Your Guide to DeLand Real Estate & Volusia County Properties

THE MICHAEL HALPIN SYSTEM

EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE!

SELLING YOUR HOME IN VOLUSIA COUNTY, EASTERN LAKE COUNTY OR NORTHERN SEMINOLE COUNTY?

Don't sign with ANY real estate agent until you read this page!

THE BEST EXPOSURE THROUGH SUPERIOR MARKETING!

VIRTUAL TOURS-Every listing must have a virtual tour and you get one complimentary when you hire Michael Halpin. Many agents allow the property’s value or the agreed-to-commission to affect their decision about using a virtual tour because virtual tours can get expensive. Michael knows why virtual tours are necessary, not optional.

25 PHOTOGRAPHS MINIMUM-Michael Halpin averages 70-100 photos of each property he advertises, because he wants to be sure to have every angle covered. GOOD PHOTOS are essential!  Michael also knows how to use all those photos to gain a superior marketing advantage. Thoroughness is an important quality to consider when interviewing an agent.

ENHANCED LISTING PACKAGE-Michael pays extra for top exposure on the world’s largest real estate web portal, REALTOR.COM. This benefit is not available with average agents because again, it is expensive to maintain the additional exposure for extended lengths of time for multiple customers. Michael gladly includes the enhanced listing package because he understands how valuable it is to properly expose your property to every potential buyer.

PERSONAL PROFESSIONAL WEBSITE-VolusiaPropertyShowcase.com is found on the first page and in the top 20 of search results pertaining to DeLand and Volusia County.  This website is constantly growing and is loaded with information to help buyers and sellers make better decisions.  Buyers do frequently contact Michael Halpin directly from this professional website.  This exposure helps Michael provide optimal exposure for his selling customers.  Better exposure means faster sales!

HOMES & LAND MAGAZINE-All of Michael's listing customers benefit from the powerful exposure Homes & Land Magazine provides.  This company has a tremendous circulation in print media and an amazing presence online.  Often, a Homes & Land link is found in the very top ranking when searching any area for real estate.  That brings traffic to HomesandLand.com where all of Michael's listings appear.  Superior exposure without any additional cost to you.  Temporarily suspended.

OPEN HOUSES-Although the power of the internet has diminished the effectiveness of open houses, we still hold them.  It is another proven marketing tool many agents have discontinued due to poor turnouts.  There is, however, a strategy to be used and timing to be considered when planning and holding a home open.  Michael Halpin has taken open houses to the next level.

30 DAY MARKETING PLAN

JUST LISTED MAILOUTS-One of the best sources for buyer referrals when a home is listed is the neighbors.  Postcards go out right away to alert the neighborhood about the home for sale.  Again, this is not a sometimes.  This is an all the time procedure!

ONLINE PROMOTION BEGINS-Once listed, online promotion can begin.  We post the listing on the MLS of course, but that is just the beginning.  The listing we post on Michael's professional website, VolusiaPropertyShowcase.com, gets distributed directly to more than twenty other real estate web portals.  Those portals combined reach hundreds of other online locations, giving your home the best possible online exposure.

Today, buyers are using the internet to search for homes over-and-above any listings they saw through a local agent.  Agents do not control what properties the buyers see.  We make sure every buyer can easily find your listed property even if their agent didn'y tell them about it.  Maximum exposure means maximum profits.

PROMOTION AT THE OFFICE SALES MEETING-Michael announces every new listing at our company sales meeting every week and highlights the main features of the property.  We are the largest company in the area, and with about 100 agents from Daytona to Orlando, we may be working with a buyer right now just waiting for your home to come on the market.  There is strength in numbers.

OFFICE PREVIEW OF NEW LISTINGS-This tradition has lasted for generations, but some companies do not offer this added benefit.  Our firm encourages all of our agents to attend our preview of new properties, where we tour all the new listings for that week on Tuesdays.  This may expose your home to the agent working with your future buyer, and we will get direct feedback from other agents in our office regarding price and condition of your home.

PRINT MEDIA PROMOTION BEGINS-We advertise in a wide variety of print publications to give your property good local exposure and to generate calls on the properties we have listed.  As the largest company in the area, we have our own magazine printed and inserted into the Real Estate Marketplace, which is one of the most influential real estate magazines in our area.

