Remember landlines and answering machines?  They’ve gone the way of Betamax and the dodo, but lots of listing agents cling to them like life buoys  adrift in a sea of 21^st century technology.

These days, just as many deals are closed on the darker side of 9-5, and “office hours” is now an irrelevant phrase.  The mobile office … open all day and all night. Your listing agent should be like a Denny’s or 7/11 … open 24/7/365… and always with a fresh pot of coffee on.

After all, selling your house is the biggest transaction you’re likely to ever make. You need a listing agent you can rely on. Like a doctor, always on call. And now that these calls come in so many different ways, make sure your listing agent has a website with clear contact info, including email address and mobile phone/pager/Blackberry number.

And … of course … a blog.

Don’t just hire your friend…

Because the real estate market in Jupiter is ready to bust loose. Top down, wind in its hair, bugs in its teeth. Make sure you have a Jupiter listing agent who won’t be asleep at the wheel when the deal’s ready to break.

The U.S. News & World Report offers  “7 Ways to Avoid a Crummy Real Estate Agent.”  Read it, ingest it, follow it … because I couldn’t have said it better myself.

And that’s not because I’m a bad writer … that’s up to you WaveReviews readers to decide … but because I’m focused on being the best Jupiter listing agent I can be.

So call me. Or email me. Or text me. Choose your own gadget. Just don’t try telepathy … I’m not quite there yet.

But I’m working on it … because if telepathy will help me sell your home, I’m willing to give it a shot.  Make sure you choose a Jupiter listing agent who will do the same.

What constitutes “home” is a very personal thing … quite different for everyone. Home might be a place your grandparents lavished you with love …  or where you grew up under your parents’ watchful eyes … or where you first lived as a grown-up. For everyone, the idea of “home” is quite different … and rarely consciously expressed.

You walk into an open house and you can appreciate all the amenities … the coffered ceilings, granite counter-tops, wood floors, huge master suite, double shower. And they attract the rational you. But it’s the sun streaming through the French doors, or the view of a park, or an inherent sense of sophistication that makes it feel “just right.”

Home is either evocative of a place you felt comfortable and loved. Or  representative of how you want to see yourself. You know it when you see it … but you can’t always say why. And it’s that intangible something that makes you say ‘wow.”  It makes you fall in love enough to buy.

A Realtor^® can and should dress up a home, present it in its best light, market its best features. But in most cases it’s more about the Realtor^® taking the time to understand the buyer and match him or her up with the right property than it is about the property itself.

Bottom line … it’s often psychology that makes the sale … not the “sell.”

You can handle Mike and Bob … two true artists at staging a home for sale. 

Now, for those of you who aren’t familiar with the concept, staging a home involves moving furniture, re-hanging pictures, bringing in additional pieces, creating an environment that shows a home for sale to real advantage.

 It’s the kind of magic that makes a buyer fall in love and generates that instant purchase impulse. It can involve changing the energy in a house. Redecorating. Reorienting. And it requires real art, true talent, and very little tact.

That’s where Mike and Bob shine!  They’re so determined to get your house sold, they’ll tell you the unvarnished truth about what needs fixing and why.

That level of honesty and talent is why I’ve made their service an option for all my clients. I know all too well that it’s not enough to be a good Real Estate Broker. I have to go the extra mile, offer that extra service that can make or break a sale. So I do. I use Mike and Bob as part of my team.

Their staging won’t upstage my efforts or your interests. On the contrary… it’s a value-added option that can make all the difference for all of us!

   Before & After

It’s simple common sense. Fix up your home and you’ll make it sell faster. But, you may be asking, where should I invest the money. In this economy, with money tight and buyers savvy, you want to be sure to get the most bang for your buck.

So go for things that create emotional appeal. Things that make a buyer fall in love. Take kitchen appliances, for example. If the fridge is white, the stove is stainless and the dishwasher is old, you want to rethink them. All one color makes a pretty, strong statement. And that’s a smart place to start.

You can always find William hard at work in Valencia. Love that green, Willy!

Yes, this is serious investment spending. But it will likely generate a 50% to 500% return…depending on the paint job, your home, and local real estate market. Given that return, it’s smart to hire a pro for the type of paint job that will color your outcome.

So start by repairing those dings in your walls. Caulk gaps in the trim before you start painting. Choose neutral colors that appeal to more buyers. And make sure you paint all the trim…baseboards, door casings, window frames…with a finish that’s smooth and even. Then redo your front door in a color that draws the eye without screaming… and leads buyers right into your home.