category of "Dual Agency". In that scenario, unless
you have instructed us in writing otherwise, John Hall &
Associates would represent both parties.
Q: Will you make a flyer for my house? Yes.
We prepare a high quality, multiple photo, full color flyer
on your home. However, unlike most agents, we do not place
flyers outside the home in a "take one" box. Statistically,
flyers out front discourage buyers from calling. If we cannot
directly speak to the buyer, it is nearly impossible to sell
them your home. We always place the flyer inside the home
to highlight the home's unique features and as a visual reminder
for the buyer.
Q: Can I have my sign as well as yours on the property?
The only marketing right you give up when you list with us
is your own for sale sign. Having another sign, besides our
John Hall & Associates sign, could potentially interfere
with agent showings. In order to comply with Realtor rules,
we can only have one sign on the property.
Q: If I list with you, can I still run an ad in the paper
or hold an Open House? Yes. The ONLY marketing right
you give up when you list with us is your personal yard sign.
If you find a Buyer who is not an agent, and who isn't working
with an agent, you have the option of calling and letting
us know you've sold the property. We will then cancel the
listing at no charge to you. Or, if you would like us to represent
you in the sale, we will write the contract and handle all
the various details to ensure a successful closing. You pay
just 1%!
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