Paula Henry

This is the top of the main-content

How Long is Your Contract?

September 29th, 2007 categories: Indianapolis Real Estate News, Indy Home Sellers

Sign contractThis is a question I am routinely asked by those interested in selling their home. Many are fearful of getting into a contract  with no option for release in a market where six to twelve month contracts are the norm.

When I sign up to try a new innovation or marketing program for Realtors, I ask how long the contract is and what are my options if I am not satisfied.

It is a reasonable question.

When it comes to listing contracts, I take a different point of view. Clients who list their home with me, sign for four months. You see, I want my clients to feel comfortable they have made the right choice in the Realtor they have chosen to represent them. Then……I set out to prove they have made the right choice! After four months, I want them to extend our contract. By offering a shorter contract, I believe it benefits both parties.

If we have not sold the property in four months, we each have a choice about whether or not to continue our partnership and the contract. Sometimes, it is I who chooses not to. I have had clients who do not take my advice, those who make it impossible to show the home or who do not keep the home in showing condition. When the client works against my best marketing efforts, it is no longer a viable partnership.

Many homes do sell within four months when they are properly prepared and priced for the market. When they don’t, my client and I have options. I want my clients to choose me again! I work hard to ensure they do! 

Tags: ,

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 29th, 2007 at 9:18 pm and is filed under Indianapolis Real Estate News, Indy Home Sellers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

  1. Indy Real Estate Talk » Blog Archive » A Contract is a Contract….or Not said at October 30th, 2007 at 5:41 am

    [...] We looked at all the comparable properties, time on market and they knew when we signed the contract, it was not going to be easy or fast. We signed a four month contract…….I only sign four month contracts! [...]

  2. Ashley Gephardt said at October 31st, 2007 at 12:13 pm

    Paula - 4 months seems like a good time frame. Sometimes 6 months really is just too long and 3 months can almost be too short. This is like Goldilocks “Just right”. - Ashley

Leave a Reply