TENNESSEE 2-8-21

TENNESSEE EDITION

By the Numbers:

Understanding the True Value of Square Footage

Are You A VALUE-ADDED AGENT?

A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO

CONVERTING INTERNET LEADS TO REAL LIFE SALES COVER STORY FEATURED AGENT

TOD SOUTHWORTH

KAY CALDWELL

TENNESSEE EDITION

TOD SOUTHWORTH When Tod Southworth’s career as a9builder was on the rocks due to the downturn in 2008, he made a fateful decision to join his wife in the real estate business. He took the leap and it paid off in spades, as Tod has built an impressive twelve-year career as a Realtor® in Nashville. He has expanded on the tried-and-true foundation of experience, communication, and care, and he shows no sign of slowing down.

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to have on their side again a

Tod is a true family man. H them every day, but he like and fishing with them in time, too. Vision Realty P is the company he owns w Broker Verlyn Steward, is g day. Tod hopes to see that for the foreseeable future. T his career prosper as well a KAY CALDWELL TOD SOUTHWORTH and he aims to be the best leader and Tod comes from a multi-generational real estate family. be for them and for the Nashville comm His mother was a Realtor, his wife is a Realtor, and his Don’t hesitate to contact Tod Southwo children are involved as real estate as well. Because of this, along with his experience in building, he is inti- real estate service in the Nashville area mately familiar with everythingCONTENTS that real estate has to offer. Tod has an incredible amount of well-rounded with the industry, useHOW that TO OVERCOME 4) experience A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDEand he likes to 15) to teach INTERNET his kids and other people how to TOexperience CONVERTING YOUR WORKPLACE FEARS be Realtors.

“Part of my business is teaching people LEADS TO REAL LIFE SALES how to conduct real estate. When I train new17) agents,

BY ITHE NUMBERS: tell them that the magic bullet for real estate is being UNDERSTANDING THE TRUE 6) aARE hard YOU worker.AYou have to go the extra mile, where VALUE OF SQUARE FOOTAGE VALUE-ADDED AGENT? other people wouldn’t, to succeed.” Tod goes above and beyond for his family and his community, andTHINKING his 22) OF LISTING? work ethic combined with his wealth of experience NINE WAYS TO GET READY has blessed him with the ability to succeed, and to pass the key to that success down to others.

Phone 310-734-1440 | FaxTod 310-734-1440 Like any good Realtor, is a people person first and mag@topagentmagazine.com www.topagentmagazine.com foremost. “I like to work with| people,” Tod says. “Us

Realtors are may all be after the same – to make No portion of this issue reproduced in anything, manner really whatsoever without prior consent of the publisher. Top Agent Magazine is published

by Feature Publications GA, Inc. Although precautions are taken to ensure the accuracy of published people happy and get deals done.”

Serving his clients materials, Top Agent Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors. is Tod’s firstaddress, priority. goes into every transaction To subscribe or change send He inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com. with theU.S. mindset that his first responsibility is to help Published in the

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his client with whatever they might need. He communicates with his clients thoroughly, and makes himself available to them around the clock. “When people call, we call them back. We make time for people,” Tod

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A Step-by-Step Guide to

Converting Internet Leads to Real Life Sales In the era of apps, instantaneous social platforms, and text messaging, it’s little surprise that the modern homebuyer begins his or her search for real estate representation online.

Even if you’ve got a top-notch website or an influential social media presence, how do you connect with web surfers who have yet to commit to the services you offer? Take a look below to learn a few key techniques to bridge the gap between digital interest and real-world sales.

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RESPONSIVENESS IS KEY Like it or not, our digital culture relishes immediacy and instant gratification. With that in mind, be sure to stay on top of online interest forms, e-mails, or newsletter signups. Don’t let an online lead go to waste by taking too long to engage and follow-up.

Things move fast, and it’s easy for potential clientele to forget which websites they’ve visited. Even if your lead isn’t ready to commit then and there, you demonstrate your

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Mastering the fundamentals of digital communication is the first step to converting digital interest into concrete business. accessibility and attentiveness by following up swiftly—a characteristic anyone would seek in an agent or lender.

