When selling your home, selecting an agent who understands the process and can guide you through it is key to quickly selling for top dollar and quickly. Therefore, it is vital to interview potential agents prior to choosing one to represent you as you sell.
At your interviews, ask candidates about their experience and knowledge of the market. Furthermore, find out their plan for marketing your home – will they list it with Multiple Listing Service (MLS), post it online real estate websites such as Zillow or use social media to draw potential buyers in?
As well as marketing your home, when selecting an agent to take professional-quality photos and video tours of it, this will make the home more desirable to buyers, increasing its chance of selling quickly. In addition, look for agents with experience working with buyers of various needs – seniors or military members perhaps? – and those possessing certifications in luxury homes.
Real estate agents should represent your best interests during the home sales process, from negotiating contract to getting you the best price possible. But sometimes their motives may conflict with those of their client – for instance they might push for too expensive of a home for your budget even though their commission will increase; or offer advice that goes against your best interest, such as telling you to lower asking price to sell faster.
While you can do many of the tasks a real estate agent performs to market your home on your own, having professional guidance through this process is still beneficial and could save time and money in marketing costs. Hiring an experienced agent could also be worth your while for two reasons.
An agent will use “comps” (or comparable properties) that have recently sold in your neighborhood to determine an asking price for your property. Comparables could include factors like number of bedrooms/bathrooms/square footage/location/amenities; when they compare your home against these properties they will adjust its pricing based on factors that are specific to it.
As part of the negotiation process, you may come across some challenges – an appraisal not matching up with purchase price or financing issues with buyers unable to secure financing – which must be quickly addressed by communicating with their agents, appraisers and lenders as quickly as possible in order to reach resolution as soon as possible. A good real estate agent should have no problem handling such hurdles with ease!
Selecting an agent to sell your home can make or break your experience when selling. To avoid costly missteps that could cost thousands, take note of these tips before selecting an agent to list your property with. Once ready to begin the selling process, Clever can connect you with top local agents who will be there every step of the way, plus save on commission with our pre-negotiated rates starting from 1.5%!