Obtaining high end homes

[Samantha Cutlip]

My team and I when like to start getting more high end homes listed...any tips?

[Karen Margrave]

@Samantha Cutlip  There's no simple answer to that, and it depends on your definition of high end. 

Though I'm a licensed real estate agent, in southern CA there are some REALLY well established offices that work the high end listings, and have their marketing down like a well oiled machine. It's very competitive. 

Though our house was just under 2 million dollars, lower end in comparison to 10 million dollar homes nearby, one day my son and I were sitting in the pick up in front of the house we'd just built. A lady walked up and introduced herself to us, saying she had a listing down the street on the bluffs, listed at 6+ million dollars and had people come in that were in a lower price point. She asked if we were interested in listing. She said she would put up all the money for staging $15,000, all the professional photography, etc. for the listing. We listed it on the spot. 

Why? She was aggressive enough to get out and walk the neighborhood looking for listings, a rarity in coastal Orange County. She was an agent in a very reputable high end office in Newport Beach, and they were good. She even got the house in their Luxury Homes magazine. 

The point, to get higher end listings you have to show the seller that you have value, that you can market their home and know how to do it. Don't go after the highest priced homes in your market if that's not your experience. Learn your market inside and out. KNOW what you get for different price points as far as quality of construction, cabinets, faucets, flooring, appliances, etc. You have to be able to answer any questions being asked on your listing, the neighborhood, etc. Get to be an expert. That's what sellers are looking for. If you're on the starter end now, go for one or two steps above and start there. 

Our house did sell, and set a record in it's neighborhood.