Can ActiveRain help Catherine in Raleigh?

Catherine, you've asked some great questions in finding the right Realtor. We know the difference a "team" can make in marketing and selling your home and we'd encourage you to also contact Lee & Pamela St.Peter in Raleigh. Having a knowledgeable and savvy team like Lee & Pamela partnering with you would be a great asset. All the best to you!

Go with the local company and the good track record.  Pick an agent who is convenient to your location and who knows the neighborhood.  Pick an agent who is internet savvy as well.

Damon - In my opinion the larger companies (not all) are like a cattle drive.  it's numbers, numbers, numbers...use our inside lenders and use the escrow companies we like..push push push. A smaller firm hires only the best because with poor support they will be out of business quickly.This is my opinion and has been my personal experience.

Damon - In the interest of helping catherine I have deleted my post with my answer to you.  If you wish to insult me then email me or write it on my blog instead of using someone elses blog to do it. 

Hi Catherine

We strongly recommend you use a full time agent, one that is very active in your area with a track record to prove it.  This is a big investment you do not want to leave to chance, that is why you need someone who is 'out there' working your area.

You also want to feel comfortable with the Agent you are going to be depending on and have confidence in them. It certainly doesn't hurt for them to have a sense of humour as well, someone who can take you through this with less stress and a few laughs.

For the Raleigh area we recommend Craig Rutman. We have followed him for some time now and have great confidence in his ability and would refer our clients to him.

All the best and good luck.  

Hi Catherine,

Wow what a neat idea for you to contact the top Real Estate Blog platform and ask...

"Do you recommend using a full-service realty company?

Do you think it is better to use a realtor with a local company who has high-volume and high-dollar sales, or go with another top realtor who works for a national company, or go with a smaller team who work for another national company--possibly less savy about business, but sound savey about the internet."

Catherine...selling a home is a complex issue, and you need an agent that will make the process a pleasant and successful experience for you.

Homes Sell Homes, Realtors find Qualified Buyers.

A Full Service Realtor(s) is the best for most Home Sellers, as the other business models have limited marketing dollars, and soon stop marketing your home,  if your home does not sell quickly...not the best for a home seller wanting their home offered For Sale to the world until it gets Sold.

Many here have addressed many of the best things to look out for in a Realtor, I live and work in Canada and have been selling real estate in Victoria, BC for almost 40 Years, and trust me I thought I had seen it all...then came the Internet.

We live in a Now Society, meaning consumers want everything now, and I believe the Internet help create this fast paced want it now world.

Here a short list of what you can do to get your home sold in a reasonable amount of time and for the most amount of money.

•·Ask a trusted friend ,family member or neighbor who would they recommend to help you Sell your home

•·The Statistics are telling us 95% of home buyers are shopping online for their next home and I understand only 5% of the Realtors are marketing full time online...Google Search your area and see who is on the first page of your search...See if all the Realtors you are interviewing are on that first page...search several key words, Such as Real Estate in your area, Schools in your area, other features in your local area such as a recreation center or golf course...the Top Internet marketing Realtors will be there.

•As many other here have recommended, be sure they are a full time Realtor

•Ask to see their past client testimonials, and then phone those people.

•Ask the Realtors you are interviewing, to show you their marketing material especially their online internet marketing (very important).

•Ask them to be truthful about the Price range you should be in to attract qualified home Buyers to make an offer to Buy your Home....Buyers are Comparative Shoppers, they are not emotional about a home until they have an accepted offer(contract), after all you or I would not pay more than we have too when we go shopping for anything, Pricing your home right is very important to attract qualified Buyers.

•Ask the Realtor you interview how often they will report back to you, about all inquires and past showings, you need this information to make decisions.

•Listening to the Realtor you choose and taking their advise so you'll get your home sold is very helpfull for you to see positive results...a knowledgeable Realtor will point out things in your home that should be upgraded or fixed, so your home shows well to prospective Buyers...What we call Curb Appeal...very important, in fact I believe just as important as pricing your home well

•One of the things you should ask Realtors is "How long is it taking to sell home in your area ?", and look at the prices those homes are selling at,this is where you be pricing your home to be to attract home buyers, their CMA (Current Market Analysis)will or should indicate this.

•Your Question about which Realtor and company...here in Victoria the International Real Estate Companies Sell the most homes, they have qualified buyer Referrals coming to them from Buyers moving to our area...For example the International real estate Franchise I with Re/Max has a 25% market share, well above the nearest competitor many of whom have many more Realtors...that may not be the case in your city, but I'm sure they will be in the top producing real estate companies to explore, Call their Managing Broker and ask them to recommend Realtors in their office that Sell in your area and price range.

