For Sellers and Short Sale Sellers: Looking After Your Needs
Thank you for the opportunity to potentially help you with the sale of your home. We understand that you, as a consumer, have many choices in the marketplace when it comes to choosing a listing agent. Below are several considerations to factor in your search for the right agent.
1. DEDICATION. As a Seller it may be very tempting to hire a personal friend or relative that does real estate part-time or on weekends for "a little extra money". The choice to sell a home with someone that only works in real estate part-time typically means limited Agent-to-Seller communication, minimal marketing efforts of the listing, and missed calls from Buyer Agents or interested buyers. Hiring a part-time listing agent usually culminates in a failure experience.
2. EXPERIENCE. Another temptation for Sellers is to hire someone that they know who is just recently licensed in real estate. Selling a home with an inexperienced listing agent that is not knowledgeable about things such as online marketing, the complexities involved in a short-sale, or negotiating the terms of a sales contract also typically ends in a failure episode. An experienced agent will likely sell your home quicker, at a higher price, and with better terms.
3. INTEGRITY. Perhaps the greatest temptation for Sellers is to list their homes with the listing agent that tells them 1) the highest value that their home is "worth" or 2) the lowest brokerage commission. An honest listing agent will share with you information regarding recent sales in your community and offer an estimation of value based upon those sales which are most similar to your home. Beware of agents that quote you a "low" brokerage commission and yet still promise to give full-service. Low commissions can often signify minimal agent investment in resources such as staff, technology, education, etc. All of these resources are critical to properly marketing and selling your home.
