A chat with one of Australia's most respected agents, Cherie Humel of Clarke & Humel
You might have caught this webinar that we put together with our friend Tom Panos and leading northern beaches sales agent Cherie Humel of Clarke & Humel. If you missed it, don’t worry! We thought we’d put together a handy recap so you can catch up on some of Cherie’s insightful advice for standout listing presentations.
If you’ve got an empty slot in your calendar, you can watch the complete interview here. Otherwise, keep reading for Cherie’s answers to a few of our top questions.
A glimpse of the webinar
What do you take to a listing presentation?
Cherie says: “The listing process is really a two-stage thing for me. First, I go in with a more question-based market appraisal, which is followed by the actual listing presentation.”
It’s important to think of these two steps separately. The appraisal is a short meeting where you can get to know the property as well as gain an understanding of why the vendor is selling. It’s also a good idea to give yourself some time to actually think about the home’s worth – it’s an emotional sale so you don’t want to give a price based on excitement in the moment.
How do you build trust?
Cherie says: “I actually use my background as an architect a lot. Most agents will highlight the home’s best attributes but I’ll go a step further and research things like what can be built on the property, or what’s happening in the street.”
Basically, it’s all about building a genuine connection with the vendor. There’s no point trying to engage with them about something you’re not familiar with. If you present yourself authentically – in Cherie’s case by talking about architectural ideas she’s familiar with – you can build credibility and trust.
How do you talk about price?
Cherie says: “It’s all about gathering information. At the appraisal I’ll ask if they have a ballpark figure in mind or if they’ve seen similar homes for sale; and before the listing presentation I’ll be very methodical with researching comparable sales.”
Sometimes it also pays to have the tough conversation. If a vendor wants a lot more than the actual value of their home, you can honestly say that it might be worth waiting a while to sell. When you’re managing vendors’ expectations, the price they have in mind will also depend on their motivation – you don’t just need to know what they want, but why they want it.
How can you stay top-of-mind after the presentation?
Cherie says: “I always ask their permission to stay in touch and most of the time I do get a yes. For the follow-up call I’ll see if they have more questions, and I might give them some extra information or insights.”
Without being one of those agents who calls every other day, a follow-up call is a great way to let the vendor know you’re there for them and that you’re proactive. If you’re providing more value for them with a quick phone call, you’re likely to stand out from other agents.
Any last words of wisdom?
Cherie says: “Be authentic and be professional. Our best agents are always working exceptionally hard, doing their research before each presentation, and building their property knowledge.”
Don't stop here
Don’t forget, you can watch the full webinar here if you haven’t already. There’s plenty more valuable insight on offer from some of the industry’s brightest minds.
To watch more of our previous webinars, click here.
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