Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-04-17
THE fine ART
Of SELLING REAL ESTATE
Study Clients Wants and Then
Submit Properties, Says
Writer.

Ever since the old Quaker, William
Penn, succeeded in making lease
with the King Of England for the en-
tire state of Pennsylvania at rental
OF twenty-four squirrel skins per an
mum, the opinion seems to have become
imbedded in the minds OF many that
the real estate business Is a Skin
game. But let me most earnestly i'm
press upon you the fact that the real
estate broker, more than any other
professional or semi-professiona man,
must be scrupulously honest, because
upon his honesty and ability to beget
the confidence OF clients depend his
entire success, says J. E. Aleshire In
the Columbus Dispatch.
The time has passed when a real
estate broker must be an expert con-
vincer. The real estate business, like
q great many businesses. has made
rapid strides during the past twenty
years and real estate brokers are now
specialists. Time was when brokers
listed every piece of property that
came in. Today the progressive real
estate broker will list only the prop
critics he knows he can handle in his
brokers. suburban brokers. factory and
mortgage brokers and residence spe-
cialists.
Knows Wants Of People.
The broker is tho man who brings in
the cash. A broker looks at a property
and says: II know a fellow that wants
that" He knows the wants of the peo-
Pile He knows the great word in every
language is 81 want it." He can take
the thing to the man that wants 1t. He
has a peculiar kind of ability. But to
have this great ability a salesman
must add thorough knowledge of
property. The broker must know the
deal he is working from beginning to
end; know the property. Its size. its
assessments. its location. its incum-
brances, It's value as compared with
other properties in the same block and
with similar buildings in the immedi
ate vicinity. He must study the history
of the property and it's enhancement or
depreciation in value. In word he
cannot know too much about any plot
of ground he Is trying to sell. buy or
nature as well as a close observer of
the times
Studies Clients Wants.
The shrewd broker is he who studies
the wants Of his clients and submits
properties that he knows should attract
them. A great many real estate buyers
have what one would call real estate tenn
permanent. They have intuittve confidence
in brick and mortar or vacant land and
prefer 1t to all other forms Of invest
ment The man who buys central prop
erty or old property run down, must
have this temperament in a marked de-
gree.
Wise investors employ real estate brok-
ers who bring results. Expert brokers
should be employed as advisers and
counselors as well as negotiators. The
real estate broker receives pay from the
owner whose property he rents or sells.
He should therefore represent the prop
erty owner as faithfully as a lawyer does
his client. The same courtesy should
be shown the broker by the owner.
thorough inspection should be made
by the broker. an honest price agreed
and an exclusive listing made. then get
busy.
The fine art. then. Of selling real estate
is in learning the art Of display. In teach
ing the public the proper values Of what
we are selling. Land itself is not neces-
sarily saleabie; the broker sells location.
The question is, where is the property,
what is its location.
1t Is our high responsibility to take a
man. to take family. and find the right
place. where the family ought to be.
You have to think Of 1t from the family
point of view. You have to think, will
they be satisfied. will the investment
property bring the results they expected.
We must remember that our friends are
the public and we can rise to the height
we desire only when we advertise the
truth and sell the property and location
they should have. When we do this we
shall become the homo vendors and the
home builders Of al the earth