113
Harvest & Holiday 2013
Escarpment Magazine
For Sellers, you need to ask yourself and your REALTOR
®
what is being
done to market your real estate in the new economy. If the answer you
are getting is a sign in the yard and a posting on REALTOR.CA
®
, you
need to look deeper. We now know that 90% of real estate offered for
sale is being viewed online before a Buyer even calls a REALTOR
®
. If
that is true, does that not make the old axiom, “a picture is worth 1,000
words” more important than ever? What about video, floor plans, sta-
bilized HD aerial video tours, virtual tours, posting of ancillary info, neigh-
bourhood info? There is nothing standard anymore about a standard
listing. How is your listing being promoted? Through what networks,
websites, posting boards, social media? Since the internet is being ac-
cessed more and more via mobile devices, is your information mobile-
optimized? How does one present a listing online to give it its best
chance at being seen in the best light by the RIGHT consumer? It isn’t
enough anymore to take it at face value that your REALTOR
®
has a
strong web presence. Quantify it.
As with all things, when things change, evolution results. We see today
different models for organized real estate that were not there 10 years
ago. Additionally, our role as organized REALTORS
®
has changed.
“Change”, a friend told me recently, “is a train hurtling down the track. If
you aren’t on it, you are standing squarely in front of it.” The investments
are huge, and the stakes are high. The consumer should hold their REAL-
TOR
®
to a higher standard, as their role changes from gatekeeper of in-
formation, to trusted advisor on themarket and themarketing of real estate.
Professionalism is the keyword today. Are you being professionally
served? What level of professionalism do you as the consumer expect?
Are there alternatives out there that can suit your purposes? These are the
choices you have to make. Quantify the value propositions on offer, and
be picky.
*
Seller Needs and Expectations
AsMark Twain pointed out, there are 3 types of lies, "Lies, damned lies, and
statistics." Is it relevant for a Buyer to know that the real estate sales in the
trading area of the Georgian Triangle Association of REALTORS
®
is up
6% so far this year over 2012? Of course. However, is that the whole pic-
ture? Of course not. What about the difference between Town of The Blue
Mountains andWasaga Beach? What about the difference between the
market deltas we see year over year of sales in the categories of $200,000
and $300,000 and sales over $1,000,000? We all know that we aren’t
dealingwithwidgets here. The difference between one 1,000 square foot,
3bedroomhome and another can be nothing short of monumental. Wells,
septic systems, construction standards, neighbourhood amenities, coming
developments, new roads, town attitudes and sensibilities all weigh heavily
on our decisionmaking process. I submit to you that the need for independ-
ent, local and professional advice has never been more relevant than it is
today. Small things overlookedmake the difference between an investment
and a great investment for a Buyer, and investment can be a word that de-
scribes both money and lifestyle.
The Savvy Buyer
The Evolution of the REALTOR®
CONTACT ME TODAY
or for more info
VISIT MY WEBSITE
