Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/555971
Since last spring, the local media has been ablaze with stories about the extremely high demand in Massachusetts right now for homes priced at $1 million and up. And that demand is expected to last at least through the end of fall. Yet some sellers (and even some brokers) are making major missteps—the kind that leave them wishing they'd done just the opposite of what they decided to do. So in the interest of promoting smarter decisions, we've rounded up five top area realtors and tapped their expertise. Here's their advice on what not to do when selling your home. BC How Not to Sell a House Dos anD Don'ts for selling Your $1 Million ProPertY in the current Market. by alexandra hall Ashley DesmonD hammond Residential DON'T: "...use a broker who relies primarily on open houses. They never show the property in the best light, because you've got 30 people all crammed into a place and it just doesn't look good. A truly good broker knows their job is to represent the seller and the property in the most polished way possible, so many will only do individual appointments with potential buyers, which has the added bonus of filtering out those who aren't serious." 826 Boylston St., 617-731- 4644; ashleydesmond. myhammondagent.com DeAnnA PAlmin ller Williams DO: "...decide what to do with all of your fixtures and appliances before selling. Do you want to take them with you or are they part of the price you're asking for the home? Communicate that to your realtor and have them disclose it to buyers during show- ings. Negotiating these items after getting offers makes it messy and wastes your valuable time on the market. I've seen plenty of deals not come together because the parties disagreed on who should be getting the window treatments." 607 Boylston St., 5th Fl., 617-542-0012; kw.com RicARDo RoDRiguez coldwell Banker DO: "...be f lexible and creative during negotiations. Recently I saw a seller refuse to grant the buyer a 'use and occupancy' on a vacant unit, and the buyer walked away. The next deal was $100,000 less and closed a month later than the original. So she lost on the price and had to incur an additional carrying cost. Inversely, another buyer was selected from higher offers because he agreed to offer the sellers a rent-back option so they could stay put while closing on and moving to their new place." 137 Newbury St., 617-266- 4430; coldwellbanker.com michelle WAlsh JT Fleming & company DON'T: "...be afraid to use deadlines to get the price you want. One cou- ple wanted to list their home for $1.1 million. I suggested $995,000. We listed at that price on a Wednesday and asked for all offers by 7 pm on Saturday. The deadline helped buyers understand they'd be competing against oth- ers, so they gave their best numbers. By 7 pm, I had seven offers, all of them over asking, and one for $1.1 million. Not only did they get their price, but the offer had no contin- gencies and closed in 30 days." 316 Weston Road, Ste. A, Wellesley, 617-784- 7800; wellesleysbroker.com myRA geoRge Benoit mizner simon DON'T: "...assume that buyers will see past clutter, mess, and unfinished projects. Even in this market, where people are eager to buy, most of them still get easily distracted the minute they walk through the door by an odd paint color, odor, or too much clutter. So have an agent come in early on to talk about what needs to be done, and don't be offended by their suggestions. A seasoned broker can offer tips and trusted resources to get things in the right shape very quickly." 54 Central St., Wellesley, 781-237-8181; benoitmiznersimon.com from left: One of Myra George's homes; Ashley Desmond; a penthouse listed by Ricardo Rodriguez; a rooftop deck with a view of the Boston skyline; Michelle Walsh. HAUTE PROPERTY Brokers' Roundtable 118 bostoncommon-magazine.com