ENGAGE WITH OPEN-ENDED CONVERSATION When online back-and-forth goes stale, communication drops off quickly. If you’re following up via e-mail, social media, or text, be sure to keep topics focused squarely on the potential client. Ask open-ended questions to give your lead the opportunity to loosen up and engage on a personal level. There’s no better way to cement a digital lead than to take a pointed interest in the specifics of their situation. Doing so transforms the impersonal invisibility of the internet into a true connection.

GIVE ADDED VALUE Plenty of businesses send impersonal, automated messages in response to an online inquiry, but establishing a true connection may mean providing your lead with something of value. Perhaps you’re forwarding a property for sale that fits the interests of your lead, or a relevant article, or maybe you take the time to send a personal message—demonstrable value and a personal touch separate your follow-up response from spam. Other ideas to consider when Top Agent Magazine

adding value to your follow-up technique: incorporate area promotions and access to local events, make a date for coffee, or offer a brief consultation free of charge to make the first move.

DON’T STOP MAKING CONTACT If you don’t connect with your internet lead right off the bat—don’t be discouraged. It often takes multiple tries before a follow-up interaction sticks. Folks are busy and frequently flooded with e-mail blasts and junk mail. A lead may not engage without a little prodding that shows you’re committed to their business. Remember: it’s the squeaky wheel that gets the grease.

Digital leads don’t have to be difficult to capture. The internet plays a powerful role in funneling modern clientele your way, but in order to take full advantage of the web’s reach, you’ll need to tailor your follow-up technique. Mastering the fundamentals of digital communication is the first step to converting digital interest into concrete business. Keep these tips top-of-mind as you build your online presence and mine the vast world wide web for an endless wealth of clientele. Earning a command of digital lead conversion is the surest way to bolster your business in the ever-evolving digital era.

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Are You a Value-Added Agent?

I’ll bet if I asked ten real estate agents, all ten would answer ‘yes’ to that question. Yet, when I ask agents how they are value-added, they say things like: • I communicate regularly with my clients.

• I have a written listing presentation.

• I am honest.

• I am trustworthy.

Are these ‘value-added’ attributes? Or, does the client expect these attributes and services?

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Are these exceptional services or average services? I’m writing this article at the beginning of a New Year. It’s a perfect time to re-assess your professionalism and master being that ‘value-added’ agent.

Client Expectations are Higher than Ever Unfortunately, too many real estate agents assume they are ‘value-added’ because they are providing the services they want to provide— Top Agent Magazine

the services they think the client values. However, there’s a real client out there, and the client has different expectations. How do I know that? Because so few agents regularly survey their clients. In fact, when I’m speaking to an audience, I survey them, and find that less than 25 percent gather after-sale surveys! So, the majority of agents don’t know if the services they are providing are average or exceptional.

Why Bother Being Exceptional?

• Because you want to set yourself apart.

• You want to create client loyalty.

• You want to create at least 50 percent of your business from client referrals (the latest National Association of Realtors survey Profile of Members found that the average Realtor got only 18 percent of their business from referrals. That’s a hard and expensive way to run a real estate business!

• Because you want to run a more pleasant, profitable business.

Four Actions Value-Added Agents Take How can you identify value-added agents? By their actions. Here are four actions I believe show agents that are above just ‘average’. The principle here is:

Watch the actions, not the words.

If I were a manager, or a seller or a buyer, and I wanted to find a value-added agent, here’s what I would look for: Top Agent Magazine

1. Has a database and populates it This agent is committed long-term to his clients and to his business. He uses a contact management program (CRM) to manage ‘leads’, so none are lost — and clients do not feel neglected. After all, it takes much longer today to convert a ‘lead’ to a sale than it used to take.

Actively using and maintaining a CRM means the agent is committed to forming long-term professional relationships over time.

Other demonstrable actions concerning the agent’s CRM are: • Has a rapid-response method to deal with Internet inquiries and other inquiries via email. (The average client expects a response within eight hours—but a recent survey showed the average agent responded in 50 hours!).

• Has a method to follow up on all leads until they ‘buy or die’. As a client, that means I won’t get lost. As a seller, it means my agent will follow up with all leads and give it 100 percent to sell my home.

2. Invests in the technology and follow-up pros have This agent makes every decision based on their vision of their career at least three to five years in the future. For example, instead of selling someone a house anywhere just to get a sale, my value-added agent sells only in an area they define as their ‘target area’. That way, they’ll get known, and can build on their reputation.

