A Sign, the MLS and a Prayer

As a real estate agent, I often wonder why some sellers choose one agent over another.  The fact that their are so many agents to choose from must drive the general public crazy. Or does it?  In my quest to improve my services and to understand how and why people choose their agent, I have come up with a basic list of the why's. This list was informally developed over time as I have spoken with sellers in every different price range and selling motivation. 

• The seller already had a previous relationship with their agent.
• The seller is related to their real estate agent.
• The seller saw a for sale sign of a particular agent.
• The seller was referred by another person to a particular real estate agent.
• The seller called several agents and the first one to call back got the listing.
• The seller ended up listing with the agent that recommended the highest list price.
• The seller just wanted to get the process started and picked someone (anyone).
• The seller wants an agent that says he/she is the greatest and closed over $1,000,000,000,000 last year.

While the reasons people pick a particular agent varies, the most meaningful and results oriented approach is the following:

• Pick an agent that is marketing driven not market driven. The difference is how pro-active (marketing) the agent is regardless of the market.
• Pick an agent that gets plenty of referrals and testimonials from past clients. An agents level of success (or failure) leaves clues.
• Pick an agent that you are most comfortable with and that you truly believe will "watch your back".
• Pick an agent that can back up what they say. In other words, is easy to talk a good game but actually executing is what you should really care about.
• Pick an agent that is transparent and accountable. Having an agent that has nothing to hide and ultimately that is responsible for results.
• Pick an agent that markets heavily to buyers. An agent that just markets to sellers only creates more competition for your listing. Having an agent that works with plenty of buyers will leverage your success.

An agent that puts a sign up, places the listing on the MLS and prays that it sells is not good enough (even though praying may help). Find an agent that has a track record, that you can trust and works with plenty of buyers.