What Qualities Does a Great Bristow-Gainesville Listing Agent Possess?
Selling your Bristow or Gainesville home is a nerve wracking prospect. Sure, the local real estate market in 2018 has been very seller friendly when it comes to demand, but the thought that you get one shot to maximize your profit from the sale of your home can be overwhelming. Sellers want to make sure they do all they can do to not leave a penny on the table. Unfortunately, that usually starts and ends with judging listing agents considered for the job by the commission they charge.
Making the assumption that the lowest commission charged will net you higher net proceeds implies that the sale of your home will happen the same no matter who you choose to list it. That suggests that all Bristow-Gainesville listing agents are equal. Having been licensed to sell Bristow-Gainesville real estate since 2005, I can tell you that the individual skills and knowledge of each agent in the marketplace vary far more broadly than the differences in the commission you see on a net sheet. And those knowledge and skill differences can be far more impactful on your bottom line.
MARKETING Marketing is more than getting some pictures and info about your home and tossing it in the MLS. It starts with a professional product. Is the agent willing to give you pointers on getting the home show ready? Are they willing to help you stage it? Will they take pictures themselves or hire a professional? It makes a difference in how the public views your home. Professional photography is just the beginning. What words are being to describe your home? If you reduce your price is a blast about a price reduction going out, or an improved price. And where is the listing being seen? What additional forms of marketing are being done?
Staging a home is a must. It doesn't mean new furnishings, but editing what you already have to show off the space you have and make the home inviting. Professional pictures of an unstaged home are a waste. There are plenty of sellers that were annoyed that I insisted on just a few more fixes before calling in the photographer. They felt they were wasting time on the market. First impressions matter and if your first impression is not the absolute best you can do, the results of the sale won't be either.
My sellers and I have enjoyed the benefits of my blogging since 2007. Having more than the MLS allotted 300 characters to describe a home is so important. And being able to get the listing out there on the internet, where the house hunt begins, in multiple forms is so important. Blog posts are great shares on social media. Live posts on platforms like Facebook is also a great way to pop up and have your listing say hello to more eyes.
NEGOTIATING How well does an agent know the contract? Well, classroom learning is great, but practical knowledge from selling a lot of homes in the Bristow-Gainesville area is better. A consistently producing listing agent in the market will be able to read things in the offers you receive that equate to reading between the lines. Full-time producing agents develop instincts and senses about the market and the actions buyers take in it that not every listing agent will have.
Knowing the ins and outs of the contract and how it works as the deal progresses is particularly useful with the second round of negotiations come home inspection time. Again, it's more than the words, it is being able to predict buyer behavior and plan for seller desired outcomes. I sell enough real estate in Bristow-Gainesville to nearly be a mind reader when it comes to how a deal looks from the inception. And I'm always looking for the high ground for my sellers when it comes to negotiating. Knowing your strong positions as a seller in negotiations is a must.
APPRAISAL Getting that high sales price you wanted as a seller doesn't matter if your home can't appraise for that same value. Having a Bristow-Gainesville listing agent that knows how to pull the right comps and communicate with the appraiser through a written or in person presentation is what is necessary to knock it out of the park. I can't tell you how many times I've met an appraiser at a home to be told that the home won't appraise only to swing the appraiser to what the market was thinking and why the home IS worth every penny. Appraisal track record is HUGE. The most amazing appraisal I have pulled off in 2018 was on a home backing to power transmission lines. I won't bore you here, but feel free to click this link for the full scoop.
COMMUNICATION The number one complaint I hear about agents, and experience myself in cooperating deals too many times, is lack of communication. Not sure what makes an agent take a listing and disappear, but it happens all too often. Not with me. I make sure my seller's know what is happening every step of the way.
Hiring an agent based on what they charge can have you missing the forest for the trees. Sure you may save money on what you pay, but what do lose in how they market your home, help you negotiate and how they do or do not communicate with the appraiser. Agents that excel in getting the deal done for their sellers and getting it done for top dollar are not the cheapest agents in town. As a professional, I know if you could two parallel tracks of selling your one home and could pick the agent based on the outcome and not the commission, you would choose a more expensive agent. In the end, they pay for themselves and then some with their knowledge. Unfortunately, you don't get that opportunity. You get to pick once. Choose based on what you are getting for the money. Ask for references. Read reviews. Ask for examples of how the agent handled difficult negotiations or had to reach for an appraisal and nailed it.
It's not a waste of money to hire a Bristow-Gainesville listing agent that absolutely will not leave a penny on the table when it comes to selling your only home.
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