Omaha Real Estate Blog

As many of you know I am a fervent believer in professional staging.  I truly believe that staging a home is an effective internet strategy.  Studies show that close to 85% of home buyers begin their search online.  Staging a home is critical to give the best impression of the home not only in person but also online. 

Here is a home that was professionally staged with Tori Ross of Ross Designs.  The home was vacant and the seller took my advice and RENTED furniture.  This seller had previously listed the home TWICE with the same broker for a total market time of 392 days on the market.  Before listing the home this spring the seller interviewed several agents and selected an agent based on who had the best marketing plan.  As a result of professional staging this home went under contract in 10 days!

Before

After

If you are considering selling your home be sure to interview several agents from several companies.  Base your decision on which agent has the BEST marketing plan.  Do not make the mistake of selecting your agent on

• 1) lowest commission
• 2) size of the company
• 3) which agent has the highest listing price.

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS, GRI, e-Pro

Alliance Real Estate

Omaha Real Estate | Search for Omaha Homes for Sale

(402) 490-6771

In selling your home it is good to interview several agents before hiring ONE agent to represent you.  Keep in mind, by law, commissions are negotiable and their is no such thing as a "standard" commission.  Commissions are negotiated between the seller and the listing broker.  Commissions are paid to the broker to broker and a buyer agent will receive a portion of the listing commission paid to the selling broker.  As a seller, one of the questions you should ask an agent before hiring one to sell your home is,

"What is the payout in the MLS or what is the commission the buyer's agent broker will receive?"

Now, does payout make a difference?  I think it does.  Would you like to earn $17 an hour or have a job that pays $20 an hour?  Does paying the listing broker a higher commission automatically mean I am paying a higher commission to the selling broker?  NO!  That is why it is important to ask what is the payout in the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) to the selling broker. 

When an agent sells a home they often get asked TWO questions:

1. What was the listing PRICE of the home?
2. What was the PAYOUT?

Most agents are happy when the folks they represent find a home that meets their needs - no matter the payout.  However, agents will not only be happy for their clients but will "high five" each other when there is a decent payout.  Even with decent payout, commission alone will not sell a home.  Commission is just a part of the equation, your home must be priced right.  If your home is not priced right - it simply will not sell.

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS, GRI, e-Pro

Alliance Real Estate

Omaha Real Estate | Search for Omaha Homes for Sale

(402) 490-6771

Many sellers make the mistake of listing their home BEFORE it is ready to list.  If you are selling your home the BEST time is the first 30 days on the market.  Do not be pressured to list your home before it is ready.  The only time there is PENT UP demand for your home is in the first 30 days.  If the home is not market ready or not listed at market value you have blown the best time to sell your home. 

If your home needs paint, carpet or repairs DO NOT LIST your home until it is ready.  Buyers are visual and if they click on a home and it does not pass the visual test they are on to the next home.  Buyers simply have too many choices and will not read that the seller is offering a "painting" allowance.  For example, one common mistake sellers make is with overlooking the effect of having wallpaper in a kitchen.  When a buyer sees wallpaper they see W-O-R-K.  Sellers have a three choices:

• Experience the pain of removing the wallpaper and getting the home market ready.
• Experience the pain of longer market time because of the wallpaper.
• Experience the pain of a lower sales price because of the wallpaper.

Here is an example of a property that was listed with another broker for 185 days for $165,000.  It had wallpaper in the kitchen.  Before we listed the home, the seller had the wallpaper removed and repainted the kitchen.  If the home was not professionally staged, the buyers might have clicked through the home without even considering looking at the home in person.  As a result of removing the wallpaper, and LOWERING the listing price to $158,000 the home SOLD in only 19 days.

Unfortunately, there are some agents who will list a home simply put a sign in the yard in order to generate buyer leads.  Sometimes the right agent to hire to sell your home may tell you things that you might not want to hear in order to help you avoid the pain of having your home languish on the market.  

