Selling your home is no easy task and having a real estate agent be your guiding hand can go a long way to make the process easier. Selling your home will be one of the most significant financial decisions you will make, and it’ll help if you have a real estate agent to take care of the paperwork, help you understand everything, and find the right buyer for your home.
While there is no shortage of these professionals, having so many different options from various sources can be overwhelming.
Here are some tips to help you choose the right real estate agent:
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1. Get Ahold of Referrals
There are probably many other people that have sold their homes, and they’ve more than likely hired real estate agents since they can be lifesavers when selling. Ask around and get referrals from your friends, family, and colleagues about real estate agents that have impressed them or done well.
You will need to find one that has had experience working with clients in a similar situation as yours. Someone who is selling a home for their first time will have different needs than someone who has sold their home many times. Ensure that you’re choosing suitable professionals that meet your needs and can be relied on when you need them.
2. Do Your Research
Before hiring a real estate agent, research them online. Almost everyone is online, and your real estate agent too will have a social media presence if they’re looking to target the online population, which is far too much to miss.
Look at their websites, listings, and social media accounts to get an idea about their personality, success rate, and how they fare.
You should also check out their online reviews for their customer feedback. While a few negative reviews are natural, any more than a handful may be a red flag to avoid.
3. Start Interviews
Interviews are a great way to understand your real estate agent’s style when making an impression and their experience. You should be looking to interview at least three or four different agents instead of sticking with just one because you will need to find one that suits your budget and the particular area where you’re selling.
Have a look at their proposals to understand how polished and professional they are. If you notice that they put in a lot of effort to impress you, the better chances that they will create an excellent presentation when trying to sell your home.
You’ll also get a better idea of their modes of communication and how available they are. For example, if you feel comfortable texting them with updates or working on them, you will also want someone who does the same.
4. Ask for References
When you’re interviewing real estate agents, don’t be afraid to ask for references to get an idea of their previous experience. Ask potential candidates to provide any information about their sales in the last year, ask for contact information for about three to four clients they have worked with recently.
Once the interviews are over, call the contacts you have, ask them their experience with the specific real estate agent, and ask about their support during the sales process. You should also ask about how they handled negotiations and if they would hire them again if they needed to.
5. Trust Your Intuition
While knowledge and experience are crucial, a real estate agent plays a massive role in ensuring that your sales process goes as smoothly as possible. However, it’s vital that you trust your gut and choose the one you feel comfortable with and trust to help you out.
The truth is that hiring a real estate agent is similar to dating; if you’re not feeling the proper connection with the person, don’t choose them. You don’t need to select the first one you interview; there are plenty of professionals available that will match your personality and be the right fit for you.
6. Analyze Your Contract
Have a look at your contract. Does it mention all of your conditions and the terms you’ve agreed on, especially the real estate commission? Typically, the seller pays six percent of the total sales price towards the real estate commission, which goes towards your agent and the buyer’s real estate agent. However, the commission rate is negotiable, and you may be able to pay less than six percent.
Another thing that you should consider is the length of the contract. Ensure that your agreement is as short as possible, probably about six-seven months or less. If you’re living in a competitive seller’s market (where there is more demand for homes than the homes available), and you aren’t able to sell within 30 days, you may want to consider changing your real estate agent.
7. Evaluate Your Final Choices
When you’ve narrowed down your search and you’ve decided on a candidate, ensure that you evaluate them. Go over the research you’ve done on them, contact more people to find out about them, and find someone you feel comfortable around.
Reach out to people with negative reviews about them if possible and ask them why they thought they weren’t the right fit. However, you should remember that someone may not be the right choice for you, but they may work for someone else alternatively.
The real estate agent you choose should be on the same page with you regarding communication so that you don’t face difficulties and can attain updates regularly without fail.
Rely on Your Agent for Support
Since a real estate agent plays a crucial role in landing the right buyers and getting the price you want, don’t neglect to rely on them for any support you will require to get you through the process. If you have any doubts about parts of the contract, consult them. If you want them to find specific buyers according to your needs, they will find them for you depending on your asking price.
Have Questions? Ask The Grant Homes Group & Coast2Coast Realty!
The Grant Homes Group & Coast2Coast Realty is the best source of information about the local community and real estate topics. Give us a call today at (888) FLA-GULF (888-352-4853) to learn more about local areas, discuss selling a house, or tour available homes for sale.
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