What Makes a GREAT Realtor?

What Makes a GREAT Realtor?

Every day, all over the country, people are searching online for what to look for in a realtor.

Let’s start with the basics.

First of all, any realtor you hire should tick these boxes:

• Experience with the entire sales process

• Education and understanding of the current market

• A negotiator that is willing to be a buffer between all parties involved

But what takes a realtor from good to GREAT?

Great question.

Here are the Top 3 Qualities I value,
and what I look for from others in my industry!  

 1. Passion

Something more than just “being happy” or “liking what you do.” Passion is a calling, a dream or a goal, that is brought to life by action. It’s when you can’t help but put your whole self into everything you do.

Unlike most realtors, I have a passion that goes beyond just selling homes. My passion is for you and your dreams. It’s for customer service. It’s for making sure everyone gets the best treatment and guidance they can receive from a realtor.

My goal is to infuse my passion into the real estate market, bringing my energy, joy, and optimism to help people reach higher, dream bigger, and achieve their goals!

 2. Integrity

It’s too common to find realtors all about Image and not about Integrity. 

John Maxwell wrote: “Image promises much, but produces little. Integrity never disappoints.” Because, as he later says, “Integrity is not so much what we do as much as who we are.”

Integrity is taking everything you teach others to do, and living it out on the daily. It’s not just saying things; it’s doing them.

Integrity means not being flaky. It’s about sticking to your word and committing to what you say you’ll do by having an organized calendar and setting reminders.

It means following through and keeping yourself responsible to your word when no one else is there to make sure that you do.

  3. Diligence

Diligence is needed to have integrity.

Diligence is working to the best of your ability, investing in yourself, loving your family, sharing with your community and, in everything you do, being INTENTIONAL.

This also takes an amazing amount of patience. I have a next-level I’m working toward and I know it will take time, but you have to take action to get to where you want to go!

Make a plan and go after it, every single day!

 4. Community

This isn’t exactly a personal trait, but it’s a value that is very important to me.

There’s an old proverb: “If you wanna go quickly, go alone. If you wanna go far, go together.”

It’s true. You have gifts and skills and dreams, and they were meant for the world. When you serve others, you’ll find purpose and joy!

Find a realtor who values working together to get things done, sharing skills, being part of a team where everyone is involved and everyone wins.

Being in a community is also about being in a family. I don’t want to be just another used-house salesman trying to sell you a product. I want to be your family that will work with you to sell your home, and to be someone you can rely on for answers and guidance.

Just how family goes above and beyond to help you, that is what you will get from me, no matter if you’re selling a $200,000 home or a $2,000,000 home. 

The wonderful thing, is that all 4 of those qualities can be applied to everyday life, to take you from Good to Great!

So I want to ask you,

What are you going to do
to get to where YOU want to be?

Here’s a good place to start:

• Get out there! You have to start by stepping out of your comfort zone. Be part of new circles, meet new people, get involved! You can’t get where you’re wanting to go if you’re still on your couch!

• Educate yourself! Invest in yourself by doing research and continuing to learn and grow. The humility it takes to say “I don’t know” is the motivation to keep exploring, taking in information, and getting better at what you do.

• Have patience. They say it takes 10,000 hours to learn a new skill. Do something small today, and then do it tomorrow, and after time, you’ll do it without even thinking about it! That’s how you get to where you want to be.

• Be the best YOU you can be. No matter what you do, put your whole self into it. Be passionate and commit to your dreams!

Whatever your dreams are, a realtor can help, but you have to initiate. Set a plan and get after it!

Don’t just cross your fingers and hope to get a good realtor that is only passionate about what they do. Get a GREAT realtor that cares about YOU, your needs, your dreams, and your goals!

-Phillip Bachelder, Realtor #PBRealty

Top Tips for Selling in the Winter

Top Tips for Selling in the Winter

Today we tackle a common homeowner question that has not been fully answered yet.

“Should I sell a home in Winter?”

There’s a reason why no one has given a definitive answer. As always, in real estate, the situation is always unique to you, your house, and your local market.

There are a lot of pros and cons that should be taking into consideration with your realtor.

I believe the Winter season can be a great time to sell! Yes, you may have missed the warm Summer weather and the popular month of May. But if it is winter, and you have a house to sell, don’t dilly-dally! Let’s get on it!

Let’s start with…

2 reasons WHY you should sell in the Winter:

• Less competition.
  The seller’s-market may be low, but the competition is too. Foot traffic and showings won’t be as busy as it is in the spring, of course, but people need to buy homes all year.
  If you are one of only a few houses up for sale in the Winter, you will definitely have prospective buyers!

• More serious buyers.
  Market your home towards empty-nesters and millennials who will be looking for a home after the holiday season arrives.
  With fewer homes on the market to choose from, prospective buyers will be more interested and motivated for a quick close!

Now, that said, selling a house in the cold months isn’t an easy task. But with persistence and the right steps, it can be done!

To help you get started, here’s my

Top 5 Tips for Selling Your Home
in the Winter:

1. Make the Price Right

Even though it is later in the year, you don’t have to set the price way below what your home is worth. You should always price your home to compete in the current market.