The value-added agent has the ‘guts’ to turn down business! Because they care more about the well-being of the client than getting one grimy commission check, they learn to 7

‘tell the truth attractively’, and work harder to retain the client than to make one commission.

Adding those Client Benefits to your Dialogue

3. Works for referrals, not just sales I said the agent learns to ‘tell the truth attractively’, even if the buyer or seller may not want to hear it. For example, if it’s in the best interests of the seller to list their home at a lower price, the value-added agent has the strategies and the statistics to prove that the seller won’t be well served by pricing higher.

Of course, it’s not enough to actually take these actions. You need to explain to the client why these actions are in their best interests, and how you stand apart from most agents by employing them. Why? Because your client won’t know you run your business so professionally.

And, the client probably doesn’t know most agents don’t run their businesses this way!

And, this value-added agent has the intestinal fortitude to walk away if they know the home will not sell at the client’s desired price (but doesn’t have to too many times because they create a stellar reputation amongst their clientele).

TIP: Always show your clients, don’t just tell them. You do have a Professional Portfolio and evidence on your website, don’t you?

4. Keeps the buyers and sellers’ best interests in mind Our value-added agent makes every decision to grow trust, not just to make a fast buck. For example, the agent sits down with a prospective couple and finds out they can’t purchase right away and creates a plan with them to save for their down payment. Then, the agent keeps in touch over a period of months, offering helpful information and market updates.

Put Yourself to the Test

How many of these actions P. S. Managers and team leaders—two tips do you exhibit?

What do you want to work on to become a true 1. Call each of your agents’‘value-added’ phone mails.

What’s the impre agent?

Are they professional? Do they state the company n TIP: represent your culture and image?

Managers, give your agents a 2. Create a quick class in phone messaging using the ‘test’ on these four points.

In other words, this agent practices seller or buyHow many pass? this blog. er agency representation, not ‘agent agency’!

Copyright ©, 2016 Carla Cros

Carla Cross,CRB, CRB, MA, is theoffounder andSeminars, president Carla Cross & Carla Cross, MA, President Carla Cross Inc.,ofand Carla real management and sales.

Herspecializing internationally s Crossestate Coaching, is an international speaker in realbest-selling estate management and Running business planning for all professionals. agents, Up and in 30 Days, is real nowestate going into its 5thHer edition sevenexperience internationallyas published books, including Up and Running in 30 Days , vast a top-selling agent and award-winning manage and 20 agent and management programs have helped thousands of real sales podium, blending her musical background with her proven estate professionals to the greater productivity and teaches profitability.someone Reach Carla strategies (she uses piano AND even to at play—f 425-392-6914 or www.carlacross.com. and practical).

Find out more at www.carlacross.com.

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KAY CALDWELL Top Agent Magazine

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Top Agent Kay Caldwell resides in Winchester, Tennessee with her husband Roger—she sells property throughout Middle Tennessee, particularly around the Tims Ford Lake area.

Prior to 2006, if you had told Kay Caldwell that she would one day be selling real estate, she would have laughed. “I just never saw myself as a salesperson,” she explains. But when a builder remarked to her that she had 10 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

the right personality for the job—and even offered to provide her first listing—she thought to herself, Why not? To her surprise, she found she had a knack for the work, and has been doing it ever since.

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Kay attributes her success to a couple of qualities that come natural to her. The first is her tenacity. “I just work hard. My husband tells me I’m like a dog with a bone. I spend that time to make sure my clients get exactly what they want, and I won’t let go until the deal is done.”

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And that second quality? “I love meeting people. That’s so fun! Every person you encounter is unique.” It didn’t take long for Kay to realize how much her clients responded to her enthusiasm, and that selling the home was actually secondary. “Be honest, tell the truth. That’s the key: sell yourself by earning 11 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

The Caldwells market Kay’s listings using social media platforms, home magazines out of Nashville, and through both their personal and company websites, but much of her business comes from repeat clients and referrals, a tribute to the trust she has earned from her clients.

people’s trust, and then everything else is just a process.”

Kay resides in Winchester, Tennessee with her husband Roger, who is also a licensed realtor, and who handles most of the paperwork. “He loves the paperwork, and I hate it,” Kay laughs.

