When it comes time to pick a real estate agent to sell your home, sorting through which agent to use can be very confusing. Don’t fall into the trap of picking the agent that gives you the highest price… in our business we call that “buying a listing”. The agent quotes a high list price than after the agreement is signed they badger you to continue to lower the price. Be smart and look at all the pricing data objectively. Remember the buyer’s set the price, agents have no control on the market value of your home.Any Listing Agent you choose should present to you a very strong marketing plan. This is the biggest difference among agents. To tell you the truth, It makes no difference what company the agent is with or how long they have been in the business. What it really boils down to is what is that agent going to do to sell my home. A good agent should provide you with a strong detailed “marketing plan” of exactly what they will do to market your home.Make sure the agent:
Shows you examples of MLS Listing Sheets off houses they sold…. make sure they are detailed and no information is left out. Many times agents don’t put in room dimensions, extra photo’s, school systems, directions, etc…
Make sure our potential real estate agent has a strong internet presence… do they have a Facebook and LinkedIn account, do they pay for enhanced listings on Realtor.com, what other sites will your listing show up on, will you have your own property website…. 89% of all buyers start their search on the internet before contacting an agent, Make sure your agent is heavily invested in the internet.
Check out photo’s of prior the agents prior listings. It is starting to become a trend where agents are hiring professionals to photograph their houses. Remember you have seconds to capture a buyers attention on the internet, make sure your photographs create a lasting impression.
Are you comfortable with the information the agent is providing you, can the back up CMA’s with good data?
Lastly, are you comfortable with the agent, do you feel you can communicate well with him/her?
These are a few points to consider when hiring a real estate agent. Decide now, are you going to hire your real estate agent based upon:
Indicated Market value or
Strong Marketing Plan