For Sale By Owner Tip #2

Step #2 Exterior Appeal of the House

One of the benefits of selling your home with a real estate agent is they will tell you what is wrong with your house and what needs to be corrected or fixed in order to sell it. If you are not selling on with a real estate agent this is an area where the home owner will need to disassociate themselves from the home. They need to begin referring to the “home” as a “house” or “property” because it is now becoming a commodity with no personal connections. Now you will need to look at your house and objectively see it for what it is. Is the exterior clean? Do I have too many shrubs or do I need some plants? Do the shrubs need trimmed back? Can I see the front door from the street? Are people searching for a walkway? Is it as black as night in the evening do I need lights? Part of making a house a home is adding yourself and your family to your living space however; when you are selling a property you need to make that home back into a house so others can visualize making the house into their home. Here are a few simple steps to help you get started:

1. Removed litter, and debris from your yard, driveway, sidewalks and road in front of your house on a regular basis.

2. Make sure there is a clear walkway to the door you wish guest, friends and family to enter in.

3. Remove old, dead or out dated plants and shrubs.

4. Keep lawn mowed and driveway and sidewalks clear of snow and ice in the winter.
5. Make sure all children’s toys and belonging are put away.

6. Clean gutters regularly and knock down any ice that may form in the winter.

7. Mail box (if old and rusty get a new one or repaint it). Make sure that it doesn’t have debris or snow on it.

8. Make sure your door is clean, no smudge marks, spiderwebs in corners, finger prints, etc

I know that this list can be overwhelming but, I would just start with one item at a time and go from there.


Good Luck

For Sale By Owner Tip #1

Tips on Selling your HOME on your own

Tip #1 Know your sales price

Although I hear people say my house is worth such and such, or I paid this amount back in 2000. That is not really the answer to this question. The answer is how much do you need to sell this house for in order to pay off any liens, or taxes, assessments, closing fees & walk away with money in your pocket? How much do you need to have in your pocket to sell this now? Is it time to sell or is it better for me to lease it out or rent it out right now? Finally then you ask yourself the question is the appraised value today going to be where I need it to be? If you are not going through an agent you may want to hire an appraiser before you start spending marketing dollars on the sale of the property. Also, since you are hiring the appraiser consult with them ask there advice on what you may be able to do to get more value out of your house. If the numbers aren't there after the appraisal then you will need to either change your personal numbers to accommodate or you may not want to sell at this time.
Once you have gone through the process of finding a number that fits the amount you need to sell it for you make that your bottom line number and you try not to negotiate below it. Realizing that if you do your pay out may not be where you need it to be in the end. In my opinion I would make my sale price slightly higher knowing that most buyers will try to talk you down and ask for at least a 3% seller concession to help them purchase the property. So for example if you need $100,000.00 to sell your home you may want to set it at $105,000.00 so you can work with the buyer on closing cost or anything else that may come up. You can then use that in your marketing materials as well. (Seller willing to pay buyer closing cost up to 3%) or (Agents welcome on a 2.5% commission & buyers paid cost up to 2.5%)

Good Luck on the first step.

Real Estate Title Woes...

I am sure what I am about to write may seem crazy or a bit silly to even be mentioned but here it goes...

Friends, Please allow me to start by saying a seller cannot sell a property that does not belong to them unless they are a licensed agent, broker, or a power of attorney (of which this needs specific real estate language and needs to be filed of record).

All day long we hear from people wanting to sell properties they do not own. This is not okay. If it were, I would sell my neighbors house and pocket the cash. Heck , let's face it we would all be selling someone's house. Let’s think this through here... Are we allowed to take things that don't belong to us? The answer is NO, that would be considered stealing.

The owner is the name of which the property is vested in. Vested means "in title" or the name on the last deed of record to which the property was conveyed. If that name does not match the name on the contract, please be wary contact a title professional or an attorney for advice. Do not give these people your earnest money. Many contracts have new terminology in them now stating that the BUYER will do their own Due Diligence to find out if there is anything strange going on.

Please let me help you avoid title complications, talk to me or an attorney before you sign the contract.

Dower Rights...Did you know this??

Good Afternoon All,


I have decided to blog about a title issue that we see frequently in this lovely State of Ohio. Dower Rights..

This is just for your information incase you did not know. We have recently had several people attempt to refinance or sell their properties unbeknownst to their spouse. Unfortunately or fortunately, this is a BIG NO NO in the State of Ohio.

OHIO is a dower state. Which means, if you are married, your spouse automatically has a dower interest in your property. Even if they are not in title, the spouse still has rights. Therefore, if you decide to refinance or sell that property your spouse will need to sign certain documents acknowledging the fact that a transaction involving the property is occurring.
Another example of dower rights if two siblings inherit a property and it is titled to those siblings for example: Mary Doe married and Sally Donut married, their spouses would also have an interest in that property. Mary and Sally would not be able to refinance or sell without their husbands signatures. One step further let's say Mary passes away and leaves her interest in the property to her children Matt and Mike both are also married in order for a transaction to occur on this property both children, their spouses, Aunt Sally and her husband would have to sign the paperwork.

As you can see this can make things complicated very quickly.

There is more to real estate title transfer then just filing a Quit Claim.

