Helpful tips and information on choosing a real estate agent to sell your home
When deciding to sell your home, hiring a real estate agent is one of the most important things you can do. Once you sign a listing agreement, you are typically locked into a real estate agent for several months. It’s crucial that you choose a real estate agent who will advertise and show your home effectively, and who will also manage the entire process from start to finish. Here are some helpful tips to help you find a real estate agent that won’t waste your time.
keep it local
You’ve heard the saying, “Real estate is all about location, location, location.” Your real estate agent should be very knowledgeable about your local area, schools, and local activity in your real estate market. Having a real estate agent out of town could leave you open to major problems. For example, a real estate agent unfamiliar with your area might not know that your neighborhood has a special assessment that must be disclosed. This information could cause a qualified buyer to back out or, at the very least, cost the seller more money if he misses it.
Another advantage of having a local real estate agent is that they can easily show the house if they get a call from a prospect. This is extremely important as a fair number of calls come from people in the house calling from the sign in the yard. If your real estate agent can get to these prospects in 10 minutes or less to show them the house, that could keep them from looking at others in your neighborhood and possibly losing a sale!
you want an expert
Your potential real estate agent should know all the possible ways a buyer can buy your home. There are several different types of loan programs that will allow a range of different types of buyers to qualify. Your real estate agent should know the ins and outs of these loans, as well as any potential “disqualifiers” that could be wasting your time. The more loan programs your real estate agent has in their arsenal, the larger the pool of buyers that could buy your home. Most buyers who use financing will generally want a loan program that has the lowest possible down payment. Make sure your real estate agent can help these buyers!
Power equipment is a must!
Real estate agents encounter all kinds of real estate situations and needs. A good Realtor must have on hand a team of professionals who provide services related to Real Estate. We call this the power team. This team includes a good mortgage lender, title company, real estate attorney, insurance agent, home inspector, home appraiser, and contractor. Your real estate agent should also have a good idea of the charges for each of these services or at least be able to get an estimate in a timely manner. When selling your home, you may have a buyer who needs to get a loan, or maybe a buyer who wants to fix something around the house. It’s always good to be prepared and have a trusted power team set up to handle any need.
Marketing maniacs sell houses
If your real estate agent can count the ways they market your house on one hand, then you should probably find another real estate agent. Most real estate agents will list a house on the MLS and on their website. But is that enough exposure to sell the house? Remember, this is a numbers game. The more people see your house for sale, the more chances you have to sell. Advertising in the MLS and on a local website is good, but not enough. A good real estate agent should also advertise on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, blogs, as well as multiple websites like Realtor.com, Homes.com, Trulia.com, and more. Social media and networking are the new trends and more than 500 million potential buyers are on Facebook alone! Your real estate agent must be a marketing maniac and constantly advertising online every week!
Real Estate Agents Are Not Miracle Workers
You may have the best real estate agent, but no one is going to buy your house if it is overpriced or too high for the condition. Make sure you know what homes are selling for in your area, and have your real estate agent provide you with a market analysis so you can price your home accordingly. A good real estate agent can attract buyers to your home, but a bad price will make them leave just as quickly!
On a final note, be sure to shop around and once you find a real estate agent, stick with it! Real estate agents work very hard and long hours without pay until closing. When you agree to work with a real estate agent, be sure to stick with it to the end and honor your contractual relationship as you would expect the real estate agent to do.