PLC not TLC

Actually, let’s make that PLCC. What does that stand for? Well, we're about to find out. You have
all heard of TLC, right? Not the goddesses of the R&B group, but the acronym for tender loving
care. This blog post is all about the tender loving care your agent needs to list your home the
right way. The real estate version of TLC is PLC, and I am adding an additional C to make it
PLCC. What does it take to list your home? Price, Location, Condition, Circumstance. These
components and your agent's experience and expertise create the perfect formula for listing a
home that sells instead of sits.

P stands for price. This is a huge one because this is where the emotion lies. Selling is an
emotional process. I don’t mean crying, but there are a lot of feelings and beliefs about how your
own home should be presented. I get it. You might have brought your baby from the hospital to
this home. If I look at a wall, there might be tick marks representing height increases. Your four
legged best friend might be buried in the yard. This makes your perceived investment greater
than someone looking, who isn’t going to share those same experiences, and that is hard to
swallow. Price doesn’t have an emotion, however. Price is based off of square footage, of course,
but what folks fail to understand is that it is also based off of the remaining 3 letters of this
acronym. The location, condition, and your own circumstances are what is going to
determine the listing price of your home, NOT just the other homes in the neighborhood, although
they do play their part. Price is what you emotionally tie yourself to when you want to make a
certain amount of profit. Price is what you see when you peruse for your quote on a very
popular home site. But again, price is a formula, not a feeling.

L stands for location. Location is absolutely going to determine your price. The same house
with the same floor plan and the same finishes can and does fetch a very different price in
another part of town, for better or for worse. You know the saying, location, location, location. It’s
real, and it still rings true. There are many aspects that can determine a desirable location: crime
rates, school ratings, taxes, proximity to jobs, and amenities. However, this is an ever-changing
criteria for folks. What could be a desirable location for a family of 5 may not be a desirable
location for a newlywed couple, or a desirable location for a retired individual may not be the
same as an individual just starting their time in the workforce. Location can also include
proximity to new builds while you are trying to sell your pre-existing home in the SAME price
range. Are you willing to give the same amount of incentives as the builder? How old is your
home, and what's its condition in comparison to the new builds going up? Condition is the next
letter, but this dilemma is very real right now for pre-existing home sellers. Your location to all the
aforementioned criteria matters, but so does your location to the residential growth in your area,
and it will absolutely affect the listing price of your home.

The first C stands for condition. What is the current condition of your home? Truly... How old
are the major 4? Your roof, HVAC, water heater, and structure (honorable mention- septic tank)?
If you have a crawl space, what does it look like under there? How old are your windows (this is
a big one)? Did you DIY a bunch of projects, and life got in the way of their completion? What
kind of floors do you have? Has anything been upgraded in your home? Changing filters,
replacing HVACs, and painting does not add value to your home. Does it help with sellability?
For sure, but the condition of your home will set you apart from everyone else. I have seen a fresh
coat of neutral, heavy on the neutral, paint change the presentation of an entire home. At
the end of the day, is your home clean, kept up with, and updated in the necessary areas?
GREAT! You will have minimal work on the front end, and we can price your home accordingly.
Want to present without any preparation or care? It will also be priced accordingly.

The last C stands for circumstance. This factor is playing a huge role in the amount of price
reductions we are seeing across the country, but more specifically in and around the Fort Bragg
area. Many folks who are selling purchased during a time when they basically offered on
everything and almost had to give blood samples to get into a home. That is not the case these
days. Buyers have cooled off. The market has leveled out and is continuing to do so. Homes are
sitting on the market more than 2 hours before going under contract to the tune of 30, 60, 90
days depending on the PLC. This is not the market where you need to PCS (move) in two
months and need to sell in one. That is not realistic. Your circumstances will dictate how
aggressive we need to be in pricing your home. Your preparation will determine your
circumstances. Your agent will help with PROPER preparation. You see how this cycle goes?
Please do not think we can list your house for top dollar if you HAVE to sell in a month. I never
want my clients to have to lower due to desperation. So let's get out in front of that.

When agents say it’s never too early to talk to an agent, they are lying. These are the reasons
why. PLCC is the driving force behind what sells and what sits. I see homes every day that sit
that may only need some landscaping and fresh paint. If they don’t want to do that, then let's
lower the price. I always say, I’m not a listing agent. I’m a selling agent. I don’t just list houses
for the sake of sitting; I want you to sell your home. So let's chat! Let me help you get PLCC
prepared so you never have to enter the zone of desperation. That is the Smith Standard.
I hope this helps, but for now I must:

Sashay away,
Allisha