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS, GRI, e-Pro

Alliance Real Estate

Omaha Real Estate | Search for Omaha Homes for Sale

(402) 490-6771

Open House this Sunday at 12112 Erskine Cir from 1-3 PM

This home is listed for $145,000

*** 

 Here is a quick map to help you find this home.

 MLS#20905236

If you are in the area stop by!

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS, GRI, e-Pro

Alliance Real Estate

Omaha Real Estate | Search for Omaha Homes for Sale

(402) 490-6771

Many sellers often think that all agents from a company are the same.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  When you hire an agent to sell your home you are hiring ONE agent to represent you, the rest represent the BUYER.  When selling your home pay attention to see if your agent physically went and saw other homes in the area in person. 

In the real estate business this is know as previewing the competition.  You are paying thousands of dollars to sell your home, don't you think your agent could have at least taken the time to see what you are up against?  This first hand information could actually save you money by establishing a realistic selling price which would result in a quicker sale. 

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS, GRI, e-Pro

Alliance Real Estate

Omaha Real Estate | Search for Omaha Homes for Sale

(402) 490-6771

How are showings going to be handled?  Does your listing agent handle their own showing calls?  Many agent do.  That means your agent HAS to be available in order to schedule showings.  If your agent is not available for whatever reason you it may mean the difference between a closed sale or your home languishing on the market. 

Many showings are scheduled on short notice and if your agent misses the call or is in a meeting it may mean a lost opportunity for a potential buyer to see your home.  If you call your agent do they answer the phone or go directly to voice mail?  What if YOU had a buyer and wanted to see your home on short notice?  How quickly do they respond?  Better yet, does your agent have a showing service that makes it EASY to set up showings? 

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS, GRI, e-Pro

Alliance Real Estate

Omaha Real Estate | Search for Omaha Homes for Sale

(402) 490-6771

Settling concrete can present a challenge when selling a home.  When concrete experiences uneven settling buyers and sellers often believe that the only solution is concrete replacement.  Another cost effective option is concrete raising or also known as "mudjacking."  Fixing a concrete slab now can eliminate bigger issues.

How does mudjacking work?

• A series of holes are drilled through the sunken concrete slab.
• A cement/grout mixture is pumped under the sunken slab to raise it to the desired height.
• The holes are then patched with cement.

What are the benefits of mudjacking?

• It costs less than concrete replacement
• No changes in the color to the concrete
• No damage to the landscaping or grass
• Work is completed in hours and not days.

Mixan Mudjacking

I would like to thank Bob Mixan, Owner of Mixan Mudjacking, Inc. who gave me a quick class on the mudjacking process.  If you are buying or selling a home in the Omaha area and you need an expert opinion on the mudjacking process you can contact Mixan Mudjacking at (402) 238-2325 or visit them on the web at MixanMudjacking.com.

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS, GRI, e-Pro

Alliance Real Estate 

Omaha Real Estate | Search for Omaha Homes for Sale

(402) 490-6771

Your Open House has been over for two hours and your advertising is still in the driveway!  This is an example of the non-effectiveness of promoting an open house in the newspaper.  Here is a photo taken on Sunday at 5:10 PM and you can clearly see the bright orange bags containing the Sunday paper still in the driveways of two homes.  How effective is the paper for advertising an open house on Sunday from 1-3 PM if the paper is still in the driveway at 5:00 PM? 

The newspaper is not an effective method for selling a home in today's market!

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS, GRI, e-Pro

Alliance Real Estate

Here is a fantastic post written by Randy Prothero of Century 21 Liberty Homes in Hawaii.  I was fortunate enough to meet Randy several years ago at a CRS class in Missouri.  In his post, Randy illustrates why it is important to hire a FULL TIME Realtor when you are buying or selling a home.

Way to go, Randy!

Here is a post written by Kim Fendrick of Alliance Real Estate on the annual food drive known as "Scouting for Food" to help our local food banks. 

Way to go, Kim!