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Selecting a Real Estate Agent
It's likely that no other single factor will have a greater impact on the successful sale of your home as your choice of a REALTOR®. The right agent can make the process seem smooth and hassle free—even if it isn't. The wrong choice, on the other hand, could result in no end of hassles, frustration, delays and disappointment. So don't take this decision lightly!
Here's the shocking fact. In today's competitive real estate market, less than 60 percent of homes listed for sale actually sell. In other words, at any given time, there are typically far more homes available than there are qualified buyers. If you want to sell your home quickly, and at a respectable price, you need an agent who will "work the market," not just list the property and hope it sells itself.
You may opt to sell your home yourself. If you have the time and patience to do so, the information in this report will prove invaluable. However, an agent brings several important assets to the table. Here are a few of them:
1. knowledge of the market, which helps determine price and negotiate the sale.
2. contacts with qualified buyers rather than "tire-kickers."
3. marketing clout.
Here are some things to consider when selecting a REALTOR®:
Reputation.
Ask around. Do your homework. An agency doesn't have to be large to be effective. But it does need to have a track record of success.
A proactive game plan to market your home.
Too many REALTORS® are stuck in the "gatekeeper" mentality of decades past, when you had only to list the home and the rest took care of itself. Not anymore. Today's information-laden buying market demands that the professional know how to reach best prospects as soon as they start looking (if not before!), as well as how to turn lookers into buyers so your home gets SOLD!
In-depth knowledge of your market area.
Real estate is a dynamic marketplace. Pricing, appeal, and availability can vary dramatically within a single neighborhood or just across town. To be effective, an agent needs to be intimately acquainted with ALL the variables, including financing, state and local laws and ordinances governing real estate transactions, and other details to help you anticipate, avoid, and solve problems before they occur.
A team that's in the game.
Some people worry that if the agent is busy, he or she won't have time to give customers the attention they deserve. Well, who would you rather operate on you—the surgeon with a skilled team who's in demand or the one who's sitting on his hands? Don't hire a part-time medical technician when you need delicate brain surgery.
Someone you feel good about.
That sounds pretty subjective, but it's important that you trust your agent and have the utmost confidence in his or her ability to perform.
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