Great Party...No Friends!

Imagine you are planning a great party for your closest friends. You want to save money where you can, so instead of paying for printing you buy some generic invitations. Then to save time you write "occupant" on the envelopes and take them to post office to be delivered.

When the big day arrives, you are in for a surprise. Your guests begin arriving but you don't recognize a single one of them. You planned an elegant black-tie affair, but they're all dressed for a back-yard barbecue. Before long, you realize that every one is a stranger, not at all the guests you had planned to spend the evening with.

Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? But when homeowners decide to sell "by owner," they create a scenario just as improbable. The generic sign appears in the front yard as an invitation to complete strangers to knock on the door at all hours for information. Another invitation, an ad, goes into the local newspaper.

The "guests" arrive all right, whenever they feel like it. They are an interesting collection of bargain hunters, investors, and "tire-kickers." Each plans to feast off the homeowner's equity – by making a low offer to purchase the home or, in the case of the tire-kicker, to just enjoy some free hospitality.

When it's time to sell your home, choose an agent who understands the invitation process. "Black-tie" buyers work with agents who can introduce them to homes that are the "talk of the town."

Regards,

Jay Burnham, VP
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage