Important Questions And Answers

Why should we hire you and a not local firm with many agents and listings?

You will have Bill's attention. You hire Bill. You get Bill. You will have his cell phone number and 24/7 access. Bill sells upscale houses in Wellesley. Period.

Bill will not be distracted, giving you excuses as he juggles dozens of listing in different towns. He will not be pressured and pulled away from your listing to manage, motivate and solve the problems of a multitude of office associates and assistants.

You will not have to worry about what is happening with your listing, or too often with other agents, not happening. Through continuing communication, you will have confidence that Bill is working hard on your behalf to achieve the results you deserve; a timely sale at an advantageous price.

Several local national franchise firms promise great exposure for my home, can you say the same?

Today, any fledgling agent can take nice photos, gather comps, create listing specific websites, make pretty flyers and, with fingers crossed, throw a listing up on a myriad of sites across the worldwide web.

However, to achieve a timely sale at the right price, you deserve and should expect that exposure and much more.

When you talk to Bill, read his newsletters and watch his videos, you will understand that selling a luxury home is more than pushing a button or filling in a corporate approved template form.

Marketing a luxury home is hard work.

It is salesmanship.

It is about creating excitement and generating activity. It is mailing and more mailing, it is getting on the phone and making calls and more calls. It is cooperating with other agents and encouraging them to bring their qualified clients to view your home.

From what I've read in your newsletter, you seen to be more focused on marketing to other agents than to finding a buyer yourself. Is this true?

Yes, very perceptive.

Unfortunately, the marketing focus of the majority of agents trying to sell upper tier homes is misdirected.

Most agents are focused on finding the buyer for your home.

This sounds right. However, this is wrong.

Luxury real estate sales statistics clearly show that this strategy is a "spinning the wheels, running in place," misplacement of energies.

In the luxury real estate field, historically, listing agents directly procure only about 10% of buyers. This means that the overwhelming likelihood, 90% or better odds, reveal that the buyer of your home will be come from Bill's effort in locating a cooperating agent with the right motivated buyer. This agent may be in Wellesley. But, could be in Dover, Weston, Newton, Boston, New York or London. Bill will continue to broaden his outreach until an agent with a qualified buyer is found.

This is what Bill FitzPatrick does. This is the hard work of being a luxury real estate agent. It is finding that cooperating agent with the right client.

And, yes, the other 10% of the time, he does neighborhood mailings and open houses. But, the principal effort must be to generate excitement among the wider luxury brokerage community.

Immediately upon choosing Bill as your marketing agent, he will begin to ramp the activity level up and then, keep the momentum building. Bill's marketing strategy creates continuing activity, generating multiple offers and getting your home sold on your terms.

How do you propose to help me get a fair or better price for my Wellesley home?

As a savvy consumer, you may interview several real estate agents and agencies before selecting the right agent to represent your interests.

Carefully listen to these agents.

What do they know that you don't already know? What are they going to do that you aren't prepared to do yourself?

You can do the math. You will be paying for a premium price for a premium service. Make sure there is value in that service. You need and deserve top quality professional representation. You need and deserve someone who is going to work hard after the listing agreement is signed.

Every agent making a presentation is going to be using the same comparable market data to arrive at a reasonable fair market range of values. Through word of mouth regarding area sales, you, in all probability, already have a good handle on what your home is worth. Most owners on Cliff Road know the sale prices for other houses on Cliff Road. It's public record. It's in the Townsman and Globe.

This is research and math. You arrive at a range of values. Then, you can decide to list at the lower range for a quick sale or, if you have time and Bill's representation, you reach for the upper rung of the range.

Bill will provide you with constant feedback from cooperating agents and prospective buyers. You will know exactly where your home stands in relation to the marketplace.

I understand that when selling a multi-million dollar home in Wellesley that the buying pool is small. So, how long should I expect to wait before my home is sold? I have heard that it can take from six months to two years.

Bill's motto is "Diligence is the difference." You should not expect to wait. You should expect full commitment. You should expect activity.

From Day One, you should expect a motivated agent to be working hard to generate lots of activity and lots of showings. This strategy takes hard work. Hard work isn't pretty. You do not need and you do not want an agent whose "work" days primarily revolve around dressing up for the office and then going to lunch with friends.

With a seven-figure investment at stake, you don't need another friend or a celebrity agent who makes a great pitch and then passes you off to subordinates.

You need an experienced, aggressive salesperson. You have relocation plans. Selling your luxury home in Wellesley should not be someone's part-time or interim job.

Your agent must be a hard worker who is constantly preparing direct mail pieces and constantly working the phones. You need an experienced professional who understands the work involved and is committed to putting his nose to the grind stone until mission accomplished.

Bill understands this commitment to hard work. It is diligence. Bill appreciates the confidence you show in him and Bill doesn't intend to let you down.

So, you're saying that you focus on finding other agents to find that one buyer who will buy my house?

That is almost correct.

Yes, Bill will work to find a buyer himself. However, since the percentages clearly show with a high probability that a qualified buyer will be found through agency cooperation, yes, Bill's marketing emphasis will be in reaching and motivating those cooperating agents.

Now, the following is important to carefully consider.

Bill's emphasis will NOT be on finding ONE interested party but SEVERAL interested parties.

Think of what happens at a luxury art auction.

You want to create this same atmosphere and excitement.

You own a luxury home. The buyer of your luxury home will in all likelihood be a smart, successful person who understands negotiations. If they realize that they are the sole bidder, they will play hardball. However, if they know that there are several bidders, they will naturally want to win whether the prize is a distinctive painting or a distinctive home.

You want buyer competition. It is the competitive urge to win that will give you the negotiating edge resulting in the highest price offer under the best terms.

From the moment, the listing agreement is signed, Bill will be thinking about finding not ONE agent with ONE buyer but SEVERAL agents with SEVERAL buyers.

Are you saying that print advertising doesn't work?

Most of the print advertising you see in our local newspaper and glossy magazines is almost completely ineffective. Sadly, the main purpose of these pretty ads is simply to placate an owner whose property has little activity.

Print is not the answer. Today, a strong online listing is important.

Here's another fact: 90% of luxury buyers search online and when Bill puts your home online through MLS and as many as forty other national websites, your home will be available to be seen by 98% of the luxury market.

That's a start.

The work is then to get cooperating buyers and prospective buyers to the listing and, then, to your house.

Still are you saying that showcasing a beautiful home is not the best way to sell it?

Showcasing is important but only one part of a successful marketing program.

Buyers of successful seven-figure homes in Wellesley are, by definition, successful.

They want and are able to afford the best. However, this is important, they insist on VALUE.

Value is a very important word in Bill's marketing. What characteristics justify the asking price?

No one regardless of income or assets wants to overpay. Even in teardown situations, buyers demand value. Bill will work with you to identify the value characteristics that differentiate your home from similar market offerings.

Then, Bill will be sure that all cooperating agents see and clearly understand why your home is a smart financial choice for their clients.

Your buyer will see, must see, your home "as a good deal."

What do you mean to say that you will be loyal to my interests, wouldn't every agent say that?

Bill FitzPatrick represents upper tier home sellers in Wellesley. Period. If you retain his services, he will be loyal to you. Period.

Here is a too common example of dilution of loyalties, technically called dual agency.

You list with an agent. She is a seller's agent. Then, she finds a buyer and, all of a sudden, she wants to act as a seller's agent and a buyers, a dual agent, or in spy terms a double agent.

Why would you want this? Simple answer, you wouldn't want this. You are paying the agent a full commission; you want the agent's full fiduciary trust and loyalty. With Bill, that's exactly what you can expect.

I have a business background and what I feel are good marketing ideas. In the past, I've gotten the feeling that agents aren't interested in my input. What is your policy?

By definition, owners of distinctive homes in Wellesley are successful. Many are very knowledgeable in business matters. Why not take advantage of this expertise?

And, who knows your house better than you?

You won't have to ask. From day one until the closing, Bill will actively solicit your input and cooperation in providing access and displaying your home to its best advantage.

This is not always the case. Many agents are constrained by franchise and corporate rules. Even many principals of firms are leery of playing favorites with their own listings.

This should not be your situation.

Wellesley Real Estate is a small boutique agency. Bill FitzPatrick is the president. You will be dealing directly with Bill.

Now, the big question, why have I never heard of you?

Please read my bio on this website.

For thirty years, I have writing and teaching real estate. Many of my students have been other real estate agents.

During this time, I have been actively investing in real estate and also doing a limited amount of real estate brokerage.

Giving back, I wrote free business and real estate courses for returning members of the military. You are invited to take any of these courses on my motivational website Success.org.

I know and love the town of Wellesley. I grew up on Tanglewood Road near the Upham School. I was in the first graduating class at St. Paul's. I went to Wellesley High School and then on to U Mass, Boston and earned a Master's Degree at Boston College. I live in Wellesley and own investment real estate here.

Now, in my sixties, I have decided to practice what I preach. Being happy is doing what you love doing and I love selling real estate.

I was recently involved as a sales advisor on several multi-million dollar homes on Cape Cod. I enjoyed working on these transactions. Now, I want to provide the same services to the owners of distinctive homes in my hometown.

Working with upper tier properties in Wellesley affords me the opportunity to represent beautiful real estate owned by successful, knowledgeable experienced people.

This is a smart choice for me and I believe that selecting me as your marketing agent will prove to be a smart choice for you.

I would ask for an honest assessment and comparison of my experience and knowledge. When you read my newsletters, do you agree with me?

Here is my pledge.

I pledge to provide my clients with an extra level of personal service. In return for their trust and the opportunity to represent then, they will not doubt that I will be working very hard on their behalf to get their homes sold in a timely fashion at an advantageous prices.

Let's work together.

Please call me at 508-420-1800.