My Personal Philosophy
I’d like to share some of my philosophy with you all, and what I perceive my job responsibilities are. First, you need to know that my purpose is to help people make good decisions about Buying or Selling Real Estate!
I’m sure you all have heard the comment, “he can sell ice to an Eskimo”. And there are sales people out there that can do just that. I’m fond of saying, I’m not going to sell you an ashtray, and then after I’m gone leave you puzzling, “why did I buy this ashtray, I don’t even smoke!” Like the one selling ice to an Eskimo, these type of salespeople may have got a quick commission, but will never get a referral or repeat call from that buyer. I am not a sales person. I am a Real Estate Consultant. My role is to help people make good decisions when it comes to buying or selling Real Estate.
I have to start the sharing of my philosophy and notes of advice with a question. How will you select your agent? Will you select your agent based on skill, integrity and a solid marketing plan or will you choose an agent based on a “price opinion”? Agents have no control over market conditions. The agent brings the market and the market brings the price. I know you will agree that it makes more sense to select your agent first, and then discuss price. You the seller, or you the buyer, will make the decision on price with my guidance as your Real Estate Consultant.
The following are my Job Responsibilities.
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I feel my number one job responsibility is to Enhance the appeal and value of my client’s house for showing. I feel this is important because most buyers buy with their emotions and their eyes, and one does not get a second chance to make a good first impression. I do this by providing advice on “staging the home for sale” and “establishing curb appeal”.
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My second job responsibility is to assist my clients in determining the Best Listing Price for their home or the Best Offer to Buy a new home. This is especially important because if one prices too low you are giving some of your money away and if one prices it too high you end up scaring away prospective buyers or in the case of buyers biding on a home, making an offer too high and over paying. This is an important benefit because it means with an informed decision and a price based on the home and market conditions you won’t under price, overprice or over pay for your home.
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My third job responsibility is to give my client’s house Total Exposure. We know by National Statistics that only 17% - 18% of all the houses sold are sold directly through a “for sale” sign or an ad. My job is not to show and sell houses, but rather to market houses to the masses and get everyone else to show it so it gets sold quicker and at the desired price. The benefit of this is that we will be a step ahead of our competition. And every home on the market is competing against yours for the buyers that are looking.
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My fourth job responsibility is to make certain that my client’s buyer has the Proper Qualification. This is important because not all buyers are buyers. There are “lookers”, those who are out simply to look and are not financially able to buy. There are serious and qualified buyers. One needs to determine if the buyer is both serious and qualified to buy and has pre-mortgage approval from a reputable lender.
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My fifth job responsibility is to Help Buyers Take Action. Listening to the concerns of buyers and then giving the buyer the proper perspective and providing additional information and knowledge enables them to take action rather than holding back on making the decision.
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My sixth job responsibility is to be a Skillful Negotiator and negotiate for my client as a third party. This is important because statistics show that only one out of every twenty-one offers is accepted as is. That means that the other 20 have to be negotiated without losing the buyer or weakening your position. And in the Real Estate business one does not get what one deserves, one gets what one negotiates. That is my job, to bring the two parties together.
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My seventh job responsibility is to help my clients make their homes more affordable through Financing. This is important because less than 7% of all the houses sold in our area are sold for cash. That means out of every 100 houses sold, 93 buyers need to get some financial help. Financing is the key to affordability.
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My eighth job responsibility is to make certain the transaction is Worry Free and to be the Expert Facilitator. There are two types of problems one can encounter in a Real Estate transaction. The first type which accounts for 80% of the problems are those caused by the agent, by an agent that did not do what should have been done. The other 20% are not the agents fault but nonetheless can happen. My deliberate system and checklists, all bolstered by today's technology, and bordering on tomorrow's, provide the focus to make sure everything gets done. My experience will insure the other 20% do not happen as well.
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My ninth job responsibility is to bring a Quality Company with me. This is important because you are not just hiring an agent, but also a company and like all agents, not all companies are alike. I am proud to be with Carolina One Real Estate, a Company with integrity, experience and dynamic marketing power. Carolina One Real Estate and I bring values, ethics, philosophy, innovation and leadership in the market to both seller clients and buyer clients alike.
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My tenth job responsibility is to be your Trusted Advisor. This is important because there are two types of agents; those who tell sellers what they want to hear, cut commissions and play percentages, and agents whose purpose is not to get listings but rather to help the seller or buyer make good decisions. My job is to always look out for your best interests, to advise and counsel you. Never to pressure, but there to help you make the good decision.
Sincerely
Jim Kelly
