There’s a lot more to selling a property than many people realise. So, choosing the right person for the job should be taken very seriously. Leading real estate trainer and auctioneer, Tom Panos, says the difference between a good and a mediocre selling agent can be as much as 10% of the asking price. He offers the following tips to choose the perfect selling agent:
1. Don’t base your decision on the commission they charge. He says it makes no sense saving a few thousand in commission if you lose tens of thousands on the sale price.
2. Find out who will actually be representing you in the sale of your property. In larger agencies, the person pitching to win the business is not necessarily the one who will be managing the sale of your home from start to finish. Many agents use assistants to do much of the work. But that’s not what you signed up for. Ask who will be conducting the Home Opens, following up every buyer and doing the negotiations.
3. Attend Open Homes conducted by agents in your area to gauge their approach and see whether or not they contact you afterwards. Look for how engaged they are at the Open, how knowledgeable they are about the property and the area and how the home presents, much of which is influenced by the agent.
4. Check out the quality of their marketing. Visit their website and look at the quality of their property advertising, from the photographs to the copywriting. How well does the marketing engage the target buyer for a property? Does it sell the story and engage the emotions? How well is the advertising promoted, both digitally and in print?
5. What do others have to say about them? Check out their Google and other reviews to see what past vendors and buyers have to say about the agent you are considering.
6. Look them up on Facebook. This will give you an insight into their character and values. Do they align with yours?
7. Don’t assume that an agent with more listings is better. Look for an agent who is available to spend the time required to find the best buyer for your property. As Tom says, “You don’t want an agent who sells the most homes, but one who sells your home for the most.” Ask how many other properties they will be handling at the same time as yours.
8. Ask for references. Choosing the best real estate professional for the job of selling your most significant financial asset is no different to hiring someone for an important role in a company. Ask them for the names and numbers of the last 5 sellers they’ve looked after.
9. Are they tech savvy? This is about being current with technology, so they are engaging with buyers where they are active and marketing using modern digital methods that save buyers time and looks professional.
10. Are they realistic and honest with their pricing? Be very wary of the agent who tries to win your business by over-pricing your property. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. As Tom says, “The best an agent can do is influence, not control, the sale price. The market sets the market.”
The Shelmark difference
As a husband-and-wife team in business together since 1990, we work in tandem to help every client achieve their property goals. When you engage us, you are working directly with the owners of the business, never an assistant. 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. We invite you to check out our reviews and come and speak to us, even if you’re simply curious to know what your property is worth in today’s market.
Click here to learn more about how we work or contact us to schedule an obligation free property appraisal and a chat about your real estate goals.