Let’s Do The Twist

"So rather than risk alienating you and losing the listing to a
competitor, most brokers will tell you what they think you
want to hear, rather than what your home is really worth.

"After a broker has secured the listing, he'll work hard on it
for months, gradually getting you to lower your price further
and further until finally the home is sold."

The Bullet:

A dirty little secret
many real estate brokers hope you never find out!

What it
says in the book:

"If your
interior designer has used your home to make a personal
artistic statement, that's great while you're living there but
don't expect it to translate well when you're trying to sell.
Rather than overdecorating or overrenovating, try to create a
neutral canvas onto which a potential buyer can project his
tastes."

The Bullet:

Why adding improvements to your
home can lower its value!

What it
says in the book:

"Make closets look larger by removing items that can be stored
elsewhere. Arrange the remaining items in a neat, organized fashion.
Brighten dark, dull closet mwalls with a coat of paint."

The Bullet:

Something crucial
(and unusual) you must do to every closet in your house before
you show it to a would-be buyer!

What it
says in the book:

"If you want to be extra aggressive, one thing you can do is to offer
brokers a higher commission. Better yet, offer a cash bonus to
the salesperson making the deal. (This tactic works best for
lower-priced properties.)

"You may find the idea of giving the broker extra money
distasteful, even outrageous. But look at it this way: while
the couple of extra thousand dollars you're parting with is a
minute portion of the selling price, it's a huge portion of
the salesperson's fee. Since it takes just as much work
to sell an inexpensive property as it does an expensive one,
why not give the salesperson a reason to work as hard to sell
your property as he would one that was a higher price?
Besides, if he's a good negotiator he'll be squeezing that
extra couple of thousand out of the buyer (or more accurately, the
buyer's bank!) anyway."