Eugene Robinson: Everyone wants to get top dollar when they put their home up for sale, and this morning we’re going to share some strategies for success.

Colleen Odegaard: Welcome this morning, Nancy Braun with showcase realty. Nancy, Good Morning and thank you for being here.

Nancy: Good Morning!

Colleen Odegaard: Alright I like this, you’ve got 5 essential marketing strategies to help people get top dollar for their house. The first one, and this is important: Use professional photos, why is that so critical?

Nancy: Well, in the old days, as realtors, we used to be able to find the homes for our clients and they didn’t have access to the internet like we do. Today, people now search on the internet for homes. They look in the internet, on different sites and they are going to be attracted based on the photos. So now, I’m not necessarily honing in and trying to find the home, the client comes to me, they hand me a bunch of MLS numbers that they found on various websites and say “I want to see this home”, “I wanna see that home”. First and impression is everything, photography is everything. So you really have to make sure you have someone who understands how to take photos of homes, not just a photographer that takes pictures of people. It’s a very different thing.

Colleen Odegaard: It is different, I’ve seen people use cell phone picture and the room is dark and it’s not centered right and I thought, Do you people want to sell your house, why would you use pictures like that?

Nancy: That’s right, professional photography is very expensive. You also need to have the editing ability, so editing programs, we at Showcase have our own professional photographer on staff.

Colleen Odegaard: That’s great, great.

Eugene Robinson: Okay, next is the MLS. What is the MLS? What is it? Why does it have to be enticing and complete?

Nancy: MLS is what feeds to all the other websites. All the information, the description of the property, all the features of your home is all gonna be laid out by the real estate agent, to promote your home. Then it feeds into Zillow and some of the other popular website, and it’s very important that you spend a lot of time honing in and making sure you’re really capturing all the enticing features of your home. I would suggest that if you do have your home in the market or you’re planning to have your home on the market, look at your MLS Sheet. Ask your agent to send it to you as a proof so you can make sure you have everything on there that you want and are really important features. It might not just be the home, it might be the location, it might be near some really great shopping, or great access to certain highways, or lakes, or recreation areas. So you want to make the captions and descriptions emotionally engaging, not just technical.

Colleen Odegaard: Yes, that’s good advice. You’re good, Nancy. What about the use of video?

Nancy: Videos are keys. I went on a listing appointment recently, and the guys was about 35 years old. And he said, “Do you do video?” I go, “Oh my gosh, of course we do video” Then he said “Well that’s good ‘coz I won’t even look at a listing online unless there’s a video attached. And I said “Why is that?” “’Coz I don’t like clicking through the photos, it’s too hard.” A lot of people also--- we don’t like this but as a business owner--- but reality is, a lot of employees are looking at homes while they are working. So they might have their cell phone right beside them, and they want the video to play while they’re working.

Colleen Odegaard: So video tour of the property for sale?

Nancy: Yes, the video also gives them the 3D kind of involvement: How’s the flow of the home? How does it feel when you enter? There’s a lot of different styles of videos, a lot of real estate agents kind of have the slideshow of the flat photos but you can also have real video where you’re actually in the home shooting the video.

Colleen Odegaard: And which is what you use, we saw you in that one video we showed just a moment ago.

Nancy: Right.

Eugene Robinson: So where should we post these videos?

Nancy: We post them on Facebook, on social media, and you can post it on Zillow. Zillow also has something that a lot of people don’t realize that they have: an app that the RealtorⓇ can access where they can do this 2-minute video just by walking through the home using the app. I would say majority of the listings on Zillow don’t have this posted, but supposedly. Zillow said they get 4 times more views if they have that video attached to their program.

Colleen Odegaard: Another strategy you have for success when it comes to a good sale: Fast lead follow up right? Like you can’t sleep on it man, let’s make it snappy.

Nancy: Everyone is instant, everyone is used to the internet, they want instant response. So if you return someone’s inquiry, whether it’s an email or a voicemail or a call, two hours later, they’ve moved on to another property, they’re in another neighborhood, so they need that instant, instant return. You want to be sure that the RealtorⓇ you’re working with is going to respond to the calls and the emails immediately while the person’s engaged on that house.

Colleen Odegaard: You’re so right about that, people are impatient when it comes to real estate. When somebody wants to see a house and they want to make an offer, they want to do it that minute, not two hours later. That’ so true.

Nancy: Yes, in this world, everything’s instant now. There’s a study that’s been done in hospitality industry that says: 10 years ago, people would be okay waiting in line when they went to a hotel for up to four minutes, they wouldn’t get anxious. Now it’s 20 seconds--- twenty seconds, that’s how much patience we have.

Colleen Odegaard: Oh my gosh.

Eugene Robinson: Wow.

Colleen Odegaard: We have to calm down. Makes your job really hard, doesn’t it?

Nancy: Yes, and people don’t want to have the phone ringing three times, you have to answer your phone on the second ring or they think that you’re ignoring them.

