How do you choose your listing agent?
Everyone knows a realtor, especially in a smaller city.
Some may know numerous salespeople — a friend of a friend, someone they knew from high school or maybe it’s their wife’s co-worker’s husband.
Many people hire a realtor because they know her, or someone they know, knows them.
I would caution you to do more research, and take more care in your decision because it is one of the most important you will make. Your home is likely your largest asset. Don’t entrust its sale with just anyone.
When selling your home, most sellers want three things:
- to sell their home for the most money
- in the least amount of time
- with the least amount of hassle.
When hiring a real-estate professional to market your home, there are also three important things to consider when making this choice.
Exposure: A realtor’s marketing plan is extremely important, as this will determine how many eyes see your home. The first sign of a good marketing plan is one that has a balance of print and online marketing, with a reach that goes outside the local area.
The more people viewing your home online, the more showings you will get, and generally the more offers (assuming other factors are in order such as price, etc.).
Negotiation expertise: When you get an offer on your home, it’s important to have the best negotiator on your side. Dealing with offers can be a stressful time, especially if you are involved with a multiple offer situation. You need cool heads to prevail.
The best way to know if a realtor is a great negotiator is to ask him for his personal statistics that provide proof of how close his listings sell to his list price.
Local knowledge: Knowledge of listings that have sold in your area is imperative to setting the right list price, as well as knowledge of how to adjust your list price based on the current rising market. A price too high and your home will sit on the market for too long, usually netting less money in your pocket at the end of the day.
A detailed market evaluation to determine your list price is important.
Analyzing the above factors when choosing a listing agent will help you make the best decision and ultimately net you more money in your pocket when your sale completes.
Take the time to do your homework and ensure you treat the decision like any other business decision – not a personal one.
This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.