“I guess that makes us a pretty good match.” Kay sells property all over Middle Tennessee, particularly around the Tims Ford Lake area. Her normal volume is around 65 transactions a year. In 2020 she still managed to close sixty, despite the complications Covid brought. Many of her closings are lake homes, but she also represents a lot of first-time homebuyers. Buyers, she confesses, are her favorite clients because “they are so excited to buy a home.” But when people are ready to Copyright Top Agent Magazine 12

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sell, she takes pleasure in helping them move on to their next goal in life.

The Caldwells market Kay’s listings using social media platforms, home magazines out of Nashville, and through both their personal and company websites, but much of her business Top Agent Magazine

comes from repeat clients and referrals, a tribute to the trust she has earned from her clients.

“That’s my basic business model. Be good to people, and they’ll be good to you.”

When not working, Kay and Roger are active in their church. They also love to take their Copyright Top Agent Magazine 13

boat out on Tims Ford Lake, spend time with their children (three daughters and a son), and play with their six amazing grandchildren.

Kay likes restoring old furniture, “just taking a crappy old piece and bringing it back to life.” She smiles, and then adds, “The grandkids are our biggest hobby, though.”

Although she’s reached an age when many people begin to think about retiring, Kay isn’t ready to hang it up just yet. “As long as you enjoy what you are doing and God gives you good health, it’s hard to slow down, isn’t it?

My attitude is that I want to make 2021 my best year.”

Kay wants to help you make 2021 your best year if you are looking to buy or sell a home. You can call her at 931-434-0516, or her husband Roger at 931-205-3329.

You can email her at bkrcaldwell@yahoo.com.

Please check out her website at billiekaycaldwell.com for listings. www.

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How To Overcome Your Workplace Fears Fear is something that can help protect us from danger, but it is also something that can be a hindrance to us in our lives, especially when it keeps us from potentially thriving and growing as a person. This is especially true in the workplace. Here’ a look at some proven ways to overcome common workplace fears.

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ASSESS THE FEELINGS BEHIND THE FEAR

Really owning the emotions that are putting you in a place of fear, is the first step. By just naming it and then talking it out in your head, what exactly you’re feeling and why, it can help deflate the fear. Think of it as releasing some of the fear into the ether. Yes, you’ll still be nervous about your presentation, but a lot of what was holding you back is gone. You’ll feel lighter, and hopefully have just enough butterflies to make your soar.

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TALK ABOUT YOUR FEARS WITH A TRUSTED CO-WORKER

Nothing can make you feel more isolated than going down the path of “This is something that only happens to me.” Trust me, it doesn’t, and you might be surprised to find out that some people have had it even worse. Talking to someone you trust and admire, hearing their own fear horror stories and how they overcame them, will help normalize what you’re feeling. Releasing yourself from the idea that it’s something about you, will be an enormous relief.

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THINK OF THE WORST CASE SCENARIO

Although it might seem counter-productive, truly assessing what the worse outcome of the situation you’re afraid of serves two purposes. It might lead you to realize the worst case scenario isn’t that bad Top Agent Magazine

after all. Of course it could also lead you to a really uncomfortable thought, you could lose your job. As bad as that is, it also gives you an opportunity to start focusing on what really matters, and how you might grow from the experience and possibly end up better off. Countless people in their dream jobs now, were once fired and thought it was the end of the world.

Hopefully, that won’t happen to you, but learning to have confidence in your abilities to always find a way, will be a great tool in overcoming fears.

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COMPARTMENTALIZE

If you’re a super-organized type, you might try actually setting aside time in your day to focus on your fears. It might seem odd, but it will let you NOT focus on your fears during the other hours of your day. Think of it as a task, you aren’t just sitting there worrying, you’re taking in your fears and figuring out ways to overcome them.

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START THINKING OF YOUR FEARS AS OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH

Start thinking of fears as challenges. As scary as it might seem to face them, for the most part they are things that can be fixed. A lot of fear is based on inexperience which leads to a lack of confidence.

A common fear is workplace evaluations. Instead of looking at it as hearing everything that is wrong about you, think of it as an opportunity to see where you can improve. Going into it with a positive attitude rather than a defensive posture, will make the whole thing better for both parties.

Overcoming fears is oftentimes about a simple attitude adjustment. Like anything it takes practice, but the results of that practice will lead to a life that you’re able to thrive in both personally and professionally.

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By the Numbers:

Understanding the True Value of Square Footage Measuring the square footage of a property may seem like an objective and straightforward task, but you’d be surprised at how many agents and homebuyers misunderstand this pivotal figure.

