I was looking through some of my old newsletters and found a column I wrote more than seven years ago which even more timely today!  I thought I'd recycle it for your reading pleasure!

What's the most important factor in successfully selling a house?  Most people would say "location, location, location" and that is certainly a key element in marketing real estate.  But there is something far more important in getting a home sold successfully and that is the seller's motivation.

If a homeowner is truly motivated to sell his property, he or she will be more likely to follow the Realtor's suggestions for preparing the house for sale.  The result will be a home that is in excellent condition and will be attractive to buyers.

Motivated sellers will also be more likely to price the home properly, instead of testing out a price that's too high and finally lowering it after the first critical months on the market.  Although everyone wants top dollar for their property, serious sellers realize they will achieve their best price if the price the home competitively from the beginning.

All sellers find it inconvenient having to keep their houses spotless for months on end and having to leave while their home is being shown.  But motivated sellers will do their utmost to accommodate showings -- even when it is extremely inconvenient.  they know that the showing they turn down could turn out to be the person who would have fallen in love with and purchased their house!

And, finally, motivated sellers are usually more receptive to negotiating when an offer comes in.  with the help of their Realtor, they will evaluate the offer carefully and make every attempt to respond judiciously.  If the seller takes the position that "I can get more if I just wait for the next buyer to come along," he often finds out the hard way that the first offer was the best offer.

It all boils down to this: sellers who are "testing the market" often have unrealistic goals and are unwilling to market their home effectively.  Those who are motivated to sell are more likely to prepare their home effectively.  Those who are motivated to sell are more likely to prepare their home properly, price it competitively and do what it takes to get it sold!