There’s no need to settle for less than what your home is worth. Most lower offers might not be worth taking, so always discuss these offers with your realtor!

2. Keep the Decor Neutral

When following the holiday season, You want to keep your home cozy. This will be a first-impression of the buyer’s dream home.

Some of us may LOVE pumpkins, Santa dolls, or lawn decorations. But, when selling your home, too much of a good thing can be a turnoff to prospective buyers.

Tastefully appeal to the senses by adding a wreath, a vase of seasonal flowers, unlit candles, and other festive (but clean) pieces around the house.

Pro-tip: Instead of burning heavily-scented candles, add chopped apples, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, orange rinds, and ground clove to a pot of water. Boil a few hours before your showing for a fresh holiday scent.

3. Keep Up Curb Appeal

It doesn’t matter the season, curb appeal is important! Keep the grass mowed, leaves raked, and brighten up the front porch with some fresh yellow and orange flowers!

Of course, don’t forget to water those flowers so that your home's exterior always looks bright and welcoming.

4. Get a Realtor!

This seems like an obvious step, but it can be crucial to find the right realtor to sell your home in the Winter.

Only confident and experienced realtors will be up to the challenge of selling a home in the Winter. These realtors will research your particular housing market and help you decide whether it’s a good time for you to sell.

A good realtor will put your house in front of the right buyers, efficiently finding your buyers. For instance, businesses commonly relocate employees in the Winter. As they relocate to your state, they will be on the lookout for homes in both rural and urban locations!

And for my last tip:

5. Know When to Wait

If you want to sell your house before the holidays, by all means, discuss it with your realtor!

But once it’s Thanksgiving, both you and the buyers get busy with holidays. It might be easier to wait until at least late-January before putting your house on the market.

If you want to sell your house this Winter, don't feel like you have to wait until the busier spring/summer months. Take advantage of the lower competition and the motivated buyers that Winter brings.

Send me an email or give me a call, let's set a plan, and go for it!

-Phillip Bachelder, Realtor #PBRealty

more resources:

Can You Sell a Home in the Winter? Here’s an example! via Youtube.com/phillipbachelder

3 Tips To Sell Your House In The Fall via Realtor.com

Never let the Appeal distract from the Real

Never let the Appeal distract from the Real

March 14, 2017

     What is appeal? Appeal is something that a home seller should present and that a buyer can acknowledge, but must look past it. Appeal is crucial for the seller to present this, but also can create an emotional attachment for a buyer? These things go hand in hand. I will explain in the article to follow why you want to present your house in the best possible way as a seller. I will then also explain why as a buyer you cannot let that appeal be the driving force behind your decision-making process.

      First, let's start with the seller's side of the equation. Sellers, you must, let me repeat that, "MUST" present your house in a way that is appealing to buyers. You must make it look and smell as good as possible every time someone comes to look at it. This is not a suggestion, and as a matter of fact if you are not willing to keep your house clean, smelling good, and staged to appeal to a buyer, then I am probably not the right agent for you. I say this to hopefully shock your thinking.

    Every house I list, I have professional photos taken that I pay for. I invest in you, and I make sure your house is marketed in the best ways possible. So, when those photos are taken, and people show up to see it, it must look like what the photos portrayed. If not, then you are just misleading people and your listing will go stale. Once your listing goes stale, the only way to to get activity again, for the most part, is to lower your listing price. And in the market I work in (Nashville) this should be an absolute last resort.

     Now for our buyer's side: "BUYER BEWARE". I say this because there are houses out there that simply look amazing. The owners took the time to stage the house so that you would fall in love with it immediately. The appeal is so attractive that you basically shut off all logic and reason and emotions take over. YOU MUST NOT LET THIS HAPPEN!

    If you have a good realtor, they will (hopefully) be able to help you keep a level head. But, at the end of the day, the decision to buy falls solely on your shoulders. I promise you that you do not want to ignore all the warning signs for because you get granite, hardwood, and what you think will help you "keep up with the Jones's". If you do, you will be up to your neck in work and unforeseen costs that will add up faster than a school of sharks on a wounded prey.

    A couple of things that will keep you grounded are the following:

    First and foremost: a good Realtor. I will keep coming back to this because you are not an expert, but they are and they should have your best interests in mind.

    Second, have a budget. If you already know what you are willing to spend, you will only be looking at things that are within that price point; painting a reality of what that budget can afford.

    Lastly, be willing to walk away! If you do find a house and make an offer that gets accepted, but the home inspection comes back with some pretty major issues that the seller is not willing to fix, then walk away. Don't trade flash for common sense. Just remember, it will have to be fixed eventually, and it will be up to you unless your Realtor is able to negotiate an agreeable resolution on your behalf.

     All in all, I hope this article brings a better sense of how to approach listing you home and buying a home. Look forward to more articles and tips to come to make your home-buying, selling, and Realtor experience one that is second to none. 

-Phillip Bachelder, Realtor #PBRealty