True square footage provides homebuyers a concrete understanding of their prospective domain, but here’s the problem: the rules to determine a home’s square footage are not always uniform across the board. What’s more, much of Top Agent Magazine

a home’s value is determined by its size, so accuracy is certainly important. While many real estate agents have their own systems for determining or confirming a home’s true square footage, it doesn’t hurt to update your practices and become an expert on the subject. After all, you may learn a few techniques that could add value to a listing, or better prepare you in guiding house-hunters on the lookout.

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1. Do your due diligence Most towns and cities have a local records department where floorplans and blueprints are kept on file. It’s worth noting that these records don’t typically include any subsequent additions or remodels on a property, but they still give archive hunters a legal baseline when outlining a property’s square footage. Oftentimes, a straightforward online search of a city or county’s records office can pull the information necessary, or else agents can poke around in person to uncover informative blueprints at the records office. Either way, access to original blueprints or floorplans is a great tool for determining livable square footage. As a bonus,

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original blueprints and floorplans—especially in historic properties—can be intriguing visual aids for prospective buyers, as well.

2. Know the rules While there aren’t universal standards when it comes to measuring square footage, there are general guidelines that can help determine square footage in an authentic way. Per the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), here are the official recommendations for measuring a home’s real square footage: n

Called “below grade spaces,” basements and sunrooms beyond a home’s typical

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living quarters do not count toward a home’s true square footage. According to ANSI, even big draws like finished basements don’t count toward a property’s Gross Living Area. Of course, even below grade spaces have their own desirable value and should be outlined as such on listings. n

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Did you know the space inside closets and on stairways counts toward a home’s square footage? Even if these areas are relatively small, they still add to a property’s calculable square footage.

When recording square footage, ANSI actually suggests performing measurements from a property’s exterior—though this method does not account for the

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thickness of exterior walls, which could skew square footage numbers. n

Just like below grade spaces, a garage, a pool house, or even a guest house should not be included in a property’s Gross Living Area. The rationale at work here is this: if you must go outside to access additional living areas, then they are beyond the square footage scope of the primary dwelling and should not be included in a home’s Gross Living Area.

3. Double-check by doing the dirty work Buyers and sellers have or will make a sizable investment in a property, so isn’t it fair to double-check all the relevant facts and figures

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when it comes to true square footage? If you want to take on the endeavor yourself, here are a few helpful steps to take. n

First, you’ll need a few things to get started, including a tape measure that can measure at least 100 ft., graph paper, and a pencil.

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Next, choose a room to start measuring wall-by-wall. Measure Wall 1, then proceed to assign each square on the gridded paper a corresponding measurement, rounding to the nearest tenth of a foot for the sake of clarity.

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From there, draw out the wall you measured and measure the remaining walls in the

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room. Once you’ve completed the room’s measurements, multiply the room’s length and width to determine its square footage. n

As you go measure throughout the home, using your own system to scale, you will construct a failsafe floorplan.

Mastering your craft is everything, and the real estate industry is no different. Every now and again, it’s worthwhile to update your well of information, take matters into your own hands, and continue to innovate with the industry. While square footage may not seem like the juiciest starting off point for such a venture, never forget: mastery of technical knowledge is a sure sign of expertise.

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TOD SOUTHWORTH When Tod Southworth’s career as a builder was on the rocks due to the downturn in 2008, he made a fateful decision to join his wife in the real estate business. He took the leap and it paid off in spades, as Tod has built an impressive twelve-year career as a Realtor® in Nashville. He has expanded on the tried-and-true foundation of experience, communication, and care, and he shows no sign of slowing down.

Tod comes from a multi-generational real estate family.

His mother was a Realtor, his wife is a Realtor, and his children are involved as real estate as well. Because of this, along with his experience in building, he is intimately familiar with everything that real estate has to offer. Tod has an incredible amount of well-rounded experience with the industry, and he likes to use that experience to teach his kids and other people how to be Realtors. “Part of my business is teaching people how to conduct real estate. When I train new agents, I tell them that the magic bullet for real estate is being a hard worker. You have to go the extra mile, where other people wouldn’t, to succeed.” Tod goes above and beyond for his family and his community, and his work ethic combined with his wealth of experience has blessed him with the ability to succeed, and to pass the key to that success down to others.

