[5-DayForum] completed the process

[Steve Ehlers]

Eric,

In a nutshell what information did you include on your website?  (any Pictures, Rules, Home Specs?)
Did you have the website location in your Ad and answering machine message?

You mentioned your opinion on newspapers:  Did you track the Open House traffic to really know what media
generated their interest?  Sounds like initial interest traffic through craigslist and the website was very substantial.

Not sure why you feel you missed something from the Flat Fee MLS Listing?  Doesn't sound like you needed that edge
or maybe you had a lot of interaction with RE Agents at the Open House and feel that would have solved something?

Thanks,
Steve
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: eric huang 
  To: 5-dayforum at mailman.howtosellyourhomein5days.com 
  Sent: Sunday, April 29, 2007 1:00 PM
  Subject: Re: [5-DayForum] completed the process


  Scott,
  I sold my San Francisco condo last year using the 5-day method. It was fast, it worked, and everything went smoothly. I'm not good of a "story" teller, but I'll tell you what worked and what didn't: 

  What worked:
  1. Website created by George Cappony's service. Included listing in craigslist.org, updated every 3 days. Also included traffic-tracking software.
  2. Closing agent - I used Help-U-Sell, they charge $3000 to handle the transaction. They also let me borrow A-frame signs 
  3. A-Frame signs to advertise our open-house on the day-of. Decorate the signs with helium balloons.
  4. Walkie-talkies to handle communication between me and my helpers - got lots of compliments on this ("You are so organized!) 
  5. Info-signs in each room (lets people do self-guided tour) about size, carpeting, blinds, etc
  6. Cleaning out all of the clutter. Think "minimalism" as your home-decorating theme. (got lots of compliments about this). Minimize the number of pieces of furniture in each room, get rid of knick-knacks, etc. 
  7. Minimum reserve price made me more confident about putting on the sale, but wasn't really necessary. 
  8. Sending info about your sale to every mailing list I belonged to
  9. Making the reserve so low, people said, "are you crazy?" 
  10. Pre-inspection report

  What didn't work:
  1. putting up signs around the neighborhood before the day of the open-house. Takes a lot of time/energy, but nobody looks for a house by reading signs on telephone poles. 
  2. newspaper ads - it did generate some interest, but I think readership for newspapers is way down. If you are going to do this, buy Sunday to Sunday (8 days)

  What I wish I had done:
  1. advertise with flat-fee MLS - there is no reason to fear/dislike buyers agents. Just say in your materials that people who have a buyers' agent will get a 3% fee tacked on to the final bid price. That way everyone is happy. 

  By the way, with the website, you don't have to stay home to answer the phone before the open house. I just went to work as usual and answered people who left message on my answering machine. I got maybe 10 calls by Friday, but almost 1000 unique IPs on my website by the end of open house (about 600 by Friday night). 

  If you want to know any other details, just ask. 

  Eric





    ---------- Forwarded message ----------
    From: Scott Clawson <scott at scopeitout.us>
    To: <5-dayforum at mailman.howtosellyourhomein5days.com >
    Date: Sun, 29 Apr 2007 07:43:30 -0700
    Subject: [5-DayForum] I would like to hear from the people that completed the process
    Hi,
    My partner and I are going to conduct this 5-day process in the next 3
    weeks. Unfortunately it has to be on the upcoming holiday weekend but I am
    praying that turns out to be a positive and not a negative. No choice if we
    want to have it in May. We live in Seattle, Wa.  I read all these questions 
    about the people who are going to do the 5-day process but what about those
    who have completed it recently. I would like to hear from you that have been
    through the process and how it went. Did it go like you thought? Did you get 
    the price that you thought? Recently, One person posted that they were in
    the bidding stage and was going to get back but I never did see how it went.
    I would really like to hear the start to finish stories. Are there any out 
    there who are reading these? Thanks.

    Scott/Todd




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