A group of REALTORS® recently discussed a book whose author suggests agents get more money for their homes when they sell them. This author's premise sparked a lively discussion about whether agents' homes really do sell for more, and if so, why?
Our conclusions were that we really didn't know if agents' homes sold for more, BUT if they do, it's because:
We concluded that real estate agents have the experience to know why one house sells before another (or for a higher price), and they take the time to prepare their house to sell quickly for the top dollar.
We all shook our heads. Each agent had memories of houses that just didn't sell. Invariably the seller remembered the 20 year old carpet the way it was when it was first installed and didn't see the threadbare areas that had developed over time; or, the seller's favorite color combination was lavender and orange; or, the one whose house was so dirty it smelled; or the family who didn't have the financial means to make the changes. We each had war stories we could have shared.
This real estate business is tricky stuff. Will the client trust our expertise enough to do what needs to be done? Or will we be considered pushy when we make suggestions?