Hiring a Listing Agent to sell your home can be a daunting task. What makes an exceptional listing Agent? You might be considering selling your home and wondering which firm or which listing agent to select to represent your sale. Your up against a few obstacles in this decision, I want to help.
The number ONE thing to consider is if the agent is if YOU feel comfortable with the listing agent you are interviewing? Can you have candid conversations with this person sitting across from you? Will they respond to your calls right away and not make you feel like you are bothering them with what you think may be ridiculous questions. Will they make themselves available for you and your needs? Do you trust that they are providing your with solid advice and trustworthy guidance? Do you think they will work hard for you?
The fact is, many agents advertise that they are “lifetime members of the million dollar club,” or “Top Producer”. These things only matter if you are that agent. When hiring a listing agent, it is important to hire someone who is enthusiastic, alert, available, smart, and familiar with market values.
When hiring a listing agent, you want to know that your agent will do more than put a real estate sign in your yard and plop your listing carelessly in the MLS. They should take careful care to take desirable photo’s of your home and thoughtful marketing descriptions. Your listing agent only has one chance to make a first impression and that impression is KEY in YOUR success!
Further, listing agents should be technically oriented. Meaning, they should be online marketing your home on the internet, social networks, classified sites, to fellow Realtors, Lenders, and more! We are marketing machines and and real estate is a definitely a numbers game. The more people a listing is seen by, the more likely it will sell, for the highest price.
If you are not getting a call back from your listing agent, you must wonder if they are calling Buyers, and Buyer’s Agents back quickly. probably not.
Does the agent go to the MLS meetings to promote your listing to fellow real estate brokers? Are they active and do they have a lot of energy to complete the required tasks needed to get your home sold quickly and for the highest price?
I think that teams are your best bet when hiring a listing agent. Listing and selling homes require a different series of skills. I am partial to husband and wife teams, but see the value in most team types. My wife and I work together and that serves our clients extremely well. She is a networking nut with an aptitude for contract law and processing prospects. I am a hard worker with an endless pipeline of client referrals and repeat business. People trust me, and they should. Both my wife and I enjoy real estate as a profession and our clients can count on extremely quick response. Husband and wife teams are particularly desirable because if a Real Estate Agent tries to explain why they can’t attend their child’s birthday to a spouse that doesn’t relate, it can cause arguments.
Large Firm, Small Firm, it doesn’t matter. With the information age came technology that allows small companies to beat large companies. Your decision when hiring a listing agent should revolve around the Agent, not the Brokerage.
Lastly, but VERY important. When hiring a Listing Agent, find one that is familiar with the market and current values. Can they help you determine fair market value? Are they able to help you see the dollar amount they suggest as a listing price? If you are hiring a listing agent that is not looking at values correctly, it could cost you money. A Listing Agent can provide you with a market analysis, and show you comparable sales with criteria that his similar to your home sale. Remember, the when hiring a listing Agent, they will be defending your price to Buyers and Fellow Real Estate Agents. They will be negotiating on your behalf.
