How to Avoid 7 Costly Home Selling Mistakes in Charlotte

Selling your Charlotte area home? Get a free home value report

Buying a Charlotte area home? Search all homes for sale

Today we'll be talking about how you can avoid seven costly mistakes when selling your home. I've actually got it in a brochure right here, so please don't hesitate to ask me for a copy.

1. Find a full-time real estate agent. A part-time agent is only partially committed to satisfying your needs as a consumer. Why work with someone that won't commit to your needs? Most agents sell 8-10 homes per year, but my team sold over 400 properties this year.

2. You need a pricing strategy that will attract the most buyers to your home. Ideally, you'll create a bidding war and push your sales price through the roof.

3. Don't limit your marketing. We spend nearly $30,000 per month on marketing, but it all comes back to us because we end up selling homes that are well-marketed to consumers. Your home will be seen by hundreds of buyers.

4. You have to sell your home to two different people: the buyer and the appraiser. You need to convince the appraiser and the bank that your home is worth what you say it is.

5. You have to understand your rights and your obligations. Most agents just want a paycheck, but we act as a team and as fiduciaries to our clients. We wouldn't walk you into a situation where you would end up getting hurt.

6. Don't sign a listing agreement with no "out". We have an easy-exit listing agreement, so you can fire us at any time. Most agents will want you to sign a contract for an entire year or six months.

7. Last, but not least - you have to select the right agent! I suggest you meet with our team and discuss what you want out of a transaction. If we're not the right fit for you, we can refer you elsewhere. No harm done!

If you need help selling in Charlotte, please don't hesitate to contact my team. We look forward to hearing from you!

12 Quesions You Must Ask a Real Estate Agent Before Hiring Them

Selling your Charlotte area home? Get a free home value report

Buying a Charlotte area home? Search all homes for sale

Today I am going to talk to you about some questions that you absolutely need to ask a real estate agent before hiring them. We’ve got a book of twelve, which we can send to you if you’d like, but today we are just going to go over a few of them. Here are some of the questions you need to be asking your real estate agent:

Are you a full-time agent?

There are a lot of part-timers in real estate that passively sell a few homes per year. That doesn’t give them a lot of practice negotiating, working with other agents, and all of the other tasks an agent is responsible. We are full-time agents here at the Lars Group and we spend our time wisely, which will allow us to sell over 400 homes this year.

What kind of operation do you run?

Most are doing the dozen or so tasks of an agent by themselves. They are putting out flyers, lockboxes, etc. instead of focusing on their clients. We have our business systematized so our agents can focus more on their clients without having to run around doing unnecessary tasks. 

Do you have client testimonials?

We survey all of our clients and ask them about their experience, and how we can improve it in the future. This helps our business, and our service, constantly grow.

Do you have a marketing plan?

Being able to market listings as an agent is crucial. We have a 151-point marketing plan that we would love to share with you.

What percentage of your business comes from referrals?

Any good agent should have happy customers, and those happy customers should come back to do business, as well as refer their friends and family to the agent that made them happy. A lot of our business comes from past clients and referrals, and we take pride in that.

These are just a few of the questions that you should be asking. To get our full book that details each question, reach out to us and we’ll send you a copy. We would love to share that with you. If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email.

How Do We Make the Buying Process Easier?

Selling your Charlotte area home? Get a free home value report

Buying a Charlotte area home? Search all homes for sale

Today I’m excited to talk to you about our home buyer guide and the process we use to get buyers the best deals when they are searching for homes. We have worked with hundreds of buyers to develop this system and refine our process so they get the best home for the best price and the best terms, all the while being hassle-free. 

Today we are just going to talk about a specific page in our home buyer guide, the buying road map, and I’m going to guide you through that today.

Most agents will just go out and start showing you properties without sitting down with you first and talking strategy, your needs, and what the outcome will be. We take the time to do this, and we also talk to you about financing and how we will get you the best interest rate and best terms.

Then we start showings. We make sure you have access to the newest homes instantly when they hit the market, and you’ll be able to preview those properties right away. We have skilled buyer specialists who will negotiate for you and make sure you get the best deal possible. 

The average agent may sell 6-8 homes a year if they are lucky, but our average buyer specialist is doing 3 deals a month. In terms of representing your best interest in a transaction, our buyer specialists are more than capable. 

Finally, after you've found the home and made the offer, we are on to the closing process. We have a client care person dedicated to make the process of getting to closing as seamless as possible. 

If you’re thinking about buying in Charlotte, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. If you’d like a copy of our home buyer guide, we would love to send you a free copy as well. Just let us know. We look forward to hearing from you!

Do You Need a Boost To Your Morning Routine?

There are many great Charlotte area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (704) 800-1200 Ext. 106 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Today I'm coming to you from Everlasting Changes. I wanted to share with you a routine that I've begun to adopt recently, which is a vigorous workout to begin my day. 

It's really given me the energy I need to perform well throughout the day, and it's made me adopt an overall healthier lifestyle. It's helped to improve multiple facets of my life, whether it's business, family, or overall health. I would encourage you to give it a try. 

Brent Kasmer is the owner, and he and his staff are really excellent at what they do. They've made such a profound impact on my life that I just thought I'd share this with you. This is a fantastic gym in Charlotte, and I highly recommend it to anyone.

If you would like to learn more, please don't hesitate to contact me. 

As always, contact me with any questions or concerns you might have about real estate here in Charlotte. My team is always happy to serve you!

How We Can Help You Navigate the Market in 2015

There are many great Charlotte area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (704) 800-1200 Ext. 106 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

The holiday season has ended, and now it's time to get down to business. But first, I just want to say I hope you have a very successful and happy 2015! We also want to say thanks for the fabulous support you gave us in 2014 - we improved over 2013 even though the market was flat. It was a huge accomplishment and it's all thanks to your support! We truly do appreciate it, as we're still in the top 20 for RE/MAX. 

If you're looking to buy or sell, we have all the tools right here to get started. Searching our local MLS for homes is easy and obligation-free. Give it a try and let us know if you have any questions or would like assistance in your real estate venture!

We want to make 2015 our best year yet. We don't think it will be difficult, as you have all shown to be so very supportive of our team and our mission. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you - it truly means the world to us!

Until next time, have a fantastic week!