Do not choose your real estate agent based upon their commission or fees!
Judi Barrett, a colleague in Oklanhoma, posted her ideas about what's important for sellers to ask when choosing a real estate agent. Although her rural market is different from our urban one, sellers' needs are the same, and her advice is valid here as well as there. See what you think.
Do not choose your real estate agent based upon their commission or fees!
One of the first things that a caller, who is thinking of listing property for sale, asks, is how much do you charge? They should ask the question. Commissions and fees are not set by law and each seller has the right to negotiate fees and commissions with the real estate agent or broker.
An agent that settles for less fees and/or a lower commission though, does not guarantee that you, as a home or land seller, will net more money on the sale. In fact, the fact that they are willing to work for less money may mean that they will find a way to make up that difference in less marketing effort, or less effort in some area.
There should be at least three things that you are concerned about when you list your home. Each individual seller will have other concerns but these three will cover a lot:
- How much am I going to net on the sale of my home?
- How long is it going to take to find a buyer?
- How much hassle is it going to be for me personally?
You want to find an agent that is going to net you the most on your sale. That means that they are going to help you with sales comps so that the home is priced appropriately for the current market. Pricing your property too high OR too low hurts the price outcome.
Once you have decided that it is time to sell, you want an agent that is going to MARKET that home or land for sale. Two photos and a sign on the property does NOT do it. We typically shoot 100 photos or more so that I can choose the best ones along with videos of all areas of the property. We build virtual tours, upload videos to Youtube, use various websites that others may not be using along with owning several domains that are specialized. Did I mention blogging the listing. Countless hours are spent marketing. When the property has been priced right and it IS EXPOSED to the world, the length of time to find a buyer should be minimized.
How much hassle do you want? I've always considered it my job to take the hassle so that you don't have to. I'm the one answering the phone, filtering out unqualified tire-kickers, working with contracts and all the related papers, working with loan and mortgage people and underwriting, dealing with the title company and abstract office, attorneys, closers, surveyors, home inspectors, wdi inspectors, and appraisers. My job is to make your sale as easy as I can.
The other concerns that you should be thinking about are:
- Communication - will this agent keep my updated on what's going on?
- Is this person someone that I can trust - can they supply me with references?
- Is this person someone that I want to do business with - Do I like them?
Just like in other areas of life and other types of purchases, you usually get what you pay for. In your best interest and in the best interest of the bottom line on the sale of your home, do not choose your real estate agent based upon commissions or fees - that may not insure a better sale for you or more money for you in the end. Don't make it a toss of the dice either... you have too much at stake here. Choose wisely!
Image from woodleywonders , Rambergmedialmages and LarsPlougmann
Looking for a home for sale in Idabel, Oklahoma? Let me Google that for you.
Judi Barrett, Broker, Integrity Real Estate Services, Office Address: RR 5 BOX 126, IDABEL, OK 74745 580-212-5946
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