SECRETES TO SELLING YOUR PROPERTIES

Selling a house in Kenya in a low Real Estate market can be difficult. In times like these, its not enough to simply list your home and wait, you actually have to sell your property. It just take a positive attitude and different kind of game plan. There are number of strategies available to increase the likelihood of a sale.

Know the Kenyan market

Undervaluing or overpricing your property can cost you greatly. One of the most important things you can do to get your house sold

is to learn the Kenyan market,

the value of your property for the price they want, without regard to what other homes have sold for and are currently selling for.

Price your home/house right

With Kenyan homes sales slowing and prices still high, there is little doubt that a quick sell the market today is going to be tricky. Price your home/house conservatively by looking at the similar houses currently on the market. Also look at the homes that are not selling. Chances are those owners priced their homes too high. If you really want to stimulate a sale, you should under price your property by just a little to create foot traffic and create interest.

Make your home presentable

Keep your house looking good at all times, repair things that are broken, and replace things that are rundown. Add fresh coat of paint(neutral colors preferred), freshen up landscaping, trim trees, clean up clutter and remove personal items, so that prospective buyers can picture themselves in the home rather than seeing you there.

Market your home your home aggressively

In addition to using the multiple listings, advertise in local papers and be sure to include beautiful photos. Each photo should showcase something interesting and unique about the Kenyan home on offer.

Be flexible with showings

It only takes one Buyer to get your home sold. Don't make your Real Estate Agent feel as though their request for showing is an inconvenience.

Play up your home's best features

If you have fireplaces, make sure you have fires burning so that there is a beautiful warm glow and the sound of crackling. If you have a gourmet cook style kitchen, have some great-smelling treats baking in the oven. Turn on soothing music. Set all lights and lamps if the home looks dark or feels heavy. Lighting is crucial.

A low price may be incentive enough for some buyers, but others might be holding out for something more. This is where creativity can really take over. Perhaps you can throw in a 4-day paid in Mombasa. There are ton of incentives that speak to the heart of the buyer so be creative and see which one speaks to yours.

The first offer rule

If you get an offer within the first few weeks, the tendency is for sellers to try and hold out for a better offer. This is generally a mistake. The biggest fish usually bite first, so keep in mind that your first offer will often be your best.

Lastly, Keep a positive attitude.

PAY YOUR BROKER WELL

PAY YOUR BROKERS WELL. The power of a good advice. I often see people
posting a sign infront of their house that says, ''FOR SALE BY OWNER,
NO AGENTS''
I tend to believe the opposite tack.i believe in paying professionals
well. There are expensive lawyers,accountants,doctors,

real estate
brokers,and stockbrokers.

We live in the Information Age. Information is priceless. A good
broker should provide you with information as well as take time to
educate you.
What you pay a broker is tiny in comparison with what kind of money
you can make because of the information they provide.

A broker is your eyes and ears to the market. They're there everyday
so you do not have to be,you can play golf or your favourite game.
Also, people who sell their house on their own must not value their
time much. Why would you want to save a few bucks when you could use
the time to make more money or spend it with those you love? What i
find funny is that so many poor and  middle class people insist on
tipping restaurant waiter 15 to 20% even for bad service and complain
paying a broker 3 to 10%. They enjoy tipping people in the expense
column and stiffing people in the asset column. That is not
financially intelligent.

Find a broker who has your best interests at heart. Many brokers will
spend the time educating you,and they could be the best asset you
find. Just be fair,and most of them will be fair to you. If all you
can think about is cutting their commissions, then why should they
want to be around you? It's just simple logic.

NB - From; Rich Dad Poor Dad,by Robert T. Kiyosaki.

ARE YOU AWARE OF TRICKSTER AGENTS?

Con man or conman. Yes. This word or phrase gets habitually mentioned all the time. It is the short for confidence man- one who is dishonest, makes his or her living by earning your trust. Additionally, he or she takes your money and leaves you in the dust.

Every Kenyan has the hunger to purchase or rent Kenyan property due to the current economic situation, but one needs to watch out. The Kenya Real Estate industry has evolved and gone far to the extent that buying or renting Kenyan property or Kenyan land is a tricky experience to go through. Agents taking advantage of the country's current economic situation by duping people, pretend to have Kenyan property or Kenyan land for sale or rent. A hospital, for example, could have people fall prey to one of the trickster agents.

The agent, who has even a temporary office in the Central Business District, appears genuine as he advertises himself well to the person, or say customer, looking for Kenyan property.

The customer seeing a Kenyan property selling like hot cake pays an amount in cash to view it. The agent tells the satisfied customer to meet the next day at say 2 p.m. to come for the keys to the house. A different number calls the customer at 2 p.m., saying she is the wife to the agent and her husband is in the hospital.

The customer and wife, say agent-wife, finally meet outside the hospital, but she says she has the wrong keys by accident as she asks for the viewing fee. Let me just rush back in to the hospital to ask my husband for the right ones, says agent-wife. The clock has ticked to even more than an hour past waiting for the right keys but neither agent-wife nor husband, or agent to refer to, are anywhere to be seen. The customer heads back to the agents office but it has been locked. On trying to call both cell phone numbers, they have been switched off. The customer then heads back to the hospital and decides to report the matter to one of the guards in charge.

We hear these complaints all the time only that you customers realize it too late when you have just been coned, says the guard in charge. If you had not realized by now, the trickster agent can even start collecting deposit from you, the guard adds.

Trickster agents normally charge a viewing fee before customers have any access to the Kenyan propertyand end up collecting up to Sh20,000 in one day. They therefore constantly change their mobile phone contacts, which is easy. Landline numbers are not any safer, but most of the numbers turn out to be Telkom Kenya call boxes.

In short think twice before you part with cash especially when the deal is too good.

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HOW TO DEAL WITH BROKERS

"Broker" is another word for "Salesperson". In the world of money, there are brokers for stocks, bonds, real estate,mortgages, insurance,

businesses etc.

As you know, there are good brokers and bad brokers, simply put, good brokers make you richer and bad brokers make excuses.

Why have a novice try to understand the value of a great piece of art? Chose your broker as you would a surgeon - which to say judiciously. Stay on top of things, and make sure you and your broker are honest with each other at each step in the process. A good broker will listen and respond to your concerns. If a broker takes days to returns your calls or runs late to meetings, borrow Donald Trump's line and simply say " you're fired!" There are countless brokers who deserve your business. You are the customer after all.

The best brokers know that whatever is good for you will be good for them. They make money only when you finally make a transaction, so the smart ones won't waste time trying to sell or rent something just for the sake of commission.

The best brokers are psychologists, or at least they are incredibly insightful. Its their job to figure out what is best for you,but in order for you to help them figure what is best for you, you have to be up-front and honest with them. Don't be embarrassed about telling them that you cant afford something or that you don't like a particular space.

Finally,never ever follow the advice of any broker who is pushy, that should be an indication for you to be wary. I know some terrific brokers who are low-key, sincere, and genuinely interested in your well-being.

Thank you and best regards.

Ben Onyango.