Rule of 3 and Open House On Demand!

open house on demand?

I have a rule of three. If my brain takes note at least 3 times on something interesting I've seen, heard or dreamt, I scribble out a plan.

Last weekend, I was doing the proverbial Sunday Open House from 1pm to 2pm.  And In walks a person I've seen at this same house, same open day/time about a month prior.  I said, "Hey! Long time no see! Came to look again?" The young lady responded, "YES! I've been waiting for you to do another open house on this place."

HUH? I thought. Brain spark.

"Well, you still have my card from last time?" I asked.  "Yep!" She said. "Then, why didn't you just call me then?! I can show it to you any time!"

She said that she didn't want to put me out by calling and scheduling a showing. She said she'd just prefer to stop by when the house had a scheduled open.

It is then that I thought to myself, This is like the third time someone has said they didn't want to bother anyone, and just want to see the house during an open. Third time.....third....time....THIRD TIME! stop.....Rule of 3.....make a note to self.

So now it's Monday. I've got to put in ads for the next weekend. Gotta schedule open houses. I have 9 great listings, limited time and can't possibly do opens for ALL of them in the same weekend.  But people are waiting to see these homes! Then it hits me.

I'll do OPEN HOUSES ON DEMAND. I can have a bunch of listings available to show for a vast space of time BOTH Saturday and Sunday!!  All I have to do is make signs that say "Open House on Demand! Call on the fly or schedule a time between 11am and 6pm you'd like to see this home!"

Hmmm...Open House On Demand? Yeah, I know its weird. Probably a bit clumsy and confusing at this point. But I think this just might work. 

I'm putting my internal self-editor on hold. I'm choosing to let that brain spark ignite and fire away. I'm gonna trust my rule of 3. I might stumble, but then I'll skip and eventually I'm going to hone this puppy down.

Let's see how this goes!! Wish me luck!  Heck, you can always set your own open house on demand and let me know what you think!  Saturdays or Sundays between the hours of 11am and 6pm! 

 

Some say hire an agent right away, some say wait. Who Is Right?

Who is Right?

When entering into selling your house or buying a house, some say, "you should hire an agent first thing" and some say, "start on your own." Which way is best?

Going It Alone (at first)
Benefits:

Many buyers like to get comfortable with their research before they jump into working with an agent right away. And many sellers like to tour open houses and review ads, articles and overall marketing of other homes before they call in an agent to give them their advice.

Doing the upfront footwork and research on your own will give you strong indication of wants that you can communicate more effectively when you do hire an agent.

Today's home buyers and home sellers are informed and knowledgeable. Thanks to the internet and great sites like Realtor.com, Zillow.com, Trulia.com, RE605.com and more, the public has many of the tools necessary to get a good start on their real estate goal.

Negatives:

You could get inundated with varying advice from friends, family, agents you meet at opens. This information overload can cause "goal paralysis." In addition, sometimes unsolicited advice is like a back-handed compliment...the intent may be well-meaning, but it can be much more insulting than helpful.

Hire an Agent from the Start

Benefits:

An agent can provide you with advice, insight and hookups that will give you an advantage from the get go.  They can guide you step by step through the process. They can share their experience with who the best lenders are and what programs may benefit you the most when searching or selling homes.

Agents often are aware of brand new listings days before the general public sees this. The multiple listing service and agent word of mouth promote far more properties than advertisements do.

Agents doing the leg work get the process done more quickly and efficiently.

Negatives:

Don't be in a hurry. You'll want to be selective on which agent you choose. Make sure they are a good-fit, have a strong work ethic and are available at times you need them. Also, take some time to interview the agent and make sure they understand your goals and criteria to make sure they will work with your plans. You don't want to find yourself frustrated and not communicating with your agent.


Who is Right? 
If you take the time to consider the process before you even start at all, you'll be right.

Call, text or email John Maurer "The Agent" at 605-521-1183, john@realestateretrievers.com.