OTHER BROKERS OPEN HOUSE LUNCHEON-We make every attempt to expose your property to as many local agents as possible.  Like our preview of new listings, it is easier to remember a home once you have seen it.  Periodically, we hold a luncheon open house just for other brokers and agents to allow them to see the home first-hand.  We provide the food and door prizes to make the trip worthwhile.

OPEN HOUSE-We will try to hold the home open at least once in the first thirty days.  This is one of the best ways to gain interest locally in the neighborhood.

MAKE ADJUSTMENTS IF NECESSARY-At the end of the first 30-40 days, we should have an offer on the property.  If no offers are forthcoming and we have had few or no showings, we will need to review the main factors affecting the sale of your home and set a new strategy.

LISTING AGREEMENT BASICS!

SELLER SERVICES GUARANTEE-Coldwell Banker has been providing customers a "No-Risk" Guarantee for over 100 years.  This simple document explains all the services we provide and allows for cancellation of the agreement if we don't live up to our promises.  Said another way, if we don't do what we say we will, you can fire us!  Most agents will lock you into a long contract with no way out.  If they fail to perform, they are taking money out of your pocket (especially in a declining market).  Make sure you have written proof of the promises they are making to you.

MICHAEL HALPIN GUARANTEE-Above and beyond the Coldwell Banker Promise, Michael Halpin offers something even better and more personal.  If you decide you want to remove the home from the market, simply provide Michael with written or electronic notice and he will withdraw the listing.  Providing superior service in a troubling market takes excellence in promotion, but also compassion for personal problems and situations.  Michael does not want to keep you locked into an agreement if your situation changes.  We are here to prove to you that professionalism is back and it doesn't cost any more than the other guys.

PAY ABSOLUTELY NOTHING UNTIL CLOSING-There are some companies out there that make their money up front.  Not a bad business model, but it doesn't motivate those people to work hard for you, and there is generally no guarantee on performance.  Michael Halpin will never ask you to pay for anything up front.  We don't get paid until your home sells.

BROKER COMPENSATION AND COOPERATION-We can show you how our services really don't cost you anything compared with other do-it-yourself methods, but on closing day, you will still see that brokerage fee paid out in cold hard cash.  While the fee is negotiable, it is important to hire a professional that is worth the commission they are asking for and you are agreeing to.  Also, we offer a full-even split for any cooperating brokers who might have a buyer for your home. 

RETAINED DEPOSITS-On line 86 of the approved FAR Listing Agreement, some agents will write some number in there besides zero.  If you accept an offer to purchase from a buyer who subsequently defaults on his end of the contract, you may be entitled to the buyer's escrow deposit.  No matter how much the escrow deposit was, we will never ask you to give any of it to us.  That is your money, pre-agreeed  liquidated damages, for you taking your home off the market for that buyer.  We don't get paid until we sell your home.

CANCELLATION FEES-The Coldwell Banker and Michael Halpin Guarantees provide a no-risk policy that costs you nothing until we sell your home.  If you have to withdraw the listing and take it off the market, we charge you nothing.  Nothing.

MICHAEL HALPIN VS. OTHER AGENTS!

EXPERT USE OF TECHNOLOGY-Hire an e-Pro.  The e-pro designation in itself demonstrates intrinsically that the agent is striving to better themselves and remain the most knowledgeable in their field.  Other designations take years to acquire, but they are not necessarily tied to character.  The world is changing, constantly keeping up with technological advances.  Don't hire someone who can't keep up.

MICHAEL HALPIN GUARANTEE-Why would Michael Halpin offer this unusual freedom to his customers?  Michael knows that once you hire the best, you understand what real value is and don't feel bad about your decision.  "I promise to provide you absolutely the best service you have ever had in marketing and selling a home."

NO TRANSACTION FEES-You may not see it on the listing agreement, but some brokerages try to nibble you down with unnecessary "transaction fees."  There are no surprise fees with Michael Halpin and Coldwell Banker.  We pay fees on the money we receive at closing, but we don't pass those on to you.

OFFICIAL RECOGNITION-Most recently, Michael was featured in Florida Realtor Magazine.  He is a Hewlett Packard Real Estate Technology Award winner.  He has taught classes in his company and helps other Realtors to grow and improve.  He was awarded the Rookie-of-the-Year award in his first year and is a multi-million dollar producer!