Choosing a Seller's Agent
The first important step in offering your home for sale is choosing an agent - and that can be a tough decision. Most people know someone who sells real estate, or even have a relative that sells real estate. Unfortunately, those people might not be the right person to sell your home.
If the person is your brother or your mother, you don't have much choice. Family relationships have to come first. If the agent is a more distant relative you'll have to weigh the circumstances and decide.
Supposing that you are fortunate enough not to have that sticky situation to contend with, here's how to choose an agent who will serve you best:
First, ask your friends and neighbors who they've used when they offered a home for sale - and if they were happy. You want to know:
- How many showings were there - and did the agent get in touch after each showing?
- Was the agent helpful during negotiations?
- Did the agent help find creative solutions to problems?
- Did the agent take care of details such as arranging for inspections and the appraisal?
- Was the agent willing to let the inspectors and appraiser in, or did they have to take time off work to be there?
- Did the agent examine the closing documents and make sure all was in order well ahead of time?
- Was the agent available to answer questions in a timely manner?
- Did the agent keep them informed of market conditions and let them know if a price adjustment was needed?
You may find that someone had their home listed for sale for 6 months with one agent, then switched agents and sold it in 4 weeks. Guess which agent you don't want to use? (Note: This isn't a fair question if the second agent talked them into a drastic price reduction.)
Get the names of two or three agents other people have used and liked and then call them. Tell them you're getting ready to list your home for sale and ask if they're interested in giving you a market analysis.
Be sure that the agents you choose to interview work in your area. It is almost always a mistake to hire a Realtor to list your home for sale if his or her office is outside of your immediate area. If they have to drive an hour to get there, you can be sure that they won't be there often and they won't bring buyers if they can find suitable homes closer to the office.
Often agents will list a home for sale and then expect realtors in the home's vicinity to sell it for them. That's a poor practice and not in the seller's best interests.
Personalities count!
How you feel about the Realtor, and how they feel about you will have an effect on the outcome of your listing. If your personalities don't mesh, keep looking.
Because this is long-term relationship and involves trust, you need to feel comfortable and at ease with the agent you choose.
In addition, you need to know that the agent likes your home. If their first visit is filled with positive comments, that's a good sign. If it is filled with criticisms, that's a bad sign. They won't be enthused about showing the house and it could sit there for months without one looker.
Internet Presence is a Must
Ten years ago buyers walked into Realtors' offices or looked at print ads to search for a house for sale.
But things have changed. According to a study done by the National Association of REALTORS(R), 77% of buyers now begin their home search on the internet and recent research shows that consumers are now 34 times more likely to find the home they purchase on the internet than in a home book or magazine!
What that means to you is that your Realtor, and your home for sale MUST be easy to find on the internet.
When someone searches for homes for sale in your town, you want your home tour, or at least the agency you're listed with, to show up on the first or second page. If you use the internet, you know that most people don't look much farther than page 3 or 4 and that they have a sometimes misguided idea that the "best" things are found on page 1.
You need to have a comprehensive virtual tour of your home where it is easy to find and see one with multiple pictures and descriptions so that buyers are excited and anxious to view it in person.
Don't settle for a listing that says "Three bedroom, two bath, 1749 sf. home on 10,000 s.f. lot in upscale neighborhood." In today's virtual environment, that simply isn't enough information to get a buyer excited about seeing your house.
So, when you're interviewing agents, be sure to ask about their web presence. Have them give you their Web address so you can go directly to their site and view their home tours. But also do a search of your own and see how quickly they come up. Remember that buyers coming from out of town won't know the names of agencies in your town and will be depending upon the web to guide them.
You don't want to miss being seen by those 77% of all homebuyers who begin their search on the Web! Make sure your agent will post a comprehensive virtual home tour where it will be easily found.
Click here to contact me if you have any questions.
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