Marketing Tips

Disconnect Your Emotions

Your home or investment property may mean the world to you, but once it's for sale it becomes a marketable commodity. Buyers will measure its value against others on the market and they may not share your perspective on what you think it's worth. If you can detach from the emotions involved in a sale, it will go more smoothly.

Choose the Right Agent

Real estate professionals in San Francisco are part of a tight community, and they talk among themselves about which agents they like and which ones have proven to be difficult to work with. The agent you select should not only be the consummate professional, but should also have a sterling reputation among his or her peers — it will ensure more showings of your home and increase your odds of receiving multiple offers.

Price It Right

We've all heard stories about certain properties that take forever to sell. What's often not considered in these tales is how poor pricing contributed to the slow sale. Correctly priced properties sell quickly for top dollar. So listen to your agent's advice on pricing – it will make a substantial difference in the size of the check you receive at close of escrow.

Make Your Property Easy To Show

If your property is difficult to see, agents are liable to skip showing it to their clients and focus on other listings that are easier to get into. If you're selling an investment property, let your tenants know well in advance that you're putting it on the market — it will help with the showing process. If you're selling the home that you live in, be prepared to make yourself scarce, especially during the first two weeks of marketing, when it will be shown the most.

The First Offer May Be the Best Offer

Statistically, the first offer is often the best one a property will receive. Beware of holding out for something better – the offers that come in later could be substantially below the one you received early in the marketing period.