Released on: November 12, 2007, 12:12 pm

Press Release Author: Jennifer Allan

Industry: Real Estate

Press Release Summary: Industry insider explains why the current state of the market
might be the best thing that could happen to the real estate sales community.

Press Release Body: Las Vegas, NV November 12, 2007 -- It\'s no secret that real
estate agents across the country are struggling for their professional survival. Due
in part to the subprime mortgage meltdown of August 2007, many agents find
themselves with unsellable listings or suddenly-uncredit-worthy buyers (who
qualified easily just a few months ago).

The doom and gloom brigade has wasted no time predicting the downfall of the
residential real estate industry, some even gleefully so. Even within the industry
itself, the more cynical agents are warning of a mass forced exodus of all but the
most aggressive and knowledgeable real estate licensees.
It all sounds pretty grim for the average real estate agent, doesn\'t it?

Not according to one industry insider. Jennifer Allan, real estate broker, author
and consultant, claims that the current \'crisis\' may in fact be an incredible
opportunity for the real estate sales community.
For years, Allan says, \"We real estate agents have bemoaned the fact that we are not
respected as professionals; that the general public doesn\'t value our services much
above those provided by used car salespeople.\"

However, Allan continues, \"We have a golden opportunity to show the home-buying
and-selling public what we\'re made of. And no, not with expensive ad campaigns, but
rather by doing what we were licensed to do - that is - Sell Houses. If we, as an
industry, commit to putting our prospecting efforts on the backburner and focus on
performing for our seller clients, it\'s possible we could turn this mess around. And
in the process, perhaps change the perception of the professional real estate agent
forever.\"

Which of course, raises the question, how does a \'professional real estate agent\'
sell houses in a lousy market?

Allan explains, \"In today\'s market, an MLS listing and a For Sale sign in a yard
isn\'t enough to sell a home. It\'s not even enough to create color home brochures,
hold open houses and demand price reductions at six-week intervals. We need to work
a lot harder than that, and to have the guts to tell our sellers what\'s what.\"

According to Allan, here are the three main items that can mean the difference
between a listing that sits, and a listing that sells:

1. Price is King. Properties must be priced more aggressively than their
competition to even be shown, much result in an offer. It\'s not enough to simply be
\"fairly priced.\"
2. Condition is Queen. A home that evokes a negative or even a neutral first
impression has little chance of selling. It\'s the agent\'s job to make this clear to
the seller and do whatever he or she can to help the seller get the home in
showing-ready condition.
3. Accessibility rounds out the top three. If a listing is hard to show,
regardless of the reason, it will be passed over. The seller needs to understand
that once he\'s on the market, his life is no longer his own. He must be willing to
accept showings on short-notice and to vacate the home during showings. The key to
the front door must work easily in the lock and there can\'t be barking dogs locked
up in the laundry room.

As a gesture of her commitment to the real estate industry, Allan will distribute
her most recent e-book \'70 Ways to Sell Your Listings in Today\'s Sucky Market\' to
the first 7,500 visitors to her booth at this week\'s National Association of
Realtor\'s Expo in Las Vegas for a nominal cost of $1. To learn more about Allan and
her Sell with Soul Philosophy, visit www.sellwithsoul.com.


Web Site: http://www.sellwithsoul.com

Contact Details: CONTACT: Jennifer Allan
464 Doe Run Drive
Newton, AL 36352

Office: 334-984-2478
Mobile: 334-790-7291
http://www.sellwithsoul.com
Jennifer@sellwithsoul.com