I don't blame Tele-Marketers, only their bosses.

I received a call today. The caller ID showed a Dallas number so I picked it up. There was a fraction of a pause, then a recorded message said: 'Congratulations! You have won a 3-day 2-night package...', at which point I disconnected.

Really??? You want to grab my attention with a recorded message? If I had continued listening, the message would have asked me to call a toll-free number immediately to get the prize. Or a human being would have come on to get more details from me.

Of the similar calls that I get from hotels, cruises, security systems and insurance companies, the prize goes to credit card companies!

Guys! THIS DOES NOT WORK! Why do you still continue to train your tele-marketers thusly?

Sometimes... if I am in a good mood and a human being is actually at the other end of the line, I may politely decline their offer. I feel sorry for them for their training is so horribly wrong.

In real estate training too, some methods that we are taught are so strange.

You are asked to prepare a pre-listing package. A folder that you would overnight to your sellers after you have scheduled an appointment but before you meet them. And what would this folder contain? A brag sheet about... drum roll... yourself! Your qualifications, your certifications and designations, your company, the homes that you have sold, and also to make it a little personal, something about yourself... for example:
- I have 4 grandchildren: Tommy, Susie, Bella and Jordyn. I love baking cookies for them.
- I love reading and gardening.
- I love travel.

???

There are trainers galore who will positively vouch for this as a means of impressing your potential clients.

Simply put, if I am the seller, I want to know how you would #marketmyhouse, not this rubbish about your grandchildren and reading habits.

Get real!

Check out all homes for sale in Columbia and Lexington at www.homesincolumbiasc.net

For... all Real Estate matters! 

New Homes Get Costlier to Build – Is this good news for sellers?

According to a new report by the National Association of Home Builders, construction costs for single family homes are at the highest levels since 1998. Lumber prices jumped 40 percent between April 2011 and April 2013.

What does that mean for you, the seller?

That’s actually good news. Typically, resale home prices trail new construction prices. So if new homes cost more, your home price will also go up.

Is this a good time to sell your home? Here are some facts:

1.      Interest rates are rising – today’s rate is 4.375% (from Wells Fargo) as opposed to 3.77% in January 2013. Which means that for a given monthly mortgage payment, buyers will have to settle for slightly smaller homes or with less features.

2.      There are fewer homes on the market as compared to previous years.

3.      We are seeing more and more boomerang buyers. These are people who went into foreclosures or bankruptcy 3 – 5 years ago and are back in the market to buy homes.

In the last 3 years, homeowners have tried to sell their homes but could not get the price they wanted. This spring may get you a better price.

Do you need a new market analysis? Call me at 803-348-9922 or email me at vsashikant@gmail.com for a FREE market analysis.

 

For... All Real Estate Matters!

 

 

Happy New Year!

We are now officially in 2014! Last year whizzed by just like years before that. What does 2014 hold for the real estate market?

1. Mortgage interest rates are edging higher, but 4-5% is still a far cry from 8%.

2. Home prices are also edging up, but not very much in Columbia.

3. Fewer homes for sale making it a sellers' market.

4. Not as many investors as home prices go up.

5. Plenty of boomerang buyers looking for homes.

So... if you are planning on selling your home, now's the time! Call now for a free evaluation of your home.

 

Call me on 803-348-9922 or email me at vsashikant@gmail.com.

 

For... All Real Estate Matters!