Colleen Odegaard: Which is why at Showcase Realty, you have so many people on staff ready to answer the call. If you’re ready to put your home on the market or you’re looking for a home to buy, visit: experthomehelp.com, experthomehelp.com. That’s where you’ll receive a free copy of Nancy Braun’s book: The Ultimate, No Holds Barred Guide to Selling and Buying a Home in the Carolinas. Again the website is experthomehelp.com. Nancy, thank you so much, you’re so good at what you do.

If you are selling your Charlotte NC real estate, feel free to contact Showcase Realty's Nancy Braun at (704) 997-3794. She has the knowledge and expertise that you need to sell your home for top dollar.

The home boasts a roomy master suite, with relaxing large whirlpool jetted tub and separate large tiled shower with frame-less glass door and walk-in closet. Great room with wood burning rock fireplace with gas starter and vaulted ceilings. Dining room and office octagon. Very spacious dream kitchen with SS appliances, granite, island, ceramic tile backsplash, porcelain sink, large pantry, gas 5 burner cooktop, garbage compactor and cherry cabinets. Home features rich dark hard woods and tile. Large deck with pergola for shade overlooking the Beautifully landscaped backyard.

Schools

• Elementary School: Nathaniel Alexander
• Middle School: James Martin
• High School: North Mecklenburg

If you have any questions, you can call Nancy Braun at (704) 997-3794!

If you’re looking for Charlotte NC homes for sale, foreclosed homes in Charlotte NC for rent or similar properties in surrounding areas, visit: www.ShowcaseRealty.net. Our website features listings of new homes for sale in Charlotte NC.

Colleen: If you're thinking about buying a home soon, it's time to get your game on.

Eugene: It's a seller's market and that means there’s some tough competition for buyers who are interested in the same property.

Colleen: Yeah. Nancy Braun with Showcase Realty can help. So Nancy, it really is a seller's market. What does that mean for buyers?

Nancy: It's very challenging for some buyers especially anything under $500,000. There's such a demand. So the buyers have to be very, very quick to look at homes and be prepared to write an offer right when they're at the house. 

Colleen: Because a lot of times multiple buyers will be putting an offer on the same home.

Nancy: That's right. Any of the best houses especially some of the homes that are close in into the Charlotte region are going to sell very, very quickly and there's gonna be multiple offers.

Colleen: Now, you really help your clients, your buyers stand out. Talk about how you do that.

Nancy: So one of the things I do right when I'm at the house, showing the house, I call the agent directly and then I ask the agent, “Well, tell me what the sellers are looking for?” It’s not always price. It could be timing. It could be that they love that stove. It could be that they want time to move after closing and rent back from the buyer. And I want to know those criteria because those might appeal to that seller more than just writing a traditional offer. 

Colleen: So you like to put together a good claim - that solid offer. Talk more about what that looks like.

Nancy: So, yes. We always use that term, “clean” but it includes not asking for a lot of things. So if you might ask for that patio furniture in the backyard, well that might be his grandmother's, you know. You don't know what it's important to that seller. So that phone call really kind of narrows down what are permissible for me to include in the offer and what isn't. But as simple as how many days for due diligence might alter my offer to take second place over another offer. So I want to have a short period of time for us to do our investigation as far as making sure that they know that we can move forward. I want to make sure that we can put up as much due diligence fee and earnest money deposit as my clients can afford.If they can do cash, cash always wins. Or if they can't do cash, then I want an actual approval letter from the lender. I don't want some weak pre-qualification letter. I want a letter actually written specifically for this property from my lender that the seller can look at and go, “Wow! This is a really solid buyer.” 

Colleen: So you actually have the buyer write a letter about why someone likes the house so much, maybe even include a family photo?

Nancy: Absolutely. Absolutely. That really makes a big difference. I recently sold my parents house and I can tell you that the first buyer that came through wrote me one of those letters. And I could feel, you know, this is a home I grew up in. My mom would love this home. It really meant a lot to me. So, I know that that personal letter from a buyer is critical in a multiple offer situation especially, if they're going to be owner-occupants. I was at an appointment last night and they were talking about them selling another home that they had and they were disappointed that the For Rent sign went up in the yard right after they sold it. And they internalized and personalized the home. So those letters - we in the industry call them love letters - really could be effective. So when I sit down and meet with a buyer, initially, I'll say, start writing the letter. We'll eventually get the particulars about the home that might really be relevant to this specific home we find but you can start getting pictures of your dogs, your kids, and reasons why you moved to Charlotte or some hot buttons that someone might, you know, be interested in hearing. 

Colleen: And quickly, I should mention too, you don't just do this via email. You put it all together in a nice little packet to give to the other agent.

