Part II: Help is here! Selling your home in a down market…

Challenges in life can be our best teachers!
by Marie Dwyer-Bullock, Lake Chapala Mexico
www.focusonmexico.com

Continuing from Part I of this blog - Below are excerpts from emails between myself and a Focus on Mexico client who has given permission to publish these in an effort to help other people overcome difficulties in selling their home.

Visualization is a very powerful tool and not one to be underestimated.


First email from Marie to client V…
Hi V...
I was speaking with Kristina and she said she'd received an email from you and you were a little concerned about your house not selling there and the current market climate. I asked her to forward your email so I could share something with you.

Often I receive emails from our clients saying they are having difficulty now selling their home back home. More Americans than Canadians to be sure, but still some from both. It is amazing how affected we can become from market news about the economy.

When you feel you 'know' that the economy is tough, that sales aren't happening in your area and that your home is 'unlikely' to sell or if it does, the purchaser who wants to buy your home likely has a house to sell and that holds up the show; then this cannot help become the reality. No wonder you are feeling confused over why things are not working out.

When you're thinking you'll have to resort to taking a job to keep the house here and that gives you stomach aches just thinking about it; well that is telling you pretty loud and clear that you don't want that reality. You're gut is the feeling you put out there. It should always be singing what you want, not what you don't want. Remember, you get what you focus on. First important point.

However, there can be another reality. I share this only with those clients that I feel I'm close enough to and that I think will consider what I am going to say may have some validity . In addition to that, I like you very much and see you living here in Ajijic, Lake Chapala, sooner than later. This is not only possible, but I know how and I want to share it with you.

When I lived in Fort McMurray and owned my Real Estate Company, my time in real estate was during the bust. There was a boom before my time and after. But while I was active, I dealt with the Oil Plant Alsands that was approved and then cancelled by the government and later interest rates of 22%, just to name a couple of things. So I had to learn to create my own markets.

Because I felt a great commitment to my clients to get their home sold, and since I had bought the company and couldn't bail, I had to find a way to sell properties so I learned to be very creative. Actually total attention to detail would be more appropriate. I just kept digging till I found the right formula that would sell that house.

And what I discovered during this process is there is always a buyer for that house. Certainly we need to stage the house and price it correctly; these are two very important factors.

What worked very successful as far as pricing was to have the home appraised and then price it slightly BELOW appraised value. Then we could advertise "This home is priced below appraised value." Then I would advise showing agents that because this home was already priced below the market, there wasn't much room for negotiating. It would be obvious to clients looking at a number of homes together, that this one was the best value.

But the # 1 MOST important factor is both I (their Realtor) and my Vendors MUST also believe the house will sell. (So often now I hear clients telling me their Realtor has assured them the market is tough and they should be patient. That's when you also need to sell your Realtor on why your home will sell.)

Then I would have them write out all the things they liked and loved about their home and why they chose it in the first place. I was determined to find the ESP (Essential Selling Proposition) for each property. I believe that houses, like people, have personalities and matching people to homes became my specialty.

• Why did they buy it?
• What have they enjoyed about their home?
• How did their house/home compare to other similar homes in the neighborhood or area?
• What special features and benefits did their home have?
• Then I would ask them "Who did they think would make the ideal buyer for their home right now?"
• Then I'd work with them and we'd create the Profile of that buyer.
• It would be pretty easy to first determine if that buyer might be a first time buyer or someone upgrading.
• Whether their home would be a family home, a retreat or a home for entertaining.
• We'd exhaust all the possibilities of who might buy their home. Then I'd write that up as the Profile of the BUYER(S) for their new home.
• We’d write out all the reasons these buyers would really enjoy this home as their own.
• We'd write that these buyers would be in a financial position to buy their home and close it on their terms.
• Then we would not only EXPECT it to happen but be proactive in the process. I would advise them to envision the buyers coming to see their home and falling in love with it at once and see them living there as their new home. Then I'd have the owners envision themselves in their next home and imagine the packing and moving process. Going to the closing, getting the money, moving on. Thoughts manifest realities.

Armed with all the information above I would walk through the home and yard taking pictures and making notes along the way. Then I would create a Home Book to tell the story of that home. Included in the Home Book were comparable listings, an appraisal, a letter from the existing owner and a myriad of other information. This became the silent salesman assistant when other agents were showing the home and had questions. Also for open houses, in was an invaluable tool. There is a lot more to selling a home then a sign on the lawn, an ad in the paper and an open house.

This Home Book can live on the website of the Agent who has the listing. It would also be in the listing office and obviously a copy in the Home along with colored Feature Sheets to take away, each with a location map on the back. Both the Home Book and the Feature Sheet could be emailed to interested clients and other agents and friends/neighbors of the owner that could be invited to send this info out to anyone they thought might be interested and they could help choose their own neighbors.

