There’s a lot to think about when you decide to sell your home- from getting the house ready for inspections, to packing everything up and moving. The last thing you want is to be dealing with an agent who doesn’t understand your needs and isn’t doing the best they can do to sell your home. Read on for our top tips for picking the right agent for you.
Talk to More Than One Person
Think of the process of selecting an agent as a job interview- you wouldn’t hire the first person who applied for the job. It’s important to research different agents and shop around. Talk to recent clients and ask your potential agent for their credentials and recent results. Look for someone with excellent references and who understands your particular needs.
Don’t Make It a Family Affair
Just because your brother-in-law is a high flying agent doesn’t necessarily mean you should use them. The relationship between you and your agent is, at the end of the day, a business contract and should be kept as professional as possible. Selling a home can be an emotional and stressful time, and you want your agent to be the person who is there to keep things on track and not get caught up in any family drama.
Stay Local
Choose an agent who knows the area you are selling your home in like the back of their hand. A local agent will be much more knowledgeable about the best way to sell your home, compared to someone who isn’t from the area. Your agent should be able to tell you about homes that are currently on the market or have recently sold in the same suburb and surrounds. They should also be able to answer any questions potential buyers may have, such as where the local schools are.
Pick a Specialist
Not all real estate agents are cut from the same mould. Just like a doctor, agents often specialise in a particular type of property, whether it be commercial buildings, houses, or apartments. You’ll want to pick an agent who is a specialist in selling your type of property. If you’re selling a two storey family house for example, it wouldn’t be a good idea to pick an agent who primarily deals with apartments, even if they have good reviews and great results. Make sure you ask your agent specifically about their experience in selling your type of property.
Results Matter
At the end of the day it’s all about the result. Your agent might say all the right things, give you a slick advertising campaign, and promise the world, but if they can’t sell the house it will all be for nothing. When you’re choosing an agent, research their results or ask for them directly if you can’t find them online. Look for information on how many properties they’ve sold recently, how long it took those properties to sell, and how close the sell price was to the seller’s expectations.
