Choose the right wording for your ad to market your property

75. What should I say?

Word your ad so that it answers the questions that buyers would want to know: location, the fact that you're selling it yourself (no brokers or agents please), brief description of house, a starting reasonable price.

Mention that you'll take the best reasonable offer, and put your area code and telephone number. These are the only points that buyers are initially interested in. Other details like amenities and extras and true value can be discussed face to face or during a follow-up telephone call.

76. This is EXACTLY how I want it

Bill Effros recommends that your ad should be positioned as follows: location, upper top left and BY OWNER right hand side top.

• Type of house (condo, duplex, cottage, etc) on the next line.

• Brief description of major feature on the following line.

• Then your starting price, e.g. R150,000 or best reasonable offer on the next line, to be followed by inspection times (e.g. Sat-Sun 10-5).

• Last line on low bottom left, the words: HIGHEST BIDDER, and your telephone number beside it.

Note: your ad is meant to give you as many callers as possible. Details about the property can be provided to them on the phone if they request them.

And to play safe, email or fax the copy of the ad exactly as you want it to appear in the paper. You could be dealing with an ad taker who is taking ads for the first time and may not understand what flush left or flush left mean.

77. Screen calls.

If you're a busy person with a full time job, you may want to filter your calls. Before you call the paper to have your ad put, make sure you set yourself up with an answering machine or an answering service.

You don't want to be called in the middle of the night or at meal times to answer questions about your house and be forced to make a visit appointment. With an answering machine, you decide who you want to call back. You will also be able to tell who the serious buyers are versus the frivolous ones. People who leave their names and numbers and are brief in their message make a good impression.

You want to avoid receiving callers who talk incessantly or ask questions the answers of which are already in the ad. Be wary of people who also try to negotiate the price down over the phone without even asking to see the property.

This should raise your antennas to the fact that one, they probably cant afford the price to begin with, or second, they cant get their bank to finance that amount.

78. Add Or best reasonable offer

A famous real estate writer says that its not so much the description of the property that will get you a sufficient number of callers; it is the stated price on your ad.

If it is within their price range, they will call. If not, they'll go on to the next ad. So make sure you don't omit this detail but add, or best reasonable offer.