Like any good Realtor, Tod is a people person first and foremost. “I like to work with people,” Tod says. “Us Realtors are all after the same thing, really – to make people happy and get deals done.” Serving his clients is Tod’s first priority. He goes into every transaction with the mindset that his first responsibility is to help his client with whatever they might need. He communicates with his clients thoroughly, and makes himself available to them around the clock. “When people call, we call them back. We make time for people,” Tod says. This is a winning strategy, considering the fact that most of Tod’s business comes from repeat clients and referrals. Tod’s availability and willingness to take on a variety of tasks makes him an agent people want Top Agent Magazine

to have on their side again and again.

Tod is a true family man. He works with them every day, but he likes to go boating and fishing with them in his relaxation time, too. Vision Realty Partners, which is the company he owns with his partner Broker Verlyn Steward, is growing day by day. Tod hopes to see that trend continue for the foreseeable future. Tod wants to see his career prosper as well as his family’s, and he aims to be the best leader and trainer he can be for them and for the Nashville community at large.

Don’t hesitate to contact Tod Southworth for quality real estate service in the Nashville area!

For more information about Tod Southworth, call 615-547-6996, email tennrealtor1@gmail.com or visit visionrealtypartners.net 21 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

Thinking of Listing?

Nine Ways to Get Ready The less time a home spends on the market, the more likely it is to sell at or above list price. That’s why our Top Agents recommend getting a property ready for marketing well before listing. Anyone who is even just starting to think about listing will benefit from some basic upkeep and pre-staging work. Even if you decide now is not the time to list, you’ll enjoy these simple improvements around the home.

With the right local resources, most pre-listing preparations take less than a week and will make the formal staging process simpler for all involved.

Ask Top Agents in your area for referrals of local pros to hire. Once you’ve selected your Top Agent, keep yourself open to his or her opinion on other TLC to help decrease your home’s market time.

1. Inspection: The last thing a seller or buyer wants is a surprise at

inspection. That’s why a complete inspection before listing is so valuable.

Many necessary fixes, such as minor roof or appliance repairs, can be discovered and repaired in less than a week. If inspection uncovers a major issue, any Top Agent will tell you that this knowledge is power; disclosing and expecting to take responsibility will increase buyers’ trust without affecting market time.

2. De-Clutter: Take a little time to pack away surplus furniture items and

extra knick-knacks, papers, books or occasional-use items throughout your house. Remember this may require boxing away video game supplies or packing up comfy throw pillows and blankets. Move these items temporarily into closets, the garage or attic with the assumption of possibly renting a storage unit just before listing.

3. Paint: Whole-house painting is likely not necessary, but consider touching

up baseboard moldings and doorways and open wall spaces in high-use areas 22

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such as bathrooms, the office, family room and indoor recreation spaces.

Also consider a little varnish on the front door or banister.

4. Artwork and Decor: Take a neutral look at your décor. Better yet, ask a

Top Agent to do so. Buyers should be able to picture themselves living in your home. While your Top Agent may not advise you to appear generic, you’ll likely need to thin out any shrine-like displays to family, hobbies or cultural interests.

5. Deep-Clean Housekeeping: After you’ve de-cluttered and touched up

the paint, request a deep cleaning from your housekeeping service and weekly cleanings thereafter. Make sure they pay attention to details like dusting or vacuuming window treatments and lampshades or wiping smudges off door jams and baseboard moldings.

6. Carpets and Rugs: Bring in the pros, but don’t just clean the carpets.

Because the cleaners will be moving furniture anyway, ask them stretch and tighten any buckled areas of carpeting. Doing so now saves the trouble of having to credit your buyer for this following final walk-through. Also consider removing small area rugs to let the beauty of your hardwood floors shine.

7. Look at the Loo: Buyers may not notice a brand-new toilet seat, but they

will turn up their noses at the one with the broken hinges. Freshly replaced toilet seats, faucets or doorknobs in heavily trafficked bathrooms can go a long way in first impressions.

8. “Mow & Blow”: Consider buyers as guests you want to feel welcome

as they ascend the front walk. If you don’t already have one, hire a weekly gardening service to keep up with the mowing, weeding, pruning and basic maintenance outside so you can focus on other things.

9. Staging: Once you’ve selected a staging professional for the finishing

touches, ask them and your Top Agent for final recommendations on day-today upkeep, storage options and what-to-do (or what not to do) while your house is on the market.

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