If you’re thinking of selling your home, it’s absolutely crucial that you find the agent for the right reasons. How do you know how to distinguish the good agents from the bad ones? Here are five things to look for in your next real estate agent:
1. Experience. This is absolutely the most important thing to look for. You want to know whether they’re a full-time agent or simply a hobbyist, and how many years they’ve been actively selling real estate in your area. To get a clearer picture of their experience, ask these questions: How many homes have they sold in the past year? How many homes do they sell on average each month? What is their average days on market for homes they’ve sold? What have their past clients said about working with them? These are important metrics for you to understand as a seller.
2. Specialty. What does this agent specialize in? It’s nice to find an agent who is well-rounded, but you may want to consider hiring someone who specializes in working with homeowners exclusively. These agents will understand the different variables that come into play when pricing your home. You don’t want someone who will use “hope” as a selling strategy.
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Good negotiation skills come from
years of experience.
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3. Negotiating skills. Learning to negotiate is not necessarily something that an agent can easily learn from a YouTube video or in a book; this skill comes with years of experience. You should know their negotiating techniques and strategies up front.
4. Knowledge of the market. Consider asking an agent questions about things like the average residential asking price of a home in your area, and what the current absorption rate is. An agent should also know how to handle potential outside threats from interest rates, market trends, job loss and economic indicators.
5. Team players. It’s very important to understand the difference between an agent that works on their own versus one who works as part of a team. It’s very difficult for solo agents to manage so many aspects of home buying and selling with so many clients at the same time. For this reason, I’d recommend finding an agent with a team and a strategy in place to manage customer satisfaction and will get you top dollar on your home.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a homeowner is choosing an agent for the wrong reasons. You definitely should not choose an agent just because they are cheaper than others, and be careful about working with family or friends. Make sure you choose the right agent for the right reasons by doing your homework beforehand.
If you’d like my help in finding the right agent to fit your needs, give me a call or send me an email. I’d be happy to assist you.
