Yesterday, I had two similar occurrences take place so it must mean I should address it!
This comment was left here on the blog:
I just wanted to thank you for your bidding war info. I have followed your blog for many years. We listed our house in Ramona last week and had open house on Fri/Sat. By Monday morning we had six offers. The highest was a very good offer and well over list. The realtor encouraged us to take that one, and said she had asked everyone for highest and best. I pushed her to counter the next two lower offers with the same amount as the first offer and gave permission for her to reveal the offer amount. She was hesitant but I insisted. Both of them came back with the same amount as the highest offer, and the highest original offer then went higher through an escalation clause. I know we don’t have the same prices as NSDCC, but the same principle applies and I wanted to give you credit. MC
MC – thank you for giving me credit!
But did you recognize that his agent’s results aren’t exactly the way I do it?
There are probably blog readers who are emboldened by what they read here. Selling homes doesn’t look that hard, and in a hot market it has to be even easier, right? After listening to me talk about it for a few weeks, it’s probably natural to think you can do it yourself, or direct your agent how to do it.
Are you guessing that MC probably didn’t get top dollar?
The other occurrence was a for-sale-by-owner who suggested he was as good as me – and insinuated that he was better. He will sell his house too, and declare it as top-dollar to feed his ego. But his listing is riddled with things I’d never do, and he’s been on the market for 2-3 weeks with no sale.
ANYBODY CAN SELL THEIR HOUSE THEMSELVES!
You don’t need me – heck, just go stick a sign in the front yard and wait for the phone to ring.
But you’re not going to sell it for the same price that I can get.
Even if you read every word on this blog, it’s not enough. It’s because the most important part of my job is doing one thing really well:
Asking the right questions, the right way, at the right time.
Even if you had the questions, it’s asking them the right way, at the right time, that causes a top-dollar sale.
You can tell that MC was on the right track, but in the heat of the moment, his agent didn’t handle it like I do. But he’s happy, the agent is happy, and they sold it for more money than expected, so all is well. But it didn’t sell for top dollar – which only happens when you ask the questions the right way, at the right time.
Not only will I sell your house for more money than you can, I will sell it for more than virtually all the other realtors. I’m not your typical order-taker; I’m a professional salesman who practices his sales skills daily. Those skills really pay off in the heat of the moment, when I sense that the buyer or their agent is a contender – I know how to say the right thing, the right way, at the right time to capitalize on the moment. Who would you trust in that moment?
It looks easy, but you don’t know what you don’t know.
Wouldn’t you be better served to have Jim the Realtor in your corner?
I bought a drum kit once.
I was in the band in junior high school, and figured that it can’t be that hard. And after a little practice, I could make some noise.
But then I saw videos of John Bonham, Ringo Starr, and Keith Moon and I realized – it would take years of dedication to play like them.
You deserve every penny that you earn. You are a professional sales person with good character. The masses are asses. Get good help fools. He acts a a fiduciary.
Yes, I know we didn’t get the very top dollar, and maybe an extra bit would have been nice. But we can’t all have you as a realtor, and all I wanted was just to thank you for at least opening my eyes to what I should watch for. Yes, I wholeheartedly agree that anyone who has a choice should choose you and count themselves lucky. But trying to make me feel bad after the fact doesn’t really make me want to choose you in the future. I don’t think I’m near as smart as you and I know I don’t know real estate or the right questions to ask. But I wish maybe you had just taken the compliment?
I’m sure you thought that telling your story here on my blog was a way to compliment me.
Did it also occur to you that you’re coming into my place of business and describing how people can get the same or similar results without using my services?
I can’t let that go without at least pointing out the differences, which is all I did.
You deserve every penny that you earn. You are a professional sales person with good character. The masses are asses. Get good help fools. He acts a a fiduciary.
Thanks North County Guy!
Everybody can take photos, write a description, make appointments to show, and point out which room is the kitchen. The buyers are friendly and complimentary, and when they have seen enough, they will say ‘thank you’ – and DIY sellers will give them the old reliable realtor close, “Let me know if you have any questions!”.
That’s when you want me on the job.
The ultimate compliment would have been to actually hire JtR to buy/sell your home. Why settle for less, when you can go with the best?
Thanks Eddie89!
Long story…
I remember back in 2010. Jim advised me to leave CA if I wasn’t happy with what my money could buy. I lived in Santa Barbara County (a renter) and my youngest still had 2 more years at a CA college (i.e. expensive tuition). I took your advice and moved out of state. A friend videotaped my new home and JtR got a microphone and “walked” around my house with comments. Jim even called me a couple times and left a happy birthday wish and funny messages. In 2020, I called Jim to ask his advice about mortgage rates. He said to grab the 2.85%/30-year fixed refinance and we did.
All from a realtor who didn’t receive a dime from me for commission as I wasn’t even a client, just a bubbleinfo addict.
In 2016, I sold that house to get away from a terrible next-door-neighbor. Even though I found an agent I could work with, it took 6 months to sell and our last phone call ended up in a shouting match. Throughout all of that, I can’t count the number of times I said, “I wish Jim the Realtor was my realtor.”
What anyone should realize (and most don’t) is the most important characteristics you want in an agent are integrity, experience and skills (behind the scenes). You need someone who will fight for you and your best interests. Jim is that guy. There’s a reason all his reviews hit five stars.
One day (when I win one of his contests) and come to San Diego, I can’t wait to have Jim drive me around the streets of NSDC and teach me more about real estate. I’ll feel like I won the lottery in real estate land.
Apologies for long comment. I’ve wanted to say this for a long time. 🙂
Thank you Susie for your warm thoughts!
Here’s the video, from January, 2011!
https://youtu.be/S_Te9k5fZyQ
In 2017, Jim helped us, as out-of-town buyers, purchase our retirement dream home. We beat out two, if not three, other bidders. We rented out the home for a few years until we were ready to move back to San Diego. We put our out-of-state home on the market at the beginning of the pandemic, with no showings or offers. Our realtor told us to just hang in there, that the home would sell eventually. After a couple months of limited showings and no offers, we called Jim for advice. Despite knowing very little of the Texas market, he told us how to price it to sell. Lower the price to X, and if it doesn’t sell in three weeks, lower it to Y. He was spot on. At X price, we got interest, and settled at price Y. Jim knows the business inside and out, and his honesty and integrity make him the most trustworthy agent we’ve ever worked with. Too bad this is our forever home. We’d love to work with him again.
Thank you Kim! I appreciate you leaving those kind thoughts.
I remember how your house had fallen out of escrow, and we were there to snap it up – no easy feat when you live in Texas!