Watch for 'buying signs'

Flickr photo by striatic.

Editor's note: This is Part 2 of a two-part series. Read Part 1 here.

What's old is new again. Old-fashioned sales skills are not only desirable in today's market -- they're a necessity.

Last week's column examined six basics you need to survive in 2010. Today's column examines five additional sales skills that you need to thrive in any market.

1. Force appraisers to meet you at the property

Ten years ago, it was routine to meet the appraiser at the property. As the listing agent, you made sure the appraiser had all the recent comparable sales plus as much detail as possible about each of the comps. With the advent of the fax machine and e-mail, agents got in the habit of sending their offers and other transaction-related communications electronically.

There was no need to meet the appraiser because he or she could access the property with the key safe or lockbox.

With the recent changes in the appraisal law, many appraisers today are from outside the area. Others lack local knowledge. They have no idea about school districts or the other features that make one location more desirable than another.

As a result, it's now more important than ever to make sure the appraiser has the most current and detailed comparable sales data available.

Thus, when the property sells, remove the key safe if at all possible. Granted, it's a hassle to sit around and wait for an appraiser. It also takes effort to pull as much detail as possible together about the comparable sales.

Nevertheless, that extra hour or two of effort can be the difference between your transactions closing versus having to start the marketing and/or search process all over again. If you're representing the buyer, offer to meet the appraiser if the listing agent is unwilling to do so.

It's much easier to take these steps at the beginning and have the appraisal come in at the sales price rather than having to scramble if the appraisal comes in low.

2. Don't give up on print marketing

The real estate industry as a whole is still spending too much money on print marketing. Nevertheless, a highly targeted, well-designed print marketing campaign can yield great results. For example, you can target people who live in high-end rentals as potential first-time buyers by sending a series of postcards that highlight the benefits of homeownership. ...CONTINUED

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