A guide to finding the best real estate agent for your property
Finding a real estate agent to help you sell your property is an important decision. And, it is apparent after a quick search on the internet, that there are many who offer world-class services. But, how do you know which agent follows through on their services offered? Or which agent makes the process the least stressful? Such things as a country’s property laws, taxes, and licensing can make the process of selling your home a nightmare, but one of the most important decisions you will make.
If you aren’t sure how to select a real estate agent for selling your property, that will truly take care of all these tasks with integrity, keep looking.
1. Make a shortlist of possible agents
It can be quite hard to decide which real estate agent will meet your needs. Moreover, which one will actually be successful at selling your home. However, it is best to check out their websites, and make a shortlist of the ones that are potentially right for you. These agents should display that they are competent in the property market in which you are trying to sell your home.
2. Research their reputation
When you find a potential agent, it is always best to investigate their reputation. As most will have positive reviews from previous customers listed on their websites, it is almost certain they won’t have any negatives ones listed. That is where your research can determine if they are, indeed, who they say they are. So, get on Google, and type in the agent’s name or company name. Then, you can add the word ‘review’ to the search and see what pops up.
These results should be more accurate than the agent’s website as, again, they are out to promote themselves, not hinder their work. And, if there are a lot of negative reviews or complaints, it is best to move on to someone else. Asking around also helps if you know the right people. For micro markets, you may find people who have experience with specific agents who can direct you further.
3. Know an agent’s selling timeline
If you look at an agent’s website, you will most likely see properties that have been listed as ‘SOLD.’ Doing a bit of digging into when the property was listed will help you see how long it took for the agent to sell the property. Moreover, how many properties does the agent have listed on the website? And, what is the percentage of listed properties that have been sold? Moreover, how long have the properties been there? Finally, have any of the properties been reduced in price? All of these indicate the agent’s success at actually doing what they say they can do.
4. How the properties are marketed
This is key to getting your property sold. Look at the agent’s website and see how they have described the properties listed. Moreover, are there attractive pictures to match the descriptions? Also look at the types of property listed and see if your property would fit into the budget, size, and class of the other properties listed.
Finally, what information is included in the descriptions and/or left out? Describing a property accurately is important, as is drawing viewers to its most attractive amenities. When you look at these listings, put yourself in the shoes of a potential buyer and see if any of these properties’ descriptions turn you on to possible buying the property.
5. See what valuation the agent gives your property
Many agents that are reputable will give you a realistic valuation of your property. And, for those who don’t, it is best to stay away. Get the logic behind the quoted property value and make sure it adds up. Furthermore, see what asking price they advise you to use.
Ask if the agent thinks it will be easy to sell your property at the asking price or if it could sell above the current valuation. Also, it is important to get an accurate timeline of when the agent thinks the property will sell. Finally, ask what their plan is when receiving offers that are below the asking price.
6. Deciding on an agent
Once you have researched and completed the above steps, there are a few other important details in which to ask. First, know what percentage the agent will get for a commission fee. And, more importantly, how are the commission fees defined? This is vital to making sure your agent won’t take advantage of you. Extra costs and fees also need to be agreed upon before hiring an agent. And, make sure you are clear on if the agent expects to be the sole seller of the property.
As you could receive an independent offer, make sure your agreement is clear with your chosen agent. Lastly, make sure you have in writing the length of your agreement with the agent. This is important as if you decide to market your property elsewhere, you will need to know if there are any fees associated with cancelling the agent in which you have hired.
These tips will undoubtedly help you with your property agent search. Although there are more things that could be pondered, these are the main things you need to discuss and research when choosing a real estate agent to sell your property. Happy selling and, of course, good luck!