If you think you may have this going on your property you may need to speak with a real estate attorney. I know a few good ones. Let me know and I will pass your information on to them.
Of course if properties are titled as a business or trust the rules are different and may not apply.

Marketing Tips for a SLOW economy II

Marketing Tips
For a
SLOW
Economy
(Finding the customer)


First, know your business. What is it that you do? What makes your business necessary? Do you have a niche? Why would someone choose you or your business? What makes your business unique? To know what type of customer you are looking for and where to find them you must know your business. If you do not know the answers to these questions you may want to sit down with a trusted colleague or business coach to make sure you are on the right track. Many business owners think they can throw up a sign and they are good to go. However truly knowing your business is crucial to being successful. It is vital for retaining customers.


Second, know your customers. Whether you have been in business for fifty years or 6 weeks, this is fundamental. Times have changed so have customers. So ask yourself these questions. Where are your customers coming from? Are they within a 10 mile radius of your location or are they international? How old are they? How are they doing business? (Walking in or ordering online) What is there average income? Are they the right demographic for what you are trying to accomplish in business?


Third, Now that you know what kind of customer you have or are going after, you will need to think like that customer. This is where you cannot be afraid to do some research or ask questions. For example, if the customers you are trying to reach are newly engaged couples, think about what you would do or where you would go to plan for your future or sit down with a wedding planner from your network of business people and ask them specific questions that may help you enhance your business. Like how are you marketing to your base? Do you send referrals? Would you mind if I put together some materials for you to give to your clients when you meet with them?
Working with businesses that service the same demographic of clients can be an enormous improvement for your business.

You may even want to go directly to the client themselves. Set up a test group and ask for feed back. Use the feed back to enhance your business.


Forth, EDUCATE, EDUCATE, EDUCATE. People like to learn. They also like to do things on their own, or for themselves. See if there is anyway you can teach or educate your clients about one of your products or services to gain their trust and business. For this you may need to team up with those in your core group to make a stronger impact. Be creative. Seminars and classes really work.

For those of you working with major corporation’s clear, crisp power point presentations and market research without the industry vocabulary and jargon is effective. Make sure you are using terminology that everyone can understand. Impress without making people feel inferior.



Finally, follow up. If someone refers a client to you make sure you call and thank them for the referral as well as contact that referral in a timely manner. Remember nothing happens overnight and you get out what you put in. If you want people to remember you stay in front of them. Above all don’t forget ASK FOR THEIR BUSINESS AND SUPPORT.



Written by: April M Hack -Sales and Marketing Oldstone Title Agency Inc. February 2010
Phone (330)670-0150 Fax (330)670-0151

Marketing Tips for a SLOW economy

Marketing Tips For a SLOW Economy

First remind yourself that you are great at what you do and you are better than the economy. You will be surprised to see how far a positive and optimistic attitude will take you in a shaky economy. You will find that people will prefer to be around and do business with someone more upbeat and positive then someone spouting stories of doom and gloom.

Second, get down to business. Start with your closest circle of friends, family, acquaintances and associates. Send each one of them a short letter or postcard saying hello, and remind them where you work, what you do, and what you offer. For example: “Hi Aunt Judy, I just wanted to drop you a quick note to say I hope everything has been going well for you. I wasn’t sure if you were aware that I work for 123 Mortgage and I am always looking for new business and referrals. Please keep me in mind if you happen to hear someone mention that they are looking for a good mortgage person or they are thinking about refinancing. I would love the opportunity to help out your friends. I have included a few of my business cards, please pass them out freely. It is more important, now more then ever, for people to do business with someone they can trust. Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you. Thank you for your gracious support in advance.”

If you are sending a letter, remember to send some of your business cards with it. If you are sending a postcard, remember to design it with the idea that they will need your business information at their fingertips if you want them to refer you.

Third, email, fax, send a letter or call all your old contacts from the last year. Remember to thank them for their business and remind them that you love referrals and would be thrilled to work with anyone they may know. Many times it is the old adage “out of sight, out of mind”. Keep track of those that respond back to your contact. Begin a database for those people that respond, as well as the people that do not. Keep your list updated and fresh. Categorize these contacts to make it easier on yourself. If you don’t have any contacts from the previous year, you will need to focus on new business and making every relationship work for you.



Forth, get involved with everything!!
Business networking groups are great areas to pick up new clients and contacts. For example Chambers, business referral networks and other business core groups just to name a few. Think of these as your Linked in colleagues. You must see this away to grow your business and possibly help grow someone else’s business as well. You need to focus on what you can do and how you are different from your competitors. Show these new contacts that you can be trusted.

Personal networking, think of this as your Facebook side of business. Social clubs and groups are a more personal touch to your business portfolio. For example: Kiwanis, Rotary, Scouting, kids clubs, sports, church groups. Always express your gratitude with a quick note about how much you appreciate meeting them.. Let them know you would like to have the opportunity to sit down and tell them about what you do for a living. Cultivate these relationships wisely.

Finally, follow up. If someone refers a client to you make sure you call and thank them for the referral as well as contact that referral in a timely manner. Remember nothing happens overnight and you get out what you put in. If you want people to remember you stay in front of them. Above all don’t forget ASK FOR THEIR BUSINESS AND SUPPORT.



Written by: April M Hack -Sales and Marketing --Oldstone Title Agency, LLC 2010
Phone (330)670-0150 Fax (330)670-0151