How to Sell a House
In the Market of 2009
FREE eBook written by Kathi Frank, e-PRO. This book is available as a complimentary service to anyone wanting to learn the strategies of selling a house in a
tough market. You are welcome to share this book with anyone else as long as it is conveyed in its entirety. However, all contents of this book are copyright
2009 by Kathi Frank. All rights are reserved: Reproducing any part of this document for profit is prohibited without consent. Protected by U.S. Copyright Law

{Title 17 U.S.C. Section 101 et seq., Title 18 U.S.C. Section 2319}:
What Causes a House to Sell
in Today’s Market?
Back in The Day, selling real estate was a leisurely business – almost a pastoral
pursuit.
Both Buyers and Sellers depended on the professional real estate agent for
everything. All the listing information was closely held by the brokers. It was a
week or more before other offices knew that you had a new listing. As the
listing agent, and the lucky agents you were willing to share your listings with,
you had lots of time to find a buyer before “THE BOOK” arrived. In the book
were the new listings…in price order and categorized into neighborhoods …
with a description of the property allotted to a space of about 1.5 inches by 2
inches.
When “The Book” arrived each Wednesday, an explosion of activity took place
as all the agents from the competing offices attempted to get their buyers in
the door. In fact, the broker insisted that you give your fellow agents in your
office a 2-day head start. If you remember the Texas real estate market in the
70’s, you know that houses were flying off the market like half price shoes at
Macy’s today.
Here I was at the ripe young age of 25, and I was beginning to learn the crafty
methods of successful real estate agents. It truly was a time when preparing a
listing, putting it into the MLS and planting a sign was enough to sell most
houses. The more mature and experienced agents dominated the market. As
a youngster, it was rare that I got the opportunity to take a listing. It was the
die-hard FSBO’s (For Sale by Owner) that came to appreciate my persistence
and tenacity, after months of trying to sell on their own, that finally gave in to
my polite, but dogged determination to be a listing agent.

As time went by, my book of business primarily came from previous clients.
Those happy clients became my cheerleaders and told their family and friends.
I loved working with referred business because I did not have to convince
them that I could be counted on to get the job done. I worked with people
who knew and appreciated me and Life was Good !
Then something terrible happened…@#^%*&@#^%*!!! Internet!
One morning we woke up and some crazy person decided that it was a good
idea to put all the housing inventory on the World Wide Web – and the game
had completely changed for not just one reason but for four big reasons:
1. Buyers no longer needed to contact an agent to find out what properties
were on the market. It became a pastime for many people to cruise
those sites for entertainment – long before they were even thinking of
making a move. It became harder to develop a personal relationship
with prospective buyers because our expertise was not sought until the
last portion of the process.
2. The internet changed our client’s expectations. Sellers expected agents
to be everywhere…broadcasting emails, visible on each listing service,
the national and international sites…literally everywhere. Processing all
the data entry is time consuming and is often delegated to others.
3. Marketing has shifted to the internet. No longer do real estate
magazines and newspapers bring a significant number of buyers to our
doors. We have to spend a large portion of our time simply learning all
the new technologies available for serving our clients.
Then, as if to make things even more challenging, the world of
communications radically began changing even faster.
4. Negotiations are no longer presented person-to-person. Instead – fax,
email, even text messaging have become the norm. All these
communication methods, while efficient, are impersonal and can be
carried out by inexperienced, non-licensed staff.

In the decade before 2008, real estate agents were redefining their way of
delivering service. The principle of 80% of the business being done by 20% of
the agents was dispelled when the ratio became closer to 95% of the
transactions to 5% of the agents. The way that 5% dominated the market was
by setting up systems for “processing” the seller’s needs. Software companies
sprouted up to deliver carefully developed sequences that prompted the
agent’s staff to make a call to the homeowners who had hired the team.
Because most of the calls were being made by staff assistants, they were given
scripts of what to say at each stage of the listing process.
This “team” system was rapidly taking over the industry – that is until the fall
of 2008 when everything changed. In our area, we were dealing with the
devastation of Hurricane Ike and did not get the initial news of the financial
crisis. When we got our power back, it seemed that the whole financial world
began crumbling while we were without electricity.
• Home prices began falling.
• Foreclosures increased – particularly in specific areas of the metroplex.
• Fewer buyers were willing to take the risk of buying a home in uncertain
financial times.
• Banks started to crater…and the remaining lending institutions
tightened the underwriting rules.
• Builders went into survival mode and slashed their profits to bare
minimum.
• Resale houses under 5 years old sometimes could not compete with the
new pricing strategy of builders.
• Perfectly good houses stayed on the market longer and eventually had
the listing expire.
• With a diminished supply of prospective buyers, the buyers “had the
power” to make ridiculous offers.

