Real estate transactions involve one of the biggest financial investments most people experience in their lifetime. Transactions range from a few hundred thousand dollars to many millions of dollars. If you were making an investment of that magnitude you would seek the advice of a professional. If you were ill or had a legal question, you would deal with a doctor or an attorney. Why, because you know the upside of good professional advice outweighs the cost professional knowledge and experience. Considering the small upside cost and the large downside risk, it would be foolish to consider a deal in real estate without the professional assistance of a top real estate professional.
Choosing the right person to sell your home is one of the most important steps of selling. Therefore, choose wisely. At a minimum, speak with 2 or 3 brokers from different agencies. Ask prospective brokers the same list of questions, in order to compare their answers. Find out what they would do to sell your house.
Above all, choose a broker that you feel comfortable with and like. This person will help you make the biggest sale of your life, so find someone you think will do a good job!
It's not difficult to find a good real estate agent if you do a bit of homework before you start interviewing people. The following are a few steps that might help you find the right agent to work with you when you sell your home.
- Which agency's ads or Web sites are the most appealing? This might seem superficial to you, but selling your home for top dollar involves presenting your home in the right way.
- Do house descriptions make you want to schedule an appointment?
- Does the agency provide multiple photos of homes? Are they of good quality?
- Which agencies advertise in multiple publications? On TV and radio?
- Was their Web site easy to find when you searched for homes for sale in your town?
- Does the agency offer an MLS search tool online to help potential buyers search for properties?
- Ask your friends for agent referrals.
- Look for agencies who have won awards—winning awards translates into making sales.
- Learn about their marketing plan.
- Look for an agent that specializes in the neighborhoods you are located in. Drive around look at signs.
Once you have a list of agencies and agents, make an appointment with each one to learn more about their services. Find out if the agent is willing to do a free comparative market analysis (CMA), a process that compares your home to similar homes that have sold recently. Agents use this tool to help sellers set listing prices.
