Selling a home can be lot of work! There are many things that need to be done before someone else can move in. It’s a complicated process that can take several weeks or months to complete.
Besides putting the home up for sale and advertising it on the open market, you also want to clean it, make any necessary renovations or repairs, prepare for open house showings and work with other parties along the way.
One important decision that you have to make is whether or not to hire a realtor to help sell your home.
You could put the property up for sale by yourself or sell the home as-is, but most people don’t have the education, experience and connections that real estate agents have. That’s why scores home owners trust them to get sell their homes.
Selling a home in Florida can be accomplished with ease through careful planning. Having a knowledgeable realtor on your side can definitely make things easier for you in the long run.
Neighborhoods In Palm Beach Gardens
Here are a few things that you can do when you’re trying to decide which realtor to work with:
1. Compare and contrast local real estate agents.
You can always ask your friends, family members and neighbors for recommendations of qualified real estate agents if you’d like. You can also go online to find available realtors in your area.
Read testimonials and reviews and try to learn as much about their professional services as you can. This can help you narrow down your selections.
2. Know what to look for in a realtor.
A great realtor should have your best interests in mind. They should make your home sale a priority. The best realtors have years of experience and a good track record of selling homes in your local market.
You’d expect a real estate agent to be friendly, to listen to your questions and concerns. If a realtor doesn’t pay attention to you, isn’t proactive, doesn’t give you an initial quote or is questionable for any other reason, it’s time to move on and work with someone else.
3. Meet with the top candidates on your list.
Don’t settle for the first real agent that you find. You should meet with at least three to five different agents. Schedule meetings with them when you can.
Listen to them when they talk to see how they address your concerns. Feel free to ask them for references if you’d like. Afterwards, you can evaluate each meeting before selecting the realtor that’s right for you.
4. Prepare a list of questions.
When you meet with realtors, you should have already prepared a list of questions to ask them.
They should be matters that are most important to you. You may ask questions like:
- How long have you been a realtor?
- How many homes have you sold?
- Do you work independently, or as part of a team?
- What do you specialize in?
- How much do you know about homes in this area?
- Will you make my home a priority?
- How many other active clients do you currently have?
- How will you market and advertise my home?
- What Is Your Marketing Plan?
Write down their responses and compare them with the replies from each realtor that you meet with. The answers to these and other pertinent questions can help you pick the right realtor that can get your home sold in a reasonable amount of time.
5. Establish a few ground rules
Once you’ve selected a realtor, you can establish a few ground rules. Here are some suggestions:
1. Tell the realtor why you want to sell your home.
- One of the first things that you should do is to tell your realtor why you want to sell your home. You might have a specific deadline to meet.
- You may need to move soon due to a job change or other personal situation. You may want to move in a certain period of time because you feel like it’s time for a major life change.
- Whatever your reason is, make sure that you communicate your reasons with the realtor so that they can work on getting your home sold as soon as possible.
2. Work together on an effective sales strategy.
- Your realtor may have years of experience, but they’ll still need your input. They’ll have to work around your schedule.
- You can let them know if you’re okay with open house showings. Let them know how much time that you need in advance before showings.
- If you don’t want any showings, you may have to work with the realtor to come up with a virtual reality tour or other creative ways to market your home.
3. Specify how you want to communicate.
- Some home sellers prefer to only communicate over email. Others are fine with phone or video calls.
- Tell your realtor what method of communication works best for you. Be sure to specify when you’re available.
- You might not want your realtor to contact you while you’re at work or after hours. You should also ask the realtor how they typically communicate with their clients.
- A good real estate agent should be in constant contact with you until the home is sold.
4. Get an agreement in writing.
- It’s a good idea to have a written agreement. This way, both parties’ roles will be clearly specified.
- Work with your realtor on an agreement. Make sure that you read it carefully before both parties sign.
- The list price, commission structure, what happens if the home isn’t sold after a certain amount of time and other important details should be included in the agreement.
Conclusion
These are just some of the most important things to keep in mind when it’s time to look for a real estate agent. Think of the agent like your business partner. The end goal is to sell your home.
You and your realtor should work together as closely as possible to achieve that goal. If both parties live up to their expectations, the property will be sold before you know it. You’ll be able to move on and start the next chapter of your life.
Questions About Selling Your Home?
If you have any questions about selling your home or property I am ready to help you choose the best path when you are ready to sell. You can reach David Rogers by Phone / Text @ 561.660.0154 or Message Me or request a Free Home Value.