Certified Property ManagerReal estate sales management involves many different aspects beyond the obvious of selling a home, setting it up for sale and managing open houses etc. for example some clients have to move right away and they leave the home vacant, which in some ways is a good thing since there is typically less clutter. The agent may request that the owner do a couple of things to improve the home. The objective is to enhance the opportunity of selling this house for the price they are looking for. At the same time they must also ensure that the home is looked after if vacant. It must all insurance requirements to keep the insurance valid.

A home should also looked lived in or at least taken care of even when it is vacant. Sometimes a real estate agent must also look after this activity themselves. Or subcontract these services if they want to get the house sold. This is just part of the job on the way to a successful sales career.

These steps include the following:

  • Making sure that the house is clean and neat
  • Possibly staging the home with rented furniture to make it look presentable
  • Arranging or causing to be arranged by the owner for someone to maintain the home while it is vacant

We will discuss each of these in a little more detail. Note that the person selling the home i.e. the owner will have to decide how much of this they decide to do. How much they will look after vs. how much they will ask the real estate agent to do on their behalf. Some agents will automatically include this effort and even furniture rental in their fee. While others will suggest that the owner pick up these extra costs.

Making sure that the house is clean and neat:

The last thing that buyers want to see is a messy home. Which they not only will have to clean if they buy it. But it also indicates a general attitude of not taking care of the home. Your agent will push you to clean up this situation. They may even arrange for cleaners at your cost to come in and clean up after you. The same applies to the outside curb appeal. Nice landscaping, a newly cut lawn and healthy plants indicate that the current owner cares about his or her home.

Possibly staging the home with rented furniture to make it look presentable:

if you have moved and the house is empty it is much harder for a prospective buyer to visualize what the home looks like with furniture in it. Some agents will place furniture and some pictures in the home to help buyers with this issue. They may already have furniture of their own they use for this purpose or they will rent them for you at your cost.  Real estate management may include this kind of staging to help sell a home.

Arranging or causing to be arranged by the owner for someone to maintain the home while it is vacant:

this item is particularly important for people who have been transferred and have had to move before the home is sold. In order to maintain your insurance on your home, there will be specific things that must be done. For example many will ask that the water be shut off and the house checked once a week. Checks more often may be required if the outside temperature is below freezing. Real estate agents want to ensure there are no delays in selling a home due to damage cause by water leaks and other problems that occur from time to time.

Real estate property management can encompass more than just these items, however we decided to focus on those associated with selling a home.

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