• Appraisal rules change as banks put more pressure on them to protect
the value of their asset.
• Inspectors have become pickier than ever before, so repair negotiations
have become brutal.
THE MARKET HAS CHANGED!!!
But very few agents have changed their methods for serving their clients.
I believe each individual seller needs the focused, personal attention of a top-
notch real estate agent. Without this level of expertise, the house may linger
on the market while the seller is losing thousands of dollars. In a time when
buyers are “few and far between”, it is no time to be “helping someone out”
that is inexperienced, part-time, or struggling to make ends meet.
Sellers are much better off working with a team that has a “Top Producer
Agent” at the helm of a ship. At least with that method, you will have
someone who has the experience to negotiate for you and bring their years of
wisdom to the process (when they are available.)
There are limits to the team approach to serving home sellers. The larger the
team, the farther from the needs of sellers the team leader gets. Often, they
will spend more time managing staff than they do with devising methods for
selling a person’s home.
However…YOU Have a Better Choice
A few seasoned, caring and knowledgeable agents can offer sellers the best of
both worlds. You need personalized attention from an experienced agent.
Now, I won’t try to speak for anyone else, so the rest of this eBook will be in
the first person.
I tried the high-volume, scripted and systemized approach to selling houses
and it simply did not work for me. In the past decade, virtually all of my
listings came from previous clients or their friends / family that they referred
to me. I focused on these cheerleaders and poured my heart and soul into

meeting their needs. The referrals increased and gushing compliments were a
part of my daily business. The confidence my selected clients showed in me is,
and always will be, the most valuable asset to my continued prosperity.
Because of the slower market, I am opening up my services to those that are
not referred directly. In fact, I have a passion to meet the needs of those poor
homeowners who have already worked with other agents without success.
I am certain that houses are languishing on the market simply because agents
refuse to adjust their way of doing business to the realities of what is
happening. For example, social media is a big part of being involved in the
market. Any agent that has not embraced the internet and social media is
getting left behind…and so are the sellers they represent.
The sellers are falling victim to the lack of flexibility of their agents. It is simply
not the Seller’s fault.
Today -it’s not enough to be good. In this wired world, you’ve got to be
INNOVATIVE. I hope that by sharing some of the methods I use to sell homes
in this article, it will help you to accomplish your goals.
1. I cheat.
Every weekday morning, I spring out of bed in the wee hours of the morning,
fix a big double-mug of hot tea, plop down at my desk and begin to fortify
myself for the day ahead of me.
I know that somewhere around 9am the phone will begin ringing, so I spend
the hours between 6-9am surfing the emails and eliminating the 100’s of them
that are simply companies that see real estate agents as an easy “mark” for
whatever whiz-bang product they might be selling. I try to keep an open mind
when I see a new idea, but I have developed a knack for recognizing the
inexperience of “gurus” telling me that they can sell me something that will
make me millions. I get those offers out of my email as quickly as possible so I
can spend my time working with my clients.

I answer the dozen or so transaction related emails that can be knocked out
without making phone calls at this early hour. I print the emails from clients
and prospects and line them up on my desk to respond to them sometime
between 10am-11:30 or so.
With all the information gathered, I start thinking: “What could I do with the
hours between now and 9am that will give me a running head start on my
day?”
The idea here is to anticipate the work as much as I can before the “incoming”
demands begin to control my day. I spend time thinking about the research I
need to do for sellers…the marketing methods that are particularly suited to
their home’s specific property features…the resources that need to be tapped
to get all the questions answered for prospective buyers…the information that
I need to share with my sphere-of-influence so they will never forget how
much I value their referrals.
You see, it is this time early in the morning – before most real estate agents
are out of bed – that offers me the time to truly reflect on how to best serve
my clients.
2. I respond.
One of the hardest things about being a real estate agent is that we do not
have set hours. I get up each morning pretty much unemployed. We do all
our work on “spec”. There is no paycheck from anyone until the goals of my
clients are satisfied - the buyer walks away with the keys to a new home and
the seller walks away with a check.
Because my employer is the homeowner who may be stressing about another
agent showing the house late or a buyer who just found out they cannot buy
as much house as they had hoped – my job can often be the role of a listener,
almost a counselor. It can be stressful…but for me it is not.
Through the years, I have learned that if I keep my professional “cool” during
the process and use my decades of experience to find solutions – it always

