If you are thinking about selling your home it is important to select your agent wisely. But in order to make the right choice you must understand the role a real estate agent plays in securing a successful sale.
In short there are 4 key parts to a real estate agent’s role when selling property:
- Helping an owner sell their property at a realistic price in line with market expectations.
- Provide sound advice on how to present a property to sell.
- Create a structured and engaging marketing plan.
- Negotiate with potential buyers to extract the best possible price.
Click here to read REIWA President Damian Collins’ opinion on why understanding the role your real estate agent plays is essential to ensuring a successful sale.
Finding the right real estate agent to sell your greatest financial asset should be no different to hiring the best person for a job.
Not all agents are the same
An agent works for YOU. Your needs must be their top priority. If they’re not the right person for the job, it can cost you dearly. It’s never been more important to choose your agent wisely because todays’ buyers know the market. They research online extensively and understand the market well before they request an inspection or attend an Open House.
Questions to ask an agent before engaging their services…
How will you target the right buyers for my property?
There’s more to targeting buyers than advertising alone. While a professionally prepared tailored marketing campaign that targets the right buyers is vital, your agent should also be actively contacting buyers looking for a property like yours. Unfortunately, too many agents wait for a buyer to come to them.
How do you calculate what my property is worth?
Many people are lured by the promise of a high price without being told how that price was calculated and how it will be achieved. Ask an agent to explain how they arrived at a figure when appraising your home to ensure it’s not simply a number designed to draw you in. Nothing will damage the integrity of a sale faster than a home that’s unrealistically priced. It’s important to ensure your agent prices your property in line with current comparable market values.
How will you achieve the best sales result for me?
When it comes to achieving the best possible price there are 3 key factors to look for – attention to detail (on everything from property presentation and local knowledge to follow-up communication); highly skilled negotiation skills (why not put the agent to the test by role playing a negotiation with them); and last but not least, friendly, professional service, without the pressure (buyers see straight through the ‘pushy salesperson spiel’).
Can you show me the results & testimonials from your last 3 sales?
If an agent can’t show you recent sales results and testimonials (not results from 3 years ago) then how can you be sure they have what it takes to achieve top dollar in the current market?
How often will I hear from you? And how do you communicate with prospective buyers?
There’s nothing more frustrating than an agent who fails to keep you fully informed during the sales campaign. You should never have to ask for information. Ask each prospective agent how he or she intends to communicate with you and with prospective buyers of your property.
There’s a lot more to selling a property than most people realise. At Shelmark, we take the stress and hard work out of the process for you and our negotiation skills can make a huge positive difference to the price achieved. We also provide additional services to you such as property preparation, styling and professional marketing – all aimed at improving your chances of a successful outcome and making the entire process a smooth and rewarding one.
Contact us and put us to the test today.