In Summary

•1 Have a Friend, Family member or Neighbor to refer a Realtor

•2 Be sure the Realtor has a high profile online...do a Google Search with their name..For example Google me  Fred Carver-Remax.  Be sure you are hiring one of the 5% Realtors that market online

•3 Hire a full time and professional Realtor

•4.Relationship is important, work with some you like and feel you can trust

Most Import have your home ready, You only get one chance to make a first impression de-cutter your home and have it looking Good. Your Realtor will help with recommendations that will help you get your home ready...Homes Sell Homes, Realtor Find Buyers to Buy  your Home

Congratulations on asking the Active Rain members for advice. Great Idea to help smooth out the process and to get you going in the right direction...

Good Luck with your home sale Catherine !!

If You Lived in Victoria BC I would apply for the Job :O)

Catherine - Whatever level of services you believe is right for you, the most important questions you should ask have to do with representation. And the questions should be something like this:

"Will you, and those employed by your agency or brokerage, fully promote, protect and represent my bests interests though out the entire process? And will you promise that you will never to ask me to agree to limited representation as in double or dual agency? Can you explain to me the fiduciary duties of agency?"

Catherine, if you cannot get a pledge of undivided loyalty and full agency representation through out the entire transaction then keep interviewing until you find a real estate licensee who will make that pledge. And live up to it from beginning to end.

Catherine, I don't think the company really matters, it is the agent you hire. A company doesn't realy affect your agent, any agent who doesn't have their own signs, and brand isn't worth hiring. Right now Internet marketing is Key! You need an agent who will out market your competition not just hit you up for price reductions. I actually have a free referral service where I research local agents for people and give my referral based on a set of criteria, so you don't have to worry about making the wrong choice. It is free generally for my clients but I would be happy to do it for you too. Give me a call if you need that service. 509-362-1966. Choosing the right agent in this type of market can make or break you. I also suggest getting a contract you can cancel if you are not satisfied. Agents who do a great job won't be bothered by this.

If i were hiring an agent...full service is the best service. Choosing one...how many of their listings expire....do they have referenes I can call...getting a bunch of listings and seeing which ones stick...which can be the case with high volume is not always the best customer service OR getting the biggest bang for your real estate investment.

Bob - why are you not blogging TODAY?

  Oh right, you got married yesterday...hope you are having a wonderful day off. And, if you actually read this less than 5-days after your wedding, you get 1000 demerits!

Wow! Loved being a virtual fly on the wall at your wedding. Congratulations! Isn't it amazing how Activerain has helped the lives of everyone here? Maybe I can find my next husband! LOL

It's a good question, and the answer isn't as simple as it might seem.  I have worked for both large franchises and small local independents.  I'd rather use a top agent from a local independent than an average agent from a top franchise.  However, a top agent from a top franchise has the advantages of both good property marketing plus the name recognition and institutional marketing from the franchise.

Catherine-

Look for someone YOU can work with. Selling your home is a team sport you are both going to do some heavy lifting.

Catherine,

When you need heart surgery, will you look for a discount surgeon?  Of course not.  So when you are thinking of making a transaction, whether buying or selling, one of the largest investments of your life, don't even consider less than a full time, full service professional.

I suggest you google the area where you property is located and see which REALTORS are in the top ten.  Choose a REALTOR who is full time and full service with some experience and credentials.  We are all independent so it really doesn't matter as much whether that person is in a small company, big company or local company.  You're choosing the agent more than the firm.

After you get that property sold, I hope you'll decide to buy down here on the coast.  Give me a call.

Good luck.

No doubt the asker is not reading down this far, but the question is good and no doubt many of the Realtors above gave strong and reasoned answers to why people like them should be chosen, (whichever camp they belong in).  Statistics and rankings are important, so is knowing the neighborhood, but so is giving someone who is hungry and ready to devote all their time to your property and give you the attention you need. The better the seller can define what they want, the easier it is to define which is the best Realtor.  It is a people business and you do have to match up.

Meet the agent, broker, not just the firm...the big real estate shadow behind them. Support from headquarters is great, but the agent, broker, REALTOR like your doctor, attorney representing you in a serious situation, which real estate sales are...mean sit down and chew the fat, shoot the breeze. This is a game for adults and how did the interview go and what did they show you on a lap top for internet marketing, etc. How many years in business, references, and demeanor. Fun, on the ball, slow and off subject. Big ego, little red hen worker. You need to be partners. You are. He/she markets, you pick the price with his/her cma, guidance, your situation and motivation.  

Use the local one with the proven sales.  The first one I believe as Bob typed them here.  There's absolutely no reason not too.  All real estate is local. 

Catherine...Interview a few agents and go with who you feel comfortable with...People will buy a house from Mickey Mouse if that's the property they're interested in...If it's in the MLS it doesn't matter who sells it as long as it gets sold...Enjoy the day.

Is there any way we can follow up to see if Catherine listed her home? Would love to hear her reaction to all the comments.

Margaret

I'm with Margaret above... whomever got the listing- please share how it goes with your fellow Rainers. I am sure that the consumer reading this must be impressed with not only the thoughtful respnonses, but the great support the agents here give one another. Kudos to all of us who add ActiveRain to the many things we do for our careers and for our clients too!