Nancy: Yes, right. So traditionally most people just email the offer to purchase. Whereas, our multiple offer package could be really quite thick and it's going to have letters from the lender and letters from the buyers. It's going to have the specific disclosures included. It's going to have more documents documenting that they have the earnest money copies of their checks that they're submitting. It's a very, very thorough package including a table of contents. So always I think of seller includes if it's a husband and wife you've got one that's more detailed, number focused. One's more emotionally focused. So obviously the letters are more emotionally driven but then the table of contents and all the documentation appeals to the other partner who's going to be more detailed. 

Colleen: It’s a nice touch. You'll get that here at Showcase Realty. Nancy, thank you so much.

Nancy: Thank you.

Colleen: If you're interested in buying a home or if you're ready to put yours on the market, visit ShowcaseRealty.net or better yet, call Nancy Braun at Showcase Realty. The number is 704-997-3794.Make sure you mention Charlotte Today. If you do, you'll receive a free copy of Nancy's book, The Ultimate No Holds Barred Guide to Selling & Buying a Home in the Carolinas. Again, the number is 704-997-3794. Nancy, thank you so much.

Eugene: Nancy, thank you.

Colleen: If you've ever thought about selling your home, now's the time. It's never been a better market for sellers. I went to Showcase Realty to find out more.

Well, now is a great time to sell a home. Here to tell us more about it, is Nancy Braun with Showcase Realty. Nancy, first off, explain the state of the market right now. What's it like out there?

Nancy: The market is so spectacular. It is really a seller's market. There are more buyers than there are homes to pick from. So, we have actually only up two and a half months inventory supply in a true- even market, there would be a six-month inventory supply.

Colleen: So Nancy, you have some tips to get the most out of your home sale. What are they?

Nancy: Well, one of the things that people overlook is landscaping and they think they focus so much on the interior of the house and they don't realize that a lot can go a long way if you just, you know, prune and put some mulch down and put some beautiful flowers out, pull some weeds and- and actually add some beautiful dynamics and color to your front scape. So, I can tell when I'm driving up to a house if the buyer is gonna be interested just by their breath, how they respond to the house. And they almost make that decision before they even get in the house. So the curb appeal which is so overlooked sometimes can really be damaging. It's simple, you know, go and get some new pine needles or get some new landscaping flowers. Red and yellow is Feng Shui. It’s supposed to sell houses. So, put away your purples and the pink, you know, the pastels and do the red and yellow.

Colleen: Next up, you say declutter.

Nancy: Declutter. Yes, so. It is so critical that you try to make the home in the way a buyer will envision their things in the home. So if there's too much in the home then they can't see beyond it. A lot of people don't have vision as much as we think they do. I have clients that also say to me, “Well, you know, I don't want to paint. I don't know what color they want. Maybe they'll just paint themselves. They can replace the carpet themselves.” They don't envision that property to look the way it should look. So, a little can go a long way. I don't want anyone to really spend a lot of money renovating the home, rehabbing the kitchen. They're never gonna get a 100% back. If not, even more back. But the smaller things like paint, declutter, make sure that there's a traffic pattern. They can walk through rooms very easily without having to walk around things. And I always say, less is more. So, after I leave I say, “You know, if you're at a point where you're not sure what to do with that particular piece of furniture, less is more.”

Colleen: Good advice.

Nancy: Just remember, less is more.

Colleen: Also, keep it clean like squeaky clean pristine, right?

Nancy: It is incredible but we get used to, even myself, you get used to the little cobwebs up in the ceiling. And you don't realize that there's a little dust on your fans and your ceiling fan. And the filters need to be changed. Those things actually get noticed. So you’re a seller, you're… the buyers that come into that home, they think if you can't maintain the home, then you're not maintaining it in other ways like maintaining your furnace or maintaining your plumbing. And it's just a visual sense. If they feel like it's squeaky clean like you say, they're gonna like the house more. They're gonna feel more comfortable in the house. And so get that professional cleaner in there over and beyond yourself. And if you're tight on money, just you do the elbow grease and just make sure you're cleaning. One thing that I always think is kind of funny is people always open things. People are touchy-feely. They want that connection, right? So they go in the kitchen, they always open the microwave. Well, if you've got a dirty microwave - not that you're gonna find anything different in one person's microwave versus another person's microwave but it's like arm distance, so they open it.

Colleen: Yeah.

Nancy: So it's like, you know, go ahead and, you know, straighten out the cans in your cupboard.Clean out the refrigerator because you don't know what they're gonna open and that just goes a long way.

Colleen: Great advice. Nancy, thank you so much. Thank you for your time.

Nancy: You're welcome. Thank you for having me.

So if you're interested in selling your home or looking for home to buy, visit ShowcaseRealty.net, ShowcaseRealty.net. Or better yet, call Nancy at Showcase Realty. The number’s 704-997-3794. Again, 704-997-3794. Make sure you mention Charlotte Today. If you do, you'll receive a free copy of Nancy Braun's book, The Ultimate No Holds Barred Guide to Selling and Buying a Home in the Carolinas. Again the number’s 704-997-3794.