Second Most Important Point: I am a 1000% believer that what we put out, we get back. Whatever we ask of the Universe, it gives us. When we tell the Universe we'd love our home to sell but the market is bad and nothing is selling, so we really don't think it will sell; the Universe agrees - it probably won't sell.

But if instead we write out the Profile of the buyer and the process above, and choose our closing date and really get ourselves in a good feeling place about this, you will be amazed at the results.

Then to really add some power to the formula, write out when you are moving to Chapala, detail your new life. Write the places you will visit, what changes you will make to your new home, the people you know and will invite over to your housewarming party (yes thank you, we'd be happy to come. just let us know the date and we'll be there. What would you like us to bring?) And the new people you will meet - write some phrases in Spanish and get someone to help translate so the Universe doesn't misunderstand. Actually SEE YOURSELF living here. (It is all your belief system. Let's change it to get what you really really want. Let's move you to Mexico and get on with your new life.)

Feel what it would be like. Sit down in a chair and get comfortable. Put very quiet music in the distance. Make sure you are in a very good feeling place before you do this. Find a way to bring yourself up to that feeling good place before you begin. It works better this way. Then just relive in your mind and heart but also the gut (that place where things feel good), all the visions you had from the above exercise. Just tell the Universe what you would like. Then simply and joyously expect it to arrive and get excited about the process. Then just get out of your own way and be ready to allow it to come to you. It will. It can do nothing else. The Law of the Universe (The Law of Attraction) is much like the Law of Gravity. It works every single time, no matter what. Just make sure what you are envisioning is what you want, not what you don't want. Either way, you will get it.

Through this process, you will find yourself here in Lake Chapala. And one more thing, from the moment you do this, start talking the talk about moving here and the house selling. Fake it till you make it, as they say. Your words will help you believe and pave the way for what you want.

Let me give you a personal experience.
"A few months ago I said to Ray I'd like a 'new vehicle'. We haven't had a new vehicle for 20 years. I don't know why all of a sudden this was important, but it was. He said financially we'd better wait at least a year, re revenue, income, taxes and all those rational ideas. I actually agreed with him as it was certainly logical in light of what he told me. Well a little while later I got to thinking about that new vehicle again and at first told myself to stop that and put it on hold for a year. Then I said to self: You know what; I'd like a new vehicle. There is surely a way. So I went online and found a picture of what I might want, after doing a little research. Ray and I had already talked earlier about what we might buy later since I really don't know a lot about cars. Anyway I picked a picture of a vehicle I liked in the right color and I printed it off. I put it in my Creation Box (kind of like a Vision Board). I knew that might not be quite enough so I sat in my chair and closed my eyes and here was my vision:

• I got into my new vehicle and got comfortable in the seat. I closed the door and leaned back and put my hands on the wheel. Then I wrapped my fingers around the wheel and took a deep breath. I smelled the leather and how clean and new it smelled and felt. Then I took the key and put it in the ignition and turned the key. It purred. Then I put it in reverse and backed it out and took it for a little ride. OK, that put me in the right feeling place so I was done. The rest of the work was up to the Universe. I had put the picture in my Creation Box and now I had added the feeling of having it so my job was done. I didn't mention this to Ray.
  
• Less than two months later Ray mentions one evening that he had been working on the taxes and found a way for us to get the new vehicle now. I just smiled!
  
• When we went to GDL to buy it the salesman asked didn't I want to take it for a test drive? I told him, No I already had. Once we picked it up and I drove it, of course it was the same feel and smell I had experienced. How could it not be?"

V…, I wish I could figure out how to say this in a lot less words but it is a very important matter and I certainly wanted to give it 100% of my attention to help you. You belong here. You even went to Baja and did good work before you came. You spent time here before the program. You felt at home. This is your new life. Get yourself on down here girlfriend and let's get this new life going. Time's a wastin'

By the way, the rainy season here isn't all rain and mud. It is truly the most magical time of the year and for those of us who live here full time, it is our favorite time of the year. You have till end of September to enjoy it with us. We'll invite you over for one of the lightening storms over the lake which are magnificent, as are the sunsets.

One last thing (if you are still reading this), if you haven't already, pick yourself up a copy of the book "The Secret". It is an easy read and very inspiring. The other wonderful book by Jerry and Esther Hicks is called "Ask and it is Given" - all about the Law of Attraction. Armed with these two little beauties, everything will become crystal clear. Sometimes when we really want something, we have 'ONLY' to decide once and for all - "I'm just doing it... because"

See you soon on the Lakeside...
warmest regards and hugs
Marie

Read Part III of this Blog and get the Happy Ending that is about to manifest!