turns out making everyone happy in the end. Think of the most seasoned,
sage employee at your company. More than likely he or she is able to weather
the ups and downs of the job demands better than someone who may
“awfulize” the situation because of ignorance. Hardly a week goes by that I
don’t say a little prayer of thanks that I have the years of experience to
support the advice I give my clients. (BTW: other agents often come to me for
advice too. I have to factor in the time it takes to visit with them and help
them find solutions as well.)
3. I strategize.
One of my favorite real estate trainers from the 1980’s, Joan Deal, was famous
for asking probing questions that made us agents think. On one occasion she
asked why transactions failed. Of course she got lots of answers that had to
do with unreasonable buyer expectations, sellers that were not willing to
budge, the market, the weather, etc. After many answers were offered she
proposed the real answer and said, “Most transactions that fail are not
because of the buyer or seller – it is because of the inadequate communication
- agent to agent.”
We all knew she was correct. And that was back in the days when we weren’t
using email…the forms were much simpler…voice mail was rarely used
compared to today. With the new communication methods of today, the
chance of getting our wires crossed during the course of multiple negotiations
in each transaction are infinitely greater.
My training and skill in writing concise and persuasive communication to the
other agent has saved many a deal. There are many ways to say each thing
that needs to be communicated. If your words are combative or dismissive,
you will not get the agent on the other end of the transaction to work with
you. I frame each communication – from the time I put the description of the
property in MLS, until the last repair is negotiated – in a way that attracts
buyers to close on the purchase. My seller clients are delighted with the way I
“save” the transaction by reframing a contentious situation to fit the buyer’s
needs and everyone goes away happy.

My methods are comprehensive and time-intensive. I treat each and every
listing as an individual unique story to tell to the marketplace. Developing a
selling strategy that is totally personalized goes against what most real estate
trainers tell us to do. But I believe that the magic of extreme focus on the
individual house and the individual seller is what creates a successful sale and
delighted clients.
That is why I MUST limit the number of sellers who get my services. I will only
bring two properties on to the market per week. With two sellers to work
with, it is possible to give them my intense attention. It allows me to be
personally involved each step of the way.
If you want to sell your house, invite me over. I will listen to your story. When
we have gotten to know each other, we can determine if I am the right agent
for you. If it is a good match, I will offer to work with you and develop a story
with a happy ending which will be the best offer, that makes you the most
money and in a time frame that meets your needs.
To make sure it is worth your time, I will bring you a free gift with no
obligation. You see, I am a writer and trained life coach. I will give you a copy
of “Top Coaches Share their Extreme Self-Care Strategies” at no cost – simply
because you were gracious enough to invite me into your home. Whether we
decide to work together or not, you will find some wonderful ideas for
marketing your home and also ideas for self-care that will help you deal with
the home selling stress.
What have you got to lose?
The worst that could happen is that we spend some time together and you
make no decisions. You’ve learned some valuable ideas about marketing –
Plus – you have a free book.
Let’s meet!

Kathi Frank, ePro – (936) 441-1314
Email: Kathi@KathiFrank.com
Website: http://www.AskKathi.com
As a community service, I host a weekly radio show featuring leaders from our area, giving
them a venue for sharing their message. It is about your neighbors and friends. It is
designed to connect people in an intelligent and informative way. It is also entertaining.
Visit our website: http://www.TheWoodlandsTalk.com
We air the show each Thursday at noon. You can listen from your computer – join us in the
chat room – or join in the conversation live at (646) 929-0726.
Prudential Gary Greene Realtors, 9000 Forest Crossing, The Woodlands, TX 77381