Naples Florida Real Estate: You Won't Know If You Don't Go!

How many buyers and sellers have asked us if we've seen a particular property?  It happens all the time, right?  As it stands right now, there are 10,717 active residential listings in the Naples real estate market.  It's acceptable to not preview each and every one...right? 

Actually, I don't think it is acceptable to buyer's and seller's anymore.  I used to be able to squeek by and chirp  what I could read about in MLS but it has become quite apparent to me that if you don't know more than your prospective customer or at least as much then the question of credibility becomes considerably more apparent and with content more available to our consumers the gap of what we know and what they know is shrinking. 

What does this mean?  I think the days of being able to say we're experts in entire towns or in some cases whole regions are going away.  How many people do you know hire an attorney with below average intelligence?  Why would people hire an agent with a lack of knowledge about their market?  The difference?  We are much more exposed than attorneys are and we're becoming more transparent everyday. 

I facilitated a panel of experts last year at our board of REALTORS.  A topic from one of our local superstars was, "know your neighborhood".  This coming from one of the best agents in Naples knows literally every square inch of Port Royal. Not only that, she knows who lives in each house, who used to live in each house, who's related to who and many more tidbits of information you could not possibly find out without doing the type of reconnaissance she's done herself the last however many years she's been in business.  You can't get it on the net; you can't get it in MLS.  You have to get deep down and sometimes sweaty and dirty (if you live in Naples) to get the information you need to be considered an "expert" in today's markets.

So what's my point?  Many of you have been saying that your markets are slow.  Take the time now to become the "EXPERT" in your market.  Go to the broker's opens, go to the open houses, make appointments to preview listings you haven't seen.  It's hard to do that sometimes because some agents don't want to let you in.  Don't give up!  Get in there and get what should be rightfully yours, the knowledge to provide an exceptional service to your buyers and sellers. 

I've been previewing properties in Pelican Bay everyday this week and casually throughout the summer.  My goal...to see it all so when someone says, "hey, do you know about that"?  I can say, "yep, whatcha want to know"?  I have officially 120 days til our busy "season" the game is ON!

One more thing, don't be afraid to refer business to someone who knows a neighborhood better than you.  I know the whole check is much more appealing but if you mess it up, you get nothing and that's not